Icicles and the things that drop from eaves

Eavesdropping is an interesting word and an interesting action.  At one point in history people were fined for listening in on the conversations of others, which happened when one stood very close to another's home in the area where "things" dropped from the eaves.

Historically, there was also a hole in the home, near the eaves, for the benefit of the homeowner, so that they could listen to conversations outside of the house before people were admitted - perhaps a little like that small magnifying glass that we have in apartment or hotel room doors. It was a way of identifying friend from foe.

Today with electronic devices, eavesdropping, is much more subtle.  There are wire taps - legal or illegal - Watergate comes to mind. There are surveillance cameras every where it seems and many people have installed "nanny cams"  just to keep an eye on things when they're away.

If you enter your name in the google search engine, you may find out more than you really want to know about yourself!!  What is now admitted as evidence in trials, is where people have searched for information on-line, what web sites they have visited, and what phrases they have keyed into various search engines. Your cell phone not only logs the numbers you have called and when, it can also track your whereabouts at all times. Big brother lives!!

A little scary when you think about it.  Especially if you are worried about identity theft.  Someone can now know so much about you, as to become you, and how could you prove that they weren't - maybe only through DNA.  Now I can see there may be a need for DNA banks to prove that you are you and he/she isn't.

Icicles - frozen fangs of winter.

These days, it seems that the only benign forms of eaves dropping are from the pesky squirrels who live in the roof and icicles, those frozen fangs of winter. There were simpler times and as chilling as they may have seemed, they will never match the eeriness of the electronic robots that haunt our personal devices and may one day exchange their being for ours!! (The basis of a sci-fi novel perhaps)

Maybe, I should just ask the squirrels to move over, while I hibernate until things get better  :)

Have thoughtful day!!