When RFID Meets WiFi; Now that is Good Use of Technology

With RFID Tags (radio frequency identification) there are active tags, which have enough power to transmit to the system. But now RFID Tag developers have gone one step further using RFID tags and interfaced WiFi enablers to them so the active RFID Tag can transmit in the 2.45 Ghz range using end user or destination companies wireless 802.11 WiFi network.

Pretty cool beans indeed and these new systems have been talked about in Industry White Papers, but only in theory, but now they exist and there was a write up about them in the May/June Issue of RFID Journal. The developers of the active RFID RTLS (real-time locating systems) are happy with the interest in the market place.

Some industry analysts are already calling them the World?s Most Expensive RFID tags at $50.00 to $60.00 per pop, yet that is not really true as the solar charging active RFID tags cost more than that currently. Still as the industry is trying to get the price for RFID tags under $.20 and eventually down to $.15 and then $.10 and then $.05 you can see why they are barking about the costs.

However for high-end goods for AeroSpace, Weapons Systems, Health-Care Equipment, etc. the price of $50.00 is not so bad and these tags are reusable of course. So far two companies are braving this new field; AeroScout.com and Ekahau.com and these little units look pretty neat, maybe you might want to check it out yourself? Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow, a retired entrepreneur, adventurer, modern day philosopher and perpetual tourist

RFID and 1984

"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves." ~ William Pitt

Introduction:
RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification and is a newer technology that is already being used for a number of purposes. Those of you that swipe a card on a magnetic reader to enter your work building, may be using RFID. Other common uses include package tracking by UPS, inventory control, targeting advertising to consumers, tracking pets and livestock, and the replacement of credit cards. Next will be the tracking of Americans by a big-brother government. While RFID does offer many attractive uses that can save time and money, the technology is already being widely abused and has serious security and privacy concerns.

Security Concerns:
RFID works by emitting a radio signal that is read by a reader. I have read a wide variety of numbers as to how far a chip can currently be read - 33ft and 100ft are 2 of the common maximum distances that I have seen. The distance currently depends mostly on the strength of the reader, however, chipmaker VeriChip is currently working on GPS versions that can be read from much greater distances and also provide the additional benefit of tracking the location of an object or a person. Obviously, as time moves forward more advances will be made to this technology that will make it more powerful and more dangerous.

The security concerns stem from the fact that a hacker with the right equipment can easily scan an RFID chip and either acquire the information stored on it, or, if used for gaining entry, they can replicate it in order to access secure areas.

In August of 2006, the United States will begin including RFID chips in passports. In addition to the privacy concerns, there are massive security concerns as a hacker can easily gain access to your personal information. Our government has been presented this information by thousands of security experts and their only response was to include very minimal security measures that will inevitably be overcome. The Netherlands has been using RFID chips in their passports for just a short time and the security has already been cracked. In 2008, the US government will introduce a national ID card that will also contain an RFID chip with your personal information. The federal government has told the state governments that the new ID is voluntary. They also said that if the states do not embrace the new ID, their citizens will not be able to fly on a plane, take a train, get a bank account, get a job, and a number of other "priveledges". That is the federal government's version of voluntary.

Privacy Issues:
The fundamental privacy issue with RFID is that it can and will be used to track Americans and their actions. President Bush already proposed the idea of forcing illegal immigrants to get RFID implants in order to track their movement and activities and many corporations are embedding RFID tags in their products which will still be functional even after the item is removed from the store.

While currently, the concept of RFID implants under the skin frightens 90% of Americans, corporations and the government are going to sell it to you. The are going to show you that you will no longer have to carry any keys around and can start your car and open your front door by waving your arm in front of them. They are going to sell you on the fact that 98,000 people could be saved in emergency rooms every year if their medical records were implanted on a chip. They are going to tell you that RFID implants will make this country safer because we will be able to tell who isn't chipped and find out why they are here. They will sell you on the benefits of being able to shop without going through a checkout line. They will tell you that a chip can monitor your vital functions and alert you if a problem is detected. They will tell you that they can find your kids if they are lost or kidnapped. They will tell you that an implant will make your life better, easier, and longer. The list will go on and on and the propoganda machine is already in full swing.

What they won't tell you is that once you are implanted, your decendency into slavery is complete. They won't tell you that your boss will use the chip to track your activities during the work day. They won't tell you that the government will be able to track your every movement. They won't tell you that they can take the cash right out of your implanted electronic wallet. They won't tell you that corporations can track your purchases (they already do with membership cards) and target advertising to you. They won't tell you that they will flag you and limit your movement if you are a criminal, dissident, protester, Mexican, Arab, homeless, or any other group that the government doesn't like. They won't tell you that they will track who you meet with and how you spend your time. They won't tell you that your chip might be used by the government to induce a heart attack or stroke and kill you for non-compliance with their fascist government (a little extreme, but definitely possible).

They will tell you that it is a voluntary choice to get the implant, but it will be as voluntary as the National ID card. It is estimated that 2,500 people have already been chipped and when enough ignorant and apathetic Americans get the chip, stores will begin phasing out credit card machines, the government will begin requiring the implants to fly, drive a car, or get a job. It will be as voluntary as taxes.

As a side note, I would like to say that I am not at all religious, however, I do find it ominous and unnerving that the bible basically said this would happen. Chapter 13 of the Book of Revelations states, "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." No matter what you believe, that is quite a prediction from 2000 years ago.

Recent Abuses:
The widespread use of RFID technology is fairly recent, and yet, it is already being abused. Wal-Mart in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, used RFID tags and readers to track the Max Factor Lipfinity lipstick containers stacked on them. Webcam images of the shelves were viewed 750 miles (1200 km) away by Procter & Gamble researchers in Cincinnati, Ohio, who could tell when lipsticks were removed from the shelves and observe the shoppers in action. A pilot program by the Gillette Company conducted a "smart shelf" test at a Tesco in Cambridge, England. They automatically photographed shoppers taking RFID-tagged safety razors off the shelf to see if the technology could be used to deter shoplifting. Levi Strauss is test-marketing the use of embedded RFID tags in their clothing. In January 2004 privacy advocates from CASPIAN and the German privacy group FoeBuD were invited to the METRO Future Store in Germany, where an RFID pilot project was implemented. It was uncovered by accident that METRO "Payback" customer loyalty cards contained RFID tags with customer IDs, a fact that was disclosed neither to customers receiving the cards, nor to this group of privacy advocates. This happened despite assurances by METRO that no customer identification data was tracked and all RFID usage was clearly disclosed.

These are all blatant infringements on our privacy rights which is why there are over 40 civil liberties groups world-wide trying to stop the proliferation of RFID until appropriate standards for use can be set. All of the companies listed above are on my boycott list for failure to comply with the wishes of the American people and civil liberties groups.

Call to Action:
If this sounds like science fiction, you need to realize that people are already getting implanted, including the recent chipping of 160 Mexican Officials. There is a good chance that you will eventually be implanted too, unless we resist. You must resist the National ID card. Tell your representatives that you don't want it and refuse to accept it, even if it means that you can't fly or take a train. Tell others about RFID before it is too late. Many people will have no idea what RFID even is until they get chipped. Wake up and realize that voting for republicans or democrats will end with the same result. Neither one is going to protect you from this. As long as we suffer from corporatism in this country, our fascist government may not even have to be involved in forcing people into getting chipped. They will simply only accept RFID implants as a form of payment and you will not have a choice if you wish to eat and carry out the normal functions of your life.

Further Reading
SpyChips
FDA Approves Computer Chip for Humans
Big Brother Gets Under Your Skin
Bio-chip Implant Arrives for Cashless Transactions
Company Requires RFID Injection
Company Defends RFID Implant Product
A Chip in Your Shoulder
Home for Seniors Trades Privacy for Security

Jason is a concerned citizen hoping to stir questions in people's minds about the state of our nation and the direction we are heading.

The Disadvantages of RFID Credit Cards

RFID credit cards are taking the nation. Also known as Radio Frequency Identification, RFID for short, these cards allow you to make purchases with your credit card without even having to type in a pin number, swipe your card through a reader, or even sign for the sale. Instead, a coil radio transmitter insider your card?imagine how small it must be!?sends out a tagged radio signature, that then gets transformed by the way you move your finger over the card.

In essence, your personal way of "swiping" your card with your finger gives the signal a distinct "shape" that acts like an electronic fingerprint. In theory, no one else could have this electronic fingerprint. It?s not so much theory anymore. Some credit card companies are already experimenting with RFID technology. You can use them at gas stations, convenience stores, maybe even vending machines.

But is this technology as secure as all the experts say it is? It may be, but the thought of not signing for your purchase may make you have the heebie-jeebies. Also, usually with regular credit cards, the cashier is supposed to look at your card and compare signatures, to make sure you are you, each and every time you make a purchase. With RFID cards, you forgo this extra step of security.

Another issue with RFID cards, and one you won?t hear the credit card companies make, is that RFID cards make it possible to too easily to spend and drive up your debt. If all a person has to do is wave their card at the fast food restaurant, to get gas, to buy that expensive new flat-screen televisions set, then chances are they may start waving their card more and more. In the long run, that will make a ton more money for the credit card companies. But for the buyer, that could mean a long lifetime of living in debt.

Another potential issue with RFID technology is that it could be the next wave of the future for everything from passports to security to get into buildings. It could be used possibly to even track your movements throughout the day, the week, and the year. Just imagine?your car, every building that you enter into, your house, your work?all of them have RFID security technology. That makes for a chance for Big Brother to keep an eye on you. A scary thought, and pretty far-fetched, yes, but a possible reality none the less thanks to RFID.

Joshua Shapiro recommends Find Credit Cards to find a Citibank credit card offer that?s tailored to suit your financial needs. See http://www.findcreditcards.org/issuer/citibank.php for more information.

joshuashapi@gmail.com

Documenting the Undocumented with RFID Chips or Cards

Here is an idea which came out of one of our recent thinking groups meetings regarding border security, which seems to be appropriate. First we seal off the borders and only allow crossing thru certain border check points. Robots patrol, if they see you they warn you to stop and go back in Spanish, then warn one more time. Then shoot non-lethal shot. If the perpetrator continues to the next zone, they are warned to go back twice and then if they continue they are shot dead. Running persons in reverse direction and back the country can continue without hassle as long as they keep moving out of the zones.

Any person coming over the border into our country must go thru approved points of entry and must have an RFID enabled card or implanted Chip. Which has all their information on it, including name, dates of shots and last check up, job and regional location where they will be, basic humanly identifiers such as: Finger Prints, Facial Recognition, DNA sample, retina scan. Also encoded would be various other information as we see fit.

If someone who is undocumented is caught without their card anywhere in the country, they are deported. If they commit a crime they are deported. Upon deportation a sample of DNA, retina scan and finger prints are taken and logged in. This person can never come back to the US and is barred from lifetime re-entry. Anyone caught with an RFID Chip, which is forged is to be biometrically identified and then sent back. Anyone caught with someone else's card is sent out of the county and card confiscated and barred from lifetime re-entry after they work off their fees they were suppose to pay in the first place as listed below.

To get an RFID Card or chip, you must have shots against known diseases, no criminal record, a skill, and $500.00 on person if going to work. $100.00 on person if going to shop. You must also pay if you donot have shots $60.00 to get shots and $155.00 for the Card or $50.00 for the Chip which goes under the skin.

Card is good for 2 years. A new card must be attained and another fee of $155.00 or $50.00 (implant version RFID) is paid, with updated information.

These tags ping the satellite on Fri, Sat, Sun nights and on Wednesday, with random variations during the week days sometimes Mon, sometimes Thurs, sometimes Fri, sometimes Tuesdays.

Once a person has a card they may come and go as they please provided they have $100.00 on person, ATM Card or credit card balance with them when entering. The reason being if you have no money, then you might have to do something illegal on the way to where you are going to work. If you are going to shop you will need funds or you cannot come to the country. The fees can be paid by someone else, such as a sponsor. If paid by someone else that person is guarantee their will be no criminal activity for 3 months (90 Days) if there is a fine of $10,000 goes to that person which must be paid before any Government Services are rendered to them. This includes, health care, education, social security, etc.

Businesses can sponsor workers too, the company is then liable for the $10,000 catch and release across border fee, which must be paid. This way businesses will try to hire locals first, if not the cross border workforce will be considered second.

There are 35% Illegal aliens in CA and AZ prisons. For every year one of these people is there, we could send six young men or women to a University for that same year. Crime has a rippling effect on our economy and economic development.

This system satisfies the need for Mexicans shopping here and helps bring back the money flowing out of the country into Mexico for various things.

If a person makes it without any major law violations for 4 consecutive terms of RFID Tag 2 year programs or (8-years). They can become a US Citizen.

If they lose their job, they must replace it within 4 weeks and notify the system, join our military or surrender card and go back. Failure to do this means deportation. Deportation means lifetime exile from the greatest nation in the history of mankind.

IF...? We are really serious about Homeland Security then we must do something about the borders, if we are simply using this for another reason to create fear, spend money or control power base, then there is no reason for a border at all, because it leaks like a garden hose on full blast during a drought. With an estimated 15.7 million illegal aliens in this country now, something must be done if we are serious, if not simply open up the borders and stop the charade. The cost of illegal immigration is higher than we think along with the out of country money flows going back into Mexico, it spells economic disaster, increased debt, government bankruptcy and collapse of social services.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington