To Orwell Today,

Hi Jackie,

I thought that you would be interested in this:

Cell phone can listen even when turned off. You Tube Fox News

It's actually old news, but now even Fox is reporting it. I haven't pinpointed yet why this is, but perhaps too many of us believed this too uncomprehensible to fathom at first - like many of the stories that appear to be mere farfetched conspiracy theories and then turn out to be the raw truth.

-Jim Banholzer

Greetings Jim,

I had heard that rumour, years ago, about cell phones being listening devices when turned off and ever since have been a bit leery of talking around them (and on them).

It kind of makes a person wonder if the little screen on camera-phones is also a mini Orwellian "telescreen" that "can SEE as well as hear".

All the best,
Jackie Jura

Smile, Big Brother's watching (new technology tracks every move). GlobeMail, Mar 25, 2008. See 3.Surveillance and 20.Thought Police