The Spying, Prying, Society.

        It is unacceptable the way that this surveillance, “big Brother” society, has infiltrated all aspects of our life. The moment you leave through your outside door, the cameras are tracking your every move, where you shop, where you drink, who you meet and whatever else you get up to. If you live in Glasgow, until the recent police helicopter crash on top of the Clutha, you would also have been tracked from the sky. You then go home and think, well that's me free from prying eyes. Well not quite, did you know that Facebook keeps records of all you type, even if you DON'T post it. Yes, your unpublished irate drivel that you decide not to make public, is recorded by Facebook. Facebook of course makes all that available to the various state spying organisations. You have been warned, those unguarded crazy moments in private, are being logged for future reference. In this society, you have no right to privacy.

This from Care2:

       At this point, it's a pretty safe bet that Facebook keeps track of the groups we "like" or the games we play on the site. But now, it turns out that the company has also been keeping track of the notes and comments we don't publish -- even if we never intended to share them with anyone.
       Who hasn't come home from a hard day at work or a frustrating conversation with a loved one, written a status on Facebook, and then decided at the last minute not to hit "post?" All this time, it may have seemed even safer than writing in a diary. But Facebook's policies enable to keep track of every single keystroke entered into the site -- meaning that the company can essentially peer into our private lives whenever it wants.
        To make matters worse, in the United States, Facebook has been recorded sharing data with the National Security Agency. That hasn't extended beyond American borders, but where is the line?
We have the right to censor ourselves without Facebook looking over our shoulder. Tell Facebook to stay out of our private and unpublished posts!

 Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Glasgow, Police Helicopters And Accidents.

      Like many, many people across the country I have been deeply moved and saddened by the loss of life and the injuries from the recent tragic accident of the helicopter crash onto the roof of the Clutha in Glasgow. Everybody accepts it was an horrific accident, but like all accidents, we have to carefully analyse the events and attempt to guarantee that this will never happen again. I have no doubt that the experts will point to some mechanical failure, but there are other aspects that must be looked at, for example, why are there low flying helicopters over dense urban areas? This was the second police helicopter crash in Glasgow, that's two too many.

    I received this from an IWW member and I whole heartedly endorse the contents. 

 Ground Surveillance Helicopters – Permanently!

      The Clutha Vaults tragedy on 29^th November touched so many. It killed 6 pub users and injured many others, physically and emotionally. It happened because of the increasing practice, of low-flying helicopters being used in dense urban areas. We are mourning the dead, some like John McGarrigle immortalised in print.

    But “an injury to one is an injury to all “, as the wobbly slogan puts it. From mourning we should take the step to organise to highlight, oppose, and demand the end to the use of helicopters in this way.

Helicopters are used to convey the sick and injured – but that is a different use from that of the Police. How many of us have got up from our sofa to be met by a bright light, like a searchlight, barely clearing our tenements and houses/

    The Clutha had a great reputation as a haven for radical & literary ideas, for poetry and live music. But in addition to commemoration, or rebuilding the Clutha/ we can add our opposition to the use of surveillance helicopters This is not to blame the pilot, but to identify the practice, and the record of accidents and near misses associated with this practice/ As with other aspects of the creeping surveillance State – we ask , what are they useful for, and to who?

Campaign to put an end to their use, this winter of discontent!

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk