EGeezer
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|  News from the DHS bright idea department
I don't know whether to laugh or cry..
In order to enhance the security of air travel and to help manage illegal immigration, the Department of Homeland Security has solicited a proposal from a Canadian security company to develop a passenger stun bracelet.
Like the pain collars featured in the classic Star Trek episode The Gamesters of Triskelion, Lamperd Less Lethal's electro-muscular disruption (EMD) bracelet is intended to incapacitate wearers on remote command.
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Article here.
Video here. The proposed solution starts about 3 minutes into the clip. For those who have problems with the direct link, a web page link is in the article.
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The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding. -- Justice Louis D. Brandeis |
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Ender3rd
join:2001-07-15
East Granby, CT
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| I wonder how effective the EMD bracelet is if you slip a 3x5 card between the electrodes on the bracelet and your skin...
I don't know if that would actually prevent the stun effect, but I'll bet there is a way to circumvent it.
The anecdotal graphic in the video appears to suggest that triggering the bracelet is a selective process, and the well behaved passengers seem to be unaffected as the terrorist is electronically disabled. If that is the case, I have visions of a flight attendant fumbling to input the correct code to enable a terrorist's bracelet, and possibly getting a wrong number. The other scenario is that it just disables everyone in the area, including my 82 year old mother...
Like you said, I don't know whether to laugh or cry...
Ender
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Kiwi
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| reply to EGeezer
I'm not Religious, that got stamped out of me by religious types; Politics and the Legal system. But as time goes on, the 666 is becoming a reality. Certainly freedoms have become a myth. Just to top it off knee-jerks are always preferable to taking care of a source problem, that's how bureaucracy works these days ~No problem solving skills at all  |
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EGeezer
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| Perhaps they'll be able to miniaturize and mass produce the devices, similar to the above.  |
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DownTheShore
Obama '08
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| reply to EGeezer
That has got to be one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard of. Who is willingly going to wear a shock bracelet?
What are they going to do about people with pacemakers ore other electronic health devices - I can just see the lawsuits now. There is also the presumption of guilt before innocence in its use that I'm sure is not going to stand up to a court challenge.
And how on earth is it supposed to "manage illegal immigration"? Anyone getting on the plane supposedly has the stamps in their passport to allow travel to the USA and has been checked on both transit ends by the respective customs agencies. It is only when they overstay their visas or forget to go home after vacation ends that they become illegal.
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sivran
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| reply to EGeezer
And the system is entirely worthless if they allow passengers any choice in the matter. If implemented, you will have a bracelet or you will not fly. Otherwise, you may as well refuse to wear it because if you're still allowed to fly without one, the terrorist will too.
Disgusting, really.
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La Luna
Surviving Ashraful
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clubs: | reply to EGeezer
Apparently, this idea (including the supposed "letter" from DHS to the vender) is a hoax.  |
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Kiwi
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| said by La Luna  :Apparently, this idea (including the supposed "letter" from DHS to the vender) is a hoax. Probably is, the scary part though is that these days it's on the cards that something like that would be considered, go back 10 years and ideas like this would have been a myth, these days it's reality. |
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rcdailey
Dragoonfly
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Rialto, CA | But it's a hoax, so it's not a reality. Get a grip. |
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Kiwi
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USA | I don't know or care if it is or not, the idea though is that these days it's possible. You know for a fact it's a hoax? Not that I care about that either. Seems you are so super smart, lets have the details of this from you! |
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EGeezer
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edit:
July 19th, @05:20PM
| reply to La Luna
I followed up by visiting the Washington times article, and a follow up editorial update at the Washington times. The DHS spokesperson said they were not considering the product, but did not say their letter of interest was a hoax, and did not deny the authenticity of the 2006 letter of interest.
Followup editorial link:
»washingtontimes.com/news/2008/ju···osphere/
TSA denial;
»www.tsa.gov/blog/labels/myth%20busters.html
Letter of interest in product;
»media.washingtontimes.com/media/···2006.pdf
An interview with the device inventor by an online publication;
»worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=P···Id=69220
I'd guess it'll not be implemented soon 
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The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding. -- Justice Louis D. Brandeis |
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Kiwi
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| EGeezer Why even bother posting a myth, I can see where ethics, culture and security comes into play. Obviously you didn't do your homework before posting this thread. It still stands that the likes of this is possible for the subscribed reasons, but, why would you post BS as a topic? |
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EGeezer
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| I still want to see the link where the DHS says the linked 2006 letter (also linked in the original post's story) is a forgery or a hoax. See my follow which added to the original post. Also see "hey Mods".
'bye..
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The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachment by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding. -- Justice Louis D. Brandeis |
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Kiwi
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| It's a hoax, after some research and I'm sure you knew it was, why you did that I have no idea at all, you are better than that! People rely on accurate information, and I for one went blindly into acceptance, because it was you who posted it and thought you researched first!
My comment still stands. |
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Its a Secret
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| reply to EGeezer
I for one am going to back EG here. There has been no definitive proof that this was a hoax. In my mind, anytime a request for confirmation of denial or acceptance of documentation is met with silence, it's an indication to me 'Black Ops' could well be at play. This is the way governments and agencies operate these days in case you haven't noticed.
EG has been a trusted member, and I take what they post seriously. It doesn't stretch my imagination at all to see this being done. So, flame on dudes and dudettes!
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jrousseau
Fudge E. Bear
join:2000-08-08
Houston, TX | reply to EGeezer
I wager 200 quatloos that this will never work. |
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Its a Secret
Rabidly yours
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join:2008-02-23
Canada | That's what they said about RFID's in passports and in ID cards for the vehicular border traffic too...
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norwegian
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| reply to DownTheShore
said by DownTheShore :That has got to be one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard of. Who is willingly going to wear a shock bracelet? What are they going to do about people with pacemakers ore other electronic health devices - I can just see the lawsuits now. Hypocrisy (or the state of being a hypocrite) is the act of preaching a certain belief or way of life, but not, in fact, holding these same virtues oneself. For example, a teacher telling students they should not plagiarize, while secretly being a plagiarist himself. Hypocrisy is frequently invoked as an accusation in many contexts.
I can't help but think of the line from Tombstone.
"Oh the hypocrisy of it all"
Allowing freedom by control. Mmmm, please define.
Side note: What of all those that commit without big brother's knowledge. Will they put one on just before to help. 
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Blackbird
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| reply to Kiwi
said by Kiwi :It's a hoax, after some research and I'm sure you knew it was, why you did that I have no idea at all, you are better than that! People rely on accurate information, and I for one went blindly into acceptance, because it was you who posted it and thought you researched first! My comment still stands. Before you beat up on EG too much, consider this paragraph from the DHS letter-of-interest to the product owner (»media.washingtontimes.com/media/···06.pdf):
"In discussions with my colleagues and immediate superior, we find your ideas have merit and believe it would be of great help on the borders and indeed for anywhere else, for which the temmporarily (sic) restraint of large numbers of individuals in open area environments by a small number of agents or Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs). We see the potential uses to include prisoner transportation, detainee control and the military security forces might have some interest. In addition, it is conceivable to envision a use to improve air security, on passenger planes." (my emphasis added) To call something like this a "hoax" implies there was NO official interest in the device's application to passenger plane air security - and the DHS letter clearly shows that such interest by DHS both existed and was explicitly stated. Whatever back-and-fill public relations efforts are now in place does not undermine the clear import of that sentence.
Whether that somewhat dated DHS initial interest has been blown out of proportion in the press and blogosphere is another matter...
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If God wanted us to work with electrons, He'd make them big enough to see... |
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RangerTX
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join:2006-05-17
Los Angeles, CA | reply to EGeezer
I want to say never will happen, but i thought a lot of stuff would never happen that did get implemented.
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