[sdiy] OT: Cell Phones Becoming Profitless

[R. D. Davis]

Quothe Scott Gravenhorst, from writings of Fri, Jul 30, 2004 at
07:01:32AM -0700:
> Sorry for the non-DIY content, but this made me smile wryly this morning. 
> Anything to thwart the proliferation of damnable cellphones is a very good
> thing IMHO.

Is there not something very ominious about how all of those devices
are being merged into mobile telephones, considering how mobile
'phones are being used as tracking devices?  Someone might choose to
leave their mobile telephone at home, but, if that telephone is also a
camera, or a music player, etc., then someone might be more inclined
to carry it along.  How does the average, non technically-inclined,
person really know when his or her telephone is not being used as a
transmitter to transmit what he or she is saying and doing when it's
supposedly turned off?  Similarly, when it's supposedly turned off,
with no lights lit, nothing on the display, the average person has no
way of knowing that it's still not sending information about its
location to anyone.  Some might counter this with "take the battery
out", but, given the availability of fairly small, very large
capacity, capacitors these days, it could have a capacitor built in
which hold a charge for at least several minutes after the battery is
disconnected and keep on working when the user feels certain that
it's been disabled.

Such devices could very well be used as "bugs" for "law enforcement",
such as (e.g., in the US) for purposes related to that unpatriotic
"patriot" act, ya' know... no one's supposed to need any privacy now,
since that's against the interest of national security---or, more
likely, political and corporate interests.  Think of how useful such
might be to "dirty cops" on the take, or certain politicians, etc.
Just something to think about.  BTW, cable boxes are no less insidious
these days---ever wonder why they use what they think are tamper-proof
screws on them, now that cable is a 2-way medium?

Hence, I suggest that to screw up the system, people purchase
telephones and swap them with various others if those others can be
trusted not to rack up enormous bills.  By doing so, the government
would have no idea where people really are.  Also, get the right tools
and open up those cable boxes to check for things like little
microphones---if something's in your house, you have a right to take
it apart and inspect it.

-- 
Copyright (C) 2004 R.D. Davis The difference between humans & other animals: an
All Rights Reserved            unnatural belief that we're above Nature & her
www.rddavis.org 410-744-4900    other creatures, using dogma to justify such
Uncle Fester for President!      beliefs and to justify much human cruelty.