1984 Redux

New York, Monday

For readers who have emailed me about the Block-berry post from yesterday, BobOnARoll is not in Dubai but decided to date-line posts for the time being.  As of now, I am safely in the Blackberry Green Zone here in the USA where one can text email and web-surf without looking over one's shoulder.  Heading back to Dubai on Saturday and, since the BBerry ban does not go into effect until October, should have no communication issues.  Just the usual----keep your dirty jokes in your own email inbox, please.....

In the meantime, I am enjoying the twisting and squirming of government and telecom officials in the UAE trying to turn a camel hoof into a ruby slipper.  The latest party line was echoed in a "news" item planted in The National (owned by the Abu Dhabi government) with the headline:  "UAE follows path of US and UK", with the absolutely false implication that their policy is just an extension of what Western countries already have in place.  Shameless....  Orwell, but without the witty, thoughtful writing.

Let's face it.  The 'bad guys' can always figure out the work-around's for any attempt to block or impede telecom---in any country, for that matter.  This is really about social monitoring and social control----to prevent the kind of spontaneous digitally-fueled democratic uprisings they saw across the Gulf in Iran.  Not that one is imminent---in fact, as long as all are housed and fed and transported to shopping malls in secure comfort, we're not likely to see any mass protest movements.  The sad irony of this decision is that it strikes a blow to the only rationale left for the country as a national entity----business.