Can your local newspaper attach a name to you?

Title: Stinky spy: Trash bins as monitor

Writer: Liz Ruskin

Source: T-U Sunday edition, World section, Sunday Feb 25

I read this article and was fancinated and stunned at the same time. This article takes place in London. From what I understand the British do a lot of serviellance, but this took the cake and icing too. The are putting microchips in the trash bins, and using a flimsy excuse of monitoring collections and boosting the national recycling rate. Resding down further, London is one of the lowest in the country. They are trying to be sports about this by saying that big brother has gone too far. Their newspaper has attached the name Bin Brother to the situation, and headlines read "Germans Plant Bugs in our Wheelie Bins" referring to their trash bins. I am sorry that the T-U didn't put this article on line so I couldn't link it. Therefore I decided to type out the article for you because I found it that interesting. See article below:

LONDON -- The British tolerate millions of surveillance cameras watching their every public move. They agreed to let roadside cameras record their vehicular movements and store the information for two years. But when they discovered that their garbage is being bugged, they howled that Big Brother had gone too far.

Local governments have attached microchips to about 500,000 "wheelie bins," the trash cans that residents wheel to the curb for collection. The aim, they say, is to help monitor collections and boost the national recycling rate, now among the lowest in Europe.

The public has reacted with suspicion and fury.

"Germans Plant Bugs in Our Wheelie Bins," a Daily Mail healine announced in August. Two of the bin manufacturers are German. Newspaper letter writers have taken to calling it "Bin Brother."

A member of Parliament from London's Croydon neighborhood denounced the chip as "the spy in you bin."

"The Stasi or the KGB could never have dreamed of getting a spying device in every household," said Andrew Pelling, a Conservative, referring to the former East German and Soviet spy agencies.

Small-scale revolts have erupted across the United Kingdom for months as the technology has spread. Some towns failed to mention the feature.

In Bournemouth, Cyril Baker, 72, ripped the chip off his new bin, then went on national TV to show how he did it. Thousands of his neighbors followed suit.

"It was a very emotional issue," he said.

Nancy's Comments: I couldn't believe this article. I need not say more. The feeling I would get, being monitored constantly. That is a scary thought. Then there is the fact that the press could destroy you reputation by labeling you. Let's say you or one of you family was accused of being a murderer or kidnapper, and was labeled by a newspaper by giving you an offensive name. Then maybe 5 years later you were found innocent. That stigma would follow all of your life. I would guess that the paper would appologize, but the stigma would stay. Somehow I don't think that labeling should be allowed. I need to explain that the mention of the Germans was because a German manufacturer made the trash bins. This article amazed me. We Americans are complaining that we are vulnerable to highway camera's peeking at our driving. Let's hope we are not invaded by the invasion of our privacy with microchips any time soon. Please let me know how you feel...

Digging for the truth

I almost passed up this article. This is a story about a lawsuit and what further probing by the Times-Union writers did to aide with more information and facts about the lawsuit implications. They got information from the St. Johns River Community College. They are also withholding other information from the public whereas protecting more harrassment suits from other employees. Check this check this An employee said she was groped by the president of the college of which he has been in that post for some 34 years. The employee felt she had no future at the college as long as the president was still employed there. She claimed that he intimated her by telling her he had control over her future. He still remains in his position. She was awarded $40,000 after asking for $300,000.

This is so interesting because the Times-Union did such a great job of exposing records of the president. He didn't have a past record of any such decrepencies. Of course neither did the woman in question of the allegations. The Times-Union in this case seems to be doing an excellent job of delving into the public records and reporting the facts. On the other hand they are withholding news that could harm the repetition of others from further law suits. I am beginning to wonder about the honest and sincerity of the Times-Unions and it's reporters. In this story I really want to give them the credit they deserve. It was great reporting and judgement that they used. 'bout time........

Survey

I found this article interesting because it wasn't exactly an article. It was asking for your memories, photo's and thoughts about those in the military that served aboard the USS John F. Kennedy. They seem to be using the excuse that because it is being decommissioned in March. They are asking YOU to come up with stories.

Nancy Comments: I just couldn't help myself...considering the college course I am taking...to respond to this article. This is pitiful...the news writer or writers...are they tooo lazy to go look for stories...or are they looking for some kind of sensationalism to blow up into a 2 or 3 week story at someone's expense...I hope not...so many have lost loved ones during the wars of the past...why drag this up and rehash people's sorrows...by recreating or reventing them. If their only goal is to celebrate the hero's of yester year...fine...I don't think this is a good idea...applauding hero's...that is fine....but dragging up losses and difficult memories of loved ones long gone....awful....please let me hear your opinions...just click here and let me know how you feel

Crime Clues

Title: Websites host wealth of crime-solving clues.

Writer: Martin Kasindort

Source: USA Today

People use the internet I think mostly for information, new ideas and other forms of information Read this This was an interesting story to say the least. A dermatologist was found slain in the office. His family decided not to only depend on the police investigation to find his murderer, they took it upon themselves to turn to the internet and post a picture of the suspect on MySpace which was caught on a surveillance camera in the building. The article mentions that doing this is almost equivalent to putting out wanted posters. The police turned up with practically nothing while the family received more than 40,000 hits. The killer is still at large, but the more exposure, the more results.

Nancy's Comment:
I think this is a great idea, but it makes me wonder why do the general public have to go to all the trouble of doing it themselves. The police have more access to criminal files and pictures to make matches. I understand that the police department uses the net to find sex offenders....What about the common murderer....if he is running around loose...why not look for him too. I am sure there are a lot of strange replies to internet posts, and people that are looking for money, that they would turn their grandma in. But I am glad to see that we are moving forward in solving crime. You just can't get faster info than on the net....