Virtual Alabama Spying System With Google Earth A First
News Flash: The Huntsville Times Montgomery bureau reporter, Bob Lowry, doesn't want you to know this. But there may be a down side to the new "Virtual Alabama" spying system that uses technology developed by Google Earth to map everything in the state with satellite imagary, even inside buildings.
He wrote a press release on the subject for today's paper, giving all the credit to Gov. Bob Riley and saying how great it will be for firefighters and such.
'Virtual Alabama' With Google Earth Unveiled
But due to recent national stories raising concerns about the loss of privacy in America with the federal government's domestic spying operations under President George W. Bush, it seemed to us as if a few skeptical questions might be raised in the coverage of this event instead of covering it like a small town ground breaking or something. Where's ole Bob Riley with his picture on the front page with the giant scissors?
So, I e-mailed old Bob Lowry, who has been dutifully running the establishment press releases without asking skeptical questions for many years in this state.
Hey Bob,Do you think, instead of a press release, it might have been worth asking a skeptical question or two?
Is there a potential downside to this? Spying on Americans? Bush’s domestic critics? Is it truly “all good” man?
His reply?
Actually, those questions were raised and addressed.
------
Bob Lowry, Montgomery correspondent
The Huntsville Times
836 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
334/269-2804
334/224-8605 (cell)
So I asked:
Then where is the report on them?
His reply?
Hate to break it to you, but you're not my editor.
Bob Lowry
So I said:
So the readers don’t get to know about those questions?
I guess not. Now they know...
Comments
A letter to Bob Lowry, from a Locust Fork Journal reader.
From your article:
"The program also showed what classrooms are most heavily occupied on a given night in the engineering building, and it can show the layouts of the interiors of schools and other buildings to help firefighters and law enforcement."
Just for instance Bob, what if a public classroom was being used to organize a protest of "something" that the Government thought was liberalism, nationalism, socialism, anarchism, communism, etc.What would guarantee free speech for these folks if "Big Brother"decided that these folks should not meet and talk??
If I were your Editor would you tell me if you had asked any of these questions or would you simply take the party line and tell me that I really have no freedom of speech anymore?
Posted by: Randy Scott | November 29, 2007 07:26 PM