Check the records - Who called it first?

[LMNO]

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/12/12/domestic_drones_north_dakota_police_use_predator_spy_plane_to_arrest_suspects.html

The Los Angeles Times reports that police in North Dakota this past summer made what are believed to be the first arrests of U.S. citizens with the help of a Predator spy drone.

Local police said they have also used Predators for at least two dozen surveillance flights in recent months. From the LAT:

The drones belong to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which operates eight Predators on the country's northern and southwestern borders to search for illegal immigrants and smugglers. The previously unreported use of its drones to assist local, state and federal law enforcement has occurred without any public acknowledgment or debate.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Sigh. Yeah i forget who called it first but it wasnt too long ago either.

[Cain]

Dunno, who called it, but the next step is more worrying: the companies that build these drones have been aggressively lobbying for weaponized drones to be used in law enforcement.

To be precise, they make an awful lot of noise about how bean-bags and tear-gas cannisters and similar can be added onto a drone in place of Hellfire missiles, and be used to "pacify" a crowd of protestors much more easily than the police can.  Note: this was happening before the Occupy Protests occured.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Dunno, who called it, but the next step is more worrying: the companies that build these drones have been aggressively lobbying for weaponized drones to be used in law enforcement.

To be precise, they make an awful lot of noise about how bean-bags and tear-gas cannisters and similar can be added onto a drone in place of Hellfire missiles, and be used to "pacify" a crowd of protestors much more easily than the police can.  Note: this was happening before the Occupy Protests occured.

I find if fascinating how much effort our governments are putting into treating their own citizens as the enemy.

[Cain]

It does seem a rather pressing concerning for the coldest of all cold beasts.

I rather suspect a self-fulfilling prophecy is at play here.  Government gets up to nasty shit.  Government fears people will find out, takes steps to repress them pre-emptively.  Government forgets original purpose of legislation and technology, and starts using them for short-term political gain.  Actual acts of repression end up lighting a powder keg of completely unrelated greivances.  Government gets done over.

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear from the heavily armed battle droid.

[Pæs]

If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear from the heavily armed battle droid.

This put a grin on my face and now I can't get rid of it.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

If you have nothing to hide, then you have nothing to fear from the heavily armed battle droid.

This put a grin on my face and now I can't get rid of it.

I damn near pooped.   

[The Good Reverend Roger]

It does seem a rather pressing concerning for the coldest of all cold beasts.

I rather suspect a self-fulfilling prophecy is at play here.  Government gets up to nasty shit.  Government fears people will find out, takes steps to repress them pre-emptively.  Government forgets original purpose of legislation and technology, and starts using them for short-term political gain.  Actual acts of repression end up lighting a powder keg of completely unrelated greivances.  Government gets done over.

I just think things are too complex to govern, and our leaders have lost their nerve.  Some Italian guy talked about this once, a few centuries back.

[Cramulus]

BREAKING: predator drone unveiled in Detroit, malfunctions

[Faust]

Those cost 4.5 mill each. Anyone self respecting criminal could stand to make a mint should they get a good shot as one of those clay pigeons.

PULL.

[Cain]

The Kvant 1L222 Avtobaza ELINT System is what Iran used to hack the American drone...allegedly.  Having trouble finding a price-tag, but I suspect it is not as expensive, as say, having a hacked drone go haywire and attack the other, unhacked drones.

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

The Kvant 1L222 Avtobaza ELINT System is what Iran used to hack the American drone...allegedly.  Having trouble finding a price-tag, but I suspect it is not as expensive, as say, having a hacked drone go haywire and attack the other, unhacked drones.

I imagine you could hide one of these in a semi.



Maybe disguise it as an ice cream truck?

[The Good Reverend Roger]

The Kvant 1L222 Avtobaza ELINT System is what Iran used to hack the American drone...allegedly.  Having trouble finding a price-tag, but I suspect it is not as expensive, as say, having a hacked drone go haywire and attack the other, unhacked drones.

I imagine you could hide one of these in a semi.



Maybe disguise it as an ice cream truck?

Wouldn't work in Tucson. 

[Triple Zero]

Dunno, who called it, but the next step is more worrying: the companies that build these drones have been aggressively lobbying for weaponized drones to be used in law enforcement.

To be precise, they make an awful lot of noise about how bean-bags and tear-gas cannisters and similar can be added onto a drone in place of Hellfire missiles, and be used to "pacify" a crowd of protestors much more easily than the police can.  Note: this was happening before the Occupy Protests occured.

I find if fascinating how much effort our governments are putting into treating their own citizens as the enemy.

But-but-but all the other enemies actually fight back!