Register Air Traveler plan by US Gov to Help Terrorists

[Guest]

Hi All,Here's a heads up to those facing the pending Registered Air Traveler scheme (RAT) likely to be implemented by the current US government (and being studied in the EU):http://www.wired.com/news/politics/0,1283,55536,00.htmlThis system is absolutely primed to be abused by any of the thousands of people who will have access to these systems and "security" procedures (the world is full of nut-cases, ladies and gentlemen).Got a grudge against someone or some group for whatever reason and want to harass them? Hate a particular ethnic person or group because you're a racist? Have any of a million other plausible yet deranged reasons to hurt someone? Well, if you work in government or airport security (or any of the many other necessary access points for a scheme like this), the door is swinging wide open for your happy abuse.Even worse, countless recent studies post 9/11 prove the abysmal failure rate of current biometric systems (fingerprint scanners, etc) that this scheme will "rely" upon... These same system that are so hyped by the crooks selling them to our government. Case in point: the best fingerprint identification systems currently out there can be fooled with a Gummi Bear. Yes, you read that right: the same 5c candy thats in your local corner store. And NO, I'm not kidding:http://www.counterpane.com/crypto-gram-0205.html#5demonstration:http://www.itu.int/itudoc/itu-t/workshop/s...resent/s5p4.pdfThe same goes for face recognition and the rest of the biometric wonder tools being sold by the worst type of anti-Americans to our Government since 9/11 (the extreme-hyped face recognition peddlers have even had field tests at Boston and Florida airports among other public venues - They fail miserably]).The absolute worst of all however: terrorist organizations must be laughing at us with snide glee. Once such a system gets implemented, bypassing all the billions of dollars of upgraded personnel and "high-tech[/i" security we've implemented to stop them at our airports becomes... A joke. It'll be easier to do than pre 9/11.This is just one of the bizarre Orwellian systems being implemented by rash thinking and hysteria in our government halls post 9/11. And its coming from both sides of the isle - this is a bipartisan epidemic; a political failure and back-slide on all sides.I can't urge you enough to contact your congressman/woman and let them know that bizarre policies such as this cannot be tolerated. There are a lot of wonderful things our Government has and can do to make our country safer to live in these days - thats exactly what we elect and pay them to do. This program (and a rash of upcoming bizarre, even frightening programs - stay informed!) can't be one of them.Take care,Elrond

[gosta 0]

Hi Elrond,I completely agree with your sentiments, just to add an excerpt from the CNN chatroom with Mr. Atick, who claimed that his technology would allow not only scanning of standard security video images, but works thus:'FaceIt technology does not work by examining the superficial looks of your face. It works by establishing an analytical measurement of the landmarks of your face, and how they fit together.'Only being a casual computer user, this makes me wonder how much processing power would be required to implement such technology? A couple of Crays behind every camera?Just wondering...Cheers,Gosta.http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg

[Guest]

Thank God I don't live there thats all I can say. Why In the land of the free nearly 290 million people are willing to lose their most BASIC rights is simply beyond me. People the friggin terrorists have won the war when one loses your BASIC rights "for reasons of security" end of statement!. Dan

[Guest firehawk44]

Can't say I agree with you. It's all politics. Darn if you do and darn if you don't. When the next 9/11 incident occurs, people (and the media) are going to be asking our President why certain security measures were not implemented since we had the technology. I personally don't mind them scanning my face, searching me, taking fingerprints, checking my e-mail, registering my travel plans, etc., since I'm not a criminal. I have nothing to fear from such intrusions. It's a new world we are living in. If we had a Democratic president, we'd be facing the same "intrusive" technology, except it might come from different companies. I don't like the fact that we have to implement "Orwellian systems" but then I don't like the fact we were attacked by ruthless people who have no regards for our way of life. I strongly believe these terrorists are also very upset that we are implementing these "Orwellian systems". It's about time they saw fear everywhere they go. Back to flying....Jim

[Sonar5 3]

Hi Elrond,Nice post. Thanks for posting it. :-)Would you mind if I reposted it over at the OM at FS.Thanks,JoeHere is my new sig...You Like it? :-lol :-lol.http://home.attbi.com/~sonar5/sig1.jpg.Here are Picture Galleries of My Trip out west in 2002..Gallery #1 Pima Air & Space Museum + AMARC (Boneyard) at Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Arizona. (over 240 Pictures)http://www.pbase.com/sonar5/pimaamarc

[Guest]

Hi Jim,What I posted above didn't concern the politics of the system (I have my own thoughts on that as well of course). Its about government reliance on known flawed "security" systems. Its about the governments willingness to implement anti-security instead of enhanced-security out of rash thinking. Its about allowing our government to be conned by the worst of anti-American commercial entities like biometric companies that are doing all they can to make a vast sum of money in the shadow of terrorism.The point is: the system being implemented is all window dressing because it doesn't work. If you rely upon flawed security all you get is a flawed security system. Its actually worse than that because the public's false sense of security goes through the roof which makes the reality of the security system much, much lower than if you didn't have it in the first place.Implementing a tough "sounding" security system (that is known to insiders to be crackable 80%-100% of the time) makes the public feel much safer: seemingly the exact reason the government and airlines want it so bad. But in reality it makes the public 180% more vulnerable to the exact terrorists attacks its supposed help prevent (and other insider abuses).---As for the politics of our government implementing Orwellian systems: I respectfully disagree in the strongest of terms. The United States is founded upon and all about individual freedom within the constraints of publicly elected congressional and state sponsored laws. That is exactly what makes us different than totalitarianism, communism, etc. Its the entire foundation of what we love so much about our country and preach so hard to others worldwide.What is seemingly forgotten in all of this lately is the other side of that coin: the willingness to die for our freedoms and way of life. Indeed, thats just as much a founding ideal of our system; the most important aspect that gives us the moral justification for living our way of life. Does that mean this only applies to those few fearless Americans who join the military? I sure hope not.What I'm saying is: I absolutely agree that we need stronger security within and throughout many of our flawed systems we have built in the United States over the past 100 years. We also need to fully support the expansion and use of our military to deal with new threats worldwide as they arise (as long as it is truly justified such as Afganistan, etc). What we don't need and shouldn't tolerate is Orwellian systems implemented that change the very ideals and foundation of our government system on the road to totalitarianism; Sacrificing the very freedoms and way of life that we are trying to protect in the first place - and that makes us unique in the world.Indeed a terrorist attack will happen again - no matter what we do. And it will be devestating - again. The price THEY WILL PAY when it happens again will be swift and severe. But the price I AM willing to pay for my way of life and freedoms is the threat that I or my family might be one of the causalities of their terror. The price I'm willing to pay for living under that threat is being a free American - not living under an Orwellian, totalitarian system. Otherwise, I might as well move to China.Take care,Elrond

[Guest]

Hey ya Joe,Sure - feel encouraged to do so. The word needs to be spread on the flaws in this system as much as possible. Thanks for doing it too.And yes, your sig is absolutely original. :-)Take care,Elrond