Forums > Social Discussion > "Bush Blackout for City Phones"

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Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
Mobile phones will be jammed in Sydney when Bush visits

I figure Sydney-Siders are already aware of this, but I find it interesting from an emergency perspective. No mobile phones for 2 minutes can be the difference between life and death!

But the thing that scares me most is this:
Whenever Mr Bush visits a foreign country local sovereignty is surrendered to US authorities as he moves around in heavily armoured vehicles that follow him around the globe.

How on earth did that happen? No country has a right to demand another's sovereignty, even for a moment! eek

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...


Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
It's up to a few minutes, however long that may be, and it's while Bush goes by. So if his car stops for a while, or goes slower for a while people in that area will be without service for longer.

And as I said earlier and as other people have been saying, it's an emergency thing. Even 2 minutes can be the difference between saving lives. Because considering you can conduct terrorist activity with pay phones, I guess they will be down too.

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...


RoziSILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
 Written by: faithinfire



but considering how many spiteful things are being said in this thread alone on a webpage that espouses taking care of the world and inhabitant, I don't blame them for this.



...but look you are going to say all these rotten things, go assemble, go do something other than grumble here...your grumbling isn't going to do anything here







Actually, hun, I think you are misunderstanding the Australian sense of humour. We have a pretty dry sardonic view on life down here.



Although I will allow the angry tone of any of my comments to stand. Because I am angry about this, despite using humour to mask it.



I believe that Bush's visit (and previous visits) to Australia will cause a lot of unnecessary disruption. The only other head of state that has caused this level of disruption was when the Chinese head of state addressed the Australian parliament in 2003 following an address on the previous day by Bush. This Senate report investigated whether US and Chinese Security personnel, as well as US Press were allowed privileges in parliament that were unconstitutional and that had not been extended to Australian citizens.



Basically our own government has a history of allowing the US government privileges that are not extended to any other head of state. These privileges often impinge upon the rights of Australian citizens (in the case of the 2003 events, it has been argued that they impinged directly on the operations of the Australian parliament and the rights of our political representatives to be heard in the house). I am angry about that.



Whilst a mobile phone blackout, and the closure of three train stations for three days is arguably a small price to pay, there is a principle involved. You can throw into the mix the rumours that Australian Police will be given "shoot to kill" orders during the duration of the visit, and the obvious attempts to discourage the assembly of people to protest (as is their right). I am angry that a man who is an elected official of another state (the USA) is afforded privileges above the common people that we do not even give to our own head of state on our own soil.



And no, I am not just grumbling. I am writing. I am voting. I am speaking out here and in other places.

It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.

What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...


Rouge DragonBRONZE Member
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia


Posted:
Something I want to note here, which Rozi reminded me of with her "privileges above the common people that we do not even give to our own head of state on our own soil"

I will assume that by "head of state" Rozi means John Howard (but even so, if the Queen visits, we don't go as all out as we are for Bush) and I love, and I mean LOVE the fact that our Prime Minister goes for morning walks with just a few security guard walking around him and you can literally walk up to him and shake his hand or even hug him while he is on this walk.

Now that is the kind of "hoo ha" Aussies make about our Prime Minister. Maybe that will help non-Australians understand why we think all this crap over Bush is just annoying.

i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey

Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...


Gnarly CraniumSILVER Member
member
186 posts
Location: San Francisco, USA


Posted:
And the leader of Iceland has his phone number in the phone book. Seriously.

In civilized countries this BS isn't necessary. It kinda SAYS something about a nation when its leader can/will barely poke his head outdoors-- are people really that angry, or is he just trying to play up this whole war ooh-the-world-is-a-scary-place thing?

Previous presidents here didn't get this sort of mess either-- Clinton came through my state at one point and it was nooot a huge deal. Bush though? Military aircraft EVERYWHERE.


...The cellphone thing is only two minutes? Okay that's somewhat better. Still, messy.



Doc Lightning-- Good for Stanford. Yeesh, what a pain in the ass.

"Ours is not to question The Head; it is enough to revel in the ubiquitous inanity of The Head, the unwanted proximity of The Head, the unrelenting HellPresence of The Head, indeed the very UNYIELDING IRRELEVANCE of The Head!" --Revelation X


faith enfireBRONZE Member
wandering thru the woods of WI
3,556 posts
Location: Wisconsin, USA


Posted:
what it says about a leader who can't go out and not worry about his protection?
can we say assassination?

Faith
Nay, whatever comes one hour was sunlit and the most high gods may not make boast of any better thing than to have watched that hour as it passed


StoutBRONZE Member
Pooh-Bah
1,872 posts
Location: Canada


Posted:
After all..it's not like anyone's ever taken a shot at an American president before wink

So the fuss is all about privileges given to foreign dignitaries that aren't afforded to regular Australian citizens ? Fair enough, and a valid reason to be upset.

I went through an APEC conference in Vancouver in 1997, and yes there were plenty of protests. Most of them were peaceful except for one incident where a group tried to scale a fence to get to Suharto ( the free east timor crowd ) and were met with a cloud of pepper spray. The protesters, of course went nuts and for months after demanded some sort of justice for the humiliation they'd be subjected to.

So why am I posting this story. ??

My brother in law, who happens to be a city of Vancouver police officer says that had the protesters successfully climbed that fence, and got within a certain distance of Suharto, then Suharto's bodyguards would have simply shot them, and instantly left for home on a plane, claiming diplomatic immunity.

Are the bodyguards accompanying the visiting heads of state in this years APEC conference also going to be armed ? Or with this just a "freak" thing ?

Plus..if they did hold this thing in an out of the way location, not only would it be harder for protesters to get to, there's be a massive conspiracy theory hatched over the supposed "secrecy" of holding it in a more remote location.

The cellphone thing is supposed to be only two minutes, Bush's car won't stop, or slow down ( think motorcades, closed roads ) covering an area the size of a football field. ( according to the BBC )

faith enfireBRONZE Member
wandering thru the woods of WI
3,556 posts
Location: Wisconsin, USA


Posted:
then, I don't think the cellphone silence is too outrageous, I mean with all the stuff getting closed down, not too many people will be in the area
but why would they advertise it. Criminals are synchronizing crimes right now

Faith
Nay, whatever comes one hour was sunlit and the most high gods may not make boast of any better thing than to have watched that hour as it passed


RoziSILVER Member
100 characters max...
2,996 posts
Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia


Posted:
I think if you read carefully through the posts, the issue is not just about the mobile phone blackout. That is simply one example of a problematic attitude about overseas politicos taking precedence over others. It is, you might say, just the thin edge of the wedge.

Recent newspaper articles have again made mention of the powers given to Australian Police to shoot on sight. Now there is also discussion over similar powers being given to overseas security personnel. Apparently they are also looking at introducing legislation that will mean "known troublemakers" can be prevented from entering city limits.

As to the "not too many people will be in the area", Sydney is the most populous city in Australia with a metropolitan area population of over 4,200,000 people. This is occurring in a major metropolitan area. Yes, there will be a significant number of people in the area just going about their business.

It was a day for screaming at inanimate objects.

What this calls for is a special mix of psychology and extreme violence...


StoneGOLD Member
Stream Entrant
2,829 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia


Posted:
Random body searches for APEC

POLICE will be granted APEC-specific powers to detain people and subject them to random body searches in special "declared" zones around Sydney during the seven-day APEC conference in September.

It is also understood further legislation will be introduced to allow Foreign Government security agencies to carry weapons and enforce their own security arrangements on Australian soil, which has the potential to upset local authorities.

Special permission has already been given to the US Secret Service, whose presence and intimidating demeanour has led to a cool reception from Australian security officials on previous occasions.


eek What's next?

If we as members of the human race practice meditation, we can transcend our fear, despair, and forgetfulness. Meditation is not an escape. It is the courage to look at reality with mindfulness and concentration. Thich Nhat Hanh


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Take to the streets! Protest! Make it loud! Make it big! Don't just complain about it, DO something about it!

Enough people protesting in the streets makes politicians fear their jobs.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


squarefishSILVER Member
(...trusty steed of the rodeo midget...)
403 posts
Location: the state of flux, Ireland


Posted:
When The Shrub visited Ireland he had his secret service guys along with him, and while they were allowed to carry firearms they were also told in no uncertain terms that they would not be allowed to endanger the lives of Irish citizens.

The operation was supervised at all times by the Irish Army Rangers (they train the SAS by the way...) and anyone who pointed a weapon at an Irish citizen would not be allowed to proceed.

They would be.........stopped.

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