Ted Rall for October 27, 2014

Computers know too much about me already. I stopped using my CVS, Staples etc. cards last year. This is only the latest “thing” of the 21st century, into which I am being dragged kicking & screaming all the way!I’ll stay with cash.

The government hides it because they want you to think they aren’t watching when they are so you can be caught. Walmart puts them out in the open so you know they are there and hopefully won’t do anything you don’t want to get caught at.

Ted’s going to become a gold bug next.

I love standing in line at Walgreen when the person in front of me goes through the sale paper to try to find one of their purchases, then they can’t find their rewards card, then it takes three tries to get a debit card that works, and then they have a five minute conversation with the clerk. I have a rewards card but pay cash and the whole thing if over with it about a minute. Sometimes I get lucky and the woman customer uses cash but then it takes a couple of minutes for the to paw through their purse for exact change.

So-called ‘conservatives’ are incensed, just incensed about government spying.

And they are perfectly comfortable with giant multinational (patriotic) corporations spying on citizens and sharing information with each other.

But, of course, It’s OKAY If A Republican Does It.

i got my first credit card 51 years ago. never had a problem, ever, until 2 years ago: first it was somebody charging me monthly for a single purchase; then our local supermarket was hacked, several unauthorized charges; home depot, target, same problem; then, the latest, we get a recurring charge from some place in florida we never heard of. the credit card started out so well, now bit coin wants you to use ephemeral money. the end is very near.

In terms of abstraction it seems to vary from person to person. I tend to be more tempted to spend money I have on me as cash as I see it as spare, whereas any money holed away into my bank account I see as savings / for mandatory expenses.

Well, for the first time I understand why our currency says, “In God We Trust”. lol.

No I’m not aware, or at least wasn’t. Does that make spying on citizens OK?-Not to me. Duh.

Along the lines of Utilities as private companies [Which I’ll argue against given near monopoly privileges imposed by the state], I believe California companies were attempting to mandate VIA LAW that everyone have a smart meter [To better spy on you].

If your gonna start bashing private companies, try picking ones that are a little further from the monopoly nested granted by the government to complain about spying on you.