i should also point out that i'm reacting matter-of-factly to the idea of being monitored because i've been aware of the reality of it for years.

i think i first became aware of being trailed around 1998 or so, as a result of the opinions i expressed in debates over usenet. there was a specific van that seemed to follow me all over the city of ottawa, for years. i was just a kid; i didn't think through the consequences of ranting on the internet.

i've lived most of my life with the understanding that i'm being followed. there are actually some upsides to it, if you think it through.