I use ethanol ice (-114 C), you insensitive clod.

(And before you get pedantic, what else might you be drinking which is liquid at -12C?)

You think Rosa Parks had a cell phone?

In what sort of scenario are "authorities" going to be able to (or even want to) brick your phone in a timely manner, where a need to communicate is critical? In any SHTF situation, the whole (or localized) cellular infrastructure could be shut down - it's the height of hubris to think they'd be targeting you individually, and that you're the key to preventing the Illuminati from taking over. And, even if they were targeting you, the next person you run into would let you make a call on their unlimited minute plan if you simply said it was an "emergency."

A tin foil hat is much less hassle. But if you really think they're all out to get you, you should probably start carrying a firearm.

Government bricks phone to prevent victim from alerting the medial, recording the incident, calling for help, etc.

As if someone can't buy a pre-pay phone from any Wally-mart, move their SIM to another phone, or simply use an unassociated phone to communicate with. I realize the tin foil to make a hat is cheaper, but that's not a good rationalization.

"It's too bad no one has launched anything into space that could beam a signal using the magic of the ether."

You're right - if gas, electric, and water could be delivered that way it would really open up competition for utilities. If you're referring to satcom, you seem to be confused, because it's even more regulated than wireline due to it being a naturally constrained, shared medium.

Of course it's a joke. Because it's nowhere close to a free market - all utilities use public "rights"-of-way to make a profit. That legitimately exposes them to regulation. If a real free market is desired, then they would all have to negotiate rights-of-way with every property owner along their routes. And that includes the public (government), from which the price is regulation.

Even under a system similar to that in place (access in exchange for regulation), unless those rights-of-way are made available to all providers, there is no free market competition. There is no "free market" unless all competitors can compete in every market (location).

Will the US need to get warrants to take satellite photos of Phoenix? What about taking an aerial photo of my neighborhood from a real plane (say, 2500 feet up)? A helicopter from 1000 feet?

What makes a drone unique, other than the presumed better resolution provided by presumed shorter distances?

...no mention there of "aggregated/em)" (your words) data. You continue to try to change the premises to match your pre-determined conclusion. I'm done. You're just not worth any further effort.

Logic fail. You're begging the question.

1. There's a huge amount of research on fusion power.

2. There's a lot of profit to be made from low cost energy.

From that, your logic would claim that fusion reactors are providing power worldwide.

The claim was "knowing who has herpes..."

That doesn't fit with "aggregated and anonymized" regardless of your unsupported claim that such info is easily de-anonymized.

It's rip what you sew. :-)

"the pharmaceutical companies have already gleaned that [personal info on who uses what drugs] information by paying your local pharmacist to tell them (legal and lucrative)."

Prima facie, that seems to be a HIIPA violation. Cite supporting your statement?

But this one goes to 11.

You simply need to click on the "Show details" button. It's the round-cornered rectangle with the words "Show details" in it. This is a common user interface element on many web sites, so learning to recognize such things may come in handy for you in the future. Not that the "(2012 estimate)" doesn't provide a major clue as to when the population was measured. I suppose they could have been clearer, and said "estimate from the year 2012" so you wouldn't get confused whether the population was an actual 3232 or an estimated 2012.

Abraham Lincoln | place of birth | Hodgenville, Kentucky, United States
Hodgenville, Kentucky | city population | 3232 people (2012 estimate)