What else is the tsarist government doing to Americans these days? If you live in Texas and Ohio, were you even aware of this “nifty program?”
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45 comments:
For a while, at least, America will still carry the name "America," but there will be no such thing as privacy. There almost isn't now. For that we can thank the power company and NSA, which we almost never found out about.
Damn.
"A search without a warrant every day."
Welcome to 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. Can The Handmaid's Tale be far away now?
Here where we live, our water use is closely monitored -- drought or no drought. A household is penalized if it uses "too much" water.
When Mr. AOW was finally released home from the nursing home in November 2009, out of absolute and hygienic necessity, I had five loads of laundry to do every day for several weeks. Our water bill soared to the moon! Penalizing the disabled!
AOW, in the future you just may need to seek permission from the state "Laundry Panel" for just such opulence. As for the meter, just another brick in the wall, but to me this looks like old technology already. With every utterance on your phone or computer hijacked, cataloged and stored, I'm not really sure if it matters when they know when I open the pool this summer.
It is much worse than everyone thinks. Soon, all automobiles will come with a small device that monitors driving performance. It sort of works like the CCTV camera at intersections, only it stays with you. The GPS device knows when you are doing 40 in a 35, and it sends a message to the local police department, so that they can issue you a citation. Cool, huh? Didn’t come to a full stop before turning right, on red? Heh. Do you like easing your car up to 80 on the interstate? Enjoy the roar of your engine while waiting for the light to change—you damn gas waster? Oh, and who else needs to know that your diving habits are “unconventional?” Right! Your insurance company! And maybe, when you go in for license renewal, the government (who would prefer you take the bus anyway) will deny renewal based on your risqué habits on the highway.
Yeah, everything is just fine in America.
Mustang nailed it. We've been tracking toward a surveillance state for the past couple of decade. This transcends politics because it speaks squarely to relevancy, power and control.
I'm sorry.
I respect a lot of the voices here, so I don't want to be combative, but for this guy to claim that this is the equivalent of wiretapping is an overreach.
Wiretapping monitors specific conversations. Not patterns.
Similar to the NSA discussion, but even more benign.
I have a radio water meter and gas meter. Saves the cost of a manual reader.
My electric meter is behind a fence with a dog. Not easy for a manual reader.
The problem is not the meter.
It's with the politicians.
Cops do infrared sweeps when looking for residential pot growers. Not illegal.
When AOL talks of her water use issue, it's a political not technological issue.
And she has a valid complaint.
This system allows the power companies to plan distribution networks at a lower cost.
Knowing when loads are peak and where is a valid data collection that makes economic sense.
There are rates that are available for peak and off peak use.
This makes that viable wihout the clumsy radio shutoff that used to enforce those rates (leaving you no AC when you want it and are willing to pay for it).
I'm no apologist for the electric companies or LEAs, but this is a bit of an overreach.
Detecting bootleg power (theft?), good.
Providing an alibi or not, inadmissable.
Could it provide data to a police state, yes.
Prevent the police state.
Having identity passes to travel will be a far larger concern than this.
Soon you'll generate your own power anyway with cheap natgas and be off the grid anyway.
Or not.
Ed brings up a good point.
mustang is correct to point out the danger here. Stalin would have absolutely drooled to have access to this kind of technology. It also has beneficial uses and without a political will we will wander much closer to the illicit, if you will, use of this information.
Eight now, The Dear Leader is trying to run a game.
The heat gets turned up and he comes on and makes a speech about taking action to correct the problem.
60 Minutes comes on and does a total puff piece that is missing nothing but Lara Logan.
The topic is completely omitted from the State of the Union.
At NO TIME is the issue of citizen control of this apparatus even mentioned. We are told to be good little suckers and let the FISA court (can anyone name the members, quick) operating in complete secrecy and appointed by noted populist John Roberts take care of the matter.
Well, we've been docile a little too long and now corporate and governmental information gathering have merged. May be impossible to dislodge but we should at least understand that anyone telling us this is benign without visible controls is in fact the enemy.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to dismiss #OWS so quickly.
Anyway, a big shout out to the gang in Room 101 at Fort George Meade (Freedom Central).
‘If there is hope,’ wrote Winston, ‘it lies in the proles.’
I'm screwed.
Some good points raised, but ultimately the fault lies with us, the people. We continually elected the same strain of politicians from the same two parties, and encounter the same problems given that they work solely to gain and maintain political power; we willingly forfeit any sense of privacy with Facebook and 'checking in', and the apps that track your location, your habits and your shopping preferences [not to mention the licensing and regulation of nearly every profession and leisure activity, to bring revenue to the State and control our actions in the name of 'safety'].
Devices like the Smart Meter are merely the next logical step where we have provided the State all the precedent it needs. They will implement these intrusive devices and regulations because they already know the people will acquiesce without so much as a whimper.
We are witnessing the twilight of individual sovereignty. All of the science fiction scenarios that we have seen in movies will come to pass....because we have allowed the foundation to be built.
Duckys: "Corporate and government information gathering have merged." A cogent and scary reality. How much easier this smart meter makes uniform, centralized control. I'm glad Mustang mentioned the cars.
In 2008 California tried to mandate FM transmitters in house thermostats so THEY could control when the temperature went up or down. The power grid, ya know.
Now, I had a terrible reaction to anesthesia during a fall heat wave. I was so freezing cold I could not get warm under layers of clothes and blankets, and wanted the house hot. This happens in the winter when people get the flu. Sorry! Big Bro is ready to come along and say "we'll do your thinking for you and cut off that heat you ignorant energy waster."
How 'smart' do you need your meter to monitor the grid for usage patterns?
Years ago we bought in to the special meters the electric utility would sell you ($100) to monitor usage for peak and off peak rates so you could save on energy costs. And 'spare the grid.'
We dutifully made an effort to use major appliances (laundry) during off-peak hours. Then we noticed they tacked on a fee to 'rent' the meter (wait a minute - I thought we paid $100 to buy it!) that more than ate up any 'savings.' So they were in clover comin' and goin'. We got rid of it. Now the demon is back with 7 of his friends.
Ed...because Ducky agreed with you? :-)
Ducky, OWS? You know, I wonder if there were more than just drug-addled, public-peeing, dirty haired creeps? That's what we saw.
It's sort of like Tea Party get-togethers of the past (they don't meet much anymore and the revival of Tea Party talk only came a few months ago by the Left, out of pretty much nowhere) where we only saw fat, goofy people with George Washington hats on and signs calling Obama nasty names. which probably represented 1/2% of the crew.
I saw this to drive home the fact that I don't want to be represented by EITHER of those bunches based on the media coverage, so to tout OWS again is a stretch.
Almost as silly as suggesting all of Wall Street are Republicans !!!
Ducky, OWS? You know, I wonder if there were more than just drug-addled, public-peeing, dirty haired creeps? That's what we saw.
----
What you saw was there, z. There sure were some seriously burned out case.
However, we weren't meant to see the entirety and if the original populist Tea party (before it was co-opted) could realize they had allies on many issues in #OWS, well, something positive might happen.
Ducky, we agree on that. And, if WE could agree there are similarities in philosophies, ANYBODY would.!!
maybe we ought to talk about that at this blog? Seriously. Honestly, we should.
We could call the new movement:
TEA ON WALL STREET heh. (it's always about food for me)
By the way, folks:
KEYSTONE is now a big Democrat subject urging Obama to APPROVE IT.
FINALLY, they're listening!
will wonders NEVER cease?
All it took was a lousy State Dept report when Conservatives have been reporting on it for YEARS. oh, well.
let's hope Obama can get past that railroad group friends of his who'd take a hit if he does pass Keystone.
Ducky...I have a visual of the creepiest on both sides (OWS and TP) of their crowds......and 'mixing them together in my mind'...tossing them into a mix..which would PROBABLY come out looking like US..normal, kind of hip Americans.
do you know what I mean?
Like taking red and blue and getting purple?!
That says a lot metaphorically, philosophically...not sure that part follows the color example, but I'm not sure it doesn't.
Ed,
The 4th Amendment has been dead for at least two decades. Sooner or later, if they CAN they WILL. After all it's not difficult to control Sheeple. Let the "Frog Boiling" continue!!!!
my, my, I'm in agreement with ed, z, and mustang.
This issue sure does have legs.
The real question for Americans, given the information and comments in this post, is how much of your freedom are you willing to give up?
" how much of your freedom are you willing to give up?"
NONE!!!!!
It's gone too far, already!
"The real question for Americans, given the information and comments in this post, is how much of your freedom are you willing to give up?"
That's a mighty large question. The default is none, but it's also unrealistic. If pared to mean privacy and sovereignty, then only the barest amount, for purposes of true public safety.
I'm not willing to give up my freedom.
The meter can not control my consumption, only detect it.
The problem is not the tech, its the sheeple who vote wrong.
I'm more afraid of cops with Abrams tanks and Apache gunships.
Yes, Z, because Ducky and I appear to agree.
Ed, but we all know that detecting leads to controlling...or probably will.
Lunch on the beach at Gladstone's...THE most picture perfect day...tons of pelicans and seagulls flying everywhere ...diving into the amazingly blue water for what seemed to have a been a sudden school of fish because there were literally 50 birds in about a 20' radius squawking and diving...very unusual.
Such a gorgeous day.....
Wouldn't it be something if we could ALL, about 30 of us, jam around one long table and talk politics in that setting? or any setting? :-) but, alas.
After I've finished plowing the driveway to get out.
Oh, Ed....sorry! But would you believe I see snow falling on television and would love to have even a little here in Los Angeles? :-) It's SO beautiful, too...and I love the utter quiet even at rush hour. I lived in Munich for a while and it snowed a little ... In Paris, in four years, I think I got 5 days of snow. So disappointing...and it seemed like we were always coming home for Christmas on the day the snow started :-(
Move to North Dakota.
And with government [non]health care they will be Literally crawling up your butts.
SO, where were the newly enlightened when we had 'a chance' to get obamacare repealed ? That question is going to be relevant for the next 5 decades.
Admittedly, having read 1984 in grade school, and later working in IT, I've had a leg up on these issues for a while. How many only got a twinge when Snowden talked about the NSA. Frankly, when everything went digital, 'we' knew the jig was up. Phone calls, everything was recorded and searchable. Privacy disappeared with the advent of digital technology.
With more and more of the population dependent on these evil beasts that are running things, the idea of resistance becomes more remote.
Let's get rid of all those rich *'s and put the gubmint in charge of Everything. Yea, that'll work.
Nice rant there Duck.
Although, I disagree with the OWS crowd, because everything I value in life comes from the rich *'s. Want your food, energy, and toilet paper created, supplied and controlled by the government? I know I'd rather have rich *'s competing with each other to bring better products and better prices. Lest we find ourselves standing in line for toilet paper rations like the Russians had to do.
Z, In my opinion, OWS was created and funded by the democrat party to demonize the "1%" because they knew they'd be running against Romney in 2012. Pure and simple.
ED, Could you do my driveway too ?
Giving up, giving in.
Question. I think we are more abused/taxed by the government than the revolutionaries were. Agree or no?
Like Kid said.
Kid,
" Lest we find ourselves standing in line for toilet paper rations like the Russians had to do."
I find it incredible that there are those who want to live like that or just don't understand where a, so called, "Planed Economy" leads. You know who you are!
@Z:
"50 birds in about a 20' radius squawking and diving...very unusual..."
Roy Scheider saw the same thing in Jaws!
A butt meter tied in to the EPA ... should be interesting.
They're out there too JonBerg, I talk to them all the time.
N. Dakota? No, there's a limit.
I'd reach it waaaay before N. Dakota's type of winter.
I just read a Lee Child mystery (i think it's my 15th and one is in Nebraska...and MAN, does he describe COLD)
Kid, you're probably right about OWS. They've sure disappeared, haven't they. But they didn't have to come off QUITE as scrungy as they did/do. I don't why the Dems would arrange to have the people they encouraged to make the 1% look bad peeing in peoples' backyards.
Z, OWS. Well, you had the actual perpatrators then you had all the little voters across America who were sympathetic regardless of the vermin actually camping out.
Kid, who could be sympathetic to public peers? Yuck.
of course, considering what they show of Tea partiers on the news, who'd be sympathetic to them, too, right? Big fat red/white/blue Pillsbury doughboys with Geo. Washington hats on ... Not your typical Tea party mentality, but they're THERE!
Z, It's easy to hate someone with a bigger piece of the pie. Especially if you're in the 18-30 age group.
@IMP: Roy Scheider saw the same thing in Jaws!
or Tippi Hedren.
Welcome to The New World Order.
Some stuff happened back in the 1770s. Just sayin.
King George didn't have autonomous drones.
Just sayin'.
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