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Indian GPS Cartographers Charged As Terrorists
chrb writes "Following on from the discussion about Apple disabling GPS in Egyptian iPhones, we have a new case of the conflict between the traditional secrecy of government, and the widening availability of cheap, accurate GPS devices around the world. On 5th December, two software engineers employed by Biond Software in India were arrested for mapping highways using vehicle based GPS devices. Further evidence against the pair emerged when it was found that a laptop they had been using in the car contained some photos of the local airforce base. The company claims they had been commissioned by Nokia Navigator to create maps of local roads and terrain. Following an investigation by the Anti Terrorist Squad of Gujarat the cartographers have now been charged with violating the Official
Secrets Act and will remain in custody."
The most dangerous thing in the world is a second lieutenant with a map and a compass.
"You are in violation of the Official Secrets Act, you are under arrest."
"The official secrets act? What's that?"
"An official secret. Now put your hands behind your back. You have the right to remain ignorant of your crimes. You have the right to a low quality attorney. And you have the right to not ask any more stupid questions..."
GPS information is an official secret?
"Where am I?"
"You have no right to know that."
Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
The convoy was supposed to detour around the town and instead turned directly into it, eventually running into an ambush. The ambush was unlikely to have been set up in advance, because the Iraqis did not know which course the convoy would take. The navigational error has never been properly explained, because the soldiers had GPS receivers and maps
My buddy revealed that it was common knowledge in the sandbox that the Officer in charge of the convoy, Capt. Troy Kent King, was the one who was responsible for making the wrong turns. According to google searches, the report is classified Secret and so the official cause is still "unknown".
So that's what happens when LT's with a map and compass go on to become captains.
Actually I know of two things more dangerous:
1) A programmer with a screwdriver
2) A salesman with an install disc
Why is this article title red?
*Sigh* This question keeps getting asked, so I feel duty-bound to inform you of the true answer.
:)
It's a test of your sexuality; only people who enjoy performing sexual acts with four-legged mammals of various equine species see it as red- it looks green to the rest of us.
There- now I don't expect to see anyone asking that question again.
P.S. If there's anyone out there who sees it as purple with yellow stripes, please contact me *immediately*.
Actually, to stay out of trouble, they'd be safer knowing every location that it is NOT at, and extrapolating from there.
Tongue, cheek, and all that.
Right. No, your other right. No, the other other right.
Still better than Britain where you can get arrested or harressed for taking photographs anywhere the police do not like it..
A few years ago I took a tourist photo of the Pentagon in D.C. from just outside the metro stop, which is pretty far away from the building. A security officer came and asked me to delete the photo from my camera. I explained that it wasn't a digital camera, but rather a disposable film camera. He said that officially he should make me throw it away, but instead allowed me to go on condition that I didn't take any more photos.
You're right that the law allows people to take tourist photos. But where "security" is concerned, it apparently doesn't matter what the law says.
-Gonz
Old military lore.
Fresh officers (boots, butterbars, third-butter-cutter, all sorts of names for them) out of officer school are all hot to show their Stuff. Typically, within weeks of commissioning they were given a platoon of men to lead. As the head cheese, it is their responsibility to get the platoon where it needs to go.
These guys are around 22 years old. In this platoon, you are sure to have one old salt, and a couple on their way. The unwritten rule is to make sure the butterbar has adult supervision in the form of a senior non-com. This senior non-com goes out of his way _not_ to make decisions. So, you will hear plenty of stories about how a platoon gets hopelessly lost while the non-coms who could have 'prevented' the tragedy do nothing. The officers learn from their mistakes with the benefit of senior non-coms as training wheels.
In modern times, the officers go through some OJT as an exec. or something in addition to the more extensive field training currently in the system.
Go to ANY military airfield in the USA; there are signs specifying two things
Could you provide a photo of these signs to back up your claim?
If you think 1923 is old, check out the complete IPL (Indian Penal Code - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Penal_Code). There are still many laws from 1860s.
Back on topic, as an Indian, I can tell you that it's nowhere clear what you can take pictures of and what you can not. In India, its very easy to break laws not knowing what is legal and what isn't, and you would not know until you are caught - either by a cheap street cop looking for some quick money or by completely incompetent higher ups who have no idea about technology or reality, or simply, common sense.