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WINFREY: Cell phones allow us to be connected at all times, but many students have become dependent on the modern security blanket. See kansan.com for more opinions and Free for All comments
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19,2006
WWWKANSAN.COM
PAGE5A
OPINION
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
》 OUR NEW
Surveillance methods unfair to music fans
The secret is out.
If people felt like someone was watching tem at the Wakarusa Music and camping Festival last June, they were right.
At the for-day festival, several local law enforcement agencies collaborated with NS Microwave, Inc., a security and surveillance equipment company, according to an article in Government Security Nws. The Lawrence Journal-Wold reported that the California company gave a free demonstration of $250,000 in surveillance technology.
Law enforcement unwisely failed to discharge their immoral actions.
Aided by "hidden wireless cameras, petscope viewers, night vision imag enhancers and a 21-foot command trailer," law enforcement could observe 85 percent of the festival grounds, according to he GSN article. The equipment hilped law enforcement catch people dealing drugs and make 140 drug-related arrests, according to each article.
"We had no idea there would be cameras $ \sigma $ checkpoints and we certainly wouldn't be supportive of iteer," festival promoter Brett Mosiman said.
Economic gan trumped privacy at the festivl. Iflaw enforcement had postd signs stating
the presence of video surveillance, drug dealing might have decreased from the outset.
Instead, the suspected drug money seized and the fines collected will be added to the coffers of the city, which still hasn't said what it will do with the money.
Money was made at the expense of law-abiding festival-goers. Some would argue that these festival-goers had no expectation of privacy, as they were among thousands of others in public.
But unlike other public events, such as a football game, many people made the festival grounds their home for days. They temporarily resided at the festival, and law enforcement should have afforded them privacy rights similar to those they would have had in their homes.
What's most disturbing is that law enforcement probably never would have revealed its secretive moneymaking scheme had the GSN article not surfaced.
Has local law enforcement secretly installed cameras in other public places? Maybe we won't know until another article is published in an obscure trade journal.
Steve Lynn for the editorial board.
» LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Facebook not to blame, we are
As individuals, people can be very intelligent. As a group, people can be very stupid. Example? The creation of Facebook petitions and protests.
I find it amusing when I read that people's "privacy" is being invaded with the new "feed" sections of Facebook. I'm sorry, but you gave up that privacy when you signed up for Facebook. If you're so distraught that your ex can see what you scribed on little Jimmy's wall at 3:17 a.m. then A) Don't write on little Jimmy's wall at 3:17 a.m. or B) Turn off that function of the news feed.
The information being raked for the news feed is nothing new; it's nothing that we all haven't searched before. Every one of us has gone wall-hunting, picture-snooping and friend-searching on someone else's page before. What the news feed does is bring that very information right to you in an-organized manner
One last bit. I hope I was not the only one who read the UDK on Sept. 8th and saw the article about the Facebook changes. I noticed that someone was planning to picket the offices of Facebook? Um, hold on, the apocalypse just called me and said it's coming to town soon. I can just see those little angry protestors now, stomping around in Palo Alto, Calif., blaming Facebook for getting dumped the night before.
"Martha broke up with me because I tagged another girl's photo! Screw you, Facebook. Go poke yourself!"
much information can be a bad thing, but why is this so different from digging around on Facebook in the middle of the night, searching for any number of reasons to blow up on your ex or current one-night stand? Delete the feed if you don't want people to see it.
Chill out, kids. Help with fundraising for UNICEF if you have that much time on your hands.
So, let me get this right: having this information more accessible makes Facebook "creepier" and more "stalkerish"? I agree that too
Andy McCallie Stilwell senior
》 LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Right to question government
Although I have some problems with the movie, it confronts a vital issue: whether it is acceptable to publicly question if part of one's government could commit crimes against its own people in order to gain power and enhance agendas.
If universities cannot have these types of discussions, then there is no place where they can happen.
I was glad to see the article by David Lindhard regarding the showing of the movie "Loose Change." It is a credit to the University of Kansas that this type of movie is shown.
Governments have enormous power, and when terrorism occurs, those running the country get more power. The government is also in charge of the investigations of the very acts that empower it, and which they are responsible for preventing'.
Such a conflict of interest requires an utmost allowance of exploring the facts.
COMMENTARY
Robert E. Griffin Forty Fort, Pa.
Cell phones create climate of insecurity
The other day I was sitting in Wescoe, enjoying some of the fine carcinogenic air, when the steam whistle roared over the Hill and students began pouring out of classrooms into the halls. Almost every one of these students pulled out a cell phone and with a click, a clap or a beep brought the phones to life and pasted them to their ears. My fear that all these students had to make a phone call because of an emergency were quickly put to rest as I witnessed several conversations start and finish within the five steps it took these students to pass by where I was sitting. I'm not lying when I tell you this; some of these conversations were no more than three or four word checkups on what people were doing. None of this surprised me, of course, and I apologize if I come across as sounding indignant. In truth, this parade
BY JEREMY WINFREY
KANSAN COLUMNIST
OPINION@KANSAN.COM
of students passing my Wescoe bench reinforced my belief that cellphone use has, for many, become a nervous compulsion. '
Cell phones appeal to man's most primal desire, the desire to be part of a group. Humans have always been pack animals and, as such, find great discomfort in the feeling of alienation from the pack. In Desmond Morris' documentary, The Human Animal, he explores the discomfort people experience when
alone or withdrawn from a group. Using his footage Morris is able to show how a simple act, such as eating alone at a restaurant or sitting alone on a public bench, can lead to visible signs of agitation and insecurity. In a world with cell phones, no one ever has to be alone. If you find yourself on an empty highway or amid a throng of strangers in the Wescoe Underground, you're not alone because all your friends and family are just a scroll down to the contacts screen away.
In American culture, the natural inclination for people to feel awkward when they are alone has unfortunately mutated into a feeling of inferiority. This feeling is the result of the constant stream of propaganda in our culture which touts that life is nothing but a popularity contest and the acquisition of status and fame is all that matters.
Looking at cell-phone marketing in this country, it is obvious that phone companies are doing their part to add to this notion. Every cell-phone commercial will have someone whipping out a phone to compare the quality of the phones themselves, the freedom to call as many people as they want, or the size of a person's contact list. Verizon goes so far as to show thousands of people hovering around one customer, appealing to our desires for both aggrandization and security. I think about this when I watch all the students around campus on their phones these days and can't help feeling that cell phones have become the modern technological equivalent of a toddler's security blanket.
Winfrey is a Lawrence junior in English and creative writing.
FREE FOR ALL
Call 864-0500
Free For All callers have 20 seconds to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
It really pisses me off when people call it a "crown," not crayon.
naked dude holding my pita.
The last thing I want is some
Isn't it strange you can buy guns at Wal-Mart but not porn? You tell me — which one is safer?
When do we have sexual intercourse?
The last thing I want is some
What is the difference between a dead baby and an apple? I'll tell you tomorrow.
To the kid outside Hash who wears a pope hat. You are not a pope. Stop wearing the pope hat.
I'm in your laundry mixing your whites and your colors."
This is Pluto. The scientists have taken my planet status. Send help.
I'm not going to lie, the next time I go to the store I'm going to buy more cheese balls.
I want to thank my date for taking me to Yell-in this weekend.
You Kappa Sigma men really know how to have a good time.
I just went to Taco Bell and I'm pretty upset. I ordered a half-pound burrito and it was no more than a quarter pound.
Thank you for paving by the Union. It isn't like an earthquake anymore when I drive, I love it.
To all Hashinger assassins:
Please make sure your Nerf guns work before you fire them.
In case you were wondering, they won't give you foil at Dunkin' Donuts.
--donuts and you screwed up our coffee.
To the Dunkin' Donuts guy: You didn't put enough sprinkles on our
It is 4:45 a.m. and there are 11 people on the Hash porch. We just saw the delivery guy come in and we started applauding. Thank you, delivery guy, for bringing our Free
If you were wondering what keeps all those people awake at Hash: dead baby jokes.
I have no pants on.
When Bruce gets angry he turns into the Hulk. When the Hulk gets angry he turns into Chuck Norris.
》 TALK TO US
Joanathan Kealog, editor
864-7854 or joanathan@kansan.com
Erick B. Schmidt, managing editor
864-7854 or eschmidt@kansan.com
B谷拉莎 Suzuki, manager
864-8454 or gozuka@kansan.com
Franti Yenkard opinion editor
864-9024 or franti@kansan.com
Dave Ruigh, associate opinion editor
864-4924 or druigh@kansan.com
Kyle Hoedl, business manager
864-4014 or khoedl@kansan.com
Lindsey Shirak, sales manager
664-4462 or lshirak@kansan.com
Maicalm Gilson, general manager, news adviser
864-7667 or mgilson@kansan.com
Jennifer Weaver, sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or jweaver@kansan.com
SUBMISSIONS
The Kansan welcomes letters to the editor and guest columns submitted by students, faculty and alumni.
The Kansan reserves the right to edit, cut to length, of reject all submissions.
For any questions, call Frank Tankard or Dave Rugh at 864-4810 or e-mail opinion@kansan.com.
General questions should be directed to the editor at editor@kansan.com.
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EDITORIAL BOARD
Jonathan Kearney, Trick S. Dishnani, Gabriela Soca Fund, Frank Ranklin, Steve Lloyd, Steve McMaryan McKay and Luke Morea