Iris Scans

[ArtificialOne]

Stern, seriously. What the f does this have to do with iris scans.

Your blatant propaganda bs is absurd. Shut up about america and worry about your own country.

If you can't even post the correct info or subject in the correct thread why should anyone listen to the bile that comes from your mouth?

[CptSternn]

In the next wave of big brother enhancements in America...

California: Stop Sign Cameras Installed on Canyon Roads

http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/18/1846.asp

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) has installed the first-ever automated camera in the US designed to ticket drivers who make "boulevard stops" or slow to a crawl at a stop sign without fully ceasing forward motion. The little-known agency will begin issuing $100 fines next Monday, July 9, at Franklin Canyon in the heart of Los Angeles, located off of Mulholland Drive and at the top of Topanga.

The stop sign devices are based on red light camera platforms, but they differ greatly in use. The more familiar stoplight cameras typically photograph a vehicle entering an intersection if a signal light changes to red between 0.1 and 0.3 seconds after the car crosses a stop bar line (view recent report). With the new stop sign cameras, a machine will make calculations to determine whether a vehicle did not stop for a long enough period and deserves a fine.

The cameras are being installed as a prelude to the agency's expected installation of speed cameras on popular canyon roads, as first reported by TheNewspaper in April. Australian camera vendor Redflex will operate every aspect of the program in return for a $20 cut from every ticket the company is able to issue (view contract). California law explicitly prohibits both speed cameras and per-ticket photo enforcement contract provisions, but the MRCA believes the law does not apply to them.

"Our Park Rangers are California peace officers and will always have traffic enforcement as part of their duty," MRCA Director of Public Affairs Dash Stolarz said in a June statement.

In 2000, the California legislature banned photo radar with a statute clarifying that although it authorized the use of photo ticketing at traffic signals, the legislature, "does not authorize the use of photo radar for speed enforcement purposes by any jurisdiction." (CVC 21455.6) Another provision specifies that, "A contract between a governmental agency and a manufacturer or supplier of automated enforcement equipment may not include provision for the payment or compensation to the manufacturer or supplier based on the number of citations generated." (CVC 21455.5)


Starting this week in California, automated stop sign cams. Not content with traffic light cams, parking lot cams, and all the other CCTV across the state they now have stop sign cams to record, and automatically ticket anyone who doesn't come to a complete stop.

[CptSternn]

Alarm at US right to highly personal data

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_ne...132099,00.html

Highly sensitive information about the religious beliefs, political opinions and even the sex life of Britons travelling to the United States is to be made available to US authorities when the European Commission agrees to a new system of checking passengers.

The EC is in the final stages of agreeing a new Passenger Name Record system with the US which will allow American officials to access detailed biographical information about passengers entering international airports.

The information sharing system with the US Department of Homeland Security, which updates the previous three-year-old system, is designed to tackle terrorism but civil liberty groups warn it will have serious consequences for European passengers. And it has emerged that both the European parliament and the European data protection supervisor are alarmed at the plan.

In a strongly worded document drawn up in response to the plan that will affect the 4 million-plus Britons who travel to the US every year, the EU parliament said it 'notes with concern that sensitive data (ie personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, and data concerning the health or sex life of individuals) will be made available to the DHS and that these data may be used by the DHS in exceptional cases'.

Under the new agreement, which goes live at the end of this month, the US will be able to hold the records of European passengers for 15 years compared with the current three year limit. The EU parliament said it was concerned the data would lead to 'a significant risk of massive profiling and data mining, which is incompatible with basic European principles and is a practice still under discussion in the US congress.'

Peter Hustinx, the European Data Protection Supervisor, has written to the EC expressing his 'grave concern' at the plan, which he describes as 'without legal precedent' and one that puts 'European data protection rights at risk'.

Hustinx warns: 'Data on EU citizens will be readily accessible to a broad range of US agencies and there is no limitation to what US authorities are allowed to do with the data.'

He expresses concern about 'the absence of a robust legal mechanism that enables EU citizens to challenge misuse of their personal information'.

Hustinx concludes: 'I have serious doubts whether the outcome of these negotiations will be fully compatible with European fundamental rights, which both the Council and the Commission have stated are non negotiable.'

The new agreement will see US authorities gain access to detailed passenger information, from credit card details to home addresses and even what sort of food may have been ordered before a flight. In addition, US authorities will be free to add other information they have obtained about a passenger, leading to concerns about how the information will be shared.

It has emerged that neither Hustinx nor the European parliament were aware of the final draft of the plan.

'If you are going to have this kind of agreement it should involve parliament and the data protection supervisor,' said Tony Bunyan of Statewatch, the civil liberties organisation that campaigns against excessive surveillance.

He warned that under the new system the data will be shared with numerous US agencies. 'The data protection supervisor and the European parliament are angry that they were not consulted,' Bunyan said. 'But they are also angry with a number of elements of the plan such as giving the US the absolute right to pass the data on to third parties.'

Simon Davies, director of Privacy International, another group that campaigns against state surveillance, said the new agreement gave huge powers to the US authorities. 'We have no guarantee about how this data will be used,' Davies said.

A spokeswoman for the Information Commissioner's Office in England and Wales said it would be discussing the matter with European counterparts shortly. 'We are working with the European Data Protection Supervisor and our other EU data protection colleagues to come to a joint opinion on the level of data protection set out in the final agreement,' the spokeswoman said.


Thats right. Not being content with just knowing the race, religion, political affiliation, what exactly you ate at your last meal at a restuarant and paid for with your VISA card, and personal hobbies of Americans, the US is now getting all that info on UK citizens, and any EU citizens who pass through the UK.

Because the US government needs to know what people in the EU are eating, or the terrorists win.

[ArtificialOne]

Once again.. What is this doing in the iris scan thread. This has nothing to do with the technology of, or information shared via biometrics. Make the link please, because it's not in your post. Maybe you should start a thread about your paranoid delusions.

But, since you took such an effort to write it all out, god knows you have nothing better to do in your life. I'll express my own opinion to your post. I think it's BS. Why? Because the uk has let in every single <yes, some were homegrown> one of those people who are now trying to blow you up. Because of the UK's policy of letting anyone in from a province of theres that not only hates Britain and the west, but the US also. Once in the UK, they can get a british passport and enter the US via the electronic/ visa waiver system. Basically giving them free reigin to enter the US and it's territories, Not to mention Australia and any number of other countries with the same visa programs. Want more privacy? Fix your F'n problem with letting these kind of people have free reign in your country and we wouldn't be concerned with any info from you. And before you go off on some tangeant aboput how Bush has caused all this BS and the US is the Great Satan... you might want to look back to all the strikes around the world from these people decades before he came to power <ie Kobar Towers, USS Cole, First World trade bombings, numerous attacks in ethiopia, somalia, Lebanon, etc.>

Yeah, but you don't want to address any of those issues do you? Or let anyone you are trying to pursuade with your propaganda and talking points to know any of that do you? Because the world was a peachy place before Bush came around eh? What a load of BS and short memory some have.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by ArtificialOne

Once again.. What is this doing in the iris scan thread. This has nothing to do with the technology of, or information shared via biometrics. Make the link please, because it's not in your post. Maybe you should start a thread about your paranoid delusions.

It's my thread, which a few pages ago morphed into an all inclusive thread about various sorts of government snooping. My thread, my rules.

...Because the uk has let in every single <yes, some were homegrown> one of those people who are now trying to blow you up. Because of the UK's policy of letting anyone in from a province of theres that not only hates Britain and the west, but the US also. Once in the UK, they can get a british passport and enter the US via the electronic/ visa waiver system.

Yeah, but you don't want to address any of those issues do you? Or let anyone you are trying to pursuade with your propaganda and talking points to know any of that do you?

Thats really just one issue there - true, many the big 'loophole' in the American passport security is that people can get passports outside of America. That being said, who gave America the right to snoop on people who don't travel to America? If I'm in Ireland and fly to Amsterdam, I have to have my background information passed on to the Dept. Of Homeland security why?

Maybe you like living in your happy police state and don't mind living in a country that has no freedom or protection of freedoms, but I don't . Thats why I left. People said, if you don't like America, LEAVE! So I did. Then they come over to my country and tell me I have to submit my personal details of my religious beliefs, credit card statements, and sex habits to them so they can put it in some database? I don't consider myself American. My friends and family have never even been to America. So why is it we have to be subjected to American laws and regulations?

The fact the Americans are trying to force this on the world shows that they have their priorities screwed up. Instead of trying to stop violence, they decide its easier to profile everyone on the globe instead of trying to address the issues which cause conflict to begin with.

Like the old sayin its easier to wear shoes than to carpet the globe - they didn't have any idea that a government would be as foolhardy as to try and profile every person who travels worldwide.

Because the world was a peachy place before Bush came around eh? What a load of BS and short memory some have.

Really? I don't remember the war when Clinton was in office. I must have missed the terrorist attacks when Clinton was in office as well.

The FAA has released 91 warnings this year alone. The state dept. has posted numerous warnings for Americans traveling abroad. when Clinton was in office, there were only one or two state dept warnings - now, there are pages full.

So yeah, things were better - peachy even - worldwide and for Americans before bush.

[ArtificialOne]

Hmm.. thought you left because you couldn't take it. We have higher standards for our professionals than apparently they don't in the uk, and you left because you were fired, and also I remember someone mentioning you were a welfare fraud?

lol

Don't remember the war when clinton was in office? Kosovo? Numerous no flyzone violations by iraq, Somalia? Still don'? Clinton hated the military and the feeling was mutual. He ddin't have the courage to sendin our troops or press the button to take OSB. Just look how he got one of his goons to hide some papers on that fiasco... But then again, facts don't concern you do they mercenary.

And europe has been exchanging info with eachother on travelers since ww2.

Yeah, keep telling yourself you have more rights and your a better place to live. Exactly how many people die a year trying to reach ireland for freedom? Exactly how many DMV laws do you have? Firearm laws? Sure we have issues with some things, but nothing good is easy.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by ArtificialOne

Hmm.. thought you left because you couldn't take it. We have higher standards for our professionals than apparently they don't in the uk, and you left because you were fired, and also I remember someone mentioning you were a welfare fraud?

Actually, it was binkies good friend who was involved in the welfare fraud.

The reason I left was because I value freedom. I didn't want to be part of the police state. I don't think the government needs to read my mail, listen to my phone calls, and search my house to make sure I'm being a good citizen.

I like the idea of being innocent until proven guilty.

I think the courts should let a hundred guilty men free rather than imprision one innocent man.

I think people should be able to go to church and not have to worry about government microphones in the church confessional.

I like to live in a place where people have free access to the medical services they require.

I like to live in a country that helps out those in need.

I like to live in a country that doesn't support war unless it is to protect the freedoms of its own citizens.

I like to live in a country where big business doesn't write government policy at the expense of the environment and citizens' health.

I like to live in a country where my child is educated on the highest levels, also paid for by the government, in a safe environment.

I like to live in a country where the head of state doesn't lie to the people to manipulate them.

All in all, I like to live in a country that I can believe in what we as a country are doing as a whole, go to sleep at night knowing there is a sense of well being among my fellow country men, and that the rest of the world respects us as we respect them.

That's why I moved.

[ArtificialOne]

<cough>bullshit<cough>

Just like many others, your B visa probably ran out. America doesn't recognize dual citizenship. If anythying you were prolly a legal resident that commited a crime and got deported. Freedoms? Yeah.... once again... how many people die trying to get the freedoms in Ireland or scotland? where ever you're from?

I do believe in the UK you are guilty until proven innocent in court, then you have to get all sorts of Barristers to help you out. That's what I heard anyways. Plus all this talk about how Ireland has more freedoms than the US is just bullshit. If you weren't in trouble all the time maybe you wouldn't have to have gotten into the beauracracy. Plus, I've lived in UK territories and I can say in the US, imho, we have way more rights.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by ArtificialOne

Plus all this talk about how Ireland has more freedoms than the US is just bullshit. Plus, I've lived in UK territories and I can say in the US, imho, we have way more rights.

If you believe that, then your really not paying attention. You might want to check out the thread we already have on this about your rights, and how they have been suspended in America.

[ArtificialOne]

You have your beliefs, I have mine.

It's just sad to see such an .. um... what's the word... person with so much hate for a place because he couldn't cut it. And now has to live in a near welfare state in order to pay the bills and not be harrased by people to be responisble.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by ArtificialOne

You have your beliefs, I have mine.

It's just sad to see such an .. um... what's the word... person with so much hate for a place because he couldn't cut it. And now has to live in a near welfare state in order to pay the bills and not be harrased by people to be responisble.

The thing is, your on the inside of the fish tank looking out, and have never lived outside the tank to know what you don't have.

Like a 4th generation slave, you have never known true freedom, so you don't miss it. You have even been taught to love your lack of freedom, and it shows.

The 'welfare state' as you refer to it is worldwide mate. The only first world nation which doesn't help it's citizens, is America. Once again, you become the typical American, always living there, never venturing out, and giving a 'soup grapes' argument to anyone who claims your freedoms have been restricted.

I do pity you, like I do others who are naive enough to fall into such a state.

In my country, the children are given so much more from birth than in America. It's not about what just is given to the people, but the children. In America, they are given a less-than-adequate education, forced to go to schools in dilapidated schools, pushed through metal detectors into over filled class rooms.

Good 'yes men' like yourself would rather argue 'its better than <fill in the blank> rather than stand up for yourself, your children, the next generation and say, something needs to change.

Like the hear no evil/see no evil proverbial monkeys, you intentionally ignore the reality of what goes on around you.

Keep fiddling there Nero, keeping fiddling indeed.

[ArtificialOne]

Aparently not only are you ignorant, but have a short memory.

I have lived outside the US for a total of 4 yrs throughout my life. The most recent time being 2 yrs in Australia in a place called Adelaide. But, go ahead and you your stupid fish tank analogy, like people aren't smart enough to see past your haze of bs.

[CptSternn]

Originally Posted by ArtificialOne

Aparently not only are you ignorant, but have a short memory.

I have lived outside the US for a total of 4 yrs throughout my life. The most recent time being 2 yrs in Australia in a place called Adelaide. But, go ahead and you your stupid fish tank analogy, like people aren't smart enough to see past your haze of bs.

You lived as an American on holiday, not as a citizen of that nation. You did no qualify for any benefits, or get any assistance from the government. My guess is you were also duty bound to the US military, and your time there was spent on an American military base, meaning your views of the country also began and ended with the walls of that base.

You saw less than most tourists see on holiday there.

[ArtificialOne]

Well, since you have such great ignorance and bias let me clarify some things for you.

First, only one year overseas was due to non leisure or duty obligations. Second, the rest of the time was spent in the "trenches" so to speak with locals. That means working and living as a citizen. I had a work visa, dated locals, had to go through dmv's, tax offices and even went to several customs buildings to do repair work on equipment. I have known people on the Dole in those countries and have seen just about as many abuses and outrages that many of the locals share with americans <my neighbour for one>. The same abuses that occur to those systems like they do in the US also.

So to say that I'm still ignorant due to being a touristo or whatever is false.

[CptSternn]

You say you were 'in the trenches', but in reality you were still living off the American governments pay cheque. Also, you were there as an American for a short time, not building a home to stay in while becoming part of the community.

We got those here too. They are still on many levels treated as outsiders, tourists. Why? Becuase they will leave in a matter of months.

The biggest way to prove this is your continued right-wing stance on many things that most Aussies would be against. Aussies relate to the Europeans much more than Americans. I'm not saying that there aren't other right-wing groups at work inside Australia, but they are like the Libertarians in America, a small group with few supporters.

Australians like socialised medicine, the dole system, all the things you blast as being part of a 'nanny state'. These are principles those people hold dear, and you still have issues with. You can't claim you really immersed yourself in a culture if you walk away with the same Americanised point of view and have no real common thread with the peoples socio-economic polices and culture.

Sure, you might have drank a few Fosters, and watched the Aussie rules football Championships, but the fact you still think they, along with most Europeans are wrong on various policies show that you didn't integrate well with your Aussie mates.

The thing that amazes me about you, and others like you, is this -

As I have said before, the bush regime has put polices in place that beneift the few, the rich, the top 14% of America. You, are not in that group.

By not having socialised medicine you and your family miss out on something families in other first world nations have. By not having a dole system in place, there is a chance you, or your children, may starve if something like an illness or unexpected business closure hits home.

You child will not grow up in a country that has free speech. Your child will not know what its like to live in a country where their mail, phone calls, and internet usage habits are not being monitored by the federal government.

Your child will go to a school, with less resources than those in affluent neighborhoods, and get a second rate education.

Your child will not be able to rise above your socio-economic status. In fact, in America the current generation will over-all fair worse than the current one do to current socio-economic trends.

These are just a few of the issues caused by the the bush admins policies that come to mind.

The fact you are not angry enough to even admit that there is something wrong, and that you attack anyone who points out the polices in place have an adverse effect, as some sort of 'attack on the US' is really strange.

Have you taken the time to watch Sicko yet? This might help elaborate even more on a few things here.

I said this before, but will say it again...
I mean, in Ireland, when we have a child, we get a few thousand Euro from the government to pay for the childs needs. Buggy, bed, clothes, nappys, etc. Every month until the child is 18 we get a check to pay for clothes and food. The birth is all done for free at the hospital, which is also free.

Schools have small classes, and you can pick which one you want to go to. They are all good here, and are inspected regularly to keep them all equal.

I mean, why can't America pay for children to keep them from starving? Whats the problem with making sure schools all meet minimum requirements?

We pay less tax than Americans here. That means, with less tax revanue, we get so much more. How is this possible? Why aren't Americans asking this question?

Simple, they have been taught to not question this stuff. The money goes to pay for guns and bombs, not to help the citizens there.

And you, like so many other Americans, for some reason think that its ok that all that money you pay in tax goes to funding wars around the globe instead of going to help you, your family, and other American families.

That is what I find so hard to comprehend. That Americans like yourself, support the right-wing, who in reality, are actively working against you and your family and using the money that should be helping your family to kill people half a world away.

And somehow, they teach you not to question this and that anyone who does question it, is 'anti-American' and a threat to your way of life.

I argue those who do not stand up and ask why is it my family is being forced to put up with such atrocities and those who sit back and take it are the ones who are anti-American.

The War Of Independence was started because the government was taking their tax money and using it to make the upper class richer and not giving any benefit to the people.

It's sad to see today the same thing once again happening.

[ArtificialOne]

First off, better read up on american history. I'm not going to be your teacher here because frankly, I don't think you care, so I won't waste my breath.

Self determination is what america, or I should say, a key of american society. As I said read history. Regardless of what opinion polls and other stats and articles you like to use, most americans don't want larger govt. Hence the large battles we often have over government programs and spending.

Good for you for being taxed so highly for all of your govt programs. America is a different society than the UK and the eu. Even greater is Japan. Sure the Aussies side more with the uk than US. I'd say they are more of a 60/40 split. But the ones I talked with shared the same concerns over abuses that americans did. I was there for two years, hardly a tourist and I nearly married and stayed there, as that was my intentions many ages ago. So, I wouldn't speak as to my motives or what I experienced while over there. I'll talk for myself thank you.

Unlike you, I want people to have different views and see a larger picture than your skewed view of what the US is. I want to promote free thinking, unlike yourself who beats everyone down who thinks differently than you do. You are probably the biggest single hypocrite and childish person I've ever ran across on the net. And I've been on since prodigy and usenets, the www wasn't even around then, So that's saying alot.

You always claim america restricts this and restricts that, but you're guitly of all you accuse others of. Every post you start, which is anti american and racist, eventually comes back to you screaming about the
evils of america. You can't even keep something on topic. When pointed out you scream like a five year old! "It's my post! I can do what I want!!! Whah! Whah!!!" Please! For gods sake how old are you really!? Maybe all of that big brother nanny stuff in your country has stunted your maturity. And for all you cry about your materialisticness is disgusting. You think being a success is supposedly owning three homes? So what!!! Once again isn't that something you proclaim americans are? Materialistic?

My only goal with my posts, besides annoying the crap out of you, is to show others there's another view besides your twisted and hypocritical view of the US.

You've often said in many posts how you're here to point out the double standard and hypocracy of america. I suggest turning the mirror on yourself. You say america has now free speech really but the UK does, but you yourself do not practice the same values. You say americans are materialistic and selfish, yet you proclaim in many of your posts of your "in crowdedness" of the goth scene there and how many homes you own. You fail to mention about your own countries 38yr occupation and thousands of video cameras and big brotheresque programs your own country runs. You blame the Bush admin for everything under the sun but are ignorant of similar and more extreme measures done by other presidents. Your view is narrow and childish. You claim I'm a Bushite and follow lockstep with the vast right wing conspiracy, where in my posts have I done that, how many times have I disaggreed? You have no proof to ascert your claim as to my political status to further your propaganda. None. Yes, I do follow towards the right and not left, But I'm not an extremist nor a blind follower unlike yourself.

[CptSternn]

Blah, blah blah.

Was there a point to all of your inane blather?

Every post you make now, you make various claims (i.e. I don't know about America), but yet never cite specific examples, nor do you ever post any real information or evidence to back up your accusations.

Page after page of how you hate me, for pointing out problems with polices in the government.

Feel free to point your displaced anger at me, since your too blind to see what is happening in your own country.

I'll once again say it, since you obviously never take the time to read my posts, if you think there should be a thread on other topics, feel free to start one

All this complaining you do about my threads, yet to date you have failed to create your own. If you feel so strongly about it, do something. By something I mean you know, something.

You complaint about me like its a job, yet don't even have it in yourself to even start a thread on a topic you think is 'worthy'

Whats that say about you?

[ArtificialOne]

Haven't created my own posts? Really? Want to rephrase that? Or once again be a wrong hypocrite?

Awww.. Don't like the attention huh?