[EnergyUnlimited]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Plantagenet', '
')The US is governed in accordance with our Constitutional government, and not by the decrees of Hitler or Putin.

[Ferretlover]

"You're On Candid Camera
The Bush administration now wants to watch you from the sky.
A Bush administration program to expand domestic use of Pentagon spy satellites has aroused new concerns in Congress about possible civil-liberties abuses.
On Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee approved an amendment denying money for the new domestic intelligence operation—cryptically named the "National Applications Office"—until the Homeland Security secretary certifies that any programs undertaken by the center will "comply with all existing laws, including all applicable privacy and civil liberties standards." ..."
Smile and wave for the cameras, folks!

[mattduke]

From cryptogon.
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')IM's monitoring system employs a cell phone and provides for constant surveillance via satellite, tracking Aragon's position within 5 to 10 feet of her location. The signal is picked up every 10 minutes and sent to a computer, but since most kids live close to school, each one is required to press a locator button three times in case the signal is lost inside the building. Aragon does this three times a day: when she arrives at school in the morning, at lunchtime and after coming home for her obligatory 9 p.m. curfew when she receives an automated digital phone call that requires her to call back within three minutes. Upon returning the call, she must read a series of numbers, and the system recognizes her voice, which confirms her identity. If Aragon does not respond to calls or isn't where she's supposed to be, a Dallas County constable picks her up and brings her to court.

[pup55]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')anny Aragon

[wisconsin_cur]

There are some additional details, $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'i')n a court-ordered attempt to keep her in school. Aragon has a history of ditching class, missing the majority of her first semester in the ninth grade

[HeckuvaJob]

I've been trying to find a thread on dealing with our government's actions during emergencies, but haven't had any luck. If someone could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it. Please move or delete this post as you see fit.

I found a ton of great info and ideas on the preparedness thread, but in the back of my mind I kept thinking that all these steps assume that the gov't won't interfere. My 2 biggest concerns are what happened during Katrina and recent legislation passed under the guise of homeland security. I'm open to the possibility that I simply need to add another ply to my tinfoil hat, but I would like to hear your thoughts on the significance of the following:

Homeland Security Contracts KBR to Build Detention Centers in the US This is even scarier when you consider that the gov't can order mandatory vaccinations and imprison anyone that refuses. Oh yeah, legislation was also passed absolving pharmaceutical companies from any liability for unwanted side-effects of vaccines. I'm assuming this includes "death".

Continuity of Government (COG) The John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007, which was quietly signed by Bush on October 17, 2006, the very same day that he signed the Military Commissions Act, allows the president to station military troops anywhere in the United States and take control of state-based National Guard units without the consent of the governor or local authorities, in order to “suppress public disorder.”

The Real ID Act is a national ID card that was passed under the guise of combating voter fraud. When implemented, persons not in possession of this card will not legally be able to drive, board a plane, cross state lines, pass checkpoints.

Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act This preemptive measure of policing thought, specifically identifies the Internet as a tool of radicalization: “The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.” -Chertoff

Katrina
Ray Nagin ordered the NOPD, National Guard, DEA, ATF and US Marshalls to enter people's homes and confiscate their guns.

Gretna Police Chief Arthur S. Lawson Jr. ordered his men to occupy the bridge leaving New Orleans and shoot into any crowds attempting to flee the city.

Executive Orders
EO 10990 allows gov't to take over all modes of transportation and control highways and seaports

EO 10995 allow gov't to seize and control all communications (phone, internet, radio, TV)

EO 10997 allows gov't to takeover all utilities, gas, electric, petroleum, fuel, minerals

EO 10998 allows gov't to seize all means of transportation including personal cars, trucks and vehicles of any kind

EO 10999 allows gov't to take over all resources including FARMS and farming equipment

EO 11000 allows gov't to mobilize civilians into work brigades under gov't supervision

EO 11001 allows gov't to take over all health, education and welfare functions

EO 11002 designates Postmaster General to operate a national registration of all persons

EO 11003 allows gov't to take over all airports and aircraft, including commercial aviation

EO 11004 allows Housing and Finance authorities to relocate communities, build new housing with public funds and designate areas to be abandoned

EO 11005 allows gov't to take over railroads, inland waterways and public storage facilities

EO 11921 allows Federal Emergency Preparedness Agency to take control of all financial institutions

Are "the best laid plans" irrelevant when your plan for survival is illegal? It's almost as if the gov't wants you to fail. Do you think that implementing your plan before the SHTF would protect you from this or the next regime?

[MadScientist]

Heckuva-

I've given a lot of thought to this same subject. Here's my current analysis:

Yes, the govt has "plans".

However, there is one very significant problem....

scale...numbers...logistics.

consider the size of an operation applied to the US, or a large part of the US as a whole. The massive amount of manpower, communication, and resources it would require to carry out an operation of this scope.

There will be areas that see these sort of martial law actions. At the same time, most won't. What our gvt would like to do, and what it can do are polar opposites, imo.

Therefore, find yourself a nice out of the way area to weather the storm. Be prepared for anything, and by anything I mean violence. Whether it's an oppressive government, or the crime inherent in loss of gvt, crash/dieoff scenarios will be survival situations.

As my Gunny in the Marine Corps used to say, "Stay alert, stay alive."

[Ferretlover]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('HeckuvaJob', 'I')'ve been trying to find a thread on dealing with our government's actions during emergencies, but haven't had any luck. If someone could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it. Please move or delete this post as you see fit.

[criticalmass]

You are all on a list. Should that worry you? That all depends...

Homeland Security (as well as other past and present gov programs) allows you to be picked up without question as a "terrorist." You may even be deemed an "eco terrorist." For that they don't need much. Just one coment hinting at intent.

What you do have to believe is that what you are doing in your everyday life is good and will not harm others -including any percieved gov agenda. This belief must also be held by those in charge because if the two beliefs do not jive, you will certainly come out on the short end of the stick -so to speak.

It's not worth being paranoid. It is worth being aware.

[eXpat]

Talking about lists: CNN Link
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')irline captain, lawyer, child on terror 'watch list'
...James Robinson of California, who loves tennis, swimming and flying to the East Coast to see his grandmother.

He's 8.

The third-grader has been on the watch list since he was 5 years old. Asked whether he is a terrorist, he said, "I don't know." Though he doesn't even know what a terrorist is, he is embarrassed that trips to the airport cause a ruckus, said his mother, Denise Robinson.

Denise Robinson said that no one in the government even told her her son is on the watch list but that it wasn't hard to figure out. Checking in at curbside three years ago, the family was told they couldn't get boarding passes and were hustled to the ticket counter.

She said the ticket agent made a number of phone calls and kept asking which among her husband and two sons was James. "And all of a sudden he says, 'How old is he?' " Robinson recounted. She said she responded numerous times, "He's 5." The agent handed them paperwork and refused to tell them what the problem was but urged them to fill out the forms.

[Ferretlover]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'O')ne in five bosses screens applicants' Web lives.
Top concern: Candidates posting information about drinking or using drugs
NEW YORK - Written references could become old hat for hiring managers with one in five saying they use social networking sites to research job candidates — and a third of them dismissing the candidate after what they discover.
A survey by online job site CareerBuilder.com of 3,169 hiring managers found 22 percent of them screened potential staff via social networking profiles, up from 11 percent in 2006.
An additional nine percent said they don't currently use social networking sites like Facebook or MySpace to screen potential employees but they do plan to start. …

[Ferretlover]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')BI seeks new surveillance guidelines Updated 7m ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration unveiled proposed guidelines Friday that would give the FBI more tools to assess national security and foreign intelligence threats.
Agents would be permitted to use tactics only allowed in criminal cases: physical surveillance, recruitment of sources and "pretext interviews" — where the real purpose would not be revealed.
Justice Department and FBI senior officials briefed reporters on the draft guidelines, but would not be quoted by name because they were discussing proposals that are still likely to be changed.
Some Democratic senators and civil liberties groups have said the proposals would allow Americans to be targeted in part by their race, ethnicity or religion — and be spied on without any other basis for suspicion. ...

[Ferretlover]

NSA is still at it:

Inside the Listenin Post link


Is the Government Spying on Americans?
Intercept operators allege the NSA is listening to citizens’ phonecalls link

[Jotapay]

I've heard that the Scientific Atlantic HDTV receivers that Time Warner cable uses have cameras and/or microphones in them. I've always meant to take mine apart and look.

Well, this guy took apart a Magnavox digital TV converter box that everyone who has an old analog television is going to need to watch the new HD-only TV signal when all TV broadcasts convert to digital high-definition in a few months. The box has a camera and microphone right up front there, as you can see.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ4iIM8Eljc

Tyler_JC, is this another instance (re: the Facebook datamining) where you don't care about how the corporations/government spy on your everyday life in your own home?

[Ludi]

My husband just took ours apart and there's no camera or microphone. He says the "microphone" is probably a capacitor (there's a slightly differently shaped object in that position in our box).

Our unit is a Philco.

[Jotapay]

Can you take a pic? This one is a Magnavox. The Magnavox lens definitely looks like a camera.

I'm going to take my Scientific American apart, I think. It's an actual DVR.

[Hermes]

This appears to be a hoax. The person who made the video is probably messing with people.

Please scroll through the comments at this link: http://www.infowars.com/camera-microphone-in-magnavox-digital-conversion-box/

Various people commented on the electronics and how it's unfeasible, and also opened up their boxes to NOT find the camera/microphone the video maker showed.

[Jotapay]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hermes', 'T')his appears to be a hoax. The person who made the video is probably messing with people.

[Jotapay]

Second pic. See clear circle in plastic fascia in front of camera.