Thursday, June 20, 2013

Wireless Emergency Alerts & Propoganda (WEAP)

Have you ever thought that, for emergency alerts to be distributed as quickly as possible, they should be sent to cell phones? The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the wireless industry, is working to make that possible.
yes, i have thought that once... then i immediately dismissed it as over-reaching... the only alert that people should be instantly aware of is in case of natural disaster; i.e. tornado or earthquake... anything else is just going to start a general panic... it's like shouting "FIRE" in a crowded theater.
What alerts will WEA deliver?
Alerts from WEA cover only critical emergency situations. Consumers will receive only three types of alerts:
  • Alerts issued by the President
  • Alerts involving imminent threats to safety or life
  • Amber Alerts
Participating carriers may allow subscribers to block all but Presidential alerts.
well, i guess those are okay-
wait, WHAT?... you are allowed to block all but the President?... what alert of the President is more important than IMMINENT THREATS TO SAFETY OR LIFE?... let me think for a second, what could be more important to the government than my life?... well, to them, everything... but sarcasm aside, there is only one alert that rates that high... and i don't think i'm over-reaching with this... Marshall Law.
Can consumers block WEAs?
Partially. Participating wireless carriers may offer subscribers with WEA-capable handsets the ability to block alerts involving imminent threats to safety of life and/or AMBER Alerts; however, consumers cannot block emergency alerts issued by the President.
yep... you can choose to block threats to life and limb, but not notices from his highness, i mean, the president.
Why can’t consumers block WEAs issued by the President?
In passing the WARN Act, Congress allowed participating carriers to offer subscribers the capability to block all WEAs except those issued by the President.
why?... the sheer audacity of the proletariat asking such a question is tantamount to treasonous... the ruling class know what's better for you than you do... you are given the opportunity to be blind to threats on your health and well-being, nay, even your life... but you don't have the capacity to not be instantly notified by Dear Leader of more important issues.

and tighten up those jack-boots.


source:
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) | FCC.gov
'via Blog this'

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

the politics of expediency

[The Bush] administration also puts forward a false choice between the liberties we cherish and the security we demand. I will provide our intelligence and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to track and take out the terrorists without undermining our Constitution and our freedom.
That means no more illegal wire-tapping of American citizens. No more national security letters to spy on citizens who are not suspected of a crime. No more tracking citizens who do nothing more than protest a misguided war. No more ignoring the law when it is inconvenient. That is not who we are. And it is not what is necessary to defeat the terrorists. The FISA court works. The separation of powers works. Our Constitution works. We will again set an example for the world that the law is not subject to the whims of stubborn rulers, and that justice is not arbitrary.
- Senator Barack Obama, 2007
so... what you're saying is that you will uphold the Fourth Amendment, about being secure in their persons, papers, and effects, and about searches shall not be made without warrant based on probable cause... your for that... is that what you're saying?

But I think it's important to recognize that you can't have 100 percent security and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience. We're going to have to make some choices as a society. And what I can say is that in evaluating these programs, they make a difference in our capacity to anticipate and prevent possible terrorist activity. And the fact that they’re under very strict supervision by all three branches of government and that they do not involve listening to people's phone calls, do not involve reading the emails of U.S. citizens or U.S. residents absent further action by a federal court that is entirely consistent with what we would do, for example, in a criminal investigation -- I think on balance, we have established a process and a procedure that the American people should feel comfortable about.
- President Barack Obama, 2013
warrantless seizures of personal records, and i'm supposed to "feel comfortable" about that?... i hardly think so... comfort is far from the word i'd use.

abject terror comes much closer.

source:
Obama's Speech at Woodrow Wilson Center - Council on Foreign Relations - August 1, 2007
Transcript of President Obama's statement on ACA (and answering question on NSA) in San Jose, CA - June 7, 2013