Thread: Brown's plastic patriotism.

How very true....

It is bad enough to be lectured about patriotism by a government that has been so feeble about standing up for British interests, vis-à-vis Brussels. What is even worse is to be hectored by a prime minister who is presiding over a massive aggrandisement in the state's power over the citizen, and who dares to wrap this aggrandisement in the Union flag.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/m.../18/do1805.xml

I was going to start another thread about the news yesterday that the plod are getting easy, easy access to all those cameras that are busy spying on us every minute of every day, but having found that above, I think it all ties together quite nicely.

For the first time in my life I am seriously, very seriously, thinking of emigrating with the family Awol. Not because of the chavs, and not because of the crime; not even because one is hard pressed these days to find a green field that hasn't been built on, but simply because I don't want my kids growing up in what is now a surveillance society. I want the right and the privacy to walk down the street and to adjust my b0llocks through my jeans or to pick my nose or to do any one of a dozen personal and embarrassing things safe in the knowledge that there isn't a half-wit monitor-monitor giggling at me forty miles away in some 'operations room'.

And I'm not going to get that here anymore.

Originally Posted by Awol

How very true....

It is bad enough to be lectured about patriotism by a government that has been so feeble about standing up for British interests, vis-à-vis Brussels. What is even worse is to be hectored by a prime minister who is presiding over a massive aggrandisement in the state's power over the citizen, and who dares to wrap this aggrandisement in the Union flag.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/m.../18/do1805.xml

I was going to start another thread about the news yesterday that the plod are getting easy, easy access to all those cameras that are busy spying on us every minute of every day, but having found that above, I think it all ties together quite nicely.

For the first time in my life I am seriously, very seriously, thinking of emigrating with the family Awol. Not because of the chavs, and not because of the crime; not even because one is hard pressed these days to find a green field that hasn't been built on, but simply because I don't want my kids growing up in what is now a surveillance society. I want the right and the privacy to walk down the street and to adjust my b0llocks through my jeans or to pick my nose or to do any one of a dozen personal and embarrassing things safe in the knowledge that there isn't a half-wit monitor-monitor giggling at me forty miles away in some 'operations room'.

And I'm not going to get that here anymore.

Come north, Absent One, come north

Where would you go though Awol? Very few places indeed nowadays that don't have invasive 24hr CCTV and so on.

Not sure you'd get the freedom to avoid the surveillance society anywhere at this point in time, especially if you went down the time-honoured Brit route of US/NZ/Australia/Canada.

Originally Posted by Sven

Originally Posted by Awol

How very true....

It is bad enough to be lectured about patriotism by a government that has been so feeble about standing up for British interests, vis-à-vis Brussels. What is even worse is to be hectored by a prime minister who is presiding over a massive aggrandisement in the state's power over the citizen, and who dares to wrap this aggrandisement in the Union flag.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/m.../18/do1805.xml

I was going to start another thread about the news yesterday that the plod are getting easy, easy access to all those cameras that are busy spying on us every minute of every day, but having found that above, I think it all ties together quite nicely.

For the first time in my life I am seriously, very seriously, thinking of emigrating with the family Awol. Not because of the chavs, and not because of the crime; not even because one is hard pressed these days to find a green field that hasn't been built on, but simply because I don't want my kids growing up in what is now a surveillance society. I want the right and the privacy to walk down the street and to adjust my b0llocks through my jeans or to pick my nose or to do any one of a dozen personal and embarrassing things safe in the knowledge that there isn't a half-wit monitor-monitor giggling at me forty miles away in some 'operations room'.

And I'm not going to get that here anymore.

Come north, Absent One, come north

Got room for another one Sven? Though I am seriously thinking of heading West to my ancestral sod!!
Trouble is Ireland so damn expensive now lol

What bugs me is the way CCTV is used. In the past, records were kept and it was used to help identify suspects after terror attacks, bank robberies or abductions. Nowadays, it's monitored 24/7 by an operator who's looking for people dropping litter or p*ssing in alleyways.

The cameras being introduced now have speakers fitted so the operators can actually tell you to pick up your litter. It's a lot like having your own personal "thought-policeman" looking over your shoulder all the time. How long before there are fines for swearing in public?

Originally Posted by Sixty

Where would you go though Awol? Very few places indeed nowadays that don't have invasive 24hr CCTV and so on.

Not sure you'd get the freedom to avoid the surveillance society anywhere at this point in time, especially if you went down the time-honoured Brit route of US/NZ/Australia/Canada.

Canada mate. Have looked into it in some depth and, touch wood, it's looking positive. The only fly in the ointment is the possible time it would take for the application, up to three years apparently, although if anyone has recent experience, I'd appreciate a PM.

Sure there's cctv in every country, but I just can't imagine that small town Canada has them on every corner like we do here now.

Anyway, I'm gonna go survivalist and live in the woods, eating rabbits and small children...

Originally Posted by RFUK

What bugs me is the way CCTV is used. In the past, records were kept and it was used to help identify suspects after terror attacks, bank robberies or abductions. Nowadays, it's monitored 24/7 by an operator who's looking for people dropping litter or p*ssing in alleyways.

The cameras being introduced now have speakers fitted so the operators can actually tell you to pick up your litter. It's a lot like having your own personal "thought-policeman" looking over your shoulder all the time. How long before there are fines for swearing in public?

I was in Plymouth the other day and I heard a loudspeaker say to some smoker "this is devon and cornwall police on CCTV, please refrain from smoking in the shop doorway"

I couldn't help but giggle at the time at the jobsworth copper, but the more I thought about it the angrier I got.

We have 2 CCTV cameras in Skipton, both in the High Street and are so ineffectual that when Threshers was broken into a couple of years ago the police asked for witnesses because the cameras hadn't picked it up

Therefore one can adjust ones bollox with impunity

You wouldn't like it here then Bugly, we have the largest asian community in North Yorkshire - and very nice people they are too.

BUGLY - YOUR POSTS HAVE DISAPPEARED

I wonder why

Originally Posted by Awol

Originally Posted by Sixty

Where would you go though Awol? Very few places indeed nowadays that don't have invasive 24hr CCTV and so on.

Not sure you'd get the freedom to avoid the surveillance society anywhere at this point in time, especially if you went down the time-honoured Brit route of US/NZ/Australia/Canada.

Canada mate. Have looked into it in some depth and, touch wood, it's looking positive. The only fly in the ointment is the possible time it would take for the application, up to three years apparently, although if anyone has recent experience, I'd appreciate a PM.

Sure there's cctv in every country, but I just can't imagine that small town Canada has them on every corner like we do here now.

Anyway, I'm gonna go survivalist and live in the woods, eating rabbits and small children...

Pretty much my favourite place in the world. My sister works over there just now but she's temporary rather than permanent. It took about 2 months to get the green light.

I understand that the permanent visa is a lot more complex though.

Originally Posted by Awol

I want the right and the privacy to walk down the street and to adjust my b0llocks through my jeans or to pick my nose or to do any one of a dozen personal and embarrassing things safe in the knowledge that there isn't a half-wit monitor-monitor giggling at me forty miles away in some 'operations room'.

Don't worry Awol. Your dangly bits are of no interest to CCTV operators. They are professionals and, as such, they are more interested in attractive women indecently exposing themselves inside their own bedrooms and toilets. LINK

As the video below shows, our new Prime Minister will defend the rights of nose pickers everywhere.

VIDEO - CCTV is everywhere

The Ruskies claimed (rightly) that the British people were the most watched in the world, even more so than Ruskies. They said this DURING the cold war. It's only got worse since, especially since we are some of the least revolutionary people going!!

Time to revolt about this revolting situation . . . er, maybe not eh? That would be inciting revolt, which, though not revolting as an idea, could land me in hot water and would bring heat also to this venerable forum. So, no, don't start an armed (or not) insurrection.

We have one camera for every fourteen people, and more than the rest of Europe put together (that's 750 million people). If they can all manage without them, I'm sure we can.

Originally Posted by Sven

You wouldn't like it here then Bugly, we have the largest asian community in North Yorkshire - and very nice people they are too.

Great market stalls they run in Skipton as well.
Plenty of bargains. :D