Posted on 07/12/2006 9:58:55 AM PDT by Stoat
I didn't hear or see an EBS warning on 911. Not sure why, although I'm guessing that because it was such a very very public event, with ongoing live TV and radio coverage around the clock, that it may have been felt that adding and EBS warning would have been redundant.
Cold War Civil Defense - CONELRAD 
The Drudgereport has discovered this story, and they are linking to this item:
BREITBART.COM - US unveils emergency alert system for mobile phones, computers
The US government unveiled a communications system that in case of emergency should soon allow it to send SMS alerts to Americans' mobile phones and computers. "We have the ability to do this. It's a major step," Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director David Paulson told reporters outside the US capital as he unveiled the program's design.
The Digital Emergency Alert System (DEAS) will include the participation of television networks and public radio stations and be based on an existing alert system built in the Cold War era for use in the event of a nuclear attack. The new system will initially allow the government to quickly alert public organizations and first-aid groups in case of an emergency. It is planned to become operational in southern and eastern states by the end of the year, and nationally at the end of 2007. At the same time, the government said it will build a system that can also send alerts to mobile phone users and computers linked to the Internet. The SMS messages will be sent out in case "something unfortunate has happened," said John Lawson, president and chief executive officer of the Association of Public Television Stations. Internet-linked computers will automatically switch on to a video message from the US Department of Homeland Security while downloading instructions prepared specifically from natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks, and other calamities. |
I would think that your "regular price" is dictated by the phone company themselves not the manufacturer. They intentionaly inflate the price well beyond market value to make it seem like its cheaper to go into contract than afford the phone. Verizon especially likes to force you into a new contract whenever you change anything.
No they won't.
Internet-linked computers will automatically switch on to a video message from the US Department of Homeland Security while downloading instructions prepared specifically from natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks, and other calamities.
Not unless the government FORCES each person connected to the Internet to install a server application to sit on a port and listen for messages from the government, and display them.
I know of no such application -- and I know of no way to coerce people into running one -- nor for that matter do I know of any way to get something like that to run on older, slower computers on MODEM (read: SLOW) connections.
This is pure BS. Probably some mid-level effendi spent a bit too much time with his PowerPoint and decided to make a nice nifty blue-sky presentation to impress his bosses, and justify his salary.
This ain't gonna happen. Not the computer part, at least. They can probably pester people with cell phones that can accept text messages. Ours can't -- whew! :)
Would the computer part be possible if the ISP's were to become involved?
Perhaps they could require a particular software application to be installed as part of their required connection software bundle. AOL is legendary for their hideous software requirements.....and AOL customers probably wouldn't even notice the addition of such an app.
I hadn't heard much screaming and gnashing of teeth from ISP's when the news about the Carnivore system came out some years ago....they went along with that like good little sheep.
I connect via Windows built-in PPP/TCP-IP networking. No software from my ISP. (Yes, they do have a "quick start" type CD available for newbies to help them get their networking set up to dial the right number, set up the right DNS, etc., but it's nothing mandatory, nor is it necessary.)
There is absolutely NOTHING that my ISP can do that would result in a video window popping up on my screen. Period.
As to Carnivore, that's a server-side "box" (as I understand it, a laptop, with a network card running in what is called "promiscuous mode", which means that it does NOT ignore packets not addressed to it). Basically, it sits on a shelf, with a single plug-in, and montors all traffic on the network. Insidious, sure -- but, "it's the law", and the ISP has no say in it.
That's neither here nor there vis-a-vis what's being touted in this latest announcement, though.
The only way they can accomplish what they are describing is to force each user to install an executable -- a server app, which sits on a port and listens for its "wake up call".
And, of course, once you let someone put an executable on your computer, he "owns" your computer. He can do anything with it that he likes, including keylogging, monitoring, reporting, etc.
Frankly I don't see this ever happening. The outrage would be unprecedented. Everyone from EFF to ACLU to LPUSA would pitch a bloody fit over it, and for good reason.
As I said before, I think it's nothing more than some blue-sky twaddle some mid-level bureaucrat whipped up in his Powerpoint presentation, with no consideration given to the realities involved in implementing something of that grand scale.
The Peter Principle has never been revoked, and it sure looks like whoever cooked up this scheme has risen nicely to his level of incompetence, if he really believes that computers can (short of hacking/cracking) be made to behave the way he describes.
Have it call every single tracfone sold.
And what would they tell me: bend over and kiss your a** goodbye?
If they do, i'll never get it since I won't open a text message.
No one I know would send one and I sure as hell wouldn't send one.
ROTFL!
On a series note, I would rather FR devise some way to alert us to log in (like we weren't already) to an urgent event......like ring a bell or something. An audio ping if you will...
I just re-read the article (a good thing to do considering that it was a month ago that I posted it), and they are actually not saying that they will send a "live" message to you over the internet to your puter; as far as the internet is concerned the messages will be viewable on web sites but they say nothing about any sort of "live" or forced messaging.
It seems that the only "active" messaging that they are contemplating is via cell phones and wireless PDA's.
Although they say that people can 'opt out' of the announcements, I have no doubt that if anything pertaining to this ever gets off the ground, it will be a shaky start at best.
If they start interrupting executives' business calls with irrelevant, old or useless messages, they will very quickly find their 'service' without any clients.
I have been reading over on the pre-pay phone thread about the bad guys using cell phones to detonate IED's and other evil devises. Sending out a blanket phone call to all cell phone numbers might detonate someone's backpack prematurely. The "works-in-progress" might take out the terrorist before the plan.
bump
nononononono!! Momma stoat loves her TracFone :-(
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Well, if you're not logged in already there's not much that the FR site can do but what you CAN do is to coordinate with your local Texas FReepers and have someone call you on the phone if something 'big" happens. Are you receiving messages from your local Texas messaging board now? If not, you can sign up for that and get to know some of the other Texas FReepers. I'm sure that some of them would be happy to call you for 'major' events.
You can also start an Instant Messaging circle and get alerts via that, but you would of course need to be logged into your I.M. client.
Internet-linked computers will automatically switch on to a video message from the US Department of Homeland Security while downloading instructions prepared specifically from natural disasters, chemical and nuclear attacks, and other calamities.
DUH @ ME! It was in the second article that I posted!
((((embarrassed)))))
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