This article is just saddening. Apparently Senator Joe Lieberman and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano are getting lobbyist money from the companies making the highly expensive strip-search scanners currently being sold and deployed in airports, because they seem to think these things might be necessary for rail and bus lines as well--nevermind that those kinds of delays would likely be a death blow to those industries in some places.

I can't think of any other reason to even be considering this in light of the kind of pushback they're receiving from the new electronic strip searches at airports. (Yes, I'm fully aware the fapping scanner operator story was a hoax, but it illustrates that this is a real problem if the very idea upsets people that greatly--call it what you like, but citizens are being strip searched, facilitated by technology.)

Sounds quite a bit to me like the manufacturers of the electronic strip search devices have decided to hedge their bets on future sales by trying to get inroads into other transportation systems.

The fix is in.

Now... just in case you needed a better example of how gloriously a system designed to give people something to do to avoid blame fails utterly when used in an attempt to provide security, we now have Adam Savage of MythBusters, who apparently violated the galloping thunderfuck out of their security cordon this week.

Wanding, patting down, and the strip search machine failed to notice the two FOOT LONG RAZOR BLADES HE WAS CARRYING.

So... If you think more onerous measures mean more security, well...

MYTH BUSTED!

More TSA failures

Well, if you needed a reason to get upset about the highly expensive (but thoroughly efficient) strip-search machines the TSA has deployed, look no further!.

Apparently travelers caught an employee at DEN fapping while operating the scanner. *facemelt*

The nerve of some people... couldn't he have just taken copies of the pictures home with him like everyone else does?

...and if you still think their system for mindlessly avoiding blame at all costs is working... check my next link.

The TSA's continued failure

Surveillance & Society

the fully peer-reviewed transdisciplinary online surveillance studies journal.

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Well, apparently someone recently got themselves a Dell and managed to damage it... no big news there, but when the guy got his replacement part in he noticed an odd cable going from the keyboard to elsewhere inside his notebook--which turned out to be a keystroke logger.

I don't know if this is a hoax or not, but if it's not, then Dell has got to answer for some serious issues about the sensibility of integrating a keystroke logger into people's notebooks without mentioning it. ...not that this information appears to be retrievably remotely (although it might be if the right software were part of the installation image), but that if someone's notebook gets stolen and it's got this inside it, no amount of careful choice of passwords or encrypted filesystem use is going to be able to protect their information from the thief.

Anyone out there gotten a new Dell recently and willing to open it up to take a peek? Now might be a good time to break out the lil' screwdrivers and double-sided tape and take a look-see...

Insanity. Just insanity.

Well, geez. Yesterday afternoon I got a visit from "The Man" about something that, since "I am not a criminal" (which I would tag with TM if Nixon hadn't already worn it into the ground) caught me utterly flatfooted and left me rather stunned. I've documented it on my LJ but the short of it is that for the immediate to short-term future I'm on "administrative leave" from work. At least I'm still being paid for staying away from the office so it doesn't screw up my financial planning (such that it is).

Hopefully this will blow over quickly and I can get back to doing productive things.

Yesterday's Nightmare