not government

Mark of The Beast – Disney Edition

Big Brother Watch tells us the tale of a mouse – a big, internationally corporate mouse.

It appears DISNEY is planning on using RFID technology on it’s lab rats customers!

Today’s Independent reports on the latest front in retail convenience and privacy, with Disney’s plans to utilise RFID technology.

“The latest kerfuffle has resulted from Disney’s plan to introduce an RFID wristband – “the MagicBand” – at its parks during 2013. It would function as a room key, a parking ticket, a pass for certain rides, a payment system and, if you opted in, a personal ID that would, say, allow Disney characters to greet you or your children by name. The online reaction to this plan ranges from “awesome” to “terrifying”.

Disney says that it’s trying to “appeal to customers more efficiently” in a way that’s “transformational” to its business; critics say that it enables the company to “monitor, track and analyse your every activity”. When the plans became public, Congressman Ed Markey complained to Disney about the “surreptitious use of a child’s information”, a claim that was deftly rubbished by the company – but the move still furrows the brows of privacy campaigners, including Nick Pickles, director of Big Brother Watch.”

Go and read the whole article at the above link.  Perhaps it IS a small world after all – and a less private one.

h/t Independent Reports, BBW

Differences of Opinion

I used to be ‘on’ Facebook a lot more.  I located a number of long-lost friends there, and even connected with high school reunion (and junior high!) folks there.

But, as I became more of a blogger, my time there has been limited.  I usually stop by daily, just to check-in though.

While there is occasionally conflict or a difference of opinion in the blogosphere, my experience in FB has not been the same.  You see, persons of more diverse opinions tend to make theirs known on Facebook.  I’ve no problem with people not being on the same page.  That’s one of the things that makes life interesting.  I’ve posted about such friends (Ralph).  Life would be incredibly boring if we were all in lock-step.

My objection is people who aren’t even on the same planet or in the same universe.  These folks concern me.

As an example, I’ve known a guy for about 20 years.  We worked together @ TMCCC.  We had some similar interests.  I liked going all out for Halloween, so did he (for example).  But, we never really got political.  And he moved to Australia.  And back here.  And he visited me in the hospital after the accident – a good guy.  We’ve reconnected on Facebook, and he’s made noises about getting together for a drink, or lunch, or something.  A laudable idea.  But…

He obviously not only has no idea where I stand (he doesn’t read this blog); he (re)posts stuff on FB, without any knowledge of the subject, or researching it to see if it makes any sense. One (of many) examples:

This adjacent to a bunch of comments from like-minded folk also piling on, and not understanding either The Constitution or the subject matter.  Complete with ‘you don’t need a machine gun to deer hunt’ comments!

How can I possibly make nice with this guy?

I have friends who are liberal.  I have friends who are independent.  And we’ve had healthy, sometimes heated discussions.  I’m just not certain I can do so with this guy.  And that ticks me off, as he’s a friend.

sigh