funny and scary at the same time…
remember how the google ceo banned Cnet from interviews when they googled private information on him using the product he sells…ironic eh?
What is the time frame on this? Is this already a moot point, or is there still time for action? I can’t seem to find that out.
Most of this is possible today. The biggest hold-up is cost. Each of the data sources shown would have to buy into the technology to make all of the information shown available to a common source. Current privacy laws would require you to personally authorize each of these sources to share your information. Neither is likely any time soon.
djm
I don’t know if anybody’s played a game called “The Longest Journey” but it’s set in the near-future and has all sorts of crap like that in it, so it reminds me of that game. 
The first may not be likely, but to do the second, all they have to do is link it to your ability to be employed.
Which is exactly what they would do, I bet.
“To continue working here, sign this.”
–James
I guess most of the info in the example is available via data mining, with or without a national id card, which is sickening enough. I had the weirdest pollster calling me with a multitude of questions all revolving around security of my medical records and the section of that piece referred to that.
I wish I could believe that the ACLU would actually stand up against it rather than seeking support by appearing to care. It reminds me of Hillary Clinton’s hawk-like statements of late. I no longer believe in their impartiality within the political spectrum. They are too busy scrubbin’ crosses while looking the other way at the Muslim ascendancy. Their not taking on the Hamtranck amplified call to prayer issue in Michigan is huge in my book.
Five times a day, the call to prayer is amplified from a mosque over this Detroit suburb, disturbing all who don’t want to be exposed to it.
Where’s the outrage?
Data-mining is what would be used, but only where it is permitted to occur. Your library card records are not public-access, nor are your medical records, purchases at your travel agent or clothing store accounts.
The only thing the pizza joint could validly determine in this sensationalistic little melodrama is the stuff about your credit cards being maxed, and even there, the pizza business has to pay to be able to accept those cards and access that information about your card’s status.
Your phone records are private. The only way they could know your cell number and identify your place of work is if you gave them this information, or, what is the more likely thrust, is that you have given these permissions to a central information distribution company that the pizza store would then have to pay to access to extract this info.
Its all do-able, but too expensive for most businesses to bother with … for now. 
djm
Hmmm… I would call that less than even handed… Even the ACLU needs to be reminded sometimes.
I don’t know. I’d hate to see churchbells outlawed.
I don’t know enough of the story to tell yet. I don’t think that church bells are offensive either. No easy answers.
I wonder if muslims find church bells disturbing.
I wonder how many church bells you’d hear in, ooh, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Dubai, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, Yemen… you know… the middle east. I wouldn’t hold your breath listening out for them.
There are people who find church bells disturbing.
I personally don’t; however, I don’t live right next door to a church with a bell that can be heard for miles, either. If I did, I would probably find it disturbing.
–James
George Orwell smiles smugly from the grave.
I did not know that church bells were used to call people to pray.
An oldie but a goody.
Two Hazara’s were walking down the streets of Kabul the call to pray comes over head and one looks to the other and said “God is so great, even the spittoons sing his glory!”
When I used to live near the University of Utah I lived two houses down from a church that rang a bell…at five in the damn morning 
! Nowadays that wouldn’t bother me because I’m at work well before five AM, but back then I didn’t have to be at school until 9:30AM.
I tell you what, churchbell or call to prayer, anything that early in the morning can be obnoxious.
We have half a dozen mosques in the vicinity, it took several months
to get used the racket that comes from so many loudspeakers. Now
I hardly notice anymore. Its amazing what you can subconsciously
tune out.
… after vomitting … and more likely ‘ruefully’.