Our cousins across the pond are much more comfortable with Big Brother than we are in the States.

British town's pubs scan fingerprints to spot louts

Revellers in a British town are to have their fingerprints scanned when they enter pubs and clubs in a scheme aimed at weeding out drunken troublemakers.

Just recently the City of Houston wanted to install cameras downtown to put additional technological resources in the hands of police officers. This intent came under fire by Houstonians as Big Brother trying to spy on ordinary citizens.

In the course of debate it was mentioned that New York City has an expensive CCTV system, as do several other cities. The ACLU is still not convinced.

Even the idea of red light cameras in Texas spurred many vigorous debates over government spying.

Yet in the UK such technology is everywhere. London boasts the largest and most elaborate CCTV system anywhere.

American's just aren't as comfortable with the possibility that the system would be used against them, perhaps deviating from its intended person. After all, its people who set policy and people who enforce it. The idea that such invasive technology would be misused for nefarious purposes is not at all out of the realm of possibility.

I don't think I would volunteer for the finger scanner.

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British town's pubs scan fingerprints to spot louts
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