RE: How Many Surfcams are Too Many?

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Frankly, it took me a while reading of your article before I realized that the purpose of the surf cameras are to help you decide whether it's worth going down to the beach or not. (Makes sense, and ultimately a great idea.) For some reason, what I kept thinking about were CCTV cameras in public places, set up to discourage / prevent muggings and stuff, but then end up persecuting skateboarding teens, or someone drinking a beer in public.

Also, I remember quite well your rants during lockdown, when you could not go down to the ocean simply because it was just outside of your 5km radius. Those posts creeped me out, since the strict control clashed massively with my subjective notion of the vast expanses I imagined Australia to have. And that's exactly what my first thought was when you mentioned surf cameras.

As for population growth and relocation, I'm entirely with you: people will come in droves, buy up properties, fill up the beaches, and yes: ruin the surf for everyone else in the sea, just like how they ruin the quiet and peaceful beach. And I think that will happen either way, with or without cameras. Still, I can see how people would be opposed to having cameras set up all along the coast.

Should the decision be made to remove all of them, there is one thing I can see happening (good optimistic me): Like you say, you'd start pestering your mates on the coast, and you'd probably wouldn't be the only one... So you could set up a private surfcam network, only for friends and neighbors who surf. It doesn't sound that unreasonable, and that way you could have your cake, and share it with your community, so all of you can eat it too.



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Ugh, those times were awful. It brings me shivers to think of it. I totally get why you thought that, given precious rants!

Oh yes I'd be pestering alright! It's actually not that easy to set up private cams.. they get vandalized if found and the maintenance of them is tricky.

But I can read the charts so I'd survive. Bring back the old days I reckon.

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And I thought people who live close to the beach would set them up in their yards or porches, from where they can see the ocean.

And for sure: bringing back the old ways is much preferable over the dystopia of the last two years!

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You know there's not a lot of houses with direct ocean views to see the break!! There's a no build zone these days .. a buffer.

I kinda think that dystopia is getting worse . But there's always good to focus on too, like actually surfing!!!🤪

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You know there's not a lot of houses with direct ocean views to see the break!!

I'm actually quite glad to hear. That means uncontrolled urbanization is being checked in some way.

I kinda think that dystopia is getting worse.

I think I kinda agree. But that also means, we MUST focus on the good things!

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I couldn't agree more!! I was chatting to Akchemage this morning via WhatsApp and he wrote this .

You’re right the whole world is falling apart in a spiral of chaos. It’s hard to not focus on all the negative but you’re right that there is a lot of great things to focus on. The Hand Maidens Tale comparison is quite shockingly on point though.. they’re seriously working on making women and POC less than people by law guided by their fucked up principles. Fuck. But like I said, there’s a lot of people speaking out. The owners of a right wing type of chain store supplying hunting equipment sent out a mass email to all employees stating that they’ll pay out $4k to any employee, spouse, or family members enrolled in their healthcare that needs to travel from a state where abortion is banned to one where they can legally get the procedure done. Shits wild.

How awesome is that!!! That's the good we gotta focus on and recreate in our lives.

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(Edited)

Depending on the state, this could already get you in trouble! Which is why, I've seen these kind of memes go viral among people I know:

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So yes, people can be awesome! The other thing is, if a trend has been going in one direction for over a century, it won't be stopped let alone reversed by a court decision, even if it's the SCOTUS. In fact, I believe the opposite thing is likely... but we'll see it for ourselves over the next years.

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Oh yes I heard about the camping meme. Like the new underground railroad! And this morning I read woman were deleting their period trackers off their phones.

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Oh wow! But yeah, I can see how privacy protection becomes a concern. Though even as a non-American male, I generally don't think it's a good idea to give access to body/health related information to anyone. Even for your health care provider it should on a need to know basis.

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Oh by the way did you catch my review from a few days ago on Our Flag Means Death,?

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(Edited)

No, but it sounds quite intriguing. I'll check it out right away. (How come I didn't see it...???)

Oh wait a second! I did read it. The review of that TV series. And I thought I left a comment on it. Or maybe I just wanted to? Thanks for reminding me!

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