DHS Proposes "Stun Bracelets" be worn by all air passengers

[lildobe]

What the F*^&???!?!?!?!

If this happens I'm NEVER flying again!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblo...peanuts/#again

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®. According to this promotional video 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 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!”

http://consumerist.com/tag/departmen...ce-to-yourself

Want Safe Skies? Strap This Remote-Controlled Stun Device To Yourself!

Make of this what you will, as the story comes from the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's church-owned Washington Times and may be more fiction than fact, but "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." Yes, the EMD Safety Bracelet from Lamperd Less Lethal is designed to make flying a fun experience once again. Just check out everything it can do:

* 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.

Lamperd Less Lethal—oddly, that name doesn't make us confident about either the effectiveness or the safety of their products—has an entertaining instructional video on their site that explains why this is such a great idea. It opens with footage of the planes hitting the WTC towers, just in case you've forgotten, then describes how all the current solutions are ineffective—biometrics can't spot "new" terrorists who aren't in the database, Air Marshalls can inflict friendly fire on nearby passengers, etc. But they've got an answer in the EMD Safety Bracelet! Check out these handy graphics if you don't believe them:

Okay, we doctored that last one, but you know there'd be a technical glitch at some point that turns everyone on the manifest into a herky-jerky bag of twitching muscles. Pretzels everywhere! Plastic drink cups flying! You have to admit, it'd be funny to see (so long as your own EMD Safety Bracelet didn't go off at the same time.)

Lamperd Less Lethal insists that this is a great idea, and that passengers won't mind being figuratively collared like slaves out of a bad sci-fi movie:

Wearing an EMD safety bracelet for a few hours during a flight is a small inconvenience to ensure their safe arrival...many if not most passengers would happily opt for the extra security of the EMD safety bracelet.

We'll admit, it would certainly make it easier for flight attendants to take care of drunks, fashion victims, unruly children, and the occasional masturbator. But if DHS wants to take security this far, why not just anesthetize passengers and load us up on gurneys, where we'll remain blissfully unconscious as we're shipped like freight across the globe? It would be more dignified than wearing a stun bracelet.

"Want some torture with your peanuts?" [Washington Times] (Thanks to Capt Janeway!)
EMD Safety Bracelet video [Lamperd Less Lethal]

[pex]

This will only create a market for subversion devices.

The most recent comment:

#
By: S&Tspokesman

Shocking, but False

Sometimes it just amazes me how these stories evolve. Let me start off by saying that the Department of Homeland Security’s Science & Technology Directorate nor TSA have been pursuing shock bracelets for airline passengers as alleged by the Washington Times Blog.

This allegation stemmed from a misleading video posted on the Lamberd Website which depicts an ID bracelet that would contain identifying information as well as the ability to stun the wearer. The company claims to connect use of such a device to DHS and TSA, but no discussions between these agencies has ever taken place.

This all originated from a meeting held two years ago with a private company representative (not Lamberd) who proposed bracelet technology in response to the TSA's desire to find less-than-lethal means to detain an apprehended suspect.

The bracelet was never intended to replace boarding passes, contain ID information or be worn by all passengers as asserted in the Lamberd video and discussed in the Washington Times Blog.

The hypothetical use of the bracelet would have been for transporting already apprehended prisoners and detainees at prisons and border patrol facilities, and DHS was looking to see if there were potential air travel applications for apprehended suspects.

This concept was never funded or supported by the DHS or TSA and hasn’t even been discussed for two years. The letter circulating throughout the blogosphere from Paul Ruwaldt was not addressed to Lamberd and merely states the DHS was interested in learning more about the technology. Neither side followed up.

DHS/TSA does NOT support the asserted use and has not pursued the development of such technology.
July 8, 2008 at 5:08 p.m. | Mark as Offensive

[Dredly]

why don't we use this instead of tracking bracelets for people on bond? sure would make them think twice about skipping their appointment with the judge wouldn't it!

[knighthawk06699]

Yeah right I won't even put a shock collar on my dog what make you think I will let you put one on me??

[nijwnfi]

Personally, I've always been a fan of a neck collar with enough explosive to separate head from body. Just a small charge. Folks would tow the line then!

[Asmodeus6]

Originally Posted by nijwnfi

Personally, I've always been a fan of a neck collar with enough explosive to separate head from body. Just a small charge. Folks would tow the line then!

Yep - god help you if your on the same frequency as your neighbors garage door opener...

[Siobhra]

Originally Posted by knighthawk06699

Yeah right I won't even put a shock collar on my dog what make you think I will let you put one on me??

That's the beauty of it you don't have to. You can decline bail and take the free room.

[CrazyWhiteGuy]

Originally Posted by knighthawk06699

Yeah right I won't even put a shock collar on my dog what make you think I will let you put one on me??

no more "super secret gunbabe PM" messages for you then!!!

[Kai19103]

Originally Posted by nijwnfi

Personally, I've always been a fan of a neck collar with enough explosive to separate head from body. Just a small charge. Folks would tow the line then!

RUNNING MAN!!!

of course the NAACP would point out that neck collars were worn by slaves so we'll only be able to use them on white criminals...

[dc dalton]

I'll tell you what, if this ASININE law gets passed I have seriously got to think of an exit strategy. I mean seriously this stuff is starting to look like a bad SCI FI movie!

They want chips in all of us to track us, our cars and our phones, Congress rolls over like a puppy and gives Bush everything he wants on the FISA bill literally clearing him of 35+ federal indictments for criminal behaviour and now shock collars on plane passengers? What are we dogs to be herded? What in GOD'S NAME is going wrong in this country? How have we moved so far from freedom in such a short period of time and where the HELL are the patriots that SHOULD be fighting this tooth and nail!

Have we ALL become sniveling sheep that do whatever our masters tell us? Have we all forgotten that this country was based on rights and freedoms? Have we become so damned soft we are unable to stand up for the rights and freedoms our fathers, brothers, sister fought and died for? If so then this is NOT the America I know and love, this is not the country I would give my life to protect, this is a bad dream that I personally would have never thought could have happened in MY America!