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Wealthy Mexicans Getting Chipped in Case of Abduction
Because the number of abductions in Mexico has jumped almost 40% in the past 3 years, the wealthy are getting subcutaneous transmitters so they can be tracked when kidnapped. Xega, the Mexican security firm which makes the chips, has seen a sales jump of 13% this year. The company injects the crystal-encased chip, the size and shape of a grain of rice, into clients' bodies with a syringe. The chip then sends radio signals to a larger device carried by the client with a global positioning system in it. A satellite can then be used to find the location of the missing person. Things must be a lot worse in Mexico than I thought.
Oh.. the humanity...
Great. Now when you're kidnapped the first thing they'll do is cut off a chunk of your flesh. Or even just stick you in a metallic sack so that the radio signal can't escape.
The chip then sends radio signals to a larger device carried by the client with a global positioning system in it.
Call me crazy, but I think I found a flaw in their system.
Prof. Farnsworth - "Oh a lesson in not changing history from Mr I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!"
You're just too cynical.
In other news, I had a personal transportation chip injected into my feet. So long as I'm occupying a moving vehicle, it works perfectly at transporting me around.
Things must be a lot worse in Mexico than I thought.
Somebody hasn't been paying attention. Kidnapping is an entire industry in countries south of the Rio Grande, especially in Mexico and Brazil, and has been for at least a decade.
I support the Slashcott and will not be reading or commenting from 2/10/14 to 2/17/14. Beta is steaming pile of dog shit
Call me crazy, but I think I found a flaw in their system.
That would depend on where they're hiding it...
If brevity is the soul of wit, then how does one explain Twitter?
If you need to carry a "larger device" with you to send the signal, why do you need an implant?
a common thief finds a way to access the positions of all of these rich people. Seems to me an easy way to establish targets, not protect them.
This is why we should put more R&D in implanting Laser Eyes. Whos gonna kidnap you if you can shoot lasers out of your eyes.
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
i hope buyers realize that all they are doing is changing kidnapping standard operating procedure
kidnappers will now locate the chip probably with nothing more than a $20 standard wall stud finder, then reach into the victim's skin with sharp nosed dirty pliers and toss the chip on the street. then probably send the victim's family a picture of the gaping wound for proof of untraceability and bonus horror factor
ewwww
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
I thought in mexico the police and "the organization" are one and the same.
In a Brazilian movie called Manda Bala . Abductions are a thriving industry in São Paulo, Brazil, and the movie focuses on the common practice of cutting off all or part of a hostage's ear (or finger) in order to expedite a ransom payment.
It is a generally thought provoking movie, with several memorable interviews, and at least some discussion of root causes of the problem (corruption in government among them, although the government of Luiz "Lula" da Silva may be making progress against it, despite so far losing the battle to protect protected areas of Amazon wilderness - a problem also intimately connected with corruption).
However the movie is deeply marred by the inclusion of the anonymous São Paulo businessman, "Mr M" - a self-obsessed, vacuous nitwit, apparently American and perhaps a conveniently interviewable associate of the American filmmaker? whose ego was no doubt unduly boosted by his part in the film. Unfortunately, whatever this individual had to say about being "chipped" is unlikely to betray any insights: In a city known for violent carjackings, this guy's response was to bulletproof his ostentatious Porsche, instead of simply driving a less conspicuous car. I stopped caring about his fate very early into the film; one is tempted to say he need not worry about being kidnapped as nobody would miss him to pay a ransom.
you had me at #!
No. It is the result of impunity and corrpution of the police.
These thugs are not humble, starving individuals trying to feed their families. They are well organized criminal bands, with links to corrupt current (or ex) cops, who know that given the inefficient and corrupt justice system that prevails, know they can and will get away with it.
Google for the Fernando Marti kidnapping and murder to get a glimpse of what's currently happening down here in Mexico.
Good news everyone. It's a supository!
Yeah, you're right. I'll wait for the "Hollywood" version of this technology where the constraints of physics, etc. are swiftly banished by handwavium, ignorefactium and the ever popular technologyisjustmagicium.
I think the story is wrong. This company, "Xega" (website, in Spanish) seems to be offering two different products. One is the "Verichip", which seems to be a subcutaneous RFID chip intended for identification. Like for (very paranoid) access control, or medical emergencies.
The other product is called "VIP" and seems to be a GPS + GPRS device. You press a button on that thing and it transmits your current position to some server.
I see no indication that both gadgets are related in any way. Well, the website is all fluff, so I can't really say, but I think the story is mixing them up.
Still, that "VIP" thing does strike me as rather useless, since the first thing a kidnapper does is point a gun at you and make sure you stay still, with your hands in view. And the second thing is emptying your pockets.
And yes, I live in Mexico, and I've been kidnapped... well, just a couple hours, while I was being mugged. See I got off from work around midnight, hailed a cab in the street and boarded it. The driver took off, I even chatted with that fucker. But once we were in a dark-ish, lonely street, he suddendly stopped the car, pointed a gun at me, and two men from another car that was following us quickly got into the cab. One of them pressed a knife against my stomach and ordered me to "act naturally". They took me for the "ATM ride" (cash withdrawals from different ATM machines all over town, until all the cards were dry). They also got the cash I was carrying on me, of course, as well as my laptop (powerbook 5300... shit, I miss that ugly brick). They gave me back my wallet with my IDs, and some papers from work I asked them to take out of the laptop case. They dropped me off at a Metro station.
This was back in '97 I think, in Mexico City. A month later I was living in Guadalajara, and haven't had any such experiences since.
Heh, no, I was actually born here, and I love living in Mexico. Yeah, that tale about the mugging probably gives off a different impression, but considering it's pretty much the only time I've been mugged in almost 40 years, I think that's not a bad record. In fact, I think Guadalajara is a remarkably nice place to live, though I don't think I can explain the "attraction". I could hardly be objective about it anyway.
I've got American and British friends who live here (as you may know, there's a big expat community in Guadalajara, and in Ajijic near lake Chapala). I've never asked them about this, but I will now. What I can tell you now is, I don't think there's any particular objective advantage. I mean, neither luxury homes nor sex are cheap (I assume you meant good looking hookers there). Beer probably is, though, heh. Look, I'm not really up to date on the cost of living in the States. I guess Mexico may be a bit cheaper, but I'm sure it's not much cheaper.
I also don't think there are serious disadvantages: we've got all the utilities and public services you're used to in the US, from highways to sanitation to very decent health care. You'll find all the amenities too, say shops, restaurants, entertainment... in fact, most are the same chains and brands, only a bit cheaper perhaps. And of course we've got broadband everywhere, which is probably the most important thing for /. people.
So I guess it boils down to personal taste. Some people just like it. Maybe it's the locations, or the weather, or the slower pace. Perhaps healthier and tastier food? You know, we're famous for that shit. Or meeting friendly people with an interesting culture. Who knows?
Oh, and about that last item: there certainly are gringo haters. From your experience, it seems that's the kind of people you've been meeting here. I'm sorry 'bout that, fwiw. There's also gringo lovers, that goddamn malinchista pricks, I find them really annoying, haha. But I've got to say, I'm convinced that most of the population is just sensible people no worse or better than in the US or elsewhere, and you can probably make good friends if you give them (and yourself) a chance.
Say, if you ever find yourself stranded in Guadalajara, bored enough to overcome the natural distrust, drop me an email, I'll take you to a couple cantinas, and perhaps the lucha libre. And if you really behave yourself I may introduce you to some ladies. Maybe then you'll get the "vibe" or whatever it is. Or maybe you won't, but you'll probably have a laugh anyway. And no, I won't give you any shit about dumb gringo chumps, but I won't take any shit about smelly beaners either.
Cheers.