Cameras filming you – What next?

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  • #187362
    sprite
    Member

    actually cameras DO work elsewhere. Also, if people believe they are on camera, they are more likely to behave themselves, whether there is actually a camera in the casing or not.

    Rebecca, you still haven’t answered my question as to what danger these cameras may pose to your liberties. What liberty is being violated with a camera in a public thoroughfare?
    Behave in a civil manner in public and you have no reason to feel threatened by a camera.
    Secrecy in the public arena is for malevolent intent. We see it in the Bush government’s obsession with hiding things from public view.

    #187363
    diego
    Member

    Rebe makes sense this time.

    But aren’t “chapulines” a type of monkey?

    #187364
    diego
    Member

    Mzzz Aragon,

    I was not addressing you specifically (I wonder what made you think I was?) – but don’t give up hope – the “Good” Diego shows up from time to time.

    Don’t you think the “non-women” thing was another of your “brilliant spins” (over the top) that was not implied in my post – but “assumed by you.” Continual defense is usually a ritual nothing more than an elaborate form of insecurity – and you seem very defensive regarding issues such as race and gender. Is there a need to spin here – I did not think so.

    You can make your point – but your assumptions do not validate your twisting. They seem more like validations to express your point of view. You point of view is valid no matter what and one hardly needs to spin something as a reason to express themselves. I sense you have experienced some repression. Regardless, we all have the duty to bring our best selves to the table. So leave the past in the past, crusades are for crusaders.

    I am happy being me, so don’t even think I need your OK or suggestions about what I might or might not try. Alfred knows how I like to amuse myself – he gets it. You – well – you are well educated and even seem to have a softer side – but – overall I just cannot seem to figure out why at this particular point in time – for the moment anyways – you bug me. (LOL) I am a great thin-slicer, I can intuitively tell things, but would need more information to determine what just quite doesn’t smell right here.

    About the God died and left you in charge thing – Well Godmother – make me an offer I cannot refuse!

    PS – Rebe, another nice spin effort regarding who is picking on whom. Don’t think you will get a pass from Don Diego on that one either – I am watching you Aragon. You talk the talk but I am curious if you really walk the walk… Hmmmmm

    Are you an early riser?

    #187365
    rebaragon
    Member

    Ha, ha, ha….In case anyone else is wondering, “chapulines” was a term given to any group of very young boys (gangs) that robbed people on the streets of San Jose a while back.(Their ages made it almost impossible to prosecute them.)–This is me sticking my tongue out at you Diego 😛

    #187366
    diego
    Member

    You little monkey you… How dare you stick your toungue out at me? Watch out now a Capuchin monkey might come along and bite it off!

    #187367
    rebaragon
    Member

    Diego, It’s obvious you like to get a rise out of people–the reason I respond to your post is because I don’t agree with your idea of let’s obliterate everything about people I don’t understand without this meaning that I disagree with you on other issues. Every time someone responds unfavorably to you, you give them a label and/or assume an awful lot about the people that disagree with you. Like I said in my previous post, we are biologically inclined to “assume” about others, but our biology doesn’t have to be our destiny! What the heck did all of this have to do with the camera thread?

    **********************************
    I don’t have to interpret nor spin your words, here they are:

    “It has been government institution such as the colleges that have created all this destructive political correctness. They are the ones who are tearing down traditional values by promoting that:

    Homosexuality is normal
    Abortion is okay to use as birth control (tell me how many of you out there that have ever been a party to abortion has not regretted it).
    Motherhood is waste of a woman’s life
    ….
    For all you PC folk out there, listen up:
    Homosexuality is perverse
    Abortion is murder
    And women should retain their femininity and bear children
    ….
    I don’t know, maybe all you politically correct Gov types want tracking devises in your kids – What say you David M. I’m sure Rebe can make some politically correct sense of this conundrum. Do you want tracking devises in your children – do you even have children? I have several and I plan on having more and I hope they never have to make a stand against tracking devises in their kids.”
    ***********************************

    Even animals want the best for their offspring, why wouldn’t liberals or conservatives or whomever disagrees with you love their children and not wish them any harm?

    The whole point is that I DON’T believe God died and left ANYONE in charge of passing all kinds of moral judgment on others. I think I’m flawed enough that I try my best, plenty of times I don’t succeed; therefore, I do try to follow very good advice:

    “DO not judge lest you be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? ”

    I’m sure you may have heard this before…

    Diego, we ALL have “logs” in our own eyes. I can’t pretend to know yours nor you know mine. People that have known me for many years know my strengths and also know my weaknesses and I’m eternally grateful that they love me just the same–I choose to reciprocate. Sometimes, that may entail a friend letting me know that I have inadvertently or willfully offended an innocent (or not so innocent) bystander. How do you know who might have been reading that blog yesterday? Don’t assume you know what I think of you–I’m most certain you don’t or wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I actually do hope and always expect the best from people. Even when I have chosen to walk away for my own sake, I never stop hoping for them. I don’t always get the goodness I expect, but I don’t mind being disappointed because in the end everyone (including me or my worst enemy–not that I’m equating you with an enemy because I’m not) does their best and maybe next time we grow more and get to do better. Life has been patient with me, why can’t I choose to have some patience with myself and others? I do not pretend to be perfect so if you’re “watching me” for that you might not want to hold your breath–I’m sure you’re well aware that no one can be perfect, but we can all aspire to be our best and aspire great things from others. I “walk the talk” not because I’m perfect, but because I consciously make an effort when my ego would prefer I just obliterate someone…

    #187368
    Alfred
    Member

    Rebeca, I love that quote, Friedrich Nietzche coined it, and it a good one to live by and reflect on in troubling times. I’ll add intelligent to the compliment as well. Your answers and comments are just great. Have you read any books by Paolo Coelho? Great author.

    This camera situation is one of those “first step” kinds of things. People will not put up with monitoring if it is thrust upon them all at once. However, incrementally, they will not notice the invasion of their privacy, and may go along with it.

    As was brought up by Rebeca, a casual conversation may be interpreted by officials as a threat. Freedom of speech and assembly will be compromised, without a doubt. Who wants to have to speak in hushed tones under a camera or hidden microphone. It is not a Libertarian or crazy Idea to think this cannot happen. “Just because I’m paranoid, doesn’t mean no one is watching me,” remember that line?

    Also, why is it the Bush administration can hide things from public view, and we must accept being under the microscope? Don’t fall into the sheep trap.

    #187369
    diego
    Member

    Lota assumptions in that post Arragon, and I was for the most part teasing you, so don’t get your panties in a knott Rebe – you are a good egg. I was just starting to like you. You do you want Don Diego to like you don’t you. That’s just it, obviously you want everybody to like you. Me — I could care less, cause there are going to be those who like me for the huge log I have in my eye and those who do not like me for the spec of dust I have in the other eye – and what’s with all the biblical stuff anyways?

    I would rather see someone who is faithful to God’s word that someone who flaunts their churchianity or is so RE-LIIgious..

    You just take your self so seriously… The caped crusader for the feminine and minorities. Yet another one? Hasn’t that vacancy been fillied about a thousand times over and what are you a “last word freak” – comon get over it – I was starting to think you had lightened up a tad. Are you like the new female sheriff of the board or what?

    Don’t worry the good Diego may come back someday…

    #187370
    rebaragon
    Member

    Sprite, Do you know why when animal bites your forearm they don’t usually stitch you up (if possible)? Because there is not enough blood flow in these areas and germs left there from the animal’s mouth cannot be effectively cleaned out. Stitching the arm may be more esthetically pleasing and may give you a sense of confidence that all is better now, but it would actually waste the nurse’s time, the patients money and in the end and infection will most likely force the doctors to reopen the wound, at an additional cost and more pain to the patient, in order to clean out the underlying infection or the patient could stand to loose an arm.

    Let’s say you’re right and they catch more thieves with this measure. Then what? Additional cost to take them in, to process them and ALL for what? For them to be right out that afternoon mugging someone else? Please–CR can’t try to put a Band-Aid on this issue–the underlying issues for the rise in crime need to be addressed so it can be controlled!

    If you tell me that in NYC the cameras helped stop people from committing traffic violations, I may agree, but guess what, they were also able to call those people in, process them and the respective measure that had been violated had specific punishments (deterrents) that were enforced. Today people think twice about blocking the box of an intersection. CR needs to be able to enforce those deterrents or the cameras REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WORK OR NOT will not provide a valid measure. A measure is not valid if it doesn’t obtain its intended goal. So the question is, and I don’t think it takes a genius to figure this out either, if they know they will not be able to enforce the law–because they haven’t been able to do this yet…Heck, my neighbor’s house was broken into in Guadalupe, his TV was taken and he caught the guy walking down the street with it on his shoulder. Guess what, the police took the guy in and the courts spit him right out because my neighbor couldn’t absolutely proof that was his TV. For God’s sake, the thieve was around the corner of his house and his fingerprints were inside my neighbor’s house!–So, what is the purpose (real goal) of so much surveillance?

    I do agree that we should always be civil to one another, but I don’t appreciate cameras filming my every move. If I wanted to be watched that way I would move to Cuba.

    Also, you might have not read my previous response–(so here it is again):
    “Sprite: Yes, I can think of a few reasons, but in particular, Ticos/as love to make jokes out of gov’t politics, corruption and other improprieties. If you felt that your every word was being recorded and could be used against you (criminally)–well, you might not be so tempted to share them in public. When people can’t express their thoughts (whether we like them or not), what will happen to all of those repressed feelings? I would much rather have them release some frustration joking about their president, the system and corruption than letting it fester. Why adopt a measure that doesn’t accomplish its goals? When I went back to CR in 90’s they were installing circles/roundabouts and I wondered–if we’re removing them in so many place in the US because they were more trouble than helpful, why are they spending all of this money to install them there? Well, some have now been removed in CR, but after a lot accidents and a decent economic cost to CR. If we choose to adopt something, it should be measures that actually works and can “fit” within the context of Costa Rican culture.”

    #187371
    Alfred
    Member

    Rebeca, You haven’t been here long enough yet to know the topic of the thread is meaningless after the first few posts. That’s why I love the entertainment value of this site. Love, hate, venting and even occasionally, serious discussion……..Sometimes.

    Can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night.LOL Makes me feel alive!

    Pura Vida!

    #187372
    rebaragon
    Member

    Well put Alfred, and if we won’t stand for it, it will not happen…In WWII the Nazis used the Jewish value of being responsible for their “brother/neighbor” to coerce them into compliance. They told them that they had to accept their fate of being hauled away or their “brothers” would pay a dearer price and in the beginning many chose to accept the deportations because they could not imagine the unthinkable thoughts & desires that filled the minds of their gov’t leaders. It took the rebellious nature of youth and the desperation of a people to get them to finally say NO MORE and fight back every way they could. The world would have been a much better place if people around the globe would have said NO to the minor but known measures being implemented in Germany over it’s population–they were a sign of what was to come–I’m not equating cameras with Nazi camps, but I agree with Alfred that it’s those little baby steps in the wrong direction that can make us regret supporting choices that allow ANY gov’t such control over it’s citizens everyday activities. I don’t want government to have that right and I don’t want big corps to have it either! I refuse to go like sheep into the slaughter house on the pretext of stopping crime (or terrorism for that matter, but that’s topic for another post…).

    In addition, no one has mentioned this on the forum and as a woman it makes me cringe–How much do you want to make a bet that some of those “public” movies which include good looking women end up in private or not so private hands for “personal” entertainment? Ticas better start wearing pants during the December windy season or they may find their derrieres on YouTube!

    I have real Coelho and I do love his writings. May I suggest Fritjof Capra if you haven’t read him yet. I love to read and obviously, so do you and one more thing we have in common in spite of our differences. I also respect your insight! … :- )

    #187373
    diego
    Member

    Yeah I caught the respect barb Beca – I am still watching you (LOL). The Tao of Physics is a good one, the new one “The science of Leonardo” is also a good one.

    #187374
    rebaragon
    Member

    See, something in common, you seem to like one of my favorite writers! Diego, I didn’t say YOU had a log in your eye, I said we ALL have it. I read voraciously and I wanted to make a point that the New Testament does not support gay nor female right’s bashing. As the views you were expressing are very conservative and some conservatives think that the NT does support such positions. I don’t need you or others on the forum to like me, but I would prefer it and I’ve taking a liking to many. However, my views are not popularity driven as neither are yours (STOP ASSUMING!). I’m sure there are those that agree with your “that’s just wrong to be that way deal,” but I didn’t want it to sit without a response. Reread your own posts and then reread mine. No spin and no assumptions necessary. By the way, I’ve always championed for the less fortunate or the ones that couldn’t or didn’t have the opportunity to defend themselves. I like that about me and it has given me some very colorful and loyal friends around the globe. They’ve come in handy when I’ve been in a bind…:->

    #187375
    diego
    Member

    Show me where in the Bible it says that gay behavior is condoned – or did you forget that little ditty about fornication.

    You know – having sex for other than reproduction – you have heard of fornication and I believe you are astute enough to know that two people of the same sex cannot produce offspring.

    I have nothing against people standing up for the little guy. But when they champion themselves for their action – then I start to question their motivation. Is it done to help others or glorify them?

    I think you are a give to get type – a possible control freak – “Reb to the rescue so you will be indebted to me.” That’s my thin slice analysis as of the moment (read Malcolm Gladwell (Blink or Tipping Point)?). I will update as more info presents itself. BTW are you an early riser?

    So what about the Bible deal?????? Balls is in your court, this ought to be a good one – probably a non-reply

    #187376
    rebaragon
    Member

    Assuming again..Diego, the basic philosophy of the passages I put in my post that are part of the New Testament (not the Old Testament) do not condone attacking others for any reason. It doesn’t say If I have all of the wisdom in the world but I don’t have love, I have nothing–PS. except don’t love gays, fornicators and women who choose not to have children…You might want to give that a lookie…If you want to live by the law then forget the New Testament promisees and just live and be judged by the Old Testament law–Oh wait according to Christianity, that wasn’t working too well so the whole Jesus thing came about, or no? I’m spiritual but not religious; however, I love him and his teachings. Frankly, what he stood for–the whole let he who is without sin cast the first stone and all. I love seeing people trying to judge others by the Old Testament and then granting themselves absolution and salvation based on the New–mighty convenient wouldn’t you say?

    You obviously get nastier at night, I really don’t know why–might want to think about it…Anyway, there have been plenty of people I have assisted and that I’ve never seen again. Hence, your correlation is void of substance. I help because I can and by the grace of God that could to be anyone. Yesterday, today and tomorrow, I choose to help in whatever small way I can. The “colorful” friends I have or have had along the way have been very helpful, but I do not like to make people feel indebted to me–that’s a nasty little habit that people who consider other people inferior do. Gratitude is a great thing for us ALL to feel, feeling indebted–not so great! So now that you have accused me of trying to be popular without having substance or character, not making a point, missing the point, having no sense of humor, helping others only to help myself, being a control freak, assuming about you when you’re the one making judgments about me all the time, that I was taking stabs/barbs at you (which I was not doing) when you’re constantly doing this to me and others–Do you feel better now? I really can’t imagine that you might…You are obviously intelligent and can make very precise points sometimes, but you know very little about me or anyone else on the forum to make the kind of blatant assumptions you do–that is NOT insight Diego, that is ordinary stereotyping and you’re way to smart to just be falling into that trap. Someone else mentioned it in another post, people can be different, that doesn’t make them any less. You shouldn’t try to make them feel any less either–It won’t make you feel better and is wasted energy. I’m still waiting for the insightful, intelligent and funny without being nasty Diego that does show up from time to time to come forward…Have a good night Diego…

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