Slashdot Mirror
Olympics to Have Massive Surveillance Network
sharkdba writes "CNN has an article about Olympic digital security. This should be of interest to /. readers since it's a supposedly largest surveillance network ever. Thousands of cameras are combined with software (AI agents?) to look for anomalies. Also words are parsed (scan equivalent to OCR). I understand the idea that if you're in public expect no privacy, but even CNN says: 'Although the state's right to take all necessary measures that it deems necessary is recognized, there is fear that these measures will have a negative impact on basic human rights.'"
The same way the Atlanta Games did in 1996 -- massive advertising whore-out by the locals and abusive practices by the corrupt IOC. :)
Next question, please.
Ads, broadcast rights, cheap crap to sell to jerks aka souvenirs. Also, keep in mind that the boost to the local economy is far more then 500$ per seat. These people need to eat etc.
"Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
... half of the 5.3 million tickets are still unsold.
From the original article:
"The Olympic Games are accompanied with extended security measures that are unprecedented for Greece," six human rights groups said in a protest letter to Greek Parliament in July. "Although the state's right to take all necessary measures that it deems necessary is recognized, there is fear that these measures will have a negative impact on basic human rights."
From the slashdot article:
but even CNN says: 'Although the state's right to take all necessary measures that it deems necessary is recognized, there is fear that these measures will have a negative impact on basic human rights.'
It is not CNN saying these things, it is "six human rights groups" from Greece.
sig's not here
Ever watch basketball in the 20 years before the US started sending acknowledged professionals? US kids were playing ... foreign professionals. How about hockey? Notice that the Soviet Union team was made up of players from the Soviet Army?
Individual sports federations decide whether or not they allow "professionals" to compete. The definition of that word varies from sport to sport. The US had the opportunity in several sports before they ever decided to take advantage of it.
The idea of amateurs only was foisted by the British gentile society as a way to keep professional laborers from competing in the sports (no day laborers could wrestle for example, working rivermen could not compete in rowing, etc.)
I think A&E had a good story about the whole thing recently...
A snippet of some Olympic myths (I like the one about the wine...) http://www.archaeology.org/online/features/olympic s/games.html
Then we disagree on whether it will stop once their demands are met. I don't beleive it will, and I firmly believe history validates that. Why do I believe it won't happen?
1). The overwhelming majority of conflicts in the world involve Muslims against someone else. That cannot be said so firmly of any other religious identity.
2). Setting aside Turkey, there is no Muslim country even close to a functioning democracy and liberty. Even Turkey has "acheived" that so recently, it can hardly be considered stable. They aren't fighting for freedom to remove despotic regimes, but for setting up their own, a la Iran, and this is whether the fighters are Wahabbist (who consider Wahabbist Saudi to be too lax), Sunni, Sufi, or whatever.
3). Those terrorist actions of attacking the infidel are prescribed specifically in the Q'ran.
4). It is still the common practice in Muslim countries to rabidly persecute other religions, including the "people of the Book," Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians (the latter being by far the most tragic). Other religions in the world have moved away from that being the norm.
On the Christians, "starting" the Crusades, first it is specically the Roman Catholic Church. Neither the non-Chalcedonians nor the Eastern Orthodox sent troops. In fact, these were raped and plundered by the Crusaders.
Second, it was a response. Let's not forget the Arab invasions, where Spain was subjegated and which Charlemagne stopped in 732 at Poitiers, and they were attacking the very gates of Constantinople. Let's not forget also the slaves taken and forced into battle in the name of Allah to spread religion and empire. Then we have the second wave of attacks, that took a large portion of the Eastern Roman Empire's territory in the tenth century. If the destruction of Muslim holy sites is sufficient to warrant terrorism, what of the destruction of the Christians', because they did just that to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. What finally sparked the Crusades? The killing of Christian pilgrems on the way to holy sites.
This list of Muslim aggressions before the Crusades is not exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination. However, why is it that Christians initiated it, when Christians never took any religious military action before 1095? There are examples aplenty of Islamic. Christians were patient through three hundred years of said aggression and only initiated Crusades at the second wave of Muslims (Arabs first, then the Ottomans). All this, and the Arab waves nearly destroyed Europe. Saying Christians started it is just telling half the story, just like saying that Hindus began attacking Muslims is just telling half the story.
Considering the above facts, I think that my position is both justified and historical. Again, they aren't exhaustive, but they are sufficient. It will never end, even if we pull out.
If there will be any targets blown up they will be more then one and they will be blown up by friendly fire, not terrorists. Patriot missiles, with fire permit at sectors of civilian airspace including the approach sector for Athens airport and no IFF on all planes (not that it helped in the gulf). Nope, thank you. This will be one even I will definitely stay as far away from as I can.
That is besides the fact that the batteries were bought entirely as a result of drowning the relevant officials in bribes. Good advert for Raytheon. In fact perfect advert for Raytheon because with all the fleet and fighter jet deployment the Patriots can be simply turned off and used for advertisement only.
Actually, the fact that the Greeks have decided on using S300 for all sites that do not have navy and air cover (Thesaloniki and all other cities with out-of-Athens events) kind'a confirms my suspicion on this one.
It is the same with the rest of the surveilanse and security. About 10% of it is for real, the rest is an advert for arms companies. Same as on the Olympic stadium. It is all about advertising merchandise. Missiles instead of Cola and gunships instead of Gatorade. And that is for the even that was supposed to be a symbol of world piece. Fsck... Screw this Olympics. I am not even watching it...
Baker's Law: Misery no longer loves company. Nowadays it insists on it
http://www.sigsegv.cx/
repeat after me:
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11
Got that into your thick skull now?