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Calif. Politican Thinks Blurred Online Maps Would Deter Terrorists
Hugh Pickens writes "California Assemblyman Joel Anderson plans to introduce a bill to force Google Earth and similar services to blur images of so-called 'soft targets' like schools, hospitals, churches and government buildings to protect them from terrorists. 'All I'm trying to do is stop terrorists,' said Anderson. 'I don't want California to be helping map out future targets for terrorists.' Concerns that detailed satellite imagery and photographs available on Web services could help terrorists plan attacks are not new, with reports that terrorists have used such imagery to carry out attacks in Iraq and Israel, and an Indian court is considering a ban on Google Earth following reports that its imagery played a part in the Mumbai terrorist attacks."
"Security expert Bruce Schneier recently wondered what other things legislators might consider banning to prevent terrorism: 'Bank robbers have long used cars and motorcycles as getaway vehicles, and horses before then. I haven't seen it talked about yet, but the Mumbai terrorists used boats as well. They also wore boots. They ate lunch at restaurants, drank bottled water and breathed the air,' wrote Schneier. 'Society survives all of this because the good uses of infrastructure far outweigh the bad uses, even though the good uses are — by and large — small and pedestrian and the bad uses are rare and spectacular.'"
The guy is brilliant. We need only follow his example to rid us of another pesky problem -- one that has afflicted our country several times since 9/11. Corrupt politicians.
It is a proven fact that politicians are corrupted by money. Absolutely proven!
Therefore, we should immediately ban all political contributions. Not just by fat cats, but ALL political contributions. Oh, and none of this "I'll use my own money" -- we must also ban all political expenditures as well. No campaign ads, no flyers, no paid push pollers.
Actually, that sounds like a great idea... I'm starting to believe my own sarcasm. How sad is that?
Stressed? Me? Of course not. Stress is what a rubber band feels before it breaks, silly.
I believe in the second world war, the english government had a large number of road signs removed, to help confuse the germans if they ever managed an invasion, the only result was alot of lost brits.
You jest.
In 1941, maps of the Soviet Union available to Germany showed a major highway going from Moscow to very nearly the border. The Germans planned one axis of their invasion around that highway, since they knew that differing rail guages between the two countries would limit their ability to move supplies from Germany to the front.
Shame that that highway never actually existed. Maps of the interior of the Soviet Union were generally kept secret, even from their own soldiers, or...inaccurate, shall we say?
In other words, it's an idea that has worked in the past.
Won't work here and now, of course. It's not, after all, hard to rent a car and drive past a place to take pictures years before you hit it. Then do the same the week before to bring everything up to date with recent changes.
In other words, this is yet another stupid idea from a politician who doesn't quite understand that the djinn left the bottle decades ago, and isn't being put back in anytime soon. Certainly not by legislation.
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
See now, this is an idea. Seriously.
In this respect, google earth like services would play a better role in confusing terrorists if the US can figure out from time to time from where does a cell connect.
In that knowledge, a MITM attack on their google earth could send them to attack an ambushed site.
Now THATS THINKING.
Banning maps is NOT THINKING. Thats just being an idiot.
NO SIG
"Is anyone anyone really afraid of terrorists? Crackheads probably kill more people in America than terrorists do."
The reason they're called terrorists, is because they try to cause terror -- unreasoning fear is their goal.
We kill 40,000 of ourselves (in round numbers) in traffic accidents *every year*:
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx
That's approximately 10 times the current US death toll in Iraq. Every year!
Now, every life is precious, and no one should die needlessly. But it's good to keep terrorism in perspective.
Alas, "automatic assault rifles" require quite a bit more than a driver's license to get. Since sometime in the 1930's.
Most likely you meant "semi-automatic assault weapons". Which are functionally the same as "semi-automatic hunting rifles". Yes, the latter exist. Browning makes a rather good one. And it's FAR more deadly than any "semi-auto assault weapon" ever built, given that it comes in heavier calibers, and functions just as quickly.
Note, by the way, that buying a "semi-automatic assault weapon" (like any other firearm of any type) from a dealer requires a Federal background check. Which can't be passed till you turn 18 (for a long-gun), or 21 (for a handgun). In addition to whatever State and local laws might apply.
Note, further, that the last time we banned "assault weapons", we actually banned "semi-automatic assault weapons". Oddly enough, that law made it illegal to buy a semi-automatic version of the AK-47 (sometimes known as a MAK-90, it looked like an AK while lacking the defining chracteristic of the AK) while leaving it perfectly legal to buy a FULLY automatic version of the AK-47 (a real AK-47, in other words).
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
In the reverse situation, the German bombings on historical sites in Britain were extremely accurate because they were using Baedeker travel guides. A very interesting (and at the same time very boring) programme recently aired on the BBC with a history professor using a Baedeker travel guide published in 1887 to take a modern tour of Britain. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hw3yr