? Yes, I'm the delusional one. Facial recognition cameras, Automatic Number Plate Recognition. Where else is this not only tolerated, but being proposed?

I'll have to apologize if my pointing out the obvious has offended anyone's sensibilities. I'll drop this thread if it can't continue to be civilized because this is the last forum I'd expect or want anyone to be using an ignore feature.

Anyway, this wasn't supposed to be about the BBC, and especially not why anyone would think I'm opposed to it. My line of thought started out regarding that companies shouldn't be, and don't need to be, reliant on the government to regulate or control an industry or the landscape to help them be successful. Nor do private companies need the government to assist them in marketing their inventions. The greatest successes in the business world today are proof of this, including as I mentioned, the UK's own Dyson (which seems to be kicking ass globally right now).

A government can quickly stop representing the people's best interests and is not going to be a panacea for all business issues, let alone personal ones. Nor *should* it be. There's a balance to be had and in many countries things are very out of whack right now. Even in Canada and the US, we need to see some additional regulation and involvement in some areas/sectors and less in others. I did say "business" issues as opposed to "corporate" because some corporations (or their lobbying groups) are already tightly wound with governments and affecting too many policy decisions. This situation is the opposite of the government running the business and in many ways even worse.

On a semi-related note, I just saw The Union last night. A documentary on the US and Canadian pot industry, with a large focus on British Columbia. I had some small niggles with it, but by and large it was well done, and the interviews were excellent. It brings up the regulation issue with regards to marijuana and of course food, alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs.