Musings, perspectives, rants

I've read a fair bit about this technology and can see the benefits but the disadvantages seem to outweigh them the more I read about it.  For anyone who doesn't know what RFID is - it's Radio Frequency Identification - those little electronic tags on so many products (including library books in many places).  While it's useful, particularly in stocktaking, etc, I think it is too dangerous in today's paranoid world.  The powers that be would use it (and intend to use it) to the detriment of everyone's right to privacy. 

This link gives examples of what hackers can do and it's quite a frightening concept.  General awareness is definitely lacking.  Very few are aware of the dangers of such a technology.

Naturally the EFF are concerned about the threat to privacy and freedom.  Their excellent site is here.

I'm no longer as supportive of its use in libraries for example.  Too risky until security is safeguarded.

A very good book on the subject is "RFID, Applications, Security and Privacy" edited by Simson Garfinkel and Beth Rosenberg (2006, Pearson Education).

A good article here about the dubious reasons for nuking Iran.  There needs to be more debate - why are people again accepting the lies of the US government as justification for an unprovoked attack on yet another country?

I often read about support for US soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere - how all Americans should support them regardless of the reasons they're there.  Some of them may well be ignorant of the reasons and believe they're doing right.  But what about the others?  What about those who indulge in torture, rape, murder and think nothing of it?  An excerpt from a book "10 excellent reasons not to join the military" illustrates that racism, sexism and the rest is as rife in the military (if not more so) as it is in everyday American life.  Why do Americans believe they're so superior?

Here's the excerpt:

An Excellent Reason Not To Join The Military

All the blurb about US values of freedom, equality, etc etc is utter bullshit.  The only freedom Bush is interested in is the freedom of multinational (American) corporations to spread their control of world economies.

Mood: furious

The New Zealand secret service are keeping an eye on students in university labs to see if they're what, concocting bombs and weapons of mass destruction?  Perhaps that's not a bad idea to blow up parliament and all the idiots within.  It's reached ludicrous proportions.  Read about this stupidity here:

Terrorist alert in universities

"Government spies and other officials are trying to educate the heads of New Zealand universities to beware of potential terrorists in their midst.....Though there was no specific intelligence to indicate any threat, they were needed to stop New Zealand universities training students to develop weapons of mass destruction, he (Disarmament Minister Phil Goff) said. " 

Disarmament Minister?  This is New Zealand we're talking about - a paltry little country of 4 million people who generally don't give a shit about the rest of the world - the attitudes of "I'm alright, Jack" and "she'll be right, mate".   Disarmament???  The NZ army is pathetic.  We have no nuclear weapons.  Why the fuck do we need a "Disarmament Minister"?  And do they seriously believe some lecturer is going to train students to make weapons of "mass destruction".  I'm sure there's more likelihood in training people in mass stupidity.

This fear-mongering has gone way beyond the bounds of reason.  The whole war against terror thing is total bullshit, made up by the yanks to justify all their illegal and imperialist actions.

In hearing about this story I was told that some New Zealand university academics have been spoken to by the FBI for things they've said.  I get so angry at the US interfering in every single aspect of people's lives all over the world.  We are not permitted to think independently, to disagree with the outrages of the US government.  I'm sure they'd like all independent thinkers locked up or otherwise silenced.  Freedom of speech is a thing of the past.

Great news article here about a 9/11 investigation from Venezuela.  Seems no-one in the States is going to do a truly objective investigation so this is heartening news.