Amazon

[FTW]

I realize I am just one person, but I have been around long enough to see the type of problems that too much power causes in people and companies.

Amazon is one company that I have avoided for some time now. Not because of any product or service they offer, but because they have too much control.

As a web user, I care about security and use caution when visiting certain websites, downloading files or opening emails.

As a web designer, I don't want my websites hosted on the web, where multiple servers around the world can hold bits and pieces of my data.

As a person that likes his privacy, I refuse to have a device in my home that can be turned on by hackers, so they can see me through a camera, or listen to me, or talk back to me.

How does all that relate to Amazon?

They started out as a website for selling books, that other people owned and have grown into a massive company that now has more power and control over peoples lives then many governments.

They have managed to convince people to buy a product that will record your voice and talk back to you, thus having the capability to allow strangers, businesses, neighbors, governments or anyone else hear every word spoken in your home. Now, I don't know about others, but over the recent years, I don't trust our government, much less the government of other countries.

There used to be laws on the books protecting citizens from wiretaps without just cause. But now, all they need is to turn on a cell phone recorder, smart tv or Alexa and can hear anything you say.

So, I would just encourage the younger citizens of this country to use some caution when dealing with Big Tech companies like Amazon that have the ability to fly over your home with a drone, listen to conversations in your home and watch everything you do on your computer.

[Bill Knapp]

I just spent the morning looking at reviews of TV antennas because I live in the country and have recently dropped our Dish TV. Due to all the propaganda, smut and garbage on TV now days, we have quit watching most of their channels, including the fake news that tries to control what you see and hear.

So, now we spend most of our time listening to music on XM radio and watching free movies we get from our local library.

On rare occasions, there are a few descent TV shows on CBS that we watch that still have a moral compass such as Blue Bloods and the original NCIS.

Since we live so far out in the country and have hills between our home and the local TV stations, I decided to research newer and bigger antennas, but out of the first TEN websites I pulled up with reviews, every single one of them had a link to Amazon, to get prices for the antennas.

While I realize Amazon is big and popular with many people, I also realize that if people do not have choices, we are heading down a very dangerous road. So, my one one word of advice to companies that are trying to attract readers to their websites, is to offer a choice in what sites you like to for pricing.

Or better yet, how about putting a price right on your own website instead of sending people to another site.

I don't know if these websites are getting advertising money for all the clicks where people press a button on Amazon to get a price, but I refuse to click on any link that goes to Amazon, plus I will not return to those websites that do not offer a alternative to Amazon for pricing.

[Bruno]

Bill,
If you have trouble finding any type of electronics, I would suggest you go to newegg and check out their site, complete with prices displayed on their pages.

I have been using them for over 20 years for computer parts, but they also carry many other types of electronics.

I did a search on their site recently for an "antenna rotor" to help rotate my antenna without going outside in bad weather and found they have all types of TV antennas.

Here is a link to their "tv antennas" that came up with a quick search on their site.

https://www.newegg.com/p/pl?d=tv+antenna

Good luck.