Re: DHS official expresses interest in shock bracelets for airplane passengers

["John C. A. Bambenek, GCIH, CISSP" <bambenek.infosec () gmail com>]

Why is this surprising?  The entire business model of the airline industry
can be summarized in two steps:

Abuse the consumer as much as possible
Get government handouts when sales gales go down.

Just get your private pilot and be done with it.

On Tue, Jul 8, 2008 at 11:17 AM, Richard M. Smith <rms () computerbytesman com>
wrote:

>  Via Slashdot.  This article seems more appropriate for The Onion:
>
>
>
>
> http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/aviation-security/2008/Jul/01/want-some-torture-with-your-peanuts/
>
> *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 Taser(R). According to
> this promotional 
> video<http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com/video_gallery.asp?video=http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com/video/EMDsafetybracelet.flv&title=>found
>  at the Lamperd Less Lethal website, the bracelet would be worn by all
> airline passengers.
>
> 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<http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com/news/upload/pg2HomelandSecurity7_06.pdf>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<http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/tc/>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<http://www.lamperdlesslethal.com/news/upload/pg1HomelandSecurity7_06.pdf>,
> 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!"*
>
>
>
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