Big Brother is in Hawaii.

[athena]

This morning, on the bus, I noticed a huge sign announcing, "For your safety this bus may be monitored by audio and video surveillance." And sure enough, there was a small camera on the ceiling near the back of the bus.

For my safety, indeed.

Are we going to have to watch our words on the bus now? Criticize Bush too loudly and you may be "disappeared"?

I keep telling myself I'm being paranoid, that nutcases do assault the driver sometimes and that this is just a way to protect the driver. But since we don't get to monitor the monitoring, how do we know that's all they'll be watching and listening for? It's not like we have that much crime in Hawaii; this is a very safe state. I don't want to give up my feeling of freedom when I'm on the bus because of a one-in-a-million chance of a crime taking place. Is this what my state taxes are paying for -- not for adding more buses and routes but for monitoring what I do or say?

I had already bought a pass for August, but after August, this is it for me. I'll be walking instead. What is this country coming to?

[yorkiemommie1]

1. we have that here in torrance

it doesn't bother me because i think maybe it puts the bad guys on notice, plus we've had incidents here in SoCal.

I rode the BUS a lot in HI. To and from UH!

[astral]

2. At least they tell you you're under surveillance

But you're right, it's gone too far.

[Fearless]

3. All of the public buses at UMass Amherst have numerous cameras.

[benEzra]

4. Some Orwellian posters from the UK:

[ellisonz]

5. I think it's probably for the better...

But I don't ride TheBus.

[Jelybe903]

6. Picture This

When you are on a phone call to a customer service center for nearly every communications company in the world the following is posed...

This call may be monitored for customer service...if you do not wish to have this call monitored please inform your representative....

I want the same information when being video taped...I have managed to avoid any unsightly pictures being taken by the closest of relatives and friends for the better part of the last two decades...Now I can be filmed with out my permission...What if I am picking my nose...will I show up on America's stupidest videos? Or conversations recorded....I Want Royalties! ASCAP and Sound Exchange Take Notice!

I am now preparing brown paper bags with ghostly hole cut outs in preparation for taking mass transit...Of course in California we have cameras on the freeways...when digitized and enhanced you can clearly recognize a facial identity. Have you checked out the satellite photos that can be pulled up on any neighborhood in the country...you can see the house, vegetation, outbuildings and cars clearly....Big Brother is every where already even walking can't help.

Paranoia is an obsolete term when you think your being watched in todays world...you are!