A few months back, on a whim, I decided to look up websites that offer aerial photographs, to see if there was one of my house. So I typed what I wanted into Google and found a site that offered not only aerial shots but satellite ones. Okay, now they had me hooked. I typed in my address and up popped this grainy, out of focus, black and white mug shot of my house, and two neighboring houses, plus the street on which we all live. This was the free download version. As I understand it, for the low price of $9.99 or something like that, you can download a crystal clear version that lets you zoom in so close you can count the whiskers on a mouse's cheeks. Granted, the picture I viewed was taken back in 1999 but that was current enough for me.
Now, I'm wondering, if these satellites up in orbit have nothing better to do than take snapshots of people's homes all day long, and one little payment can make that photo yours, who is to stop terrorists from downloading shots of your house or my house, or the President's house? Better yet, if you can get a lesser quality photo for free, then so can they. Don't think they don't do this, because that would just be burying your face in the sand. If I have access to a photo of any home in the United States, or even the world, and I'm perfectly harmless, you know for darn sure that the terrorists are doing the exact same thing and those folks are not harmless.
Ever feel as though someone might be watching you? They probably are. Satellite technology is so advanced now that a little computer manipulation is all it would take to turn your backyard tanning session into an international event. Do you tan in the nude? Feel as though everything you do is private because you live way out in the boonies and nobody can see you? Think again. Did you know that many of those police helicopters that fly so low over residential areas are equipped with camera devices that can not only see in infrared, but can also see right through your roof? It's true. A lot of criminals have been caught using this method. A little manipulation of the controls in the wrong hands, a computer hacker here or there, and your private life is instantly exposed to the world.
Are we prepared fully for terrorism on a global scale? Technologically speaking, yes, we certainly are. Psychologically speaking, no, we're not. People don't like to think that someone might be watching them in their most private acts, but the fact is, if someone wanted to see your private life in its complete detail, he or she could probably do so, and without much trouble. It's a brand new world, and we have nothing to hide anymore. Think about that the next time you hear that chopper go over your house, or dial up some website to download aerial photos. I guarantee you, if my house is there, your house is there too.
