PennDOT-owned cameras may be part of new $1 million PA surveillance program

[humanic]

The following are exact quotes from a recent article in the Tribune Review (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_585645.html). For those who don't understand the possible significance of this, please watch this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjRCfmPwXSU) and remember that-- unbeknownst to most Pennsylvanians-- PennDOT has already converted our drivers license pictures into biometric faceprints (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gfOT-3IF8w) through their contractor L-1 Identity Solutions. L-1 is the same company who has been trying to illegally sell their software to China (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/20797485/chinas_allseeing_eye/print) for use in monitoring its citizens' every move.

Allegheny County is planning to keep an electronic eye out for you...
$750,000 in a pending federal appropriations bill would help pay for as many as 40 remote-controlled cameras...
The planned system will include 64 cameras the county already has...
The closed-circuit wireless surveillance network could include microphones...
...the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved more than $2 million for police surveillance in Pennsylvania. Besides the county money, the funding bill includes $250,000 to put 53 cameras in Pittsburgh, and similar projects for cameras in Allentown, Williamsport and York.
[County Emergency Services Chief Bob Full]... is seeking additional money to expand the system's capabilities.
Philadelphia is building a $10 million surveillance network with 250 cameras that the city hopes to have operating by the end of the year.
The cameras work best when everyone knows they are being watched, said the study's author, Jerry Ratcliffe.
...the planned surveillance system... eventually could include security cameras owned by universities, PennDOT and private companies.
It is scalable, and it can grow. And this is what we need to do in the future: We need to use technology as our best defense," Full said.

Besides what is going on in China, Britons are already living in a surveillance society (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=britons+surveillance&spell=1) in which they are tracked by hundreds of cameras a day (http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/shared/news/world/stories/08/14TERROR_CIVILLIBERTIES.html) on average. The same thing is happening all over this country as well. Here are a few examples. You can find countless more.


Chicago plans advanced surveillance (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-09-09-chicago-surveillance_x.htm) [USA Today]
San Francisco expands public surveillance (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/01/18/surveillance_cameras_approved/) [The Register]
New York Plans Surveillance Veil for Downtown (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/09/nyregion/09ring.html) [NY Times]

Please help us fight back by contacting Renee' Baumgartner by email at real.idlawsuitpa@gmail.com and joining our class action lawsuit which is seeking (amongst other things) to get PennDOT's database of faceprints destroyed. There are already 240 plaintiffs, but we need more.

Also, call your State Senator (not your Senator in Congress) and tell them you want legislation passed to block the implementation of Real ID in this state, and that you want PennDOTs database of our biometric faceprints destroyed. There is a bill that would do all or most of this called SB 1220 sitting in the Communications and Technology committee, chaired by State Senator Rob Wonderling. The PA Senate is currently in session, but it appears that he plans to sit on the bill and not bring it to a vote. Call Wonderling's office at (717) 787-3110 and change his mind. (You will probably speak with one of his staffers, not him.)

Pass this information along to your friends, family, and co-workers.

[DirtMcGirt]

More on Penndot-
Using FaceExplorer software, Pennsylvania DOT (PennDOT) is in process of implementing Real ID biometrics from existing and renewal drivers license (DL) photos. The catch is that the camera shot must capture both eyes for the software to work and yet neither PA Code (law) nor PennDOT regs stipulate the manner in which the photos are to be taken. One is thus on solid legal footing to wear sunglasses or an eyepatch, obscure an eye with a lock of hair or simply close one or both eyes.

If you manage to foil the biometrics, PennDOT will send you the below letter. The word "ERROR" will be used twice in the first paragraph because it is a form letter used to communicate that another state has told PennDOT that it has suspended your DL. In other words, PennDOT will lie to you.
_______________________________

Dear Motorist:

Your right to apply for a driver's license or learner's permit is being denied due to information received from the State of ERROR indicating that your driving privileges are suspended. This denial is authorized by Section 1572 of the Vehicle Code. You will not be able to apply for a driver's license or learner's permit until sufficient proof of restoration is received from the State of ERROR.

In order to comply with this sanction you are required to return any current driver's license, learner's permit and/or temporary driver's license (camera card) in your possession no later than the effective date listed. If you cannot comply with the requirements stated above, you are required to submit a DL16LC Form or a sworn affidavit stating that you are aware of the sanction against your driving privilege. Failure to comply with this notice shall result in this Bureau referring this matter to the Pennsylvania State Police for prosecution under SECTION 1571(a)(4) of the Vehicle Code.

WHEN THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES YOUR LICENSE OR ACKNOWLEDGMENT, WE WILL SEND YOU A RECEIPT. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THIS RECEIPT WITHIN 15 DAYS CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY. OTHERWISE, YOU WILL NOT BE GIVEN CREDIT TOWARD SERVING THIS SANCTION.

The effective date of cancellation is 11/04/2008, 12:01 a.m.

You have the right to appeal the Department's action to the Court of Common Pleas (Civil Division) within 30 days of the mail date (SEPTEMBER 30, 2008) of this notice. You must still send in your license before the effective date of cancellation unless you appear in person before a Judge and receive an order permitting you to continue to drive.

[porcupine]

We'll be waitin' for ya.
http://freestateproject.org/