Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[flynnibus]

I think they would like to know how long Trudy waited for the bus. Why? How long will she wait before she goes and complains? What is her tolerance

What is the value of knowing her tolerance if you never use it for anything? Do you think if they see Trudy approaching HER tolerance.. they are magically going to send a bus just because of Trudy?

Or do you think they will learn how long people staying at a deluxe hotel will be willing to wait at a bus stop in july at midday and adapt their schedule based on what they learned.

That's the difference... in the second situation Trudy's personal information has been aggregated to provide a conclusion about a TYPE of customer and you change your processes not specifically for HER, but based on people like her. Both situations you may keep Trudy's personal specifics.. but how is it used and what value is the info collected.

Question: In your opinion does this program bother you. I know you are the level headed one here and I appreciate your sensibilities. Do you have ANY concerns about the program? @flynnibus

Information is Power. Power can be used for good or evil.
It's not the concept that bothers me - it's Disney. Because they haven't demonstrated enough competence to make me believe they will always make the smart choice. The type of data they are collecting doesn't bother me. I don't really care if they model me or track me in the parks because it stops when I leave the property and they can't hurt me with the data they are collecting. If they chose to make my experience LESS enjoyable using that data.. that is their loss, not mine. Because if I don't enjoy myself, I'll take my business elsewhere.

 

[WDW1974]

Dave beat me to it. I have looked for the things that are along the National Mall and they are there.

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but one would assume radiation detectors as well as sensors that measure for airborne pathogens (bioweapons).

 

[nytimez]

Information is Power. Power can be used for good or evil.
It's not the concept that bothers me - it's Disney. Because they haven't demonstrated enough competence to make me believe they will always make the smart choice.

I think it's a given that at some point - probably soon - they will make what I will politely call the opposite of a smart choice.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but one would assume radiation detectors as well as sensors that measure for airborne pathogens (bioweapons).

That is exactly what we are talking about. I mean I googled PRISM and Paladir earlier.... yikes.

 

[WDW1974]

Democracy has never existed outside of Ancient Greece - everything is an oligarchy. People like to pretend that democracy is a real thing - it isn't.

I think you/we understand that point.

But I want the government I grew up with in the USA (flaws, and there were many, and all). I do not want the marshall law type of system that has been in place since 9/11 and results in small town police (like take Davie, FL, home of the Miami Dolphins training camp) running around with armor and vehicles that look like they belong in Afghanistan and have NO purpose in American society unless you're planning on slaughtering your citizens.

 

[nytimez]

I think you/we understand that point.

But I want the government I grew up with in the USA (flaws, and there were many, and all). I do not want the marshall law type of system that has been in place since 9/11 and results in small town police (like take Davie, FL, home of the Miami Dolphins training camp) running around with armor and vehicles that look like they belong in Afghanistan and have NO purpose in American society unless you're planning on slaughtering your citizens.

Yes, when we were growing up, a land where you needed papers to travel and had to pass through checkpoints and were subject to "stop and frisk" - and where neighbors are encouraged to report on neighbors who seem suspicious (see something? say something!) - would sound a lot like the land we were told was the enemy back then.

And we'd never, ever be like them... right?

 

[Goofyernmost]

they don't want you worrying because maybe you'll try and bring about change.

understand this, usually things are never as bad as we think they are. They are many times worse. Much better to bury your head while imbeciles tell you to put on your tinfoil hat.

One also needs to remember that depending on ones focal point...anyone can be perceived as wearing a "tinfoil hat". I think we all do. It's just that some of those "tinfoil" beauty's get different channels then the others. One hears one thing and someone else hears another. Only time and reality determines who was wearing the right hat.

 

[WDW1974]

Go to this page of that companies website... http://www.iqt.org/portfolio/ict.html

It looks like a one stop shopping center for the entire project. Go through the companies they have partnered with and see if they look familiar with anything you have read.

I'm just trying to figure out exactly who is funding NGE and to what degree. I am amazed that no one in the real media like @Jason_Garcia feels like this is worthy of attention. I bet the Guardian might be interested (oh, I just got a Spirited idea!)

 

[flynnibus]

I was also only suggesting that the data could be used to predict "Trudy's" specific departure from the park, not that WDC would do that. And who knows better than WDW's management as to what is important. My point, through the telling of this narrative, is intended to show what is or could be collected. I also intend to show how it could be used. Finally, I'd like to show how it will most likely will be used. I have no more insight than you do into exactly how TWDC is going to utilize this.

could... could... could... could..

Could is not really all that interesting without considering the probability and desire for them.

I COULD get hit by a meteor tomorrow...
I COULD tell my boss off...
I COULD go on a full on bender and wake up in a ditch...

All entirely possible - but none are interesting relevations without taking into account the pprobabilityof those scenarios or my desire for them to happen.

So like I said before... dreaming up all kinds of scenarios that have no meaning to anyone is entirely possible.. but unlikely because it provides no value or a diminishing value to someone.

When you have big data to analyze.. you can cut it a gazillion different ways and pull out all kinds of stupid meaningless facts. But besides when you are bored... you focus on the analysis and facts that actually provide you some value.

 

[Darth Sidious]

If there is a guy in finance that has earned the acronym PITA, it's Loeb. Sony just told him to off with his idea to break the company into two pieces, which isn't about the health of Sony in the long-term, just a short-term move that would line his pockets with a healthy return on his investment.

It's hard to even type this, but a guy like him stirring the pot, that's simply awful because he can make Igervision look stunningly wonderful. They claim he doesn't plan to make a scene yet, but he's buying the stock on a high, which means there is some long-term play that he's looking at because TWDC's share price isn't going to suddenly skyrocket and this guy doesn't buy to make a couple bucks a share. He plays hardball and loves the notion of media companies breaking into pieces, ala what News Corp. did, what he tried at Sony because it can fatten his return on investment.... Very interesting story today and don't forget it because Loeb has only just begun.

He wants a spinoff... I give it six months before he has a public fit and is penning letters to Bob.

 

[Nubs70]

I'm just trying to figure out exactly who is funding NGE and to what degree. I am amazed that no one in the real media like @Jason_Garcia feels like this is worthy of attention. I bet the Guardian might be interested (oh, I just got a Spirited idea!)

Try Der Speigel

 

[WDW1974]

The CIA getting into the venture game was an interesting twist.. but is more a note on the bureaucracy of our government where silos duplicate each others efforts, etc. It's not that much different from the classic federal grants, DARPA, etc.. where the DoD has funded research, product development, etc. What the twist (and new risk) was by doing it via an 'independent' company, there are new levels of obfuscation and the funding path for congress is even more obscured. The CIA wanting to use their budget to fund 'interesting' things and trying to grow their pot through investment is a political topic that really starts to challenge the classic roles of government backed research.

The technologies of large group tracking, modeling, and extreme scale tagging I'm sure are all technologies that spying agencies would be interested in. So its not shocking to see contractors that work with, or have funding from those agencies involved in a project like this for Disney. But like many innovation projects... I see the overlap of opportunity.. and not so much about collaboration or collusion.

Well, what do YOU think the reaction would be if it got out in the media that Disney was in fact working/collaborating with the CIA/NSA/name your own agency on tracking/stalking technology and broader applications than simply planning a MAGICal WDW vacation?

Because I think it would be devastating to Disney because most people aren't happy with what the government's been up to to start with.

 

[nytimez]

But besides when you are bored... you focus on the analysis and facts that actually provide you some value.

1) never underestimate the power of boredom
2) just because you can't perceive the value of certain data doesn't mean the data has no value

 

[Nubs70]

How could this be financed under the radar?
The payer has an unlimited budget not subject to any type of reporting regulations.
The payee manipulates inventories on a regular basis
The payer pays payee for non existent inventory.

Are hotel rooms subject to SARBOX?

 

[flynnibus]

Well, what do YOU think the reaction would be if it got out in the media that Disney was in fact working/collaborating with the CIA/NSA/name your own agency on tracking/stalking technology and broader applications than simply planning a MAGICal WDW vacation?

I think people could try to twist a story to infer nefarious connections.. but it would fizzle fast in the public interest because without any substance about how the technology or data collected being used in evil ways the story is a tale of premature .

Is there a story to be told if we 'revealed' Disney used the same companies for it's optics that made SPY cameras or satelites? Or what about who made those high power lasers Disney uses? What if those came from companies funded to try to develop lethal military lasers. That doesn't mean Disney was looking to kill people with it's lasers.. or even that it's lasers are lethal.

If you are simply referring to hysteria drawn up by name dropping and name association.. I look down upon people that buy into that crap.

 

[WDW1974]

With all going on in the media with the NSA and CIA, I am sure most major companies will do anything possible to keep their names from being associated with them. Like I posted above, going through the profiles of the portfolio, it looks like a one stop shop for the entire NGE project. And like I said earlier, if Disney can get a live tracking program that works across the property, the sales of that technology will alone make up what it cost, not to mention selling the data they obtain. Don't doubt for a second they won't sell it in some form, whether it be through raw data or speaking engagements/seminars about what companies should do.

I don't see why they would be concerned. The shadow government gets revealed in the Snowden caper the same time WDW is planning whAT just 'may' be the biggest social behavioral experiment ...yeah, that's going to play well in both the Heartland and liberal coasts of the USA as well as those socialists in Europe. Nope, is that George Kalogridis huddled under his desk clutching plush? No...oh, it's Nick Franklin and Tom Staggs doing likewise.

 

[flynnibus]

1) never underestimate the power of boredom
2) just because you can't perceive the value of certain data doesn't mean the data has no value

And what is someone going to do with those conclusions?

I COULD count every rock on the driveway in front of my office. Yes... never underestimate the power of boredom. But am I going to do with that knowledge.. and why should anyone be concerned about me having it?

 

[nytimez]

And what is someone going to do with those conclusions?

That's the billion-dollar (or 2 or 3 billion dollar) question now, isn't it?

 

[flynnibus]

That's the billion-dollar (or 2 or 3 billion dollar) question now, isn't it?

Not really... because that question would be referring to analysis of meaningful analytics - not meaningless possibilities with low probability.

I've yet to hear anyone tell me how Disney is going to harm me with these new data points. Like I said.. if they reduce my experience.. it hurts them not me. I don't have to goto Disney.

 

[WDW1974]

OK. I will ask the big question. When do you think they will come out with Disney/NCAA themed Magic Bands? NFL? MLB? If you have to have the band, you might as well have it 'themed' as well, right?

You likely just gave Disney an idea. MAGIC bits already exist and allow you to 'theme' your band yo suit your personality.