SchNEWS
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Story Links:
Vision Chips | Crap Arrest of the Week | Book Launch | Robbin' Woods | Positive SchNEWS | Shaw Thing |
SchNEWS in Brief | Lockgreed | Inside SchNEWS | Financial Whines | RAF Treatment | ...and finally...

VISION CHIPS

“Imagine walking into a store and having a computer take an inventory of everything you’re wearing—right down to the size and color of your underwear. Store employees could even read the contents of your wallet to determine whether you’re a desirable customer or someone they want to ignore based on your financial value. The possibilities for discrimination are quite disturbing.” - Katherine Albrecht, director of Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering.

Good news for anyone who feels like their privacy hasn’t been infringed quite enough yet. There’s a new wee beastie come to fill your lives with joy, RFID (radio frequency identification). If these catch on - and it looks like they already are - everything you buy could soon have a unique number that can be transmitted to anyone nearby, without your permission.

RFIDs are tiny chips which can be embedded into almost anything. When a reading device is placed within 5 metres of them, they transmit their unique number to the device. The idea is that shops will use them instead of barcodes, so you just push your trolley through the checkout, and you’ll know how much you owe. Sounds good so far…

Now it gets dodgy, folks. As each chip has a unique number, if someone knows the number of the chip embedded in your shoes, for example, they will be able to track exactly what you do. So a supermarket could know when you enter their store, how long you spend in each section, and what you buy. At the recent Chinese Communist Party Congress, each delegate had to have a badge, equipped with RFID chip, that tracked them wherever they went.

“The Auto-ID Centre is designing, building, testing and deploying a global infrastructure ... that will make it possible for computers to identify any object anywhere in the world instantly,” happily burbles the Auto-ID Centre press release.

A casino in Sydney has already put 80,000 of these chips into their employee uniforms in order to reduce theft. Michelin, which make 800,000 tyres every day, are soon to place RFID chips in each tyre, which will be matched to the make of car they are fitted to in a huge database. Tesco are just about to introduce a huge trial of the technology. Other companies testing the technology include all the SchNEWS favourites: Gillette, Gap and Bennetton.

In Tulsa, Oklahoma, a network has been created which has the capability to track anyone going anywhere in the town centre as long as they have an RFID chip somewhere on them. A company called Applied Digital Solutions has already developed an RFID chip for people, it’s 11mm long, embedded under the skin and can be read from 4 feet away. And yes, folks, these have already been implanted into people.

The EU is in the process of putting RFIDs into high denomination bank notes as a fraud-reducing measure. “RFID tags also have the ability of recording information such as details of the transactions the paper note has been involved in,” according to analyst Prianka Chopra. In one fell swoop this would destroy any of the anonymity of using cash. The other great thing about this is that anyone with an RFID reader (which will become more and more common) can tell exactly how much cash you have on you... Hooray!

So what’s the Home Office doing about this potentially huge privacy risk? Urging caution and debating the privacy risks? Nah, course not, they’re putting 4.5 million quid up for improving it. There is also much interest in using RFID in passports, driving licenses, and any other documents you could name, potentially allowing no-one to opt out of RFID, if documents without the chip are rejected.

If chips were installed in mandatory ID cards police (and others) could access extensive information on anyone just by scanning from metres away. In the US many supermarkets require official state ID to sign up for loyalty cards. Huge databases can easily be created from this as corporations merge the personal information of their clients in order to build frighteningly accurate personal profiles. So your supermarket shares your info with your bank who shares it with your preferred clothes shops and all of a sudden they’ve got a massive database of info on Jo Soap. Impressive huh?

Leaked briefings on focus groups held by Auto-ID, the main people behind RIFD, reveal people’s true perception of this technology, “There are currently no clear benefits by which to balance even the mildest negative. While the possible benefits were explained to each group at length, nothing seemed to really motivate or inspire. In fact, the presentation of benefits seemed to automatically lead consumers to think of negatives.” This dislike has already prompted concessions from suppliers, such as chips that are destroyed when they leave the shop, and only attaching chips to packaging rather than the product itself.

Ironically the leaked briefings came from a public part of the Auto-ID website. If they can’t protect their own confidential documents, it’s hard to believe their claims of keeping huge databases of customers’ information private.

As these chips are getting so tiny (less than 0.3mm), they are extremely difficult to find and destroy. Washing will not destroy them, and they need to be crushed or micro-waved (with the corresponding fire risk) to make them ineffective. And you can’t exactly go walking round Tesco’s with a microwave to disable all the bloody things.

“RFID technology is moving forward at an incredible pace, and there is an urgent need for this legislation. Companies have already begun embedding these chips in products people buy today. For all you know, these chips could be in your home now. The problem is you have no way of knowing,” claimed Albrecht.

Luckily this wonderful nirvana of new technology is starting to receive some very bad press. Wal-Mart quietly started a trial of the technology in one of its stores, but when the company that made the chips turned up and started pointing it out to customers, they were horrified. Wal-Mart were so inundated by complaint calls that they had PR executives answering the phones, bringing the trial to a sudden end. Hopefully this technology will be seen in a similar way to GM: big benefits for big business but only losses for everyone else. They get your personal preferences and all the fat profits while you lose any morsel of privacy.

More info: www.nocards.org or www.theregister.co.uk

Crap Arrest of the Week

For being run over!
Two cyclists taking part in a Critical Mass bike ride were hit by a car, one of them being carried along for 100 yards on the nutter’s bonnet. When they tried to report to the cops what had happened, they were both arrested for causing criminal damage to the people carrier that’d hit ‘em! The police have now dropped the charges.

ROBBIN’ WOODS

Sherwood forest is under attack from a band of corporate thieves and the Sherrif of Nottingham isn’t lifting a finger. The thieves, Belway, are attempting to destroy a rare limestone habitat and a natural meadowland to build an unnecessary road junction. The area is supposedly guarded by a Tree Protection Order as it possesses a 300 year old beech tree yet the council are refusing to take any action against the developers. This is some of the last remaining green space in the area and it’s being surveyed as a possible EU site of conservation. There’s a desperate need for Robin Hoods and merry men and women to steal the power from the rich and give it back to the poor trees.

Locals are opposed to the development but help is seriously needed to stop the destruction going ahead. Contact Cookie on 0789165727.

* Protests in the south of the Netherlands to stop the construction of hotels and bungalows by the Efteling Themepark in a 100 year-old forest. Last Sunday was the first open day where over 100 locals and sympathisers turned up. Much anger was expressed by the local community who are annoyed with the theme park’s constant expansion and its destruction of forest land. The council has encouraged Efteling to evict the activists illegally camping on their land. An illegal eviction is unlikely however as the theme park prides itself on its family image. It is more likely that the activists may be taken to court and sued. Details: www.entenwoud.nl

Positive SchNEWS

Following a recent series of anti-war gigs, the Shoestring Project in Nottingham began to organise gigs to raise money for community projects and activism. The gigs have been hugely successful and many contacts have been made with local people. They’re also developing projects working with refugees and the homeless, hopefully starting in Autumn. They have also donated money to Medical Aid for Palestinians and have plans for environmental and peace projects. In September the project will start up a series of gigs at various venues, and in association with Bored Beyond Belief, Shoestring will be beginning a regular night at Moog on Tuesdays: www.shoestringproject.org

* A similar project has been going on in Brighton too … on the first Wednesday of each month there’s a Fun-Raiser at the Volks Tavern - the crew have got money together for a whole range of projects and causes such as biodiesel collectives, Brighton against the war and animal rights groups.

SHAW THING

Simon Shaw was arrested at an anti war demo in Edinburgh in March for displaying an upside-down US flag with the words “Fuck Bush” and a swastika. The arresting officers said Simon’s flag was likely to “incite racial hatred” despite the message being aimed at Bush and his administration and not the American people.

Following this, the Mark Thomas Comedy Product produced 13,000 postcards of the flag for the public to send to the local police station. On Thursday Mark and 60 friends arrived at the police station to hand themselves in, with a variety of “Fuck Bush” banners (including one carried by an American apparently inciting racial hatred towards himself!). The police were also covered in “Fuck Bush” confetti, but refused to make any arrests. Simon Shaw’s trial is at 9:30am next Friday (25) at Edinburgh Sheriffs Court, Chamber St. Please bring your “Fuck Bush” banners, t-shirts and flags. www.mtcp.co.uk/news.php?id=20

* The people selling the Fuck Bush t-shirts have said they’ll donate half to the SchNEWS rent fund. More info from fuck_bush@warpmail.net (but mention us when contacting them).

SchNEWS in brief

• Last Thursday (10th) Earth First! and others blockaded AMEC’s office in Warrington, demanding that they pull out of the Baku pipeline project in Georgia. A chain of people locked themselves together across the entrance causing deliveries to be cancelled and company workers to climb over the blockade to get to work. Manchester Earth First! has a list of over seventy offices of companies involved in the pipeline. Wherever you live, there will be somewhere nearby deserving a visit. www.earthfirst.org.uk/manchester/baku/bgpalms.htm
• Jeremy Hardy v. The Israeli Army, a feature documentary about the International Solidarity Movement in Palestine as experienced through the eyes of the British comedian opens July 18th at the Prince Charles cinema (Box office 02074943654) then throughout London and Nationwide.
• All-day Palestine benefit for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) at the Brixton Windmill on Sunday 27th July 2003 - 3pm till late with poetry, comedy, film, food, politics and music. Only £3! www.eyelessingaza.org.uk
• Benefit roast dinner this Sunday (20) for a Palestinian family whose house was blown up by the Israeli Defence Force. 3pm Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton. Members and guests only.
• There’s an anti-WTO meeting in the splendid nature of Larzac, South France, from 8-10th August. It is organised in response to the next WTO meeting in September. The Larzac meeting will have forums, stands, workshops, cinema etc, focusing on the environment, public services, people’s empowerment, GATS etc: www.larzac2003.org
• A permaculture weekend for beginners runs from the 22-24 August and covers all you need to know about a sustainable existence with loads of practical hands on activities. In North Weald, Essex, £75. Info: landandliberty@ukonline.co.uk or 01702 303259
• From September there’ll be a West Country radical bookfair happening every month in Bristol at the Cornubia Pub, Temple Street. First one is on September 6th 12-4.30pm More details: gardsteingang@
  yahoo.co.uk
• Disarm DSEI public meeting on July 26th at ULU, Malet St, London WC1 at 2pm. The DSEI is one of the world’s biggest arms fairs and is coming to London in September: 07817 652 029, www.dsei.org

LOCKGREED

Arms dealers Lockheed Martin (see SchNEWS 402/3) are demanding $44,000 from 52 protesters who were arrested as hundreds blocked Lockheed’s factory entrances in San Francisco in April because, as one of the demonstrators put it, “They were unable to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, but we found them right here in Sunnyvale.”

Lockheed aren’t short of a bob or two ($30 billion worth of Pentagon contracts and $142 billion worldwide since 1992), but say they need the money to cover security costs. However, if Lockheed succeed, a legal precedent will be set in the US that says a corporation can sue protesters for costs. As one of those facing costs commented “They’re the ones who are criminals, not us. And they’re the ones who should be paying restitution - to all the children, lovers, families and communities they’ve helped destroy with landmines, depleted uranium, cluster bombs, and nuclear missiles. Don’t let them get away with this.” See: http://sf.indymedia.org

* Damacio A.Lopez: US airforce veteran, former professional golfer, and author and expert on depleted uranium is on a speaking tour of the UK. He’s at Fairford Community Centre this Saturday (19) 12-2 pm; Birmingham (21) 8pm, Friends of the Earth, 24 Allison Street; Wimbledon Community Centre, St Georges Road (22) 8pm; Bristol (24) 7.30pm, Friends Meeting House, Hampton Road; Manchester (25) Friends Meeting House, Mount Street 7pm.

Inside SchNEWS

“I’ve just been banged up on a 9 monther for ‘affray’. I got nicked at the free party in Rode on Glastonbury weekend for violent disorder of all things! They had to drop this charge … but then they pulled me on a warrant for affray from a party last year where I was involved in another confrontation … Thankfully I had a copy of SchNEWS and other disinformation … I had to go up in front of a crown court judge in a pair of ripped jeans and, no top and loads of piercings - you should have seen his face!! I would be grateful for any letters, copies of SchNEWS or any other literature that will help me remember what it’s all about … Sorry, I’m Daz by the way, got a dog called Giro…” Write to him! Prisoner LH 4272 HM Prison Ford, Ford Rd, Ford, Arundel, W Sussex BN18 0BX

FINANCIAL WHINES

Thanks to the generosity of a couple of readers our first two months rent is covered and we have been promised another £60 a month in standing orders. (If you do make an order - details on our website - please let us know so we stop panicking). But we still need a lot more (£240 to be precise) to cover our monthly rent and that’s without phone bills, printing, postage, biscuits. As one of our readers said if just 100 of you lot gave £3 a month we’d be sorted.

RAF TREATMENT

‘Casualty of War - 8 weeks of counter-terrorism in rural England’ is a new report out by human rights group Liberty into the policing of demonstrations at RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire (see SchNEWS 396). During the recent invasion of Iraq Liberty found a clear policy of using anti-terrorism laws to prevent legitimate protest. Between 1 March and 30 April, 61 people were arrested at Fairford - 27 were subsequently charged with public order (but not terrorist) offences.

At its most extreme an anti-terrorist order was served on an 11-year-old girl (her father is now seeking legal redress) and a coach load of demonstrators were ‘kidnapped’ by police (also the subject of a legal action). So how much did the whole thing cost? Glos. cops dished out £3.26 million and the MoD police, £3.79 million – to stop protestors trying to prevent planes from flying out of the airbase and bombing the people of Iraq. For copies of the report call 020 7403 3888, www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk

...and finally...

Looking for a job but can’t be bothered to get off your arse? Well look no further because Berlin or Sydney may be the places for you! In Berlin an unemployed woman, 25, received a letter offering her a job as a barmaid and was told to get in contact with her potential employer. When she looked up the company’s website, she found its services included “hot kisses, tender and cuddly massages or uninhibited sex”. The head of Berlin job centres has apologised, adding that the woman was not obliged to accept the job.

In Sydney Tom, an unemployed Aussie, was told to apply to an agency looking for female escorts by the government’s job network last week. An employment agency contracted by the government matched Tom to two advertisements seeking “Ladies of all ages”. “I don’t think the government should be expecting jobseekers to apply for a job as a prostitute,” said a not-so-blow-jobseeking Tom. Well, Tom, at least the state’s being honest: if you want a decent job you should go get fucked.

Disclaimer
SchNEWS warns all readers that we’re used to fishy chips, having to use the takeaway round the corner. Honest.

SchNEWS Annuals

NOW OUT!!! 'PEACE DE RESISTANCE' - SchNEWS Annual 2003 - £8 + £1.70 p&p

• SchNEWS Round issues 51 - 100 Sold out - Sorry
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• The SchQUALL book at only £6 + £1.70 p&p.
• SchNEWS and SQUALL’s YEARBOOK 2001. 300 pages of adventures from the direct action frontline. £3 + £1.70 p&p. You can order the book from a bookshop or your library, quote the ISBN 09529748 4 3.
• SchNEWS Of The World issues 301 - 350. 300 more pages of adventures from the direct action frontline. £7 + £1.50 p&p. You can order the book from a bookshop or your library, quote the ISBN 09529748 6X

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(US Postage £6.00 for individual books, £13 for above offer).

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