Does Big Brother Prefer an aisle or window seat?

Posted: July 19, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Does Big Brother Prefer an aisle or window seat?

Just when you thought it was safe to board that airplane again,  a new restraint saves you from that odd looking seat mate.  Will it be some one who is some what middle eastern looking?  Is it some one who utters a prayer in an indistinguishable language before take off?  Will these security measures saves you from the next terrorist or will it be those security measures identifying you as the enemy?  What about the air flight attendant who thinks you look a bit odd?  Perhaps the navigator that thinks you look a little radical for his tastes? Maybe it’s just a flight attendant that is extremely tired of that screaming toddler in the seat next to yours?  Who will get control of this button?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/aviation-security/2008/Jul/01/

I hate to see this article labeled aviation security because it seems a lot more Orwellian to me.  The headline actually read:

Want some torture with your peanuts?

“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, Inc. website, the bracelet would be worn by all airline passengers (video also shown below).

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, 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 would shock the customer worse than an electronic dog collar if the passenger got out of line.

Clearly the Electronic ID Bracelet is a euphemism 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?

Apparently so.

According to this letter from DHS official, Paul S. Ruwaldt of the Science and Technology Directorate, office of Research and Development, which was written to the inventor whom he had previously met with, Ruwaldt 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, is from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security 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, “In addition, 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 this America?”

I’m quoting Fox News, so be very afraid.  Homeland Security thinks this is “interesting”.  These EMD bracelets seem way over the top to me. But, maybe I read 1984 too many times.  What do you think?

I don’t think it’s really yellow journalism.  That’s what really scares me. Are we tracking luggage here or giving  some sadist flight attendant a way to get a thrill or worse yet a device to punish the socially or religious unknown for first amendment protected behavior?  Perhaps this button’s use will be extended to not cleaning up after yourself in those nasty bathrooms or trying to join the mile high club!  Frankly, I could see it being used for children dragged on airplanes by parents who put them into situations that are age inappropriate.

Just exactly how far will folks allow their civil liberties to be destroyed in the hope that we can be saved from terrorism?  Or is this some one’s way of finding peace from all of those screaming children and ineffective parents that find their way onto airplanes?

Fasten your seltbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night

Posted: July 15, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: U.S. Economy | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Get rid of your variable rate loans quickly and hold on to your jobs. The Fed’s about to raise rates.  Bernanke and Paulson continue the tango to deal with the economy.  Today’s news brought a record, whopping exchange rate for the Euro against the dollar and at the moment the Dow Jones Average is down triple digits.  If I thought my morning coffee and blogging was going to be quiet, I was wrong.  What’s going on in the financial markets right now is to economists as Hurricane Katrina was to meteorologists.  This is as big as it gets.   So here’s the most interesting of all my MarketWatch updates this morning.

source:  http://www.marketwatch.com/   (This is site is affliated with the WSJ)

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – The potential for runaway price hikes is the top concern of Federal Reserve policymakers, according to testimony by Fed chairman Ben Bernanke and the accompanying report on the economic outlook of his colleagues on the central bank released Tuesday. FOMC members were more uncomfortable about the inflation outlook in June than they had been at any point in the year, according to the Fed’s monetary report to Congress. The Fed is worried that high oil prices, combined with the weak dollar, will increase business costs and prices. At the same time, it could make workers demand higher compensation because of the more expensive cost of living. As a result, most Fed members viewed the possibility that inflation could come in higher than expected in coming months.

I’ve been telling my students for months that interest rate drops were going to stop. I was rather suprised by the last one.  However, problems in the housing market were trumping the higher inflation rates indicated by the CPI and the Fed’s preferred measure the CPE.  Evidently, the Fed has decided that rising prices are more of a danger than a recession and have just announced in a big way there will be no more rate drops.  My guess is they will quietly and slowly start pulling money out of the economy.  Usually this is done with a series of open market sales of treasury bills by the fed.  As the increased demand for the bonds/bills drives bond prices down, it will drive interest rates up.

So this market watch bulletin was followed by two other ones pretty quickly.  One stated that GM was suspending dividends–something highly unusual for this type of stock.  Also, it is cutting 20% of salary costs to boost it’s liquidity.  This undoubtedly means either a hiring freeze or more layoffs.  It’s possible it could be elimination of bonuses or salary cuts.  Either way, it’s more bad news for the Michigan.

Then there was this next big of information.  Did i mention my email box was full of MarketWatches today?

June retail sales fizzle despite stimulus

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) – U.S. retail sales rose a disappointing 0.1% in June despite nearly $50 billion in stimulus checks for consumers, Commerce Department data released Tuesday revealed. Sales were boosted by higher prices for gasoline, food and other consumer goods. The figures are seasonally adjusted but are not adjusted for inflation. It was the weakest sales since February’s 0.2% decline. Sales in June were held back by the biggest drop in auto sales in more than two years. By contrast, sales at the malls and shopping centers were relatively healthy, stimulated by the tax rebate checks, Excluding the 3.3% drop in auto sales, sales rose 0.8%, the slowest in three months.   

That didn’t surprise me at all.  Rebates are usually the worst way to stimulate the economy.  Most of them wind up paying off already purchased items.  How many of you used the checks to pay down a credit card?

What continues to amaze me in all of this is the topics in political debate.  The candidates are not getting that it’s the economy stupid! Obama is giving a ‘major’ speech on Iraq.  McCain was out speaking to the Latino vote on immigration yesterday.  Somebody needs to put these two through some freshmen economics courses and quick!  Their lack of interest and knowledge is glaring and gives the appearance they really don’t care.  Economic news of this sort is becoming a daily event.    Their responses have been to send out their talking heads.  Let’s face it, their economic advisers doing their thing on CNN and Fox, is not the same as the candidates showing some grasp of the problems.  Frankly, I think they’re afraid of taking questions and looking ignorant.  Obama is only effective on the teleprompter and McCain when he talks off the cuff.  Any real dialogue would just emphasize their vacuity on the subject.

However, notice, there’s still a positive economic growth rate–just barely though.  This means the economy is stagnant but not in a recession.  This is probably one of the bits of evidence that made the FED switch to targeting inflation instead of worrying about a recession.  This continues the storyline I started a few days ago,  the economy is more stagnant than recessionary.  This definitely means we’re in for some sobering times.  It does NOT however, mean we’re headed towards the next great Depression so don’t start burying your savings in the back yard.  I would not, however, plan on selling your home anytime soon or trying to finance anything major. Just pull in and ride it out.
If you’re one of those folks driving those huge SUVs or trucks, you might try using it as a planter or perhaps an extra bedroom, because frankly, you’re not going to be able to sell it or drive it around cheaply.   Get ready for the drama folks.