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Olympic Tickets Contain Microchip With Your Data

OMNIpotusCOM writes "Tickets to the Olympic opening and closing ceremonies will contain a microchip with information about the ticket holder, including a photograph, passport details, addresses, e-mail, and telephone numbers. The stated intent is to keep troublemakers out of the 91,000-seat National Stadium so that they cannot cause disruptions while China is on world-wide television, but it brings up serious concerns for privacy and identity theft."

254 comments

  1. Well That's It by camperdave · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, that's it then. I'm not going.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    1. Re:Well That's It by dreddnott · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yeah, I was so going before this news came out. Totally unlike the PRC!

      --
      I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.
    2. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      For those of you who still plan on attending: If you do happen to be seated next to a trouble maker, run like hell cause he's about to get a tank dropped on him. Ker-Splat!

    3. Re:Well That's It by NoobixCube · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What's totally unlike the PRC is that we've heard about it.

      --
      Admit it. You post strawman arguments as AC so you get modded Insightful for refuting them, rather than Troll
    4. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Mom? Is that you? If so, do I get a discount?

    5. Re:Well That's It by Agent__Smith · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      Hey man, this is CHINA we are taliking about... They would NEVER EVER EVER do anything untoward or untrustworthy with that information... They CARE about people as individuals and are bulwarks of integrity when it comes to things like this...

      What could you POSSIBLY be concerned about?!?
      (cough)Tienamen Square(cough)

      --
      "It seems that we are at the age where life stops giving us things, and starts taking them away..." Indiana Jones
    6. Re:Well That's It by Mikail · · Score: 1

      You must be with that vaudeville troupe I keep hearing about, The Aristocrats.

      --
      If life is a waste of time and time is a waste of life, let's all get wasted and have the time of our lives.
    7. Re:Well That's It by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      You know the sad thing about the Aristocrats? If you told that joke now, no one would bat an eyelid because they read much more obnoxious stuff ten times a day on the internet. We have truly lost something as a culture, the idea of taboos that are shocking when you even talking about breaking them. Even if you actually broke them, you'd get locked up and people would start joking about it on the internet in a couple of days. There wouldn't be any lasting shock.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    8. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just draw a caricature of Mohammad and publish it in a few newspapers.

    9. Re:Well That's It by Porsche917K · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Sod the PRC. If it's been done once, I'd bet good money on exactly the same system being used in London in 2012, too.

      Yay.

    10. Re:Well That's It by kurt555gs · · Score: 1

      This really does give a new meaning to "Papers Please" (with a German accent)

      --
      * Carthago Delenda Est *
    11. Re:Well That's It by CmdrGravy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Actually I think the Government has some sort of wet dream of using the Olympics to roll out some of it's identity card nonsense so expect it to much worse than anything China is currently planning.

    12. Re:Well That's It by BananaPeel · · Score: 3, Informative
      Yep definately.

      Just go to the 2012 event

      After all in 2012 in the UK you'll have:

      Tracking technology is being developed that can enable a spectator to be tracked from the venue to his or her home with the tickets, what Assistant Commissioner Ghaffur calls "end-to-end tracking of tickets". http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7340174.stm

      I am sure that can't be abused
    13. Re:Well That's It by maxume · · Score: 1

      Chinese security officers speaking in a German accident would give a whole new meaning to the last 50 years of history.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
    14. Re:Well That's It by mdwh2 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      If it's been done once, I'd bet good money on exactly the same system being used in London in 2012, too.

      Exactly the same? No, no - whatever China do to invade individual privacy, you can be sure that the UK Government plan to outdo them ;)

      As an added bonus, all of the microchipped tickets will be lost in the post.

    15. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      It depends on who wins the next election. The only major political party to support the UKID scheme is the Labour party. Even the Tories think it's too much of an imposition; they rejected a nation wide scheme back when our terrorists were both better funded and reasonably effective.

      As long our glorious leader continues with his plan to alienate every voter that isn't employed by the Civil Service, there's still hope that the whole thing will be dropped. It's just a shame that we're reliant on the Conservatives to act as the bastions of liberty.

    16. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hey man, this is CHINA we are taliking about... They would NEVER EVER EVER do anything untoward or untrustworthy with that information...

      Yeah. As usual, they're just doing a cheap imitation of something that the US does far better. However, their costs are undoubtedly lower, so the US will probably eventually outsource spying on its own citizens to China.

      They CARE about people as individuals and are bulwarks of integrity when it comes to things like this...
      What could you POSSIBLY be concerned about?!?
      (cough)Tienamen Square(cough)


      (cough)Iraq(cough)

    17. Re:Well That's It by GIS.thrills · · Score: 1

      twice I will have skipped the 1984 Olympics

    18. Re:Well That's It by Gilmoure · · Score: 1

      Ya'll have a Civil Servant party?

      We have a pigs-at-the-trough party. I wasn't invited.

      --
      I drank what? -- Socrates
    19. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      when our terrorists were both better funded and reasonably effective.

      Though less insane - the (american-funded) irish would never suicide-bomb (except by accidental premature detonation), they targetted infrastructure, their goal being to cause maximal economic disruption. They usually telephoned warnings several hours in advance to people give time to evacuate. The largest single successful Irish attack, the one that erased a large chunk of manchester city centre, had no fatalities, just caused huge financial damage to british interests (immediate property damage estimated at over 400 million british pounds, rebuild cost well over a billion in the end, but the british rebuilt it better than it was). The attempted destruction of london bridge was a similar idea, though the bomb didn't detonate. The irish goal was to make britain holding on to northern ireland unprofitable, the irish have never had some insane crusade/jihad to kill as many "infidel" british as possible.

    20. Re:Well That's It by ihatewinXP · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Well I have been inside the birds nest for three events now and here are my experiences:

      1st time - walked right through security. Got the magic wand treatment - they didnt take my lighter - kosher like Christmas

      2nd time - Might as well have been going through a gestapo checkpoint. Literally took me five minutes of taking my entire wardrobe apart, checking my iphone, and harassing me to my obvious annoyance before I got through

      3rd time - (Two nights ago) I beeped going through the metal detector - she gave me the magic wand (quite courteously) and waved me through (lighter still in my pocket)

      The place is absolutely gorgeous, China will have it together and seems to be finding a middle ground to handle the huge influx they will be faced with.

      --
      ---- The real Slashdot is still here. You just have to browse at -1 to read the comments.
    21. Re:Well That's It by Agent__Smith · · Score: 1

      Hey man, this is CHINA we are taliking about... They would NEVER EVER EVER do anything untoward or untrustworthy with that information...

      Yeah. As usual, they're just doing a cheap imitation of something that the US does far better. However, their costs are undoubtedly lower, so the US will probably eventually outsource spying on its own citizens to China.

      They CARE about people as individuals and are bulwarks of integrity when it comes to things like this...
      What could you POSSIBLY be concerned about?!?
      (cough)Tienamen Square(cough)

      (cough)Iraq(cough)

      (COUGH) you are a douche (COUGH)

      --
      "It seems that we are at the age where life stops giving us things, and starts taking them away..." Indiana Jones
    22. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Who needs tickets. You will be microchipped!

    23. Re:Well That's It by BananaPeel · · Score: 1

      (Cough)de Menezes (cough) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Charles_de_Menezes
      (cough) Abu Ghraib(cough) http://www.channel4.com/news/microsites/T/torture/index.html
      (cough) Guantanamo (cough)

    24. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      (COUGH) you are a douche (COUGH)

      Ah yes, the trusty ad hominem attack - the pathetic last resort of someone on the losing side of a debate with no valid counter-point to present.

    25. Re:Well That's It by You+ain't+seen+me! · · Score: 1

      It depends on who wins the next election. As the contract for the UKID scheme was handed out to CSC, EDS, Fujitsu, IBM, and Thales last week (though it didn't seem to hit the main news), I guess the green light has already been given to go ahead with it. UKID contract
    26. Re:Well That's It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      (Cough)de Menezes (cough) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Charles_de_Menezes [wikipedia.org]
      (cough) Abu Ghraib(cough) http://www.channel4.com/news/microsites/T/torture/index.html [channel4.com]
      (cough) Guantanamo (cough)

      (COUGH)you suck the sweat off a dead man's balls(COUGH)

    27. Re:Well That's It by Agent__Smith · · Score: 0

      (COUGH) you are a douche (COUGH)

      Ah yes, the trusty ad hominem attack - the pathetic last resort of someone on the losing side of a debate with no valid counter-point to present. I refuse to debate an anonymous coward, and you are a douche.

      If you are going to comment, have the stones to put your name to it. If not, get bent you liberal coward.
      --
      "It seems that we are at the age where life stops giving us things, and starts taking them away..." Indiana Jones
  2. Oh the irony. by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Insightful

    .. it brings up serious concerns for privacy and identity theft. Coming from a nation that brings up serious concerns for pretty much every other human right I can think of, this comes as no surprise.
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    1. Re:Oh the irony. by Brian+Gordon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      How is this irony? How can you possibly go to China and not expect these sort of massive privacy/rights violations?

    2. Re:Oh the irony. by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Insightful

      ow can you possibly go to China and not expect these sort of massive privacy/rights violations? Because for a second people might be thinking China might at least try to be nice for a change, at least to foreigners with whom they might want to do business.
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    3. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Anyone who thinks that hasn't paid any attention to China for decades.

    4. Re:Oh the irony. by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 1

      But which nation are you referring to, China or the US/UK? I kid, I kid,

      ...but other govermnents already know a "good idea" when they see it. People are still trying to develop and legalize ubiquitous, biometric ID schemes. Imagine having to carry your biometric passport with you everywhere you go because it's required to board a domestic flight or to go to a rock concert. Ze paperz pleez.

    5. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the question still remains, how is that irony?

    6. Re:Oh the irony. by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Informative

      And the question still remains, how is that irony? There is an incongruity or discordance between what a speaker or a writer says and what he or she means. China is touting itself as a country that is reforming and ever more foreigner-friendly, yet this is what happens. Ok, it's not surprising, but it's still ironic. That good enough for you?
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    7. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      well, it's kinda like rain on your wedding day...

    8. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Coming from a nation that brings up serious concerns for pretty much every other human right I can think of, this comes as no surprise.

      You're speaking of the US, I assume.

      Once the motherfucker Bush decided the Constitution was nothing but asswipe, we haven't been a hell of a lot better. Rendition, black prisons, Guantanamo and other places filled with people picked up on the word of neighbors looking to settle a score, the bastard commander-in-thief attempting to collapse the three Constitutionally-defined branches into one person -- himself, lying the nation into an unjust and immoral war, and on and on. We're no better than the bastard butchers of Beijing. Fuck the son of a bitch to the lowest, hottest pit of hell.

    9. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Coming from a nation that brings up serious concerns for pretty much every other human right I can think of, this comes as no surprise.

      Do you have any fucking idea how many pieces of information per individual the US demands of all incoming flights to the US? And our crazy-ass, grasping, bastard government requires this even about a passenger flying across US airspace, even if the plane does not land in the US. This includes all people commuting between Mexico or Central/South America and Canada.

      What the fuck do these pricks think is going to happen -- a plane will crash on US soil(ed) and a shitload of surviving terrorists will scatter to the winds?

      It's nothing but total, rabid, fucking paranoia. And the US government wants us all to join in -- so long as it doesn't interfere with our shopping -- mostly for shit from China or other slave-labor countries.

    10. Re:Oh the irony. by Dahan · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Do you have any fucking idea how many pieces of information per individual the US demands of all incoming flights to the US? Yeah, 12:
      1. Family Name
      2. First Name
      3. Date of Birth
      4. Country of Citizenship
      5. Sex (Male or Female)
      6. Passport Number
      7. Airline and Flight Number (if applicable)
      8. Country Where You Live -- Lawful Permanent Residence
      9. City Where You Boarded (if applicable)
      10. City Where Visa was Issued (if applicable)
      11. Date Issued (Day/Mo/Yr) (if applicable)
      12. Address While in the United States
      Seems identical to the info the other countries I've been to require.

      And our crazy-ass, grasping, bastard government requires this even about a passenger flying across US airspace, even if the plane does not land in the US.

      Sounds like you're referring to the Secure Flight program, which 1) was never fully in effect; 2) has been suspended until at least 2010, and naturally is getting a lot of resistance from Canada and Mexico; and 3) requires that the airlines send TSA the Passenger Name Record information--much less info than what's on the I-94.

      While I do think that Secure Flight is pointless and bad, I see absolutely nothing wrong with the info the US requires for people who are actually entering the country. In any case, you should learn more about the things you rant about.

    11. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The same thing was at Soccer World Cup (Germany 2006).

    12. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But this isn't a difference between what they're saying and what they mean.

      It's a difference between what they're saying and what they're doing. So, hypocrisy would be a better fit. Or simply deception.

    13. Re:Oh the irony. by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      I keep trying to add Morisettian irony to the wiki page but ironically people keep taking it down.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    14. Re:Oh the irony. by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

      Rendition, black prisons Isn't it supposed to be coloured prisons?

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    15. Re:Oh the irony. by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      But this isn't a difference between what they're saying and what they mean. Yes it is. Well, it's a difference between what the words they say mean and what they are doing and what that means to those who whom they are doing those things. Or something. Anyway how do you know what anyone means by anything anyway? I better go. The boss is coming.
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    16. Re:Oh the irony. by houghi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Indeed. Compare that to the USofA where they are very clear that you are not welcome and that they will do anything to make you feel unwelcome. They also will force other countries to do the same.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    17. Re:Oh the irony. by sydneyfong · · Score: 1

      They *are* "more" foreigner friendly. About two decades ago they used to require visitors to surrender their passports for the duration of their stay or something.

      Not that they're "nice" to foreigners these days, but it's not exactly wrong to say that they have "improved" a bit...

      --
      Don't quote me on this.
    18. Re:Oh the irony. by sydneyfong · · Score: 1

      When you live in a place where censorship is the norm, and EVERYBODY (not only the government... everybody) is organized in a top-down, authoritarian manner, their definition of "nice" may not be the same as yours.

      I could perfectly believe that most Chinese officials in charge of the Olympics thought that they were doing their "nicest"... it's just that their "nice" isn't the same as the "nice" commonly accepted around the world.

      --
      Don't quote me on this.
    19. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Heil Fußball!

    20. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I keep trying to add Morisettian irony to the wiki page but ironically people keep taking it down. The only thing ironic about that song is that it's called "Ironic" but doesn't contain any irony.

      Canada sucks.
    21. Re:Oh the irony. by BananaPeel · · Score: 1

      I suggest you read this and see what the Uk is planning

      http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7340174.stm [bbc.co.uk]

      I don't see this as being any different

    22. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      12 pieces of information, yeah, and the rest you left off (which they don't ask clueless passengers), and IS being sent every flight to the US from kiss-ass lily-livered European politicians.

      What business is it of border control to know your credit card details, if you prefer a windows seat or not (so you don't throw up on the journey), steal your laptop computer for industrial secrets to give your country a competitive edge, and now reportedly considering if you have any "illegal" MP3's (are they going to go to your home to see your CD / record collection as proof of legitimacy or are only iTunes purchases "legit")?

      I gave up flying when moron governments turned it from enjoyment into worse than a chore. Oh well, your loss of my tourist money, which I hear the US tourist industry are now starting to squeal over the losses.

    23. Re:Oh the irony. by sdsucks · · Score: 1

      As someone who just returned from China - China *is* quite foreigner friendly. Sure they keep their eye on the foreigners but they hardly made it a bad place to visit. All the BS on SD about China is really just that - BS.

    24. Re:Oh the irony. by Gilmoure · · Score: 1

      People aren't people. People are cash units, just there to increase Chinese influence throughout the world.

      --
      I drank what? -- Socrates
    25. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bear in mind that it's the stated intention of the bloke in charge of security for the London olympics in 2012 to be able to track every ticket holder from when they arrive in London to when they leave.

      So, I can't cite I'm afraid, but I'm pretty sure I heard that in an interview with him...

    26. Re:Oh the irony. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Indeed. Compare that to the USofA where they are very clear that you are not welcome and that they will do anything to make you feel unwelcome. They also will force other countries to do the same. What, did you think you were our overlords, or something?
    27. Re:Oh the irony. by Lost+Race · · Score: 1

      There isn't any irony; the commenter was being ironic. Get it? Maybe it would help if you imagine, "Oh the irony," being said in a very sarcastic voice. Clearer now?

  3. Scalpers? by mrbluze · · Score: 5, Funny

    Chinese authorities initially considered tying all 6.8 million tickets to individuals .. and then it says..

    The plan [tried once in Germany] was aimed at deterring scalpers... Why don't they just attach them to people's scalps. Scalpers can then go about their business in the traditional fashion, possibly as was once practiced at the original Olympics thousands of years ago.
    --
    Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    1. Re:Scalpers? by OMNIpotusCOM · · Score: 1

      They were going to suggest this, but everyone feels bad enough for what happened in Munich that they didn't want to use the term scalper and Germany in the same sentence. They were close to Godwin'ing themselves anyway, just leave them alone already! =)

    2. Re:Scalpers? by mrbluze · · Score: 1

      They were close to Godwin'ing themselves anyway, just leave them alone already! =) What, we shouldn't give China a gold-star award?
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    3. Re:Scalpers? by OMNIpotusCOM · · Score: 1

      What is it with you and the German references today? No, we're not giving anyone else gold stars!

    4. Re:Scalpers? by lgw · · Score: 1

      For real! Gold start are sooo 20th century. First nation to mbed RFID chips in its people wins a prize!

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    5. Re:Scalpers? by maxume · · Score: 1

      That's not very fair to the larger nations. More people will take longer.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  4. Just wait this is only the first by arthurpaliden · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually the real scarry thing is that if it works there then we are sure to see it used in other venues where security is a consern such as the World Cup (Soccer).

    1. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Vectronic · · Score: 1

      Indeed, its not so much this act unto itself, but the consequences of it, especially if successful (whatever that may mean).

      I wouldnt be surprised if it didnt trickle down to even the major games in Footbal, Soccer, Baseball etc...

      My immediate reaction was "how bad do they expect it to be"... I can understand name, passport info, and picture (although shouldnt any non-citizens already have their passport which contains all this info?), But telephone number and street address etc? are they expecting some giant explosion and will need to identify and ship back body parts?...[/conspiracy_theory]

    2. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Actually the real scarry thing is that if it works there then we are sure to see it used in other venues where security is a consern such as the World Cup (Soccer). So... stop buying tickets?
    3. Re:Just wait this is only the first by iminplaya · · Score: 3, Funny

      I wouldnt be surprised if it didnt trickle down to even the major games in Footbal, Soccer, Baseball etc...

      It will trickle down much further than that. Soon you will need one of these cards to unlock the door to your house... from the inside.

      --
      What?
    4. Re:Just wait this is only the first by JCSoRocks · · Score: 1, Funny

      If security were *really* a concern at soccer games they wouldn't let *anyone* in. Those soccer hooligans are fierce!!

      --
      You are using English. Please learn the difference between loose and lose; they're, there, and their; your and you're.
    5. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually the real scarry thing is that if it works there...

      Define "works". That's so wide open to interpretation that you're definitely going to see it elsewhere, everywhere.
    6. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Vectronic · · Score: 1

      What? you mean think further ahead than tomorrow? unpossible!

    7. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Marillion · · Score: 4, Informative

      They already did .... http://www.pcworld.com/ and http://networks.silicon.com/

      Counterfeiting was the public reasoning for the RFID chips in the 2006 World Cup tickets.

      --
      This is a boring sig
    8. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Splab · · Score: 2, Informative

      They are already planning on introducing it to soccer games (not passport information though) for purpose of tracking violent fans in Denmark.

    9. Re:Just wait this is only the first by mocm · · Score: 1

      They already did that for the last world cup.
      You had to register for your ticket and you could not give it away. So they could check if you are the person that ordered the ticket. I don't remember if they already had a chip in the ticket, but when you can check the serial number against a database, you really don't need a chip.

      --
      ***Quis custodiet ipsos custodes***
    10. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Mark+Trade · · Score: 1

      Right. Or passports. Oh, wait. They're already doing that.

    11. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      It's not the first. It was done at the World Cup in Germany two years ago. Pictures weren't included, but personal information (name and passport number at least) was stored on chips in the tickets.

      I for one am less concerned about the human rights of the visitors who have enough money to fly halfway around the world to visit the Olympics than I am about the other human rights abuses China undertakes with its own citizens.

    12. Re:Just wait this is only the first by teh+kurisu · · Score: 1

      I may be wrong, but I'm sure this has actually happened before. I've been Googling frantically and turned up nothing though.

    13. Re:Just wait this is only the first by CmdrGravy · · Score: 1

      There have been a fair few football matches in the past where either one of both sets of fans have been banned from the stadium.

    14. Re:Just wait this is only the first by sdpuppy · · Score: 1
      But telephone number and street address etc

      How else are they going to put your information on junk mail lists and sell them?

      [What no e-mail addresses????]

      :-)

    15. Re:Just wait this is only the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      ... other venues where security is a concern such as the World Cup (Soccer).

      And Disneyland. And your neighborhood soccer field. For the love of Christ, can't you see all those children on the fields, surrounded by bleachers full of slavering pederasts?

  5. I don't see the problem by Phantombrain · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't see the problem with this. It's not like China has ever has taken advantage of technology to control people there. There aren't any stories of people being arrested just for disagreeing with the government. There aren't any human rights issues in China.

    --
    echo YOUR_OPINION > /dev/null
  6. Tibet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    >> so that they cannot cause disruptions while China is on world-wide television

    So much for free Tibet... with every purchase.

  7. cruise by overcaffein8d · · Score: 4, Interesting

    i went on a cruise and having photos seems quite regular for regulating getting on and off the boat. i can understand China's point of view of trying to keep out bad people. though it raises moral concerns, don't forget that there's a big chance for terrorism--especially with the protests to china. i'm not saying that it's a good thing; i'm just playing the devil's advocate-- i don't want big brother either, unless it's in the hands that i voted for.

    --
    Those of us who think they know everything annoy those of us who do.
    1. Re:cruise by geekoid · · Score: 2, Insightful

      explain how having personal information would prevent any trouble makers, or terrorists?

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:cruise by Pascal+Sartoretti · · Score: 2, Insightful

      i can understand China's point of view of trying to keep out bad people

      Sorry, for me the chinese government are the bad people.

    3. Re:cruise by aussie_a · · Score: 2, Insightful

      In China someone is a terrorist if they believe in free speech and decent wages.

    4. Re:cruise by trytoguess · · Score: 1

      In theory it'll make it easier to ID people if they cause a scene during the games. If someone causes a scene and gets away, instead of trying to ID their face without any leads (execept he/she looked like ethnicity x) they can just search the Olympic database. Course it does nothing for basic terrorism where one acts quickly w/o caring about the consequences, but China doesn't have much trouble in that area.

  8. OMG by iminplaya · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ticketmaster China

    --
    What?
    1. Re:OMG by thewils · · Score: 1

      They say "Jesus saves", but Moses invests!

      --
      Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
  9. Call me a skeptic, but by Prisoner's+Dilemma · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Call me a skeptic, but I don't see how having my email address embedded in a ticket would keep out troublemakers.

    Maybe they feel there's a correlation between someone who doesn't want to share personal information and troublemaker.

    1. Re:Call me a skeptic, but by OMNIpotusCOM · · Score: 3, Funny

      Cause disruption, get junkmail. Lots... of junkmail.

    2. Re:Call me a skeptic, but by Chuck+Chunder · · Score: 4, Funny

      Indeed, any male streakers should expect a torrent of penis enlargement emails.

      --
      Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
    3. Re:Call me a skeptic, but by Yvan256 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Won't work. My ISP blocks torrents.

  10. Inevitable by jasonmanley · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Look guys, certain things are inevitable. They will eventually clone a human - somewhere in the world - regardless of laws. We will eventually have computer chips embedded under our skin - it will start with a way to track children, then a way to expedite purchases, then a way to hold critical medical info and so on. And so on and so on ... All we can do is educate ourselves, stay informed and be alert.

    --
    http://projectleader.wordpress.com
    1. Re:Inevitable by mrbluze · · Score: 4, Insightful

      So, while the natives are doing their sacrificial dance around the flame and we sit in the big cauldron, we should remain informed and alert, fully aware of what's happening as the hairy guy in the funny hat puts the flaming torch at the base and we start enjoying a terminal hot bath, knowing full well that Tarzan will come and save us?

      Life's no Hollywood movie. People DO get boiled in cauldrons and we ARE screwed unless we act. Being alert and informed isn't enough.

      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    2. Re:Inevitable by MsGeek · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Look guys, certain things are inevitable.

      I don't buy this.

      They will eventually clone a human - somewhere in the world - regardless of laws.

      Arguably this has already taken place. If you mean clone a human and implant the clone in a human womb, or else have some sort of artificial womb technology to bring the cloned embryo to term...that may take a while.

      We will eventually have computer chips embedded under our skin - it will start with a way to track children, then a way to expedite purchases, then a way to hold critical medical info and so on.

      Do this in the US and you will have a million zillion Christians up in arms. Literally. The "Left Behind" book series was a huge-ass bestseller in a country where most people don't read if they don't have to. This might happen elsewhere, like the PRC, Vladimir Putin's Russian Federation, Japan...in fact, my prediction is that it will happen first in Japan and it will be promoted as a youth trend. It will never happen in the US. It will probably not happen in Alberta, Canada. It will probably not happen in certain Central and South American countries. It will probably not happen in South Korea, which is almost as Christian-centric as the US is.

      Nothing is inevitable except death and taxes. Period.

      --
      Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
    3. Re:Inevitable by phantomfive · · Score: 1

      Look kid, to paraphrase someone who may or may not have liked to be paraphrased this way, they can embed computer chips into my body when they can pry my permission OUT OF MY COLD DEAD HANDS.

      Amen.

      --
      Qxe4
    4. Re:Inevitable by networkzombie · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There is a huge difference between voluntary and mandatory. This is the Union. You're thinking of Britain. Try that mandatory shit here and hundreds of Michigan militias, California cults, and Utah polygamists will forcibly remove every senator and congressmen and throw them into the Boston Harbor. It will be the Boston RFID Rave of the century. China can do what it wants... for now.

    5. Re:Inevitable by BiggerIsBetter · · Score: 1

      All we can do is educate ourselves, stay informed and be alert. And fight it.
      --
      Forget thrust, drag, lift and weight. Airplanes fly because of money.
    6. Re:Inevitable by pandrijeczko · · Score: 2, Funny
      They will eventually clone a human

      It's already been done - just look in the popular music charts.

      --
      Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
    7. Re:Inevitable by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Yeah, that's why they will boild the frog.

      Start by putting them in phones. once all hthe old naysayers drop off, give the option of implanting them, since your shone is implanted anyways...

      I wonder where the best place to implant a phone..of yeah, back of the wrist.

      Of course, all that is just crap, and I wouldn't mind being chipped if we had guarantee of freedoms~

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    8. Re:Inevitable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As someone living in Japan the only way they will get implanted chips is when the chips contain cell phones. Right now they just link everything to your cell phone and, with the proper setup, you can ride the train, make purchases, etc with your phone. Furthermore when children pass through a train station the parents can be automatically notified or they can just track their children by the location of the cell phone.

      For medical uses it is another story though. The national health insurance of Japan could make it a policy then everyone would have to get a chip. The problem with this is that most medical visits are for what Americans consider to be minor things. For example, if you have a cold you goto the local clinic and the doctor prescribes you cold medicine, over the counter medicine is not really popular or available here. This means that there are thousands upon thousands of small clinics that the government would have to upgrade for the chips, which is not economically feasible at this time.

      Personally I think the UK will be the first with chips in everyone to go along with their CCTV networks and such.

    9. Re:Inevitable by Ravon+Rodriguez · · Score: 1

      Nothing is inevitable except death and taxes. Period. I don't pay taxes, and I don't plan on dying.
      --
      Jesus loves me, he loves me a bunch, because he always puts Jiffy in my lunch.
    10. Re:Inevitable by Ihmhi · · Score: 1

      That doesn't sound nearly as awesome unless you're talking about guns. In Charlton Heston's voice. And you're Charlton Heston.

    11. Re:Inevitable by aussie_a · · Score: 2, Insightful

      we ARE screwed unless we act So what are you doing besides posting on the interfrets?
    12. Re:Inevitable by macshit · · Score: 1

      It will probably not happen in South Korea, which is almost as Christian-centric as the US is.

      The U.S. is overwhelmingly Christian, whereas South Korea is more or less evenly split between Buddhists and Christians (and probably more "non-believers" than either of those groups).

      --
      We live, as we dream -- alone....
    13. Re:Inevitable by Patrik_AKA_RedX · · Score: 1

      Chief! We've found that guy that somehow did not receive his Happy-fun-chip. We've already dispatch a chipper to his place.

    14. Re:Inevitable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I don't know what he's doing, but I'm doing your mom.

    15. Re:Inevitable by CompMD · · Score: 1

      That's right. Be alert, informed, and live in a state where any citizen can have class 3 weaponry.

    16. Re:Inevitable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You guys are soooo out of date...human implants of RFID chips is an already 'been there, done that' routine:

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFID#Human_implants
      http://wistechnology.com/articles/2044/
      http://www.rfidgazette.org/2004/06/rfid_101.html

      Etc., etc., et cetera...

    17. Re:Inevitable by IronChef · · Score: 1

      ... in a country where most people don't read if they don't have to.

      That is a serious accusation. Do you have proof?

    18. Re:Inevitable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Yeah, but it involves reading, so never mind.

  11. would this be unreasonable for a business? by VoidEngineer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Going on the premise that China is the worlds first mature fascist government, would these tickets be considered unreasonable if the Olympics were being sponsored by a corporation? What if ExxonMobil hosted the Olympics? Or Walmart? Or HSBC? Or General Electric? If any of these companies hosted a sporting event, would it be unreasonable for them, as a business, to track this data within the tickets? My thinking is that China is simply becoming more of a corporate entity than a nation (albeit, a corporation with a billion employees). It seems like these tickets reflect that concept. Agree? Disagree?

    1. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Going on the premise that China is the worlds first mature fascist government,"

      And the others were only immature fascists?

      I

    2. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by Bonobo_Unknown · · Score: 1

      The Olympics has already been sponsored by a fascist government... 1936. I tend to agree with your sentiment though... China the worst of totalitarianism and corporatism in the same bucket.

      --
      We don't believe in radical loony monotheistic religions from the middle east -- we're Christians.
    3. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by Ravon+Rodriguez · · Score: 2, Funny

      Disagree, unless China plans on cold calling me during dinner.

      --
      Jesus loves me, he loves me a bunch, because he always puts Jiffy in my lunch.
    4. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      America was the first mature fascist government. Abusing its citizens for the color of their skin; controlling the media; invading soveriegn nations to impose their will...

    5. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by syousef · · Score: 1

      Going on the premise that China is the worlds first mature fascist government, would these tickets be considered unreasonable if the Olympics were being sponsored by a corporation? What if ExxonMobil hosted the Olympics?

      Let me get this straight. You're on slashdot asking if Walmart was selling something, and attaching electronic passport (and other sensitive) information on it, whether we'd consider it unreasonable??? Your /. Id's not that high. Where have you been? Are you even writing that with a straight face???

      --
      These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    6. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's time for it to be sponsored by the Mekon of Venus now...

    7. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      well, there are lots of corporation apologets on slashdot nowadays. they often earnestly think that corporations are benevolent and may do as they wish and at the same time they fear the governmental power.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    8. Re:would this be unreasonable for a business? by clam666 · · Score: 1

      Foreign ticket holders will most likely be people of wealth/influence compared to the general population; Guojia Anquan Bu will collate and data mine all the information for likely targets for intelligence gathering.

      Having comprehensive preliminary data on ticket holders will allow agents to be assigned to high-value individuals, either for passive intelligence gathering, such as profiling for future contact, economic franchising (here's what China can do for your organization), or more active measures (finding those with weaknesses or proclivities that could be later exploited for blackmail/extortion, such as having them approached by prostitutes, etc.).

      --
      I'm a satanic clam.
  12. Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by Attaturk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The stated intent is to keep troublemakers out of the 91,000-seat National Statdium so that they cannot cause disruptions while China is on world-wide television, but it brings up serious concerns for privacy and identity theft.

    I'd say it also brings up pretty serious concerns about the various definitions and interpretations of the word "troublemaker". Perspective is a wonderful thing - until they take it from you. ;)
    1. Re:Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's China. Who the hell cares about privacy matters? What the hell do you expect when you go there? And frankly, if you're willing to shrug off all the trappings of the Chinese government just so you can watch some idiot run really fast around a giant oval, then you deserve whatever comes to you.

    2. Re:Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Thats a cynical statement belieing a true fact that its all up to intpretation. As a mind in the US inudated with us "propaganda" all your life you probably impling that china "troublemakers" aren't really "troublemakers". In this sense "troublemaker" is an interpreted form as "insurgent" in Iraq. Other see them as patriots defending the country the disconnected from its people leadership in the US label them as "troublemakers/terrorist/insurgents". Each gov't can decide who they view as a troublemaker. Its not up to you to decide? Why do you think you have the right to judge another country gov't? The cynicism just befuddles me.

    3. Re:Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by Attaturk · · Score: 1

      Mate, actually I'm British. My own government is rapidly descending further into its own privacy-blind Orwellian nightmare. I haven't got much nice to say about them either. As it happens, I really wasn't casting any aspersion on China. I was merely trying to point out the nonsense of the broader "catch the troublemakers" justification itself. I'd be no happier if the London 2012 Olympics tickets feature chips containing such a broad range of personal data either - in fact I'll probably be even more perturbed if only because it's that much closer to home. That'll be one to watch.

      All that having been said, and regardless of whether or not I've been subjected to the propagandist nature of American media, which I don't deny exists by the way, I'd have reason to be a little cynical I'm afraid. People on the outside of a closed system do, inevitably and quite naturally, tend to regard that system with an element of cynicism and indeed concern.

      If the Chinese system were more open then I'm sure more people outside China would be inclined to dismiss the propaganda and/or be in a position to actively refute it. And as a result, Chinese people would be less likely to jump to the conclusion that anyone criticising any Chinese decision must be basing that criticism on prejudice or brainwashing rather than independent analysis of the decision itself.

    4. Re:Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by Ravon+Rodriguez · · Score: 1

      That may be true, but, in places like China, the punishment usually far exceeds the crime.

      --
      Jesus loves me, he loves me a bunch, because he always puts Jiffy in my lunch.
    5. Re:Those pesky troublemakers, eh? by triffid_98 · · Score: 1
      Don't worry, they assuredly will. And you(collectively) will support it, all in the name of security.

      "Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country"
      -Herman Goering

      Mate, actually I'm British. My own government is rapidly descending further into its own privacy-blind Orwellian nightmare. I haven't got much nice to say about them either. As it happens, I really wasn't casting any aspersion on China. I was merely trying to point out the nonsense of the broader "catch the troublemakers" justification itself. I'd be no happier if the London 2012 Olympics tickets feature chips containing such a broad range of personal data either
  13. Uhm... Why? by MaliciousSmurf · · Score: 5, Informative

    If it's for one event, it strikes me that they could have a unique ID number for each ticket, and then just cross-reference that number with an external database. Methinks that'd take care of a lot of problems.

    1. Re:Uhm... Why? by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      Tickets... IDs... Databases....

      As long as it's not from Diebold, they'll be ok. ;)

    2. Re:Uhm... Why? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Database??? Who do you think we're dealing with here, Germans? These are Chinese; maybe in a few hundred years they'll have database technology.

  14. Wrong Order by camperdave · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We will eventually have computer chips embedded under our skin - it will start with a way to track children, then a way to expedite purchases, then a way to hold critical medical info and so on.

    I think you've got some things out of order. We've already started by chipping pets and certain researchers. I think the next thing would be chipping soldiers as a replacement/supplement to dog tags. Once there, it will be a small step to chipping the elderly and ill, especially Alzheimer's and those who tend to wander off and forget things. Next will be children. Then, last of all, joe consumer. After all, Joe can carry a paypass RFID keyfob, or an RFID credit card. So why get it implanted?

    Oh, and prisoners. They'll wind up getting chipped at some point as well.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    1. Re:Wrong Order by sporkme · · Score: 1

      Who am I? I am number 24601.

    2. Re:Wrong Order by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Number 983186... Stop pretending to be number 24601 'Engelbot'. Now get back in line.

    3. Re:Wrong Order by bjackson1 · · Score: 1

      Ok, Jean valjean. Steal any food for your sister lately?

    4. Re:Wrong Order by Bonobo_Unknown · · Score: 1

      you've got the order a little wrong also, elderly are already being chipped...

      --
      We don't believe in radical loony monotheistic religions from the middle east -- we're Christians.
    5. Re:Wrong Order by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Number 24601, come with us. You are going to room 101."

    6. Re:Wrong Order by Tom90deg · · Score: 0, Redundant

      To be honest, I don't see why people are against having chips implanted. People always are howling about Big Brother when you talk about stuff like that, but think about it this way.

      As far as I know, Passive RFID chips, the kind that are implanted in pets and, most likely, people, have a "Range" of 10 cm to a few meters. Unless the goverment is going to place readers every 10 feet, you're not going to be tracked. I'm not saying that they won't register every time you enter a building, but they do that now in many places.

      I think it's like Credit Cards in a way. I personaly would like to buy stuff and have the store just push a button, it reads my RFID, pops up a photo of me, the store hits "OK" and I walk out. Of course there would be ID theft, but there's that now.

      Not sure when it will happen, but I personaly don't see it as the end of all privacy and goodness in the world.

    7. Re:Wrong Order by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Number 983186... Stop pretending to be number 24601 'Engelbot'. Now get back in line. OMG. That is damn funny!!!
  15. Really worse than the last one? by EmbeddedJanitor · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Where Visa was a sponsor and you could only use a Visa card to buy tickets.

    If they wanted to, they could have very easily tracked card number, and thereby person buying, with ticket info.

    --
    Engineering is the art of compromise.
    1. Re:Really worse than the last one? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In case you hadn't noticed, all credit cards have unique identification numbers on them. That's probably enough to track most ticket holders at most events.

    2. Re:Really worse than the last one? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1, Insightful

      My fascist ISP won't let me send packets on their network unless I put a MAC address in them and and IP address.

      --
      echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
    3. Re:Really worse than the last one? by teh+kurisu · · Score: 1

      Likewise the 2006 World Cup, where initially you could only buy tickets with a MasterCard.

  16. So What? by IchBinEinPenguin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Most of the visitors will already have an RFID passport on them.

    1. Re:So What? by momerath2003 · · Score: 2, Informative

      I literally keep mine wrapped in aluminum foil. Let's see the scanners get through my paranoid Faraday cage.

      --
      I had but a simple dream, to destroy all humans.
    2. Re:So What? by vigmeister · · Score: 1

      I literally keep mine wrapped in aluminum foil s/Al/Sn

      Cheers!
      --
      Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
    3. Re:So What? by Repton · · Score: 1

      People know that they have to look after their passport. Will they realise that if they lose (or throw away) their ticket, it could become a vector for someone to steal their identity?

      --
      Repton.
      They say that only an experienced wizard can do the tengu shuffle.
    4. Re:So What? by houghi · · Score: 1

      I have made an envelope with aluminum foil with duct tape on the two side of the alu-foil. That way I can always say I use it to protect the thing against damage. The alu-foil I explain as that it is against water, if they ask.

      Pretty robust

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    5. Re:So What? by Durf · · Score: 1

      Agreed. And on the plus side, this system might actually keep some of the event tickets out of the hands of IOC-connected scalpers who sit outside the "sold out" stadium with a fistful of tickets marked up 1,000%, for your "convenience."

      Sell all tickets to people who actually want to attend the events, and make sure the tickets are with the people who bought them for the price listed on the blasted things. If this is one way to do so then great.

  17. Privacy and identity theft? by The+Fanta+Menace · · Score: 1

    Since when did the Chinese government care about privacy and identity theft? They don't even care about human rights. You'd probably get a bullet for even mentioning the issue, in China.

    --
    -- Even if a god did exist, why the fsck should I worship it?
  18. China does not have to be nice. by arthurpaliden · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So long as everyone wants to buy cheap stuff at WalMart, the foreigners will not care about the human rights record of China only that they saved 'all this money' buying stuff they do not need with money they do not have.

    1. Re:China does not have to be nice. by bm_luethke · · Score: 5, Interesting

      If you think it is only cheap stuff at wal-mart you may want to start checking your labels again.

      There are many high dollar products crappily made in China and sold at whatever your favorite retail outlet happens to be.

      I don't find wal-mart to be particularly worse than the vast majority of stores in terms of amount of crappy Chinese goods. The others, for whatever reason, make people feel good for paying more for the same crap they could have gotten for 20% less (and a different brand stuck on said products coming off the same assembly line with the same materials).

      To find non-crap you not only have to be lucky enough to have a store locally that sales such items but also know enough about whatever you are purchasing to know what is and isn't crap.

      In the end people purchasing crappy products made in china at a high price contribute more than people purchasing cheaply made items at a cheap price. The profit margin there is HUGE even when you take into account the extra money spent on advertisement to get people to hate the less expensive place to purchase it.

      And, to note, one can very much find some quality items made in China - I have some cookware and cutlery that is quite good (and yes, I have several good kitchen knives - a few Henckel "s" grades and a Shun - but it is really hard to beat a Chinese high carbon steel cleaver and the hammered carbon steel woks are great).

      --
      ------- Sorry about the spelling, I suffer from two problems. Dyslexia makes it difficult to spell well, lazy makes it
    2. Re:China does not have to be nice. by Jurily · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      Oh, shit. You're already at +5 Insightful and that sentence is too long for a sig...

      I'll mod you -1, Write Shorter Sigs For Me.

    3. Re:China does not have to be nice. by Yvanhoe · · Score: 1

      Buying cheap stuff does not infringe on your privacy. I am not sure to see the link here. China agreed to some standards when it accepted to organize the Olympics, it is not holding to them. It should be a contractual dispute. It has nothing to do with the trade of goods.

      --
      The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
    4. Re:China does not have to be nice. by vux984 · · Score: 5, Informative

      I don't find wal-mart to be particularly worse than the vast majority of stores in terms of amount of crappy Chinese goods. The others, for whatever reason, make people feel good for paying more for the same crap they could have gotten for 20% less (and a different brand stuck on said products coming off the same assembly line with the same materials).

      Sometimes yes they are the same.

      Sometimes the materials going in aren't quite the same quality. (using lower quality steel, or cheaper plastics, or whatever...)

      Sometimes the goods coming out are held to lower standards. (ie stuff that would have been rejected for the 'premium brand' is good enough for the 'walmart brand'.

      I recall film in particular was like this some years ago. The brand name stuff and the generic stuff was indeed made in the same factory on the same line from the same stuff. But QC on the brand name stuff was higher. Flaws in batches that didn't meet the brand's QC levels but were still 'ok' were sold under the generic brand.

      Bottom line, knowing a product came from the same factory and even assembly line as product X means squat. It might be the same product. Or it might be highly inferior.

    5. Re:China does not have to be nice. by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      if you are okay with carbon steel kitchen cutlery, you might want to try these:
      http://cutlery.japanwoodworker.com/dept.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&dept_id=13198

      they are not expensive and vastly superiour to the chinese junk.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
    6. Re:China does not have to be nice. by digitig · · Score: 4, Interesting

      There are many high dollar products crappily made in China and sold at whatever your favorite retail outlet happens to be. Not necessarily as crappily made. I once visited a clothing factory in China, and the factory floor was divided into two. On one side were the low-skill girls using poor quality sewing machines churning out the cheap stuff. When they got to a certain standard they were promoted to the other side of the shop floor, got a pay rise, used better quality (western!) sewing machines and got stricter quality control. There are differences, even in stuff coming out of the same factory.
      --
      Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
    7. Re:China does not have to be nice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There are many high dollar products crappily made in China and sold at whatever your favorite retail outlet happens to be.

      Not only in China.

      I used to be a "stockboy" for a producer of designer jeans. Because production was relatively low, they searched for *the cheapest* manufacturer for such low orders. This turned out to be a little shop in Italy... There jeans were sold of at 100x the productioncost and sold very well.

      An attempt to launch a new "side brand", with IDENTICAL jeans, just other labels and buttons, sold 20%-40% cheaper, would not sell at all.

      As a sidenote, the jeans were absolute crap. They'd tear easily, you'd have to seperatly wash them, inside out, fluid soup, and hope the colour would remain on it for a few months.

    8. Re:China does not have to be nice. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Out company provides technical support and raw materials to factories in China. Our biggest competitors provide slightly cheaper but much lower quality goods.

      Our customers complain that their competitors (who are buying our competitors products) are making more money then them selling slightly cheaper but much lower quality goods, because that is what sells.

      So, if people start buying better quality stuff, they will reward factories making better quality stuff. Buy the shit and you reward the shit makers.

      Chinese factories don't like making low quality stuff, they really want to make better stuff. A shame that the cheap stuff sells much better.

    9. Re:China does not have to be nice. by CastrTroy · · Score: 1

      Maybe it's only because I live in Canada, and Walmart sells different stuff here, but I can't see why Walmart has such a bad reputation. Sure just about everything is made in China. Sure their staff are useless, and might as well not be there (Yay for self-checkout). Sure they push around the manufacturers and force lower prices. But so does every other major retailer.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    10. Re:China does not have to be nice. by dalmiroy2k · · Score: 1

      Most Nintendo and Apple products are made in China as they are far from crappy.

    11. Re:China does not have to be nice. by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 2, Funny

      Indeed, and I support them. I only purchase the finest Chinese crap available.

      --
      "I only speak the truth"
      Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
    12. Re:China does not have to be nice. by Gilmoure · · Score: 1

      At least my iPhone is made by Apple, an American company. Why, on the box, it even says Designed in Cauliflower! So yeah, my iPhone is a THOR'S LAME GOAT! My iPhone's a commie!

      --
      I drank what? -- Socrates
  19. Why bother with photos? by BluBrick · · Score: 4, Funny

    Westerners all look the same, anyway.


    What's that? Ohh, you round-eyes got no sense of humour!

    --
    Ahh - My eye!
    The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
    1. Re:Why bother with photos? by mrbluze · · Score: 2, Funny

      What's that? Ohh, you round-eyes got no sense of humour! I've got square eyes, you insensitive clod!
      --
      Do it yourself, because no one else will do it yourself. [beta blockade 10-17 Feb]
    2. Re:Why bother with photos? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Canadians all look the same: Beady little eyes and flapping heads.
  20. Useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cannot understand why they need to embed some many info there. A single ID is enough to look up all information already saved on the server.

  21. Why are we putting up with this? by Crayboff · · Score: 3, Funny

    This should not be tolerated! Our president must take a stand! President Bush should be willing to have America boycott the opening ceremony, just as the French President is willing to do, if China does not stop this nonsense-ical human rights violations.

    1. Re:Why are we putting up with this? by corsec67 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      What do you mean Bush should oppose what China is doing?

      He is probably taking notes, like "Hmm, that is a good idea, that is a tad bit too far for now, that another good idea"

      We already have RFID chips in our passports. The government is engaging in warrantless wiretaps, the National Security Letter is a blatant violation of the first amendment, Gitmo, War on Drugs, etc...

      You don't need to look further than Washington to see "nonsense-ical human rights violations"

      --
      If I have nothing to hide, don't search me
    2. Re:Why are we putting up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Put down the crack pipe & step away, sparky.

      I'm not going to defend china, but putting an RFID chips in a ticket is NOT a human rights violation. I'm sorry, but it's just not.

    3. Re:Why are we putting up with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This should not be tolerated! Our president must take a stand! President Bush should be willing to have America boycott the opening ceremony, just as the French President is willing to do, if China does not stop this nonsense-ical human rights violations. go wash your vagina...
    4. Re:Why are we putting up with this? by pha7boy · · Score: 1

      Agreed!

      oh, wait... we're fingerprinting and photographing people at the border when they come in just to visit. ummmmm.... well..... nevermind...

      --
      -- All this knowledge is giving me a raging brainer.
    5. Re:Why are we putting up with this? by geekoid · · Score: 1

      If he wasn't a spineless turd, you might have something!

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  22. Note to self..... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bring magnet.

  23. Online? Or Offline? by LuYu · · Score: 1

    Is this not more like "Your Rights Offline"?

    Seriously, though, way back in the Stone Age when I attended the Olympics, things were a lot different. The volunteers were given unsold tickets for the events, and they basically had tickets for any event that was not sold out. I got to be friends with them and got a lot of free tickets.

    So, what would stop somebody from using somebody else's ticket? Are they seriously thinking of carding everybody at the door to every event? That would have been impossible when I went. Just checking the tickets was almost too much for the volunteers. This is especially true since it is unlikely that the volunteer's tickets will contain that information and since the volunteers are the ones checking the tickets.

    Then again, this is China we are talking about, so they could literally have hired everybody who will work the Games. That certainly was not possible in any of the previous host countries.

    The really disturbing part of all this is not the tickets but the fact that the very same information has very probably already been shared with every corporate sponsor of the Games.

    Big Brother Is Watching Your Wallet!

    --
    All data is speech. All speech is Free.
  24. What else is in the tickets? by SEWilco · · Score: 1

    Never mind a chip. What's the lead content of the tickets?

  25. The home of the free? by thesupraman · · Score: 3, Insightful

    ROTFL

    Yes, thats why we see the good ole US of A protecting its citizens rights so very very well these days.

    Tell people that it will stop the terrorism, drug problems, and help them buy new Hummers, and people will be voting FOR it, not against.

    After all, pretty quickly the majority will see that this would be a great way to accurately identify those 'troublemakers' you mentioned, and keep them out of their nice safe middle-class lives.

    I estimate that if you chipped the soldiers overseas, at least 20% of the US population would get chips just to show their support!

    1. Re:The home of the free? by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 2, Funny

      I estimate that if you chipped the soldiers overseas, at least 20% of the US population would get chips just to show their support! You'll also get all the uber-chrisitans and the uber-leftist/anarchists together for the first time, proving that politics makes strange bedfellows.

      Wow, that would be an interesting protest.
      --
      Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    2. Re:The home of the free? by Pinb4ll · · Score: 1

      For the record, with gas prices the way they are, I would pass on the Hummer.

    3. Re:The home of the free? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > For the record, with gas prices the way they are, I would piss on the Hummer.

  26. In Communist China... by Neflyte_Zero · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...Olympics watch you!

    --
    Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.
  27. Tracking? by geekoid · · Score: 1

    from the Chinese? You don't say.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  28. Trouble makers are all the same by geekoid · · Score: 1

    People doing stuff other people don't like, regardless of what it is.

    The question is, how big of a trouble makers can you be before you go to jail?

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    1. Re:Trouble makers are all the same by Patrik_AKA_RedX · · Score: 1

      The question is, how big of a trouble makers can you be before you go to jail? In China? Depends on how many tanks are present on the square.

  29. Big Whoopdy-doo! by BigAssRat · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    OMG, you mean that during your VOLUNTARY attendance of a HUGE international event they have some way of tracking you?? God forbid! This is NOT such a big freakin' deal that all of you paranoid folk on Slashdot like to make it out to be. If you are so worried about being tracked then don't buy a ticket and don't attend.

  30. False logic by pythonist · · Score: 1

    This post shows how easily the poster lose his/her reasoning capabilities. Do you really think it's necessary to contain all data in the tickets? Wouldn't it be more efficiency just containing an ID but storing all info in background DB? Besides, not everything from your brain to your dick's size is necessary for identifying you as a terrorist. And, do you really think going to attend a easily-terrorist-targeted event like opening ceromony should be as anonymous as you can bash China on slashdot? Tell me why every time I need to take off my waist belt/shoes to US airport SA before boarding? and every time I have to leave my palm print scanned when entering US! The logic of China keeping-troublemake-away using eticket is simply false. Who do you think will make more trouble? a tiny pixel with ticket in ten thousands of seets or athelitics in the ground without tickets?

  31. If you are not a Chinese citizen... by vigmeister · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I do not see why you would have a problem with this. As someone who entered the United States from a different country, when I paid to attend college, all my information is tracked by the government (through my college). Other privacy issues involve my phone calls being freely tapped into. In fact, something that inconveniences me (not a privacy issue) is people not being able to transfer money into my bank account online which marks me as a non-resident alien.

    As an alien in this country, I am subjected to intrusion of privacy by a multitude of institutions that I do business with - The only way to avoid that is to "go under" and become an illegal immigrant.

    I perfectly understand the need for this. I am an immigrant to the USA and if the society here (which has been nice enough to tolerate me) feels safer by having my life glimpsed at, I am OK with it. I strongly dislike it, but atleast they let me stay here eh?

    What my college does with my privacy and what the Olympics committee of China does with a tourist's is not all that different.

    I would however be mighty pissed if I were a Chinese citizen and subjected to this treatment. I truly feel sorry for them.

    I am just pointing out that aliens in a country having their privacy violated is not unusual and as an alien I am not particularly bothered by China doing it to tourists.

    Note: This is NOT an "I have nothing to hide" issue. It's more of "Thanks for letting me be in your house, you can watch me and I will be on my best behaviour"

    Cheers!

    --
    Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
    1. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by pythonist · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You tell the foreign side of story. I will tell you from the Chinese side. As a Chinese, I don't see any problem neither. As long as I buy tickets using my credit card, my info is already there. Ticket contain my name in DB is not a problem at all. We can tolerate some level of privacy violation for safty reason, just as Americans can tolerate tight security check in airport. Check in Chinese airpot is like a joke before recently for Olympics but we dont' think it has anything to do with freedom. We simply don't need such security level before Olympics. Foreigners simply don't understand the way Chinese people do things --- we don't deem personal freedom in No.1 priority and there are many things more important to our value system such as family and social harmonious. PS. I'm new to writing here so If someone tell me how to paragraphing I will appreciate much.

    2. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by vigmeister · · Score: 1

      You tell the foreign side of story. I will tell you from the Chinese side. As a Chinese, I don't see any problem neither There you have it. Everyone's happy!

      A lot of things that the occidentals assume is best for the world are things whose importance varies by culture. While I am a huge fan of freedom of speech, it is not something you necessarily take for granted in countries like Singapore, India and Indonesia (where I've lived). Propaganda on the other hand is something that I have been somewhat 'culture shocked' by in the US because in India where I grew up, urban dwellers with a good education are not targeted by propaganda other than is history classes. As we speak slashdot China is bitching about how appalling the 'media coffin' the US is trapped in is. Neither one is right about the other. The culture in both countries accept certain things and are relatively happy with their societies.

      -end of rant-

      P.S. Choose "Plain Old Text" in the drop down menu below the textbox to make paragraphs using the return key. Or use HTML newline tags.

      Cheers!
      --
      Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
    3. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 1

      American airport security checks are a joke too. The only difference is that in America they try to hide the fact that it's a joke. They do a lot of important-looking stuff which ends up being utterly pointless. As an American who is both subjected to this and who has to pay for it with my taxes, I can tell you that the only reason I tolerate it is because I have no other choice.

      --
      If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
    4. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by vigmeister · · Score: 1

      I can tell you that the only reason I tolerate it is because I have no other choice. Do I hear democracy crumbling in your head? Just kidding, but if you look at it closely, most Americans who travel supposedly feel safer with these ridiculous measures in place or there would be some action against it by the people. Which in turn implies that too many rednecks wanna get them Ay-Rabs good. Which means you won't be able to change the way airport security checks are done. This is regrettable. This might even be propaganda along the lines of "Look, if we need all them security to stop Al Qayda, surely them terrorists out to get us."

      Cheers!
      --
      Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
    5. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 1

      Do you have any statistics to back this up? I don't have any myself, but I'm just wondering, because I'm very curious to know what the real situation is. Anecdotally, I have always been able to find a sympathetic ear when I whine about how nonsensical airport security checks are, even when I'm doing it at the airport to random strangers.

      I think that it's just not a big enough issue for most people to actually change their voting habits. The reason they're there is not because they're popular but as a direct result of American political culture. If you're in charge of security and you fail to prevent an attack, you'll lose your job, attract a ton of unhappy media attention, and quite possible have your entire department destroyed, redone, or absorbed into another agency. However, if all you do is waste billions of dollars and millions of hours of people's time, nothing bad happens to you. This still doesn't mean we'll be able to get rid of it, of course.

      Ultimately I really wonder where this is going. Right now things only get more and more restrictive. Just over the past decade things have changed enormously, and many of the changes were not due to 9/11. Every change has been for more restrictions, with very minor exceptions such as the total ban on liquids changing to merely a near-total ban. Where does it end, though? Is there a steady-state for airline travel restrictions?

      On the subject of the liquid ban, many people don't realize this but there is a blanket exception given for medication. One very common type of medication which is allowed an exception is contact lens solution. Contact lens solution can be obtained in quite large bottles. So the next time you get fed up with having to pay three bucks for a Coke in the airport, get some big contact lens solution bottles and fill them up with Coke. Or, you know, explosives.

      --
      If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
    6. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by Joe+the+Lesser · · Score: 1

      Are you saying the value of freedom somehow diminishes the value of family?

      If your brothers were free you might actually know them better.

      What about 'Social Harmoniousness'? Harmony is many notes in tune, not one note. What a boring song.

      --
      "I only speak the truth"
      Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
    7. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by pythonist · · Score: 1

      For what logic and from which part of my sentence you reach the conclusion "the value of freedom somehow diminishes the value of family". If you love your family more than your xbox, does they "somehow diminish" the value of your xbox?

      From what kind of inspection you say there's only one note in Chinese society? I don't expect you go to China to hear our different voices there, for the same reason I didn't expect there are so many notes of shit in US before I came to the states from China.

    8. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by theJavaMan · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Foreigners simply don't understand the way Chinese people do things --- we don't deem personal freedom in No.1 priority and there are many things more important to our value system such as family and social harmonious.
      I guess you really do deserve the country, the government and the society you have.
    9. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by pythonist · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The same to you.

    10. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by vigmeister · · Score: 1

      Do you have any statistics to back this up? Not really. I just drew a chain of arguments based on the fact that the airport checks just get worse and there seems to be no end to this orange/red security level stuff. I think you are right in the sense that the issue might be too minor to warrant a change in voting habits, but you could e-mail/snailmail your representative?

      Cheers!
      --
      Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
    11. Re:If you are not a Chinese citizen... by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 1

      Contacting representatives has the same problem as the rest. People who agree with my position today will suddenly change their minds if there's ever another big attack. A representative who votes against "security" will suffer badly in that event, whereas a representative who votes for it will not suffer much in the event of no attack.

      But still... I'm trying to remember if I've written. I can't recall one way or another. If I have, it has been a very long time, so I should probably do it again. Thanks for the reminder!

      --
      If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
  32. Troublemakers? by fishbowl · · Score: 1

    So how do they keep troublemakers from just buying a ticket?

    --
    -fb Everything not expressly forbidden is now mandatory.
  33. Walmart is a tiny blib and does better than most by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You might want to check where that "Made in the USA" crap is actually made. Some of the embedded products I work with are made in China but assembled here. Then it can be incorporated into other products, also mostly made in China, and those can be called MITUSA as well.

    If it's made using a process that might peak the interests of the EPA it's probably made in someone else's toxic waste dump.

    BTW there are things we cannot buy in the US unless we geared up to make them. We can't gear up to make them because the EPA would eviscerate us. It does not matter if we could do the job legally or not. It's not about slave labor but government regulation.

  34. I laugh at all anti-China comments by humaniverse · · Score: 1

    First, how many of you really went to China to see what is happening over there? Or just read/watch "Western Media"? Second, how many of you really talked to normal Chinese people instead of those overseas? Please note: You are in the middle of the most rapid and the largest scale development in human history. Don't see this wave in US or Europe? Of cause not, cause it's in China. I'm Chinese. Even myself can't believe my it even though I go back China every year. I'm proud of that. Yes, we have problems. But everybody has. The key is China is progressing, growing and improving. And what I see, at least in US, is shrinking. Hmm. You can condemn China cause it has problem. But I don't think any average Chinese people care cause they are too busy on making money and enjoying their life. China was never influenced by foreign country from its history. It has its own pace. You can only watch. Wake up!

    1. Re:I laugh at all anti-China comments by vigmeister · · Score: 2, Insightful

      While your point about ignorance causing the anti-Chinese sentiment is something I agree with, your disparaging comments about the US and Europe not changing/progressing rapidly and shrinking instead seems to be just as ill informed.

      Cheers!

      --
      Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
    2. Re:I laugh at all anti-China comments by dreddnott · · Score: 1

      His post reads to me like he's intent on creating anti-Chinese sentiment.

      --
      I may make you feel, but I can't make you think.
    3. Re:I laugh at all anti-China comments by ChoboMog · · Score: 1

      I'm also laughing at the anti-China comments here, but for a slightly different reason... People who are worried about giving over all their info seem to forget that their photo, address, contact info etc would be included as part of a standard visa application anyway. On the other hand, people concerned about identity thieves, and all the info being in one place, seem to forget the fact that their passport would contain just as much useful info (photo, birth date etc)...and they're carried by every single traveler. As much as I believe in protecting my personal info, I feel that this is just being used as an excuse to bash China in the media.

    4. Re:I laugh at all anti-China comments by sdsucks · · Score: 1

      I agree, most non-Chinese people are very ignorant about China. I just returned and can say for a fact most North Americans have *NO CLUE* what they are talking about when they talk about China. NA society could learn much from Chinese (and vice versa).

      Though your statement -- "China was never influenced by foreign country from its history".... Sorry, there is *vast* western influence in China. You'd be blind to say otherwise.

  35. who cares? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Look, you're going to a International Event Where there are going to be a LOT of rich, influential people. Security is going to be tight, it has to be.

    They aren't even storing anything out of the ordinary on the chip for an event of this caliber.

  36. bad people by poptones · · Score: 3, Insightful

    with... flags! Those evil terrorists might unfurl a flag and kill... no one!

    It's sad the tone of this article from CANADA so readily equates acts of terrorism with the possibility of someone simply unfurling a tibetan flag. Is it just the english speaking countries that have gone completely batshit insane, or is liberty actually enadangered EVERYWHERE in the world now?

    1. Re:bad people by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Is it just the english speaking countries that have gone completely batshit insane, or is liberty actually enadangered EVERYWHERE in the world now? It's the latter. However, this is no change from before. Liberty has always been endangered everywhere in the world. Liberty is not the natural state of humanity. It can only be preserved through the constant actions of those who support it.
      --
      If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
  37. And I take it... by Antony-Kyre · · Score: 1

    that microwaving your tickets might not be so wise of an idea.

  38. Re:Online? Or Offline? by aussie_a · · Score: 1

    so they could literally have hired everybody who will work the Games At 5 cents a day why wouldn't they hire everyone?
  39. China Bashing by EEPROMS · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Im pro-human right just as much as anyone else who enjoys calling their politician dicks but lets inject some reality here. For those Americans talking about a police state go talk to anyone who is visiting the USA and you will see all the weird and bizarre hoops you now have to jump through that makes a visit to China look like a visit to your local coffee shop. Those who come from Europe, ID cards big brother camera all over the place and knee-jerk politicians bringing in "we have the right to anal probe you if you don't return a book on time" laws. Yes China has issues but western nations should be holding their heads in shame as they let their leaders destroy all the freedoms won by those who have risked lives and limbs over the years because it "doesnt effect me".

    Regarding the original story, my biggest worry is how much of the information given to gain tickets will be sold by corrupt officials to countries who think freedom means you are free to scream while getting tortured.

    1. Re:China Bashing by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 1

      All the more reason to complain about this stuff everywhere. Why do you think Europe and the USA are heading this way? It's because everyone looks around at other countries, says, "Look, they're not any better than what we're proposing," and thus we all slide down into the dark together.

      "Other places are just as bad" is quite possibly the worst rebuttal to criticism that anyone has ever come up with.

      --
      If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
    2. Re:China Bashing by grolaw · · Score: 1

      Well argued EEPROMS.

      The people of the US are distinctly separate from the oligarchy in power. IF we can recover from the damage that they have done it will take years.

      CCTV in the UK is an abomination - but Orwell got there first - just picked the wrong year.

      Loonies in the US who think their puny popguns will stop a military siege of their homes are - well, loony. And, now we have a surfeit of people trained in urban war.... many without adequate medical care. How many more for Bush's war?

  40. Re:Walmart is a tiny blib and does better than mos by Hal_Porter · · Score: 1

    BTW there are things we cannot buy in the US unless we geared up to make them. We can't gear up to make them because the EPA would eviscerate us. It does not matter if we could do the job legally or not. It's not about slave labor but government regulation. Exactly. I met some Australian guy at a trade show that mean PCI cards with a chip he'd designed. He said that the actually labour costs of running a factory are basically negligable. The factory that made the boards was a big machine that was automated. You only need to feed in more raw materials when it run out. So people don't move circuit board production because of labour costs.

    In Taiwan I actually saw places that could get you the machines. So I suspect the reason people move to China from the US/UK probably is regulation. Of course there are places like Taiwan that have low regulation, cheapish labour costs but are still Open Societies in the Karl Popper sense. They're fun to live in too. I plan to do board manufacturing there, should I ever need to do any.
    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  41. Obligatory by Firefalcon · · Score: 2, Funny

    In Communist China your ticket holds you!

  42. Umm - it's not "just" the US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those who come from Europe, ID cards big brother camera all over the place

    Been in the UK lately? And you better not be Brazilian..

  43. You're WAY too tolerant here (suspiciously so). by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What you're saying is that if I invite you to my house you feel that it is OK for me to demand you will tell me everything about yourself, including but not limited to your sexual preferences, infectious diseases, how much money you make and what you did with that child two weeks ago.

    Oh, there was nothing with a child? Sorry, it's on the database and we know that is reliable because everyone providing that data is 100% reliable, unbiased and wholly without a personal or political agenda. And will only use that data for lawful purposes.

    I hope I made you wake up to some degree. I am perfectly OK with law enforcement having access to such data fur just cause, but without oversight and control this sort of data becomes a bigger risk than picking up your soap in jail house showers..

    1. Re:You're WAY too tolerant here (suspiciously so). by vigmeister · · Score: 1

      What you're saying is that if I invite you to my house you feel that it is OK for me to demand you will tell me everything about yourself, including but not limited to your sexual preferences, infectious diseases, how much money you make and what you did with that child two weeks ago. When issuing visas, the USA asks me to tell them how much money I make. They also ask me how much money my parents make. I have to tell them about infectious diseases. They do not care about sexual preferences, but they do ask you if you have a fiancee. These are standard things that all governments do to protect themselves against immigrants unless they do not care or cannot afford to care. All I am saying is the anti-Chinese sentiment is unwarranted since the US of A does the same thing and everyone seems OK with that since the States is somehow better/more trustworthy?

      I seriously do not see a problem with these violations of privacy. By adding things about sexuality and pedophilia, you are trying to shock me into getting concerned about privacy which is weird. If the US has false information telling them I am a paedophile, I won't be allowed into the US of A. Not a big deal. If I were a US citizen and they had such information, I would be incarcerated. BIG Difference! Which is why I am not concerned with their violation of my privacy when I am in their home. They asked me to bring them a 'Yellow Megaman' and I sure as hell brought one to be able to go to the party!

      Cheers!
      --
      Atheist: Buddhist in a Prius
  44. modded flamebait? by hansraj · · Score: 1

    Just because his vision of what the future looks like is different than yours? He said it in the most neutral way and judging by the replies he sure created a whole thread of conversation thereby adding some value to the discussion. I can't imagine how many idiots get mod points here!

  45. And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by aepervius · · Score: 4, Informative

    I get finger printed, photographied, sometimes interrogated, paper-ed, belt & shoe stripped , and in future even technically stripped with some Tera-hertz waves. They can also snoop my laptop, require that I give my addresses where I live, and as far as I know, I have to have my passport ready at any time. The only difference I see, is that the chinese want to keep the same info on a stadium ticket and most probably in a database, whereas the US keep it in a database.Big. Effing. Deal. Sorry but you both suck for foreigner on privacy ground.

    --
    C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
    visit randi.org
    1. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by lgw · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And the Chinese are probably not actively rude to you during the entry process either, something we in the US *really* need to fix. If we're going to collect all this info from visitors, at least we should do it politely! I'm very pro-US by /. standards, but this situation is an embarassment to the nation - there's no excuse for thus sort of rudeness by government officials.

      --
      Socialism: a lie told by totalitarians and believed by fools.
    2. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hah! you've got it easy!
      Me and my missus (Im an EU citizen, my wife not) thought we'd head over to NYC to celebrate new years.
      We were requested to:
      0. make an appointment, three months in advance, with the US Consulate. During this, we would be interviewed thoroughly (we were told that it would take a few hours). We were not allowed to bring cell phones to this meeting and it required 2 hours of travel each way. This meant 1 day of lost income on my part (which exceeds 1000 USD).
      1. We had to make all flight reservations in advance with the knowledge that the interview might go badly, which would result in additional costs due to cancellation fees etc.
      2. They wanted us, upon making the meeting reservation, to present them with *all* bank account details (beneficiaries, account numbers etc) that we had anything to do with, globally, along with a raft of extensive information of a personal nature.
      3. We were given a fairly extensive list of forms to fill in online, various fees to pay (which would not be refunded if, for any reason, the US authorities denied our visa)... and this was before we even arrived in time for the "latex-glove-treatment" so generously offered to us furriners on arrival.

      I'm sorry guys.. you've (people of the US) have simply lost the plot. My family have decided to never visit your country again. We're selling our US based assets (bank accounts, 1 house etc.) and getting out completely.
      Every day, I'm receiving invitations to emigration seminars targetting US based individuals who want to leave.. and to think that I nearly accepted to go work in the US. *Phew*. That was a close call.

      Whenever you decide to re-join the civilised world, I might consider visiting you again but as long as us furriners are treated as animals, I think I'll refrain from visiting.

    3. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by maxume · · Score: 1

      Calling a duck a duck is not anti-US. I was irritated by the way that I was treated coming back into the country (on the ground, from Canada). The poor attitude of the border guard did nothing to make the nation more secure, and it did plenty to make us look bad. The worst of it was that the Canadian border guard that we dealt with on the way out was a lot more friendly, and we were just punk kid guests, not citizens.

      --
      Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
    4. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by Gorm+the+DBA · · Score: 2, Funny
      You're free not to come in whenever you please.

      Sorry, but cross our borders, submit to our policies.

      Similarly, you're free not to go to China and attend the Olympics if you wish not to.

      (okay...I'm done channeling Bush...can you please remove the electrodes from my genetalia now?)

    5. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 1

      What if I happen to live there?

      Nearly everything bad about US customs applies equally to US citizens. The only real difference is that the lines are shorter and the probability of a bad encounter is somewhat less. Besides that, they can do all of this terrible crap to you just the same as to a foreigner. The Constitution doesn't mean jack all until you actually get inside the country, so any time you as a US citizen manage to cross the border without a baseless search of all your possessions and a long interrogation, the only reason is because the customs officials didn't feel like it.

      --
      If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
    6. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by Chelloveck · · Score: 3, Interesting

      And the Chinese are probably not actively rude to you during the entry process either, something we in the US *really* need to fix. If we're going to collect all this info from visitors, at least we should do it politely!

      Amen, brother! I'm a US citizen (middle-aged White Anglo-Saxon Programmer) who occasionally travels abroad. Without exception, the US customs officials have been the rudest I've ever encountered.

      <rant class="us_border_policies">I was in England at the height of the whole Mad Cow thing. When I returned to the US they distributed fliers on the plane warning us about Mad Cow, that it was a very serious thing and be sure to disclose if you've been to any place rural. The same fliers were posted all over the international terminal at O'Hare. So I fessed up to the customs guy (or is it the immigration guy? Whoever stamps your passport) that yes, I'd been hiking in rural England, I had crossed a few cow pastures, and probably trod in a cowpie or two. He just grunted(*) and waved me through. WTF?! What's the point of all the warnings if they're not going to do anything about it?</rant>

      (*)And I mean that literally. He grunted. Not a single syllable of any intelligible language came out of this guy's mouth. And that brings us back to having the rudest officials in the world.

      --
      Chelloveck
      I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
    7. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by PawNtheSandman · · Score: 1

      You could have just flown into Mexico without any trouble and walk across the border (hop a fence or crawl under a tunnel) then get a bus to wherever you need to go like the thousands of other people who do it daily.

    8. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by Number6.2 · · Score: 1

      Amen, brother.

      It's gotten outrageous even going state-to-state. I fly out of PHL, and it's turned into a damned nightmare. Did you know you can be searched right before getting on the plane now?

      Are Your Papers in Order?

      --
      "If god did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him" --Voltaire
    9. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by photomonkey · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Sir (or Ma'am):

      I travel quite extensively for business and pleasure to countries rich and poor, 'Eastern' and 'Western.'

      I can assure you that being a foreigner visiting another country never gives you many rights, everyone keeps databases and your information is probably never really that secure.

      I have applied for visas for various countries and have been shown my intelligence record for a few, including information about where I stayed in-country, who my contacts there were, and even in one case, the brand of cigarettes I smoked (quit years ago).

      I do work as a journalist, so I stick out a bit more, but I can guarantee that the folks who travel all the time with big companies have equally thick files.

      I'm not disagreeing with you, but only pointing out that these days, everyone plays spy games with foreign visitors.

      --
      Message contains 1 attachment: spam.gif
    10. Re:And If I go to the US (rant/troll) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I absolutely agree. I think its great that China are trying to keep things safe, and if this is how they choose to do it, then I hope it works well for them.

      In China the culture is that people are much more closely knitted together at the expense of privacy, with the advantage of actually caring for each other more. If you cant respect the culture, dont go there.

  46. My E-mail address is... by EWAdams · · Score: 1

    presidenthuisamurderingratbag@tyrannicalassholes.gov.cn Put that in your ticket and parse it.

    --
    I piss off bigots.
  47. You are welcome Mr. Johnson by gnarlin · · Score: 1
    Wow, China really knows how to make


    Name: Mr. Tielsson, John
    Street: 32, Hambersand lane, Gamberland, Wyoming, USA
    Photo: subjectphoto.png
    Criminal history: drunken disorderly conduct 5. jan 1993
    Birthday/social security number: 050169-3878
    Mate: Roberta Garterdank (deceased, 2. jan 1993)
    Comments: Seems to have a problem with authority. Is a member of the green party and amnesty international.

    feel welcome.

    --
    A bad analogy is like a leaky screwdriver.
  48. Anticipation of Tecnological Improvments by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just think how much more data will be in the tickets for the 2012 Olympics.
    --
    A Suspect of Her Majesty

  49. What did you expect? by qazsedcft · · Score: 1

    What did you expect from a totalitarian government? I mean, this is China we're talking about.

  50. You're With Us or You're With the Flag-Wavers by nightcats · · Score: 1
    Did anyone else see that comment from the guy who's actually criticizing the Chinese approach to this --

    "The way in which you recognize an evildoer, somebody who wants to throw a bomb, somebody who wants to unfurl a Tibet flag is not on the basis of their identity,"

    Ugh, those flag-furlers are scary, ain't they? I guess it's like Dubya would say: either you're with us...or you're with the flag-wavers.

    --
    Development is programmable; Discovery is not programmable. (Fuller)
  51. Poison the data by halcyon1234 · · Score: 1

    If a sufficient number of people wanted to screw this up, they could easily poison the data. Before attending the games, get together en-mass, and randomly exchange the tickets. A group of folks do this with reward points cards to mess with the demographic information / purchasing patterns data. They could do the same at the Olympics. Suddenly, no one who shows up at the gate matches their State Approved ID. The government can either arrest 10,000 tourists over the course of an hour, or make an executive decision to say 'screw it' and ignore the ticket information.

  52. Resale... by greenfield · · Score: 1

    The article states that the inclusion of chips would prevent the transfer of tickets. It's very common practice for tickets for major events to be resold; would each ticket need to be rekeyed in the event of a sale? Disallowing ticket resales would be unprecedented in Olympic history. In addition, most sponsor organizations, the IOC, and participating countries are usually given largeblocks of tickets to do with as they please. The logistical requirements will be huge if BOCOG requires each of these tickets to have the information encoded as well.

    --

    --Sam

    1. Re:Resale... by Aram+Fingal · · Score: 1

      Exactly! I think the Chinese government has handed their dissidents an excellent method of protest. Besides having people exchange tickets, you could try a mix of other techniques to disrupt the process. You could have pickpockets swap the tickets for other attendees. You could destroy the RFIDs in other tickets. I hear that it only takes a small amount of microwaving to destroy an RFID.

  53. QED by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    > And as long as you furriners keep bashing us and flying planes into buildings we'll welcome you back. I'm glad you sold your US assets. I'm sick of furriners buying everything up.

    You couldn't have proved the parent's point better if you'd tried.

  54. Unsurprising by ^_^x · · Score: 1

    As I see it, only a few countries like North Korea didn't erupt in protest and try to stop the torch from passing through. It's no longer at all about what the people want, it's about what the IOC wants because there are VAST UNTOLD RICHES to be made from this whole process. Lately, China is known primarily for defective goods, knockoff goods with zero gov't attempt to stop them, tained foods, human rights abuses, and a steady stream of new cyber attacks.

    I say the Chinese government (not the people so much), the whole Olympic organization, and their sponsors can take a hike. Whoever continues to support it at this point gets what's coming to them. I'm just looking forward to seeing how many foreign-but-not-neccesarily-American tourists get trapped in Chinese prisons while over there while their governments stay quiet out of fear of upsetting China.

  55. Don't worry. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Relax, the penalty for identity theft in China, like everything else, is probably beheading. ;-)

  56. bombs, flags, what's the difference by adam.conf · · Score: 1

    "The way in which you recognize an evildoer, somebody who wants to throw a bomb, somebody who wants to unfurl a Tibet flag is not on the basis of their identity,"

    I don't know about identities, but I'd say there's quite a difference between someone throwing a bomb and unfurling a Tibet flag, but maybe that's just me.

  57. Serious concerns? by grolaw · · Score: 1

    You couldn't pick a better group of marks!

    People attending the Olympics in China are (unless family of athletes / staff) filthy rich. Aside from the exempted classes, EVERY American attending will have a net worth well over a million. The estimates for decent housing and decent air travel (NYC or LA) to the games exceeds $50k/person. If you can afford to take the spouse for a $100k jaunt to China - you have disposable income,

    Targets? Don't you see those big targets on their backs?

    Contemplate the wealth of those from other nations - the poorer the nation the higher the net wealth of the attendee. OTOH, they will have their personal security details along.

    This is a black-hat hacker Christmas.

  58. Foreigner by Sean+D.+Solle · · Score: 1

    Sorry but you both suck for foreigner on privacy ground. I'm surprised no-one's accused you of being an agent provocateur.
  59. Devin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    an RFID tag only carries a 96 bit unique key and since they know who's buying the ticket anyways its not a big deal that they match them up at the gate. And who really cares if you unique key gets stolen?

  60. Oh sure, we can trust them by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It isn't as if china isn't home to a huge lot of the identity thefts already...lets give them some more info...

  61. Re:Online? Or Offline? by dwye · · Score: 1

    > Seriously, though, way back in the Stone Age when I attended the Olympics,

    Gee, most people had to wait for the Bronze Age, and even the Iron Age, before they could attend an Olympics.

  62. Did it ever occur to you by hassanchop · · Score: 1

    That maybe you're just not wanted?

    I'd like you to name someplace better, so that I can dredge up all the stupid nonsense they engage in when foreigners try to enter the country. Go ahead, pick one so I can highlight the abuses they engage in and hyperbolically rant about abusing foreigners.

    You genuinely think there is anything even remotely abnormal about the things you listed? You clearly can't travel extensively if you do think so.

  63. I do travel a lot by aepervius · · Score: 1

    And while a lot of place ask you pointed question, even place which are considered anti democratic don't go as far as ask you to remove belt and shoe and most of the stuff I cited *ALL* together and *EVERY TIME* you travel there. And frankly, if you start comparing the US to the bottom, then YES I am sure you can find a shittier country which handle foreigner even more poorly. But then i will ask you when you stopped being the beacon of freedom and started to be the beacon of country which are better than Hell-hole-country.

    --
    C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
    visit randi.org
  64. Re:And If I go to the US (insightful) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For evidence of different perceptions on whats important, take a look below by pythonist (1289628) on Wednesday May 28, @01:42AM (#23567123). Great post pythonist.

  65. ... Contain Microchip With Your^H^H^H^H MY Data ?? by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

    How are they going to get my data? I've no intention of insulting myself or the Olympic ideal by attending this drug-and-machinery festival.

    --
    Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  66. You act as if by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anyone reasonable is actually going to fly to china to watch this.

    Note: anyone REASONABLE.

    Also: captcha: Imperial

  67. How fitting, for a Nazi event by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Olympic rings and torch ceremony have Nazi origins. Both still honored today, as if they are worthy of such great honor.

    "The torch relay that culminates in the ceremonial lighting of the flame at Olympic stadium was ordered by Adolf Hitler, who tried to turn the 1936 Berlin Games into a celebration of the Third Reich."

    "With Hitler's influence, the rings became part of the Nazi pageantry at Berlin - and they've come to symbolize the Olympics ever since."