BARBWIRE by ANDREW BARBANO

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Other than doing our laundry, what should we do about Big Brother peeking into our collective lace undies?

How about throwing monkey wrenches into Big Brother's shorts?

Everyone on earth can now be reduced to a number plus keywords.

It all started over 500 years ago when navigators came up with latitude and longitude to help them explore the world without getting too lost.

Thanks to technology, matters have gotten totally out of control.

Numbers rule.

We have been semi-voluntarily surrendering personal information for a long, long time.

In exchange for using somebody else's money, we not only pay with interest but also with information.

We got used to it at our peril.

Every time you websearch something, Big Google in the sky logs it.

Over time, the company builds a profile on you in order for its advertisers to more efficiently sell you stuff.

If you don't allow intrusive cookies into your computer, Yahoo, Google, Bing and their ilk won't let you use their search engines.

Likewise with cyber toys like Facebook and Twitter.

Some folks are naturally exhibitionistic and prone to reveal too much.

I may be old-fashioned, but I get embarrassed when people expose themselves.

I really don't want to know if Suzy Creamcheese from Peoria has dumped her boyfriend, entered a new relationship or is trolling.

Do I care that Louie Cotsafracas had lunch at the Paducah Applebee's?

The U.S. Census has been pushing for voluntary info for over 200 years.

Accuracy is accidental. It's a governmental game. Some win, some lose.

Nevadans didn't take my census advice in 2010.

By failing to add an extra person to our household forms, we narrowly lost a fifth congressional seat.

We will thus remain under-represented in Washington until at least 2022.

Semi-voluntary info apparently isn't good enough for the military-industrial complex.

We the people thus need a new defense mechanism.

I submit an undoubtedly ill-informed, unprofessional and overly simplistic strategy: Google some nonsense at least once a day, thereby weakening the integrity of Big Brother's file on you.

As a test, I keyed in "liquid Romanian castanets."

Google responded with 1.25 million returns, a comic cacophony of non-sequitur and irrelevance.

Here's a sampling:

* Jaap van Zweden Conductor David Fray Bates Liquid Interface.
* A guide to threadlocking adhesives.
* Castanet — getting ripped off on gasoline.
* Translate ast to Romanian online.
* Vocal cover a capella girl from Romania.

All three keywords also appeared in the Cumberland News of Monday, 23 December 1963.

The best defense is a good offense.

Google something nonsensical at least once a day and drive the system nuts.

Make information gleaned from you without permission not worth the trouble of stealing.

All other suggestions welcome.

But don't tell anybody.

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno.

WEB EXTRAS...

HONOR YOUR DON. Keep sending comments supporting legendary Nevada photographer Don Dondero (1920-2003) for the Nevada Press Association Hall of Fame.

His life's work appeared worldwide, including this newspaper.

Enlist in the campaign to install Big Don.

Please send me your memories and endorsements via e-mail or to P.O. Box 10034, Reno NV 89510.

The Barbwire got the late Reno Gazette-Journal columnist Guy Richardson elected last year.

Let's go for a repeat.

BARBWIRE.TV. Support the return of community TV to these parts.

If last year's elections didn't convince you of the need, the 2013 legislature certainly will.

Join up. You may donate at ReSurge.TV or contact me.

This is important.

Thank you.

VOTE FOR THE LUCKY 13, the most powerful Nevadans of 2013. Send nominations to <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us>

Last year's rogues gallery will be linked to the expanded web edition of this column at NevadaLabor.com/

LET'S GET IT ON. E-me to get on the Barbwire News bulletin list for information not filtered through corporate lenses.

I broke a bushel of major stories last year which the above lead item will very probably top.

Turn on, tune in and tell a friend.

Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno. (Pardon my Spanglish.)

____________

Andrew Barbano is a 44-year Nevadan, chair of the Nevada César Chávez Committee, producer of Nevada's annual César Chávez Day celebration, first vice-president and political action chair of the Reno-Sparks NAACP, labor/consumer/civil rights advocate, member of Communications Workers of America Local 9413/AFL-CIO and editor of NevadaLabor.com and JoeNeal.org. As always, his opinions are strictly his own. Check local listings for other Nevada cable systems. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us. Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Daily Sparks Tribune since 1988.

Smoking Guns... Barbwire Corporate Welfare Archive Barbwire Corporate Propaganda Archive Cabellyup.com Enron II: Nevada's Battle-Born Toxic Event Indigence and indigestion from ingestion of Warren Buffett's buffet Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 6-6-2013 Sparks Tribune Longing for the wisdom of the grateful dead Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-23-2013 Sparks Tribune Star-stuck: Dirty deals for dirty movies Ghostrider Nicolas Cage sticks it to school kids Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-16-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune Mr. Wynnderful waxes wealthier whilst we wither Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 5-9-2013 Daily Sparks Tribune FROM HUGH JACKSON THE LAS VEGAS MEANER GLEANER The best Nevada political commentator alive Policy with the stars Of Wynn service, lip service and Cage fighting Las Vegas CityLife / 5-15-2013 Rules of Disengagement Gov. Veto El Obtúse struck dumb, but with a smile Las Vegas CityLife / 4-17-2013   ...and more ammo... We Don't Need No Education The continuing Barbwire series The Post-Dated Recession: Pay me now or pay me later Barbwire by Barbano / Expanded from the 9-6-2012 Daily Sparks Tribune The Post-dated Recession By Joshua H. Silavent / Daily Sparks Tribune / 5-3-2011 Union decline and rising inequality in two charts by Colin Gordon Economic Policy Institute / 6-5-2012 Used in journalist Mark Robison's extensive Hard Labor: Nevada unions tout role in helping workers, firms, economy (Sunday 2 Sept. 2012 Reno Gazette-Journal, page one, Reno Rebirth section of the print edition). Union men Jim Burrell, Paul McKenzie and Guy Louis Rocha did the movement proud. Not included in the RGJ online edition. WOMEN AND UNIONS — ORPHAN MAJORITIES The Barbwire Labor Day column Reno Gazette-Journal / 9-3-2012 Nevada Press Assn. Better Newspaper Contest HAT TRICK: Barbwire takes first place three years in a row. The winning entries Suing for Schools: The 20-year shuck Expanded from the 2-21-2010 Daily Sparks Tribune Click here to view the show on your desktop RED flags flying low over Sparks Expanded from the 1-10-2010 Daily Sparks Tribune The wrath of self-righteous racism Expanded from the 11-8-2009 Daily Sparks Tribune Government contacts Nev. congressional delegation Nevada Legislature State of Nevada Secretary of State Carson City Clark County City of Las Vegas Douglas County Reno City Council Sparks City Council Washoe County Commission Washoe Registrar of Voters The campaign against forcibly-paid newspaper obituaries And they wonder why the newspaper business is dying?   The Dean's List    The Dean of Reno Bloggers could very well be Andrew Barbano, self-described "fighter of public demons," who started putting his "Barbwire" columns online in 1996 and now runs 10 sites. RENO NEWS & REVIEW, 11-9-2006 The 2009 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners Tony the Tiger & the flaky NFL Barbwire / 11-30-2008 Deregulation is never having to say you're sorry Barbwire / 8-3-2008 Nevada: A good place to visit, but do you want to live here? Barbwire / 6-15-2008 The 2008 first-place Nevada Press Association award winners The price of a piece / 6-17-2007 Boxing Pandora /9-23-2007 The Lady in the Red Dress 10-28-2007 1997 Pulitzer Prize entries ...and more ammo yet The life and times of Travus T. Hipp The best who ever was

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Copyright © 1982-2013 Andrew Barbano

Andrew Barbano is a 44-year Nevadan, editor of NevadaLabor.com and JoeNeal.org; and former chair of the City of Reno's Citizens Cable Compliance Committee, He is producer of Nevada's annual César Chávez Day celebration and serves as first vice-president, political action chair and webmaster of the Reno-Sparks NAACP. As always, his opinions are strictly his own. E-mail barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us.

Barbwire by Barbano moved to Nevada's Daily Sparks Tribune on Aug. 12, 1988, and has originated in them parts ever since.
Whom to blame: How a hall-of-famer's hunch birthed the Barbwire in August of 1987
Tempus fugit.

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