"All truth passes through 3 stages. First, it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third, it is accepted as self-evident." - - - Arthur Schopenhauer, Philosopher, 1788-1860 Whatever the evil (poison) is, it must be presented in a mix of something good, or good for you. Rat poison is like this, 99.5% of the ingredients are tasty and nutritious for the rat (otherwise, they wouldn't eat it, would they?).  Only .5% (1/2 percent) is deadly.

of News, Current Events & Comment for August 2004  April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 the URL for this page can be found by returning to the previous page (if a contributing editor, wishes recognition, they should so indicate with their submission) Best printing w/a black only printer is accomplished when your settings are for "black text and black lines"

To save on the amount of forced emails that consume MEGA bytes of HD space,  these pages are created for your convenience. Pictures can be saved by right clicking then follow the yellow brick road, and original of reports can be located by available links in the articles and saved as you would other web pages. I am reminded of Dad's special brownies.  It is the same truth.

Time and opportunity have not permitted a lot of articles being published here this month, but it sure looks like we will go out with a BANG.
 

a r t i c l e   /   c o m m e n t a r y

Jim Traficant's Letter From Prison

[This is a man who in the early 1990's stood on the floor of the congress and declared that if you did not pay your voluntary taxes voluntarily, the IRS would come and take your parakeet, and other things.  Yes, he has discovered many things and was educating people.  --  Tribble]

[educate-yourself Editor's Note: The following is from a correspondent who wishes to remain anonymous: "I sent James Traficant a Christmas card a few months ago. I received this reply today". If you're unfamiliar with the Jim Traficant story, I've posted links at the bottom of this page to bring you up to speed...
Ken Adachi ]

By Jim Traficant
http://educate-yourself.org/cn/jimtraficantletter04jun03.shtml
June 4, 2003
also found at  http://www.rense.com/general38/prison.htm

Dear (anonymous),

Thank you!

Thank you for thinking of me and my family. Life is hectic and fast-paced-- and for you to have thought of me, and then to stop and take time from your precious life to write me-- is an honor. And once again, I thank you!

Most of the people who write me say they cannot understand why the government targeted me with such a passion. Every rumor and innuendo that any political opponent would plant and foster became public and, before long, developed into an indictment without any physical evidence-- only the testimony of subjects who were able to avoid jail by fabricating falsehoods about me. Lies and half-truths became 'facts'; and ultimately became a 10 count indictment. My evidence, that would have proved they were lying, was not allowed to be presented -- either before the Congress or the Federal Court! However, I know why I was targeted: I was not afraid of the government, and I had learned too much!

The U.S. Dept. of Justice & John Demanjuk Case
The beginning of all of this was my first trial, in 1983, when I became the only American in history to defeat the U.S. Department of Justice in a RICO case-- pro se (representing myself), and me not being an attorney. They were embarrassed! The straw that broke the camel's back was when I proved that John Demanjuk was not the infamous Ivan the Terrible of the Treblinka death camp in Poland. The government was stunned and in shock. The real Ivan was nine years older, taller, and had black hair and a scar on his neck; his name was Ivan Marchenko. My investigation, in conjunction with John Demanjuk's beautiful family, proved not only that John was innocent, but also that the Justice Department knew he was not guilty-- even before they took him to court! Shame, shame!! They lied to the court-- gave false testimony and presented false witnesses-- knowing that he would be put to death! Shame!! The Justice Department then came after me with revenge, and a passion! I lost my respect and my faith in our government. Because this case was 'too sensitive,' Congress would not even hold a hearing on my evidence... Congress, all of them, at the time-- turned their back, worried about reelection!! The Democrats were in charge then, and they knew of my investigation in Congress... hoping I would abandon it! I did not! I sent my findings to the Israeli Supreme Court-- and they had no choice: They released John Demanjuk! In fact, they delivered him to me at the airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, and I personally brought him home, along with his son, his son-in-law, and Israeli bodyguards! I am proud of what I did. No one else, in the House or the Senate, would even talk to the family-- afraid of media power and the vindictiveness of the Justice Department. But even today, John Demanjuk is still being persecuted. Shame!

Other Skeletons
The government agents that destroyed Demanjuk's life should be in jail! That was just the tip of the iceberg. When people saw what I had done for the Demanjuk family they came to me with unbelievable information. The information is so powerful that it is hard to believe, and the government knew I was getting sensitive information that could damage the American people's confidence in the government. People came to me with facts about Waco, Ruby Ridge, Pan Am Flight 103, Jimmy Hoffa, and the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. It may all sound far-fetched, but I do know what happened to Hoffa and J.F.K. The government knows that I know-- and so they had to ruin my voice by destroying my credibility. I may yet divulge this information if I can get the proper forum. As you know, I was the dreaded enemy of the I.R.S. My legislation in the last I.R.S. Reform Bill changed the Burden of Proof law. Before that, you had to prove you were innocent in a tax court. The burden of proof was on the taxpayer. The I.R.S. said you owed... but the I.R.S. did not have to prove it. Unbelievable! Now that the I.R.S. has to prove their charges, the following statistics tell the true story. Comparing One Year Before the changes to One Year After:

1. Wage Garnishments dropped from 3.1 million to 560,000;

2. Taxpayer Property Liens dropped from 680,000 to 161,000;

3. Foreclosures on individual family-owned homes dropped from 10,063 to 57! That's right: only 57 homes in all 50 states! Fact is, the I.R.S. was seizing our homes-- over 10,000 every year-- when they had neither proof nor the right to do so! Congress allowed the I.R.S. to intimidate us and frighten us. Think about it! And then maybe you can begin to understand why I love America, but hate the Government -- and why the Government hates me. The Justice Department had to get rid of me, but I'll be damned if I would back down!

America is in trouble... not from without, but from within! The Central Government has become too powerful. Citizens fear the Government. This is wrong. This is dangerous! I know the Government covered-up and promulgated LIES about Waco, Ruby Ridge, Pan Am Flight 103, Hoffa, and J.F.K. The Government knew I was right when I called Janet Reno a traitor. Janet Reno sold us out when she refused to investigate a $10-million payoff to the Democratic Party from a general in the Red Chinese Army (no less!). Think about it! And the Government knew that I had known why Reno was forced to betray America! I'm proud that I tried to do something about it! Someday the truth will come out. (I hope China never attacks us!)

Many of you have asked what you can do for me. I appreciate this. You can help my family:
Mrs. Tish Traficant
429 N. Main Street
Poland, OH 44514

Thank you for remembering me... for thinking of me... for caring!

God Bless!
(Signed)
Jim Traficant

James Traficant
31213-060
P.O. Box 9009
F.C.I. Ray Brook
Ray Brook, NY  12977

Taking Out a Patriot: The Railroading of James Traficant ( http://educate-yourself.org/cn/railroadingjamestraficant3jul02.shtml )

Railroading James Traficant, Part II ( http://educate-yourself.org/cn/railroadingjamestraficantpartII17jul02.shtml )

Railroading James Traficant, Part III, Rescue Plan B ( http://educate-yourself.org/cn/railroadingjamestraficantpartIII14aug02.shtml )

America, Law, and Freedom - A Matter of Integrity ( http://educate-yourself.org/cn/matterofintegrity4jul02.shtml )
 
 

duh

Sometimes the truth is more obvious than people will admit

thanks D
 
 

I N S I G H T

Gun Control Works
contributing editor - D

Dear freedom lovers everywhere,
http://www.gunownersalliance.com/OpShiloh-01.htm

All those who believe that new terrorist acts similar to 9/11 won't touch them should delete this e-mail. That which I have to say does not apply to you, and I don't want to waste your time.

Those of you still reading this know that most recently we have seen how militant radical Islamists swayed the elections in Spain using terror attacks on civilian train commuters. It worked. Spain elected a socialist president that promised to distance himself from America in our fight against terrorism. Never mind 9/11!

Earlier in the week I read from a CNN e-mail alert, "Explosives found in jet crash debris, Russia says". Now I just read from an e-mail alert from foxnews.com, "MUSLIM SITE POSTS CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR DOWNING OF RUSSIAN JETS".

Militant radical Islamists want to sway our November 2004 elections like they did in Spain just a few months ago. Intelligence estimates are that additional mass casualty terror attacks like 9/11 are very likely on American soil, likely before our November 2004 presidential election. Homeland Security is focused on protecting hard targets and critical infrastructure such as nuclear power plants, bridges & tunnels, and the transportation, electrical and communications grids. There are literally hundreds of thousands of unprotected, high-value soft targets in the US - places like churches, synagogues and schools just to name a few.

If anyone understands how to deal with militant radical Islamists, it is the country of Israel.

Israeli experience with militant radical Islamists shows there is so much more that civilians can do beside wait for the next attack to occur. It doesn't take a lot of time or money; it does require a sense of patriotism and civic responsibility. This is where the rubber hits the road, where all the Internet rhetoric about Patriotism and the War on Terror becomes fact on the street.

Rabbi R. Mermelstein of the ever popular pro-gun Internet column known as "Ask the Rabbi" found at http://www.gunownersalliance.com/AskTheRabbi.htm has this to say about Operation Shiloh (OpShiloh):

      I have reviewed the course curriculum of Operation Shiloh under the expert directorship of Yehoshua
      Mizrachi and have found it worthy of my heartiest approbation. Go to http://www.opshiloh.com

      Operation Shiloh is not another training academy for the defensive or tactical use of firearms. It
      teaches much more - training, awareness and prevention.

      According to ancient Jewish tradition the fate of all living creatures for the coming year is
      determined in Heaven on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Our sages, of blessed
      memory, taught "It is not incumbent upon you to complete the task, but neither are you
      free to exempt yourself from it" (Ethics of the Fathers, 2:21). While this injunction was
      intended to address the continual study of Torah law by Jews, the concept is universal in
      all matters essential to the continuation of Mankind. Both Christians and Jews learn,
      "Do not stand still when your neighbor's life is in danger" (Leviticus 19:16). Go
      to http://www.gunownersalliance.com/Rabbi_0112.htm

      We are required by G-d's law to not stand by idly when another's life is in danger, but the
      actions to take to prevent the loss of life are vague to most people. Training and awareness
      are not instinctive. It requires instruction from experts.

      Operation Shiloh, I believe, can teach you to save lives. It has my unequivocal endorsement."

Read the original endorsement by Rabbi R. Mermelstein on the "Ask the Rabbi" website found at http://www.gunownersalliance.com/Rabbi_0282.htm

OpShiloh course material has been reviewed by members of the House Intelligence Committee and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Shiloh has been profiled by Fox News Channel, ABC, CBS, NBC, and dozens of other international broadcast and print news media. Operation Shiloh has also been endorsed by such prominent scholars as Daniel Pipes, who observes: "Operation Shiloh impresses me as a way, drawing on Israel's unique counterterrorism strengths, for concerned citizens to equip themselves against terrorist threats. I recommend it highly."

The three day OpShiloh counter-terrorism training course will be held September 6th through the 8th, 2004 in Miami, Florida. Please contact the Program Director immediately at info@opshiloh.com if you are planning to attend. Course specifics can be found at http://www.opshiloh.com Additional courses will be offered in the near future! Time is of the essence!

There is a time for talk and there is time for action; NOW is the time for action. Put your patriotism to work and help stop the next terror attack.

Here's how:

Starting a Volunteer Security Committee (VSC)

You can help fill this security gap by forming a much needed Volunteer Security Committee (VSC) at your school, synagogue, church, or in your neighborhood. Operation Shiloh at http://www.opshiloh.com provides Israeli training counter-terrorism training for American civilians. Operation Shiloh also offer free consulting for setting up your VSC.

What follows is a guide to establish your VSC.

Since the disparate terror groups all work from the same playbook, the terror attacks to come in America will likely be patterned after the attacks and attempted attacks that have occurred in Israel. (In fact, American ground troops in Iraq have benefited significantly from Israel's experience with terrorist insurgency.) Therefore, Israel's experience in terror suppression is instructive. This is the underlying premise of the OpShiloh course.

In many Israeli towns, kibbutzim and moshavim, you will see four layers of terror prevention (going from least to most intense):

1.) The generally high alertness level of all residents. (In Efrat last year, an alert mother dropping her son off at school noticed an Arab man approaching the school with an ill-concealed butcher's knife. Once spotted, the man fled on foot. The woman was able to alert the RVSH"Tz [see below], who reacted immediately and thus prevented an atrocity.) (There's more to this story - e-mail the OpShiloh Program Director at info@opshiloh.com and he will tell you the rest of the story.)

2.) Shomrim: Able-bodied citizens, mostly army reservists, do take turns patrolling the community, watching the perimeter and approaches, guarding the entrance gates, etc. The shomrim are armed, and trained in communications rules of engagement, and the like. The community is patrolled by such shomrim 24/7, even on the Sabbath and holidays.

3.) Kitat Konenut: A small cadre of citizens (all in the active reserve) are organized and trained as a first response unit in the event the community is infiltrated or comes under any other kind of attack. Their main mission: flush out and neutralize the terrorist(s). These brave people are Israel's "minutemen."

The shomrim and Kitat Konenut are trained and organized by a RVSh"Tz (pronounced rav-SHATZ) which is Hebrew acronym for "Public Security Coordinator" who is in charge of overall security for the community.

4.) IDF: The regional Army base supports the security network described above and monitors the regional security comms net, ready to respond as needed.

Instead of protecting an entire community, your VSC will probably be working to protect a church, synagogue, private school or organization, or perhaps a neighborhood. For the purposes of clarity, general guidelines will be used and future reference will be made to protecting a church. Please feel free to adapt these recommendations to suit your unique situation.

For the VSCs, OpShiloh is recommending a hierarchy loosely patterned after the foregoing. Again, from least to most intense:

1.) The alertness level of all residents. Your VSC will be responsible for running education programs to heighten the general alertness level of the congregation.

2.) VSC: Your VSC will be a small cadre like the Kitat Konenut, but will
function in a more defensive posture, like the shomrim.

Your VSC will be tasked with continually reviewing the security arrangements at the church with the objective of making the facility harder to attack, and if attacked, easier to defend. You will be trained with an emphasis on terror prevention and close coordination with local law enforcement in the event of an attack.

3.) Local law enforcement: instead of the IDF, your VSC will establish close working liaison with local law enforcement. Developing these good working relationships in advance will be critical to your terror prevention program. Again, these details will be covered during training.

You will likely find that the local police will be eager to work with you for two reasons: first, there is a general sense of frustration that the general public is not taking the terror threat seriously; secondly, they understand all too well that more trained eyeballs means the better the chances of preventing an attack.

Where to Begin:

1. Speak with the Pastor and church leadership to get their approval for setting up the VSC. Have them announce it from the pulpit, publicly support it, and have them ask for volunteers.

2. Post flyers requesting volunteers for the VSC. The ideal size of your VSC depends on the size of the facility that you wish to protect, the amount of activity in the building, and other factors. In general, though, the more the merrier as there will be plenty to do. Again, specific tasking will be covered during training. Encourage both men and women to participate.

3. Start reading. Here are a few suggestions:

Bin Laden: The Man Who Declared War on America, by Yossef Bodansky
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0761535810/gunownersalli-20

Militant Islam Reaches America, by Daniel Pipes
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0393325318/gunownersalli-20

American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us, by Steve Emerson
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743234359/gunownersalli-20

The Third Terrorist: The Middle East Connection to the Oklahoma City Bombing, by Jayna Davis
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0785261036/gunownersalli-20

We know there are thousands of terror cells in the US; we know that they are collecting intelligence for future attacks; and we know that attacks have already been attempted. Once alerted to these facts, the question most people ask is, "Yeah, but what can I do about it?"

Gun Owners Alliance believes that the VSC (taught by OpShiloh as found at http://www.opshiloh.com ) is an answer to that question. During WWII, America had effective Civil Defense Committees. In Israel, alert citizens have prevented or preempted terror attacks too many times to count.

Thank you for standing up and for being willing to be counted.

Contact information for Operation Shiloh:

Yehoshua Mizrachi - Director
Operation Shiloh
Israeli Counter-Terrorism Training for Civilians
http://www.opshiloh.com
info@opshiloh.com
 

Sincerely,

Gun Owners Alliance
Chris W. Stark - Director
http://www.GunOwnersAlliance.com
Director@GunOwnersAlliance.com

WebMaster for "Ask the Rabbi"
http://www.gunownersalliance.com/AskTheRabbi.htm
 
 
 
 

[Imagine if this can happen to a Popular Senator and he has trouble getting his name from this list, then how much trouble might you have?  Is there a good reason to resist promotion and implimentation of these systems and control methods?]

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 - The meeting had all the hallmarks of an ordinary Congressional hearing. There was Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, discussing the problems faced by ordinary citizens mistakenly placed on terrorist watch lists. Then, to the astonishment of the crowd attending a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, Mr. Kennedy offered himself up as Exhibit A.

Between March 1 and April 6, airline agents tried to block Mr. Kennedy from boarding airplanes on five occasions because his name resembled an alias used by a suspected terrorist who had been barred from flying on airlines in the United States, his aides and government officials said.

Instead of acknowledging the craggy-faced, silver-haired septuagenarian as the Congressional leader whose face has flashed across the nation's television sets for decades, the airline agents acted as if they had stumbled across a fanatic who might blow up an American airplane. Mr. Kennedy said they refused to give him his ticket.

"He said, 'We can't give it to you,' " Mr. Kennedy said, describing an encounter with an airline agent to the rapt audience. " 'You can't buy a ticket to go on the airline to Boston.' I said, 'Well, why not?' He said, 'We can't tell you.' "

"Tried to get on a plane back to Washington," Mr. Kennedy continued. '' 'You can't get on the plane.' I went up to the desk and said, 'I've been getting on this plane, you know, for 42 years. Why can't I get on the plane?' "

The hearing room erupted in laughter.

Mr. Kennedy said his situation highlighted the odyssey encountered by people whose names had mistakenly appeared on terrorist watch lists or resembled the names of suspected terrorists on such lists. In April, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the government on behalf of seven airline passengers who said they had wrongly been placed on no-fly lists or associated with names on the lists and could not find a way to clarify their identities.

In Mr. Kennedy's case, airline supervisors ultimately overruled the ticket agents in each instance and allowed him to board the plane. But it took several weeks for the Department of Homeland Security to clear the matter up altogether, the senator's aides said.

Just days after Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge called Mr. Kennedy in early April to apologize and to promise that the problems would be resolved, another airline agent tried to stop Mr. Kennedy from boarding a plane yet again. The alias used by the suspected terrorist on the watch list was Edward Kennedy, said David Smith, a spokesman for the senator.

At the hearing, Mr. Kennedy wondered how ordinary citizens could navigate the tangled bureaucracy if a senator had so much trouble. "How are they going to be able to get to be treated fairly and not have their rights abused?" he asked.

Asa Hutchinsonof the Department of Homeland Security, who was testifying at the Senate hearing, said his department was working to address the situation. He said travelers with such problems should contact the ombudsman at the Transportation Security Administration, a division of homeland security, who would help them take steps to clarify their identities.

"There is a process to clear names," said Mr. Hutchinson, the department's undersecretary for border security. "But it does illustrate the importance of improving the whole system, which we are very aggressively working to do."

On Monday, Mr. Hutchinson told Congress that homeland security officials planned to take over the checking of names of passengers against the no-fly lists. The responsibility is now carried out by the airlines, to ensure that terror suspects do not board airplanes and that law enforcement officials are promptly notified of potential security risks.

Advocates for tougher screening requirements say the current system is ineffective because the government does not provide the airlines with a comprehensive set of watch lists, in part because some of that information is classified. Civil libertarians also cite instances in which airlines have mistakenly denied passengers the right to fly.

The ticket agents who tried to block Mr. Kennedy from boarding planes to Washington, Boston, Palm Beach and New York worked for US Airways, Senate officials said. Amy Kudwa, a US Airways spokeswoman, acknowledged that Mr. Kennedy was a frequent passenger, but declined to comment on the incidents.

Lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union said they did not know how many people had been mistakenly placed on watch lists. But they said the sluggish responses from the airline and the government to Mr. Kennedy's efforts to clear his name demonstrated the absurdity of the no-fly system.

"It demonstrates all those things that we found problems with in the first place, " said Reginald Shulford of the A.C.L.U."If you're Ted Kennedy, you can call a friend," Mr. Shulford said. "If you're an average citizen you cannot. You can complain to the Department of Homeland Security, but to no avail."

At the hearing, Mr. Kennedy emphasized his concern for passengers stuck on no-fly lists. But he tried to make light of his own troubles.

He said, to much laughter, that he did not believe the mistake was a conspiracy engineered by his Republican colleagues. And as Mr. Hutchinson offered up his apologies, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, responded jokingly in kind.

Mr. Hutchinson said, "Senator, we do regret that inconvenience to you."

Mr. Hatch said, "Quit smiling when you say that."
 
 

the offices of Dewey, Cheetum & Howe

Biometric Tech Puts ID at Your Fingertips

[What happens if you are incapacitated?

You put some of your stuff in a locker not realizing the next day you would not be able to return and get your stuff from the locker.  So, maybe you are in the hospital or oversees, and decide you want your palm pilot from the locker.  Well, if you are in the hospital you could have the doctors remove your finger and be standing on duty to reattach it when your brother returns with it and your palm pilot (and everything else you put in the locker).

Beyond all that, this is still more of the sign of the times.  Soon, you will no longer need to answer any questions about yourself or what you know.  It will be in a data base and anyone who can scan your RFID or fingerprint will have access to the data base and from it know anything they desire about you.  --  Tribble]

Wednesday, August 11, 2004
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/08/11/biometrics.ap/index.html

No keys: Public lockers at the newly-reopened Statue of Liberty use fingerprints to identify users.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stuffing something in a public locker usually isn't a memorable experience. You drop a coin, take the key and move on.

But at the Statue of Liberty, recently reopened after a two-year closure, stashing a package offers a glimpse into the future. To rent, close and reopen lockers, visitors touch an electronic reader that scans fingerprints.

"It's easy," Taiwanese visitor Yu-Sheng Lee, 26, said after stowing a bag. "I think it's good. I don't have to worry about a key or something like that." [Certianly comrade]

Like nearly every other tourist at the statue that day, this was Lee's first experience with biometrics -- the identification of an individual based on personal characteristics like fingerprints, facial features or iris patterns.

While the technology is not new, having seen use for years to restrict access in corporate and military settings, it is only now creeping into everyday life. Over the next few years, people currently unfamiliar with the technology will be asked to use it in everything from travel settings to financial transactions.

The Nine Zero, an upscale hotel in Boston, recently began letting guests in its $3,000-a-night Cloud Nine suite enter and exit by looking into a camera that analyzes their iris patterns. Piggly Wiggly Co. grocery stores in the South just launched a pay-by-fingerprint system, though pilot tests elsewhere have had lukewarm results.

"All these customer-facing applications, they're emerging," said Joseph Kim, a consultant with the International Biometric Group, which follows the industry. "We'll be seeing a lot more very, very soon. Whether that sticks or not depends on how customers feel about it."

Feelings seemed mixed about the lockers at the Statue of Liberty on a muggy New York afternoon last week.

Some people were befuddled by the system and had to put their fingers on the reader several times before a scan was properly made. Others forgot their locker number upon their return, or didn't remember which finger they had used to check it out. One young woman accidentally put her ticket to the statue in the locker, requiring her to open it and then re-register it all over again with another finger scan.

With all the confusion, lines at the three touchscreen kiosks that control the bank of 170 lockers frequently stretched six or seven people deep, requiring a five-minute wait.

"I think it's overly complicated. It takes too much time," said Stephen Chemsak, 26, who lives in Japan. To him the old-fashioned key system would have been much better.

The lockers were made necessary by new security measures at the statue that include a ban on large packages. Brad Hill, whose family business, Evelyn Hill Inc., has run the island's concessions for 73 years, decided that the usual public lockers would be problematic because people often lose the keys. And that seemed to become even more likely now that tourists have to empty their pockets for a metal detector on their way into the statue.

"Biometrics seemed the most logical choice," he said. After all, he added with a laugh, people "don't lose their finger." [Yeah, and how long will it take for would be thieves learn to carry a knife or something suitable for removing fingers?]

Hill expects visitors will find the lockers easier once they get used to them. Representatives from the locker maker, Smarte Carte Inc., say the biometric aspect often requires a fair amount of coaching, especially for people who aren't very familiar with computers.

Smarte Carte's fingerprint lockers were introduced two years ago at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport, and also can be found in Chicago's Union Station and the Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure theme parks in Florida.

The company adopted the biometric system for the airport lockers to assure the Transportation Security Administration that the bins could not be rented by one person then opened by someone else.

Fingerprint biometric systems generally work by reducing the image of a print to a template, a mathematic algorithm that gets stored in a database and can be checked when the person returns for later scans. In applications like the biometric lockers, the print itself is not stored or sent to authorities. [ YET ]

However, prints are being run through terrorist watch lists in the biggest deployment of biometrics yet -- the federal government's new system for tracking foreign travelers.

Now in its early stages, the program, known as US-VISIT, calls for visitors to go through biometric scans to ensure that they are who their visa or passport says they are. Passports issued by the United States and other countries are getting new chips that will have facial-recognition data, and other biometrics might be added.

Separately, iris-scanning systems have cropped up in European airports as a way to speed immigration controls.

But you won't have to be a jet-setter to encounter biometrics more and more. For one, it's increasingly being used to control access to computers.

And scattered grocery stores have tested systems that let consumers check out with a touch of a fingerprint scanner. Piggly Wiggly recently installed such a system at four South Carolina stores and expects to expand it to 116 other outlets, saying it offers speed, convenience and protection against credit card theft.

[The end is ever nearer.]
 

NARRATIVE OF INCIDENT AT THE LANSDOWNE BOROUGH COUNCIL MEETING ON JULY 21 7/21/04

Written and compiled by Michael Marcavage
contributing editor D
 

[Please note: The following incident occurred at the 7:30 p.m. Lansdowne Borough Council meeting on July 21st in the presence of all council members, the public, a Comcast television news camera, and other members of the media.]

Yesterday, July 21, I attended the Lansdowne Borough Council meeting concerning a comment made to the Philadelphia Gay News by Kevin Lee, who is the newly-appointed gay activist to the council. Several people spoke during the public comment/question period, in which I then followed. I addressed the council by saying [on camera] "Good Evening. I am here today because I am concerned about the direction that this council is leading our community. Council member Mr. Lee recently confessed to the Philadelphia Gay News, 'The gay community and the Borough Council hope this [his appointment] will lead to more gay and lesbian people moving to town.'" I then asked, "Is this the overall consensus of the council?" Mr. Council, president of the borough council, then stated, "We want anyone who desires to live here to be welcomed." I then said, "I would like to share with the council the reason why I oppose by reading from Scripture— Romans Chapter 1." Mr. Council immediately became angry and informed me that I cannot read from the Bible, referring to the Scripture I was about to read as being "hate speech" and that I twist Scripture. I told him that "God's Word is not hate speech." I then told him that I would like to read a short passage directly from the Bible, and after doing so I will sit down. He refused and told me that I am finished. I told Mr. Council that he may regulate the amount of time I can speak, but may not regulate the content of the message, since it applied to the concerns I raised (confirmed in the borough ordinance). He said, "Fine. Your time is up!" I respectfully petitioned him to allow me to proceed as motions were made to temporarily adjourn the meeting. The motion to adjourn passed as I began to read from Romans 1, although the council left the room completely, residents of the borough still remained.

Nearing completion of the Scripture reading, Chief Kortan grabbed my arms and dragged me into the hall. I asked him, "Am I under arrest?" He said loudly, "You are not under arrest." "Am I breaking the law?" I asked. "The council does not want you here anymore!" he angrily replied. In the hallway, I contested with him and said, "This is a public meeting, and I have the right to speak during the public comment period." He then said, "They don't want to hear from you anymore!" He was extremely angry as I continued to explain why I had a right to be there and to address the council.

While speaking to the angry police chief, council member Elliot Borgam aggressively approached me in the hallway while yelling, and then hit me as hard as he could on my left arm with the back of his semi-clenched hand. I then said, "I was just assaulted by Mr. Borgman." Chief Kortan ordered Mr. Borgman into the room and said, "I saw it." He assured me that Mr. Borgman would be charged with "Disorderly Conduct." Chief Kortan then stated, "We need to talk about it downstairs." During one point, I asked Mr. Kortan if I was being charged with a crime, in which he replied, "No, you are not." As soon as the elevator door opened, I was grabbed by Mr. Kortan and physically thrown into, and slammed up against the back of the elevator wall. It appeared from my quick glance that everyone in the nearby council meeting room (through the glass window) turned to see what happened, after hearing the loud noises that were created by Mr. Kortan's physical actions against me. While the door was closing, I told Chief Kortan that "this is a violation of my civil rights." Getting right in my face, he angrily replied, "F--k your civil rights!"

Since we were on the second floor, it did not take long to reach the first floor. When the door opened, we exited the elevator and were then in the presence of police dispatcher Jo Pannell, Officer Lawrence Smalley, and an unidentified officer in another hallway who was walking about and occasionally glancing in our direction with heightened curiosity.

At this point, Mr. Kortan became extremely verbally abusive, making all kinds of outlandish statements with the use of profanity. I told him that "we should take a few moments to collect our thoughts." He refused, and continued to yell as loud as he could. I sat down in a nearby chair, but he leaned over and continued to yell in my face. I told him that he was "out of line" and that he needed to "calm down." He continued to yell and use profanity stating that he is a citizen too, and that he can do as he pleases. I said "you are currently acting in the capacity of a police officer" and concluded with "Mr. Kortan, this needs to stop." He then replied, "Don't call me Mr. Kortan! Only my friends call me Mr. Kortan. You are to address me as Chief Kortan!" I stepped further away from him because it appeared that his irrational anger could lead him to more violence. During Chief Kortan's fit of rage, I told him that I never seen such behavior by a police officer before. "It's about time; it should have been done to you a long time ago," he responded. I then telephoned 911 for advice on the situation. The dispatcher informed me that I need to report the matter to the DA's office, in which they provided a telephone number.

Before leaving, I contacted 911 and asked if would be possible to file a report about what happened. The dispatcher told me that they would have someone come to the borough hall to take my report. The radio call went to Officer Lawrence Smalley who was standing directly in front of me. I provided him with all the information, and he told me that “the report will be available for you tomorrow.” During the final moments of my departure, I asked if charges were going to be brought against Mr. Borgman. Chief Kortan stated, "If you want charges brought against Mr. Borgman, I will do so." I told him "yes."

After leaving Lansdowne Borough Hall, the location of the meeting/incident, I drove to the nearest Pennsylvania State Police barracks in Media, Pennsylvania, and filed a report with Corporal John T. Malone (tel: 484-840-1000).

No charges were brought against me, and according to Chief Kortan, none will be.

Update: Chief Kortan called me the next day stating that he "thought about it overnight and decided to charge me" with "Disrupting Meetings and Procesions" and "Disorderly Conduct."

http://www.repentamerica.com/narrative7-21-04.html
 
 

DC woman arrested for eating in subway
 

By CANDACE SMITH
Associated Press Writer

July 30, 2004, 7:02 AM EDT

contributing editor D

WASHINGTON -- Eating en route to or while riding the subway here is a no-no. Stephanie Willett, a government employee, found that out the hard way recently. Finishing a candy bar on her way into a Metro station, she was arrested, handcuffed and detained for three hours.

Willett said she was eating a PayDay bar on an escalator descending into a station July 16 when a transit policeman warned her to finish it before entering the station. Both Willett and police agree that she nodded and put the last bit into her mouth before throwing the wrapper into a trash can.

Willett, a 45-year-old Environmental Protection Agency scientist, told radio station WTOP that the officer then followed her into the station, one of several in downtown Washington.

"Don't you have some other crimes you have to take care of?" Willett said she told the officer.

Washington has been under heightened security because of the continuing threat of terrorism. And last week, police declared a citywide crime emergency over rising juvenile crime.

The transit police officer asked for Willett's identification, but Willett kept walking. She said she was then frisked and handcuffed.

"If she had stopped eating, it would have been the end of it and if she had just stopped for the issuance of a citation, she never would have been locked up," Transit Police Chief Polly Hanson said Thursday.

Metrorail has been criticized in the past for heavy-handed enforcement of the eating ban. In 2000, a police officer handcuffed a 12-year-old girl for eating a french fry on a subway platform.

In 2002, one of their officers ticketed a wheelchair-bound cerebral palsy patient for cursing when he was unable to find a working elevator to leave a station. Unflattering publicity eventually led the police to void the ticket.

Willett was the second person arrested this year for eating or drinking, Hanson said. In addition, police have issued 58 tickets and given more than 300 written warnings.

http://www.newsday.com/sns-othernews-0730subway,0,1600384.story
 
 
 
 

[Last month we wrote presented an audio excerpt from the the USA cable network.  They have a new series called "the 4400".  It is premised on 4400 alien abductees suddenly reappearing near Seattle and must now be reintegrated in society.  The department of Homeland Security (HS) is overseeing the operations of the 4400.  Last months report was about the episode from July 25, 2004, the HS biggy is telling a a TV producer to do something and the producer is reluctant.  The HS agent reminds the producer that if this were the "old days" he would have to get a warrant to do things to the producer, and the implication is that in the settings of the present day he does not need to respect the Liberties of the producer.

In the August 1, 2004 episode the HS biggy is arresting a man and while the man is on the ground is told he has no rights and is arrested as an "enemy combatant".  In case you have not yet learned it, the phrase "enemy combatant" has no definition and can be used any way a government agent/agency wants.  Without definition, there is no way to know what you are and therefore you are what the agents say at the time.  No law, no Rights, no Truth.  George Orwell might be grinning.

This is a case of are/media imitating life.  In other words, in case you have been sleeping, the government agents/agencies are being given more and more latitude to do whatever they want without your permissions and against your life.  --  Tribble]

http://tellme1st.net/rockyview/common/4400 warrant excerpt.mp3
(this one is a corrected address, in case you tried the last time)

http://tellme1st.net/rockyview/common/4400 arrest excerpt.mp3

http://tellme1st.net/rockyview/index.html
 

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