[Infowarrior] - More on the Shock-Bracelet for passengers

[Richard Forno]

This is the story that refuses to die, it seems.  The promo video is  
from 2002-03 and has a distinct "immediate post-9/11" feel to it.   
Though if this idea is being taken seriously for DHS as the article  
suggests, than we as a country, let alone a travelling public, have  
much to worry, if not fear about DHS and our country's direction as a  
whole.  But in the name of homeland hysteria, nothing's too good to  
pitch, promote, and profit from, right?  (What happens if the next Big  
Attack comes via subway or bus? Do we outfit all passengers with shock- 
em-safe devices?  Again, we continue to fight the last war.)

If this comes to pass (I doubt it, but you never know with the  
security idiocy in post-9/11 Washington), I predict a) a sudden demise  
of the business and tourism travel industries,  b) the rapid  
consolidation of the American airline industry, and c) a sharp  
increase in the use of videoconference technology by both business and  
families alike.  And a stronger d)istrust of the federal government  
and more outspoken questions about "what our country turning into" by  
the ordinarily ignorant general public.

So having said that, Happy Independence Day weekend, dear readers.

-rf


http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/aviation-security/2008/Jul/01/want-some-torture-with-your-peanuts/

Want some torture with your peanuts?
Aviation Security
POSTED 2:18 PM BY P. JEFFREY BLACK & JEFFREY DENNING

By Jeffrey Denning

Just when you thought you've heard it all...

A senior government official with the U.S. Department of Homeland  
Security
(DHS) has expressed great interest in a so-called safety bracelet that  
would
serve as a stun device, similar to that of a police TaserR. According to
this promotional video found at the Lamperd Less Lethal website, the
bracelet would be worn by all airline passengers.

(Video link: http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com/video_gallery.asp?video=http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com/video/EMDsafetybracelet.flv&title=)

This bracelet would:

. take the place of an airline boarding pass

. contain personal information about the traveler

. be able to monitor the whereabouts of each passenger and his/her  
luggage

. shock the wearer on command, completely immobilizing him/her for  
several
minutes

The Electronic ID Bracelet, as it's referred to as, would be worn by  
every
traveler "until they disembark the flight at their destination."  Yes,  
you
read that correctly. Every airline passenger would be tracked by a
government-funded GPS, containing personal, private and confidential
information, and that it would shock the customer worse than an  
electronic
dog collar if he/she got out of line?

Clearly the Electronic ID Bracelet is an euphuism for the EMD Safety
Bracelet, or at least it has a nefarious hidden ability, thus the term  
ID
Bracelet is ambiguous at best. EMD stands for Electro-Musclar  
Disruption.
Again, according to the promotional video the bracelet can completely
immobilize the wearer for several minutes.

So is the government really that interested in this bracelet? Yes!

According to a letter from DHS official, Paul S. Ruwaldt of the  
Science and
Technology Directorate, office of Research and Development, to the  
inventor
whom he had previously met with, he wrote, "To make it clear, we [the
federal government] are interested in.the immobilizing security  
bracelet,
and look forward to receiving a written proposal." The letterhead, in  
case
you were wondering, came from the DHS office at the William J. Hughes
Technical Center at the Atlantic City International Airport, or the  
Federal
Aviation Administration headquarters.

In another part of the letter, Mr. Ruwaldt confirmed, "It is  
conceivable to
envision a use to improve air security, on passenger planes."

Would every paying airline passenger flying on a commercial airplane be
mandated to wear one of these devices? I cringe at the thought. Not only
could it be used as a physical restraining device, but also as a  
method of
interrogation, according to the same aforementioned letter from Mr.  
Ruwaldt.

Would you let them put one of those on your wrist? Would you allow the
airline employees, which would be mandated by the government, to place  
such
a bracelet on any member of your family?

Why are tax dollars being spent on something like this? Is this a police
state or is it America?

As we approach July 4th, Independence Day, I can't help but think of the
blessing we have of living in America and being free from hostile  
government
forces. It calls to mind on of my favorite speeches given by an American
Founding Forefather, Patrick Henry, who said,

"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of
chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course  
others
may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"