I'm not real comfortable about the privacy issues-- however not being
a Constitutional scholar or a lawyer or anything--I can't put my
argument into flowing prose.
But something about it just doesn't feel right. Like cameras at
stoplights, or in elevators--or Ez-Pass--the argument that "well,
you're not doing anything wrong, so why should it bother you" just
isn't gettin' it for me....(The worst is a flashing sign on 38 in
Jersey that tells you to "REPORT SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR")
Wish I were better able to put words to this nagging feeling....
-cm
`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>
(Topic not suitable for UC Listserve?)
On Jan 6, 2009, at 3:13 PM, Brian Siano wrote:
campio...@juno.com wrote:
Separately, my husband was one of the first to send for the coupon
to buy the digital box. I think that when he did it, they were
giving two $40 coupons per family and also that there was some
earl bird special so that the boxes were only $40 each. So.. we
got a box, for our 22 year old TV, for the cost of S&H. We do NOT
have cable, but with the box, many of our stations now come in at
cable quality. This is great. No monthly cost and we are already
enjoying the benefit of much improved reception and additional
local channels. So far, there are only two down sides. My
favorite station was 12 and now it often reads "weak signal". (It
is the only station that is worse than before.) Second: When it
is very windy, sometimes the signal breaks for a second or two,
and there are weird skips or distortion on the screen. This seems
a small price to pay for the loss of fuzz and buzz. There is a
third thing that makes me a little nervous. The Digital box turns
itself off when there are no adjustments to sound or channel for a
long period of time. This might be very good for those who want
to conserve energy or are using the TV as a sedative and become
too tired to turn it off, but it seems to me as if someone could
gather data on individuals and on populations, regarding what we
watch, when we watch it, and when most of us are vulnerably
asleep. But, I figure the Advertisers are probably more of a
nuisance than Big Brother when it comes to TV and eventually I'll
get a newer TV and maybe even T-Vo(sp?).
Liz, I have TiVo . It is truly the Box of the Gods.
If you're concerned about 'big brother," you won't like it. Because
it does transmit your viewing preferences back to TiVo Central so
it can suggest programs that you might like. My suggestion? Stop
worrying about Big Brother, because it's just silly. For one thing,
what is broadcast on TV that's so compromising? _This Old House_?
_Frontline_? The Chomsky lecture on WYBE? For another, let's say
there is something on TV that's politically odd or "suspect." Why
should I let fear affect what I want to watch? That just invites
the censor within, the decision to _not_ watch or read something
because of the fear, which is more effective than anything the
GuvMint can do.
And if you're worried about the TiVo people using the data to
market stuff to you... well, I haven't noticed any severe
intrusions into my personal life, and I've had TiVo for nearly ten
years. And if they market stuff at me, well, I just don't buy it.
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