"Technologies of surveillance and control all aim to achieve a perspectival advantage over some adversary, but the vast quantities of data produced by these devices threaten to overload the system, thus defeating the original goal." - Roger D. Hodge in Borderworld in this month's Popular Science.You're kidding, right? Perspectival isn't a real word, is it? Um, well, maybe so, maybe no. Methinks Mr. Hodge has spent too much time in the halls of American bureaucracy. But that's just a nit. The story is more than a little scary.
The American-Mexican border situation is a fiasco. I think we have gotten to this state because of our success. If we weren't so successful, people wouldn't have the time or energy to spend on being insane (see Hilly Holbrook in The Help). OK, they would, but they wouldn't find as many people who have nothing better to do than listen to them, which is how we got our current drug laws. If we weren't so successful, we wouldn't have so much weight to throw around, screwing around with how other countries run themselves. I am convinced that the history of pervasive corruption in Mexico is entirely due to American businesses, in cahoots with the American government, meddling in Mexican affairs. OK, the American public is guilty as well, but only because of passive neglect, not active involvement.
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