Your example is good... The other thing I've been running into (since switching to a VoIP phone for the last 2-3 years) is that I run into conference call numbers all the time where my VoIP provider gives me a warning message about "Traffic Pumpers". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... As usual, I think we'll see costs of these "premium" services passed onto the customers' bill for no real gain in service (speed or quality).

No matter how cute the 'Flo' ads are, here is what drove me to never consider them: http://mattfisher.tumblr.com/p... I do understand what you said about insurance but I think the reality of what happens behind the curtains is more revealing... and disturbing.

And if my child got permanently disabled (H1N1 Vaccine Tied to Spike in Narcolepsy - http://www.medpagetoday.com/In...), then what do I do?

Note, I am all for vaccinations, but in today's world, I'm increasingly cautious because governments health agencies don't do their jobs in proper science or oversight...

And then I read stuff like this:
H1N1 Vaccine Tied to Spike in Narcolepsy: http://www.medpagetoday.com/In...

I'm so tired of having my tin-foil wearing friends tell me that they were right all along.

Why should I risk my child getting disabled for life due to some hidden government agenda/bad science/[insert-favorite-reason-here]? These researchers are never around to share in any poor parent's misery when their children suffer permanent harm.

Agree but it is hard to define the line - I always 'opt out' and while they always repeat the scripted speech to me, it is the other questions that I am asked that add more insult to injury. For example, I am often asked 'where are you going?' or 'Are you from ?' or 'Are you traveling alone?'

While I have no choice of the nudy scan or the indecent behavior, what am I to do about these fishing for fodder attempts? The Law (as I understand it) is so ambiguous that it is hard to understand what I am obligated to answer and what not.

They have searched me and found me not carrying anything illegal, why the further interrogation? There is not one person in my local government who will even listen to my gripe, much less promise even the minimum of raising this as an issue at any low/local level of policy.

Any advice would be welcome.

I've seen it happen - I was at LAX a year or two ago and the entire set of these machines were inoperative for some reason. The resulting pileup of passengers was huge and they quickly let us through alternate walkways to good old metal detectors. The goal was to get everyone "cleared" quick. No taking off of shoes or anything - just walk right through. So all you need is a way to have many of them disabled (or like others have suggested, made constantly busy) and the entire charade stops.

So long as the people who make these part of the "Law" and yet are never subject to it themselves, nothing will change. The day they see their children or loved ones or themselves get cancer or suffer to a state mandated molestation, or even if they simply have to take off their shoes and catch a foot fungus, that's the day when this crap will stop. Until then, who cares... this will always be so, and incremental, meaningless studies will be done to give the impression that the people who purport to represent us, "care". Sorry to sound jaded, but the current Executive, Legislative and Judiciary are the worst ever.

Non-Americans don't matter... unless they are Israeli. Both candidates know they can trash talk the entire world for political points... to demonstrate how "tough" they are.

And for reasons I don't understand, they will both want to curry favor with the Israelis - for what reason, I don't quite know. (I mean I do understand how a boogey man is needed to keep the Arabs in line but why is the US such a fop in front of the Israelis? I don't understand why we must take such scorn in the rest of the world for a bully regime like Israel?).

Anyhow, non-Americans don't vote here and therefore can be denigrated with impunity. We are #1, go USA! Fake bravado, jingoisms, you'll hear it from both of them. Real serious concerns about how the Chinese are rich and growing stronger, the trouble-making by the Russians, the increasingly mistrustful allies who are growing fewer everyday (in private if not in public), the drain on our economy by the huge military expenditure... I doubt these will be discussed. I hope I am wrong.

And the sad fact is that this is being discussed now but has been going on unfettered for a while:

http://www.parkingtoday.com/articledetails.php?id=788

If this is such an important tool (and I can see that part of the argument as well), why did the people who are responsible for instituting this into law enforcement not put in proper checks and balances?

If governments had shown good balance and restraint in favor of the people, the use of this would engender trust among all. Yet, the covert way in which this crept into many different venues of life implies that accountability to the public was never really high on the list for the legislators (who did not do their job in writing checks and balances) and much less for the elected officials who signed off on the payments for this system without asking the same questions*. Yet, writing checks and balances into Law, being open and transparent can be done today. Yet, where do we find anyone in a position (of power) who benefits from this stuff, to be honorable enough to bring balance here?

* I realize most of the public won't even understand what is happening here but the fact remains that a true servant of the public good would look out for them even when no one notices or cares. Good policy, open governance is good regardless of applaud.

Very sad to see that the world's largest democracy could in fact be the 'largest censored democracy'.

True - I hope I don't sound too paranoid, but I have often wondered if there are other forces in play who would be okay to have this collected for "marketing" purposes, until they need it for something else.

Tracking of credit transactions, web sites visited, shopping histories etc., they all represent a treasure trove for someone wanting to surreptitiously look at a person without having to go through the (already watered down) legal burden of proof.

My concern is that there is no parity here for the person whose information is being shared in secret. Can I even know who is see-ing or asking for my information? And can I stop particular people from getting it?

Understand where your money goes - vote with your bucks because that is the only language, religion, force... whatever you and they believe in. I know, I know, we can't stop buying because we really don't have a choice and the system is rigged. However, consider that the moment you refuse to buy from just one company, or make a run on one Bank (by individuals withdrawing their monies, no matter how big or small), that is the moment that will define the 99% Movement as real. Until people say otherwise yet keep their monies and their sales flowing to the same 1%, nothing changes, therefore, they the 1% are not bothered.

Excellent point. Wired Internet access is already tracked. Now let's ask the next question:

Who would benefit from being able to track people this way?

On a side note, what would happen if someone modified the MAC address of their laptop/AP etc.

Great example! Additionally, I would add that this model of "protecting the people" is very selectively applied. Consider Somalia, war, famine, pirates, lawlessness, etc. yet, how come there is no one to "protect the Somali People". Or how about China, they too have a lot of issues where their people need protection... or India 'the largest democracy' where people right now on hunger strike to protest against corruption are being killed?

That is a "Trusted Shopping Associate" - if only people registered then they could opt-out you see. oh wait.