No Snooping Allowed - in Czech Republic

Citizens in the USA are fuming about revelations that governments agencies tasked with protecting them are actually spying on them. "Big Brother" is keeping current with the activities of the people, it seems (see this article, among many on the situation). 

Meanwhile, an short note appeared at the Prague Radio website, indicating that this sort of thing will not be tolerated here in the Czech Republic.

Personal data watchdog fines Post over making deliverers carry GPS devices
The Office for the Protection of Personal Data has fined Czech Post for monitoring the routes of postal delivery workers using devices equipped with GPS technology, Czech Television has reported. While the fine was a token CZK 80,000, the country’s postal service operator has changed its practices, no longer employing blanket monitoring of employees in the field and processing the data acquired differently, Czech TV said. Czech Post said it had introduced the system so as to be able to investigate complaints from clients who said delivery staff had not rung at their door when attempting to deliver a parcel. A spokesperson for Czech Post said it now used a system under which they can monitor whether deliverers reached a certain point a certain time.

So, the USA, with a splendid history of personal freedoms and constitutional protections, moves toward big-brotherliness. Meanwhile former Soviet-sphere state Czech Republic is taking steps to see to it that this does not happen here - again.

With regard to Edward Snowden, the US government analyst currently hiding out in the Moscow airport, I don't know what to think. A long time ago I worked in an allied field. I don't know whether he is a traitor or a hero. I don't suppose we in the general public will ever have enough information to make an informed opinion on that. But, just a few years ago, I would never have even considered the question. I would have assume he is a traitor. How things have changed.

Does anybody else see the emerging patterns here?

Zimmerman reaction (of course) and guest blog

OK, the entire blogosphere has commented on the Zimmerman verdict. Actually, I wrote about Race Relations in America twice in the weeks preceding the outcome of that trial, but without reference to that court case.

But I want to share just one reasonable response from the computer of The BenAddiction.

Boy, have I been busy lately! For the past two months it seems my life has been like a whirlwind. I’ve done a lot of personal and ministry related travel and I haven’t been able to write in a very long while.Much has transpired since my last entry. Some of the highlights include the US Supreme Court’s ruling against the Defense of Marriage Act, we’ve learned that the government – via the NSA – has been spying on everyone, that the government – via the IRS – has been targeting conservatives, and very recently we’ve had the George Zimmerman murder trial.Most of my conservative friends and acquaintances think the Supreme Court’s ruling is apocalyptic in its brazen defiance of the sheer obviousness of the created order. Additionally, most of my conservative friends have been outraged at the gross constitutional violations involved in the revelations of governmental spying and the targeting of individuals and groups on the basis of political ideology. At the same time, many of my liberal friends and acquaintances applaud the Supreme Court’s ruling, and are mostly unconcerned about the government targeting on the basis of ideology and they appear ambivalent about the NSA spying on the entire populace.In these scenarios it is the conservatives who are outraged by the actions of the courts and government, while the liberals are in general agreement with the actions and decisions of the various governmental bodies.However, when it comes to the George Zimmerman trial and the resulting verdict,...

To read the rest of this essay, please go here.