Truth Love Freedom

Microsoft making software to work with Verichip for medical records.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/VeriChip-Corporation-Selected-bw-13591811.html

Thanks Vicky Davis for the info
ChannelingReality.com
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Port of L.A. buys Chinese X-ray scanning system with U.S. taxpayer money
By Jacob Goodwin, Editor-in-Chief
Published October 16th, 2008
Color X-ray Image

For the first time, a major U.S. port has purchased a sophisticated high-energy X-ray scanning system from a Chinese manufacturer, and it is paying for it with a $1.7 million port security grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The Port of Los Angeles , the nation’s largest, has procured a mobile X-ray scanning system, mounted on a Mack truck chassis, which was manufactured by a Chinese company called Nuctech Company Limited, headquartered in Beijing , whose president happens to be the son of the President of the People’s Republic of China . The Nuctech equipment will be used by the port police to inspect trucks delivering food, groceries and other supplies to cruise ships that are scheduled to depart from the busy West Coast port.

The bid that included the Nuctech scanner, which was cheaper than rival bids submitted by Smiths Detection, a British company with offices in New Jersey, and Rapiscan Systems, of Torrance, CA, was formally submitted to the port by a small U.S.-based business headquartered in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, known as DULY Research Inc.

DULY Research was awarded a $1,880,000 contract in September 2007, according to a memo issued by the port’s homeland security division. Smiths Detection bid just over $2.7 million and Rapiscan’s price was about $2.9 million, sources told GSN.

“We were cognizant of the fact that we were the first port to acquire this Chinese system,” said George Cummings, the port’s director of homeland security. “They were the low bidder and they complied with all the technical requirements,” he added.

Some observers of the transaction have raised questions about the wisdom of U.S. tax dollars being handed to a Chinese manufacturer, the degree to which Nuctech may have “reverse engineered” the X-ray technology originally developed by Western companies, the possibility that Nuctech may have had its price subsidized by the government of the People’s Republic of China, and the notion that Nuctech may have engaged in illegal “dumping” by offering its product below its own manufacturing costs.

Cummings, the homeland security director at the port, told GSN he is not troubled by any of those possibilities.

He explained that the purchase of the Model MT1213LH mobile X-ray scanning unit was done in accordance with the procurement rules and regulations of the City of Los Angeles , which does not include any “Buy America” provisions or clauses that would prohibit the purchase of Chinese-built equipment.

He also explained that U.S. Government officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the department’s grant programs, knew about the equipment’s origin in China and had no objection to authorizing a cost reimbursement to the California port. “The equipment will be purchased by grant funding awarded in Round 3 of the Federal Port Security Grant Program and is budgeted in the Engineering Division budget for the current fiscal year,” said the port’s contract award memorandum, dated Sept. 10, 2007 .

Some industry observers have speculated that Nuctech based its product’s design on technology developed years earlier by other Western X-ray manufacturers, but GSN could not identify any patent infringement lawsuits initiated or threatened by any of Nuctech’s competitors. The Chinese firm has ridden its technical expertise – and its remarkably low prices – to victory after victory in numerous European tenders during the past 18 months or so, sources say. Its scanning equipment is currently installed in more than 60 countries.

It is never easy to determine whether a company is submitting formal bids at prices below its own production costs, actions which could lead to charges of illegal dumping, but few observers doubt that Nuctech has an extremely close relationship with the Chinese government. The fact that the president of Nuctech, 37-year-old Hu Haifeng, is the son of Hu Jintao, the President of the People’s Republic of China and the General Secretary of the Communist Party in China, only fuels such suspicions.

The Port of Los Angeles seems to have taken appropriate steps to select the winning bidder. Detailed proposals from Nuctech, Smiths Detection and Rapiscan were closely examined to determine if the products offered would conform to the technical requirements.

In addition, the bid information was provided to Dr. Charles Massey, formerly of Sandia National Laboratories and currently under contract to the Department of Energy to evaluate scanning systems as part of Uncle Sam’s Secure Freight Initiative, for his independent evaluation.

“We don’t have any heartburn about this,” explained Cummings, the port’s homeland security director. “We did all the due diligence we had to do. We took it to our board. We’re comfortable with this decision.”

Critics of the transaction, who requested anonymity, raised the specter of sensitive X-ray images and cargo manifests being archived on the X-ray scanning system and, perhaps, transmitted via the Internet back to Nuctech in China , or to the Chinese government. Indeed, the mobile system was required to offer that technical capability.

“Automatic digital image archiving with image review of 25,000 images or greater with a flatbed scanner to record, save and associate related documents and notes including system operators, recipient, date and time,” was listed as one required capability in the port’s official specification document.

“Nuctech will supply the wireless devices for transmission of images to remote inspection location, and for uploading data via internet,” promised Nuctech, in its formal proposal to the port.

Cummings acknowledged that the system theoretically could capture, store and transmit such X-ray images — and transmit them to China or elsewhere — but wondered who might have any interest in meaningless images of meat and groceries.

The high-energy X-ray system has now arrived at the port and is undergoing testing, said Cummings. Port officials need to develop an operational health and safety program which can win the port’s approval, and make some site improvements, before the equipment can begin full-time operation.

I found this very interesting. I can’t help but wonder how the police felt about their fellow police officers beating the crap out of them.

Obama Goons Call Police
Over Man’s Questions
By Greg Nixon
9-27-8

This past Sunday, a graduate student in electrical engineering learned that Fascists are not always goosestepping in uniforms behind tanks, sometimes they can appear to be innocent little old ladies or soccer moms. Our student, whom we will refer to as as just Brian, approached an Obama campaign table on Church Street here in Burlington and began to ask questions about Brzezinski’s role as advisor to Obama. He also asked if the Obama supporters knew about how Brzezinski was the architect for the Mujahideen, a.k.a. Al Qaeda.

The Obama table wanted no discussion what so ever. In order to set up a table on Church Street, a group must apply for a permit from the market place board. The function of tabling is to educated the public on issues and allow dialogue. Apparently an open exchange of ideas did not apply to Obama supporters. After Brian questioned the table and realized the conversation was closed, he walked away.

Refusing to speak was not enough for the Obama people, they called the police! Two police officers chased Brian down, ordered him onto the ground. Brian called out for help, thinking he had committed no crime. The police told him to shut up or he would be tasered. Brian was handcuffed and taken to jail where he was held for 35 hours. He had to appear before a judge in shackles and will face a trial by jury in one month for: resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

The ordeal in jail left Brian visibly shaken and upset. If the arrest wasn’t enough. The Obama campaigners filed a RESTRAINING ORDER which bans him from Church Street for ONE MONTH! Burlington is a small town, and Church St. is our main thoroughfare. This is a de facto ban from the town.

I spent a half hour with Brian retracing the steps of that fateful day. He told me how he didn’t realize what freedom was until it was taken away. For the moment, he is not personally speaking out about this injustice. He fears what other tactics the Obama supporters may hold. I immediately realized a gross injustice had been committed and seized a chance to tell Brian’s story by gaining his trust.

I hope a suit will be filed for a violation of Brian’s civil rights, First Amendment rights and the tabling permit for the Obama campaigners will go under review. Is this Obama’s America? Is this this the “Change” we can expect? Arbitrary arrests for questioning power? Be careful of what you wish for, As Truman Capote said, “more tears are shed over answered prayers than unaswered ones.”

Greg Nixon

Wow, this article sure makes me feel better.

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