Comments on: Iraqi army using dodgy ‘magic wand’ to detect explosives at checkpoints http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/ General interest observations and true web-log. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 05:35:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: chris http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1606068 chris Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:44:02 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1606068 This was on Bruce Schneier's blog ages ago. The scary bit is that there are tons of equally useless security stuff done, at great expense, buy our own government. This was on Bruce Schneier’s blog ages ago. The scary bit is that there are tons of equally useless security stuff done, at great expense, buy our own government.

]]> By: Rick Cain http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605791 Rick Cain Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:10:09 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605791 Let me guess, made by Bose and Monster Cable. Let me guess, made by Bose and Monster Cable.

]]> By: GetSmart http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605785 GetSmart Sun, 29 Nov 2009 07:51:04 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605785 Need to sell them some power cables for them that have gold connectors and 99.995 pure oxygen free copper conductors with real platinum braid shielding to increase the sensitivity of the detector. Only 1,500 dollars US a set, in quantities of 50 or more. That and kits with "Perimeter Field Enhancement Crystals" that your place around checkpoints to make a "sweet spot" to enhance detector operation. Bulk pricing on request. Need to sell them some power cables for them that have gold connectors and 99.995 pure oxygen free copper conductors with real platinum braid shielding to increase the sensitivity of the detector. Only 1,500 dollars US a set, in quantities of 50 or more. That and kits with “Perimeter Field Enhancement Crystals” that your place around checkpoints to make a “sweet spot” to enhance detector operation. Bulk pricing on request.

]]> By: Eina http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605580 Eina Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:58:11 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605580 More suckers? The Malaysian Customs bought a very similar system as this a few years back - just seems to have been repackaged since then. Great newspaper stories about how they could detect drugs at 200m and all sorts of other impossible rubbish. They were called out on it & the whole topic mysteriously died soon after. "Alpha Six" was the name back then. A product that looked exactly the same was the "Quadro Tracker" Here are some links: http://dapmalaysia.org/all-archive/English/2003/july03/lks/lks2486.htm http://sniffexquestions.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-do-thai-tv-stations-not-warn-police.html More suckers?

The Malaysian Customs bought a very similar system as this a few years back – just seems to have been repackaged since then. Great newspaper stories about how they could detect drugs at 200m and all sorts of other impossible rubbish. They were called out on it & the whole topic mysteriously died soon after.

“Alpha Six” was the name back then. A product that looked exactly the same was the “Quadro Tracker”

Here are some links:
http://dapmalaysia.org/all-archive/English/2003/july03/lks/lks2486.htm
http://sniffexquestions.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-do-thai-tv-stations-not-warn-police.html

]]> By: Rick Cain http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605481 Rick Cain Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:53:34 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605481 I'm not surprised if we are hiring psychics too. I’m not surprised if we are hiring psychics too.

]]> By: Dirk Thundernuts http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605478 Dirk Thundernuts Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:44:56 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605478 It looks like a procto-scope. It looks like a procto-scope.

]]> By: pfkad http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605389 pfkad Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:44:48 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605389 #10, Fusion: I don't know about Uncle Dave, but you nailed me! Amazing! #10, Fusion: I don’t know about Uncle Dave, but you nailed me! Amazing!

]]> By: yanikinwaoz http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605349 yanikinwaoz Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:57:23 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605349 Perhaps it works as a placebo. If the terrorist think it works, then it works. If one is pointed at a bomb laden car, the terrorist driver might freak out thinking they are busted. Perhaps it works as a placebo.

If the terrorist think it works, then it works. If one is pointed at a bomb laden car, the terrorist driver might freak out thinking they are busted.

]]> By: Mr. Fusion http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605343 Mr. Fusion Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:43:37 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605343 I get the feeling this is going to blow up in some Iraqi's face some day. I get the feeling this is going to blow up in some Iraqi’s face some day.

]]> By: Mr. Fusion http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605342 Mr. Fusion Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:42:42 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605342 #9, Uncle Dave, Let's see; You're really Harvey Dembrowski, you were born on 123 Mainstreet in Anytown, Mystate, USA. Your birthdate is April 01, 1950 (or 1960 or 1970 depending upon the woman you're trying to pick up) Your parents names are Dad and Mom and you attended High School Secondary. Your first pet was a gold fish named Fluffy (who incidentally died when pedro took him for a walk). Your stint in the Army resulted in a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, six Purple Hearts, and a secret Congressional Medal of Honor for a secret mission you can't discuss. You took your current job to keep busy after selling your start-up for several tens of millions, which are tied up in the courts at the moment for some reason you don't like to get into. Yes, government agents are looking for you, but not for unpaid parking tickets. That is a ruse to get you to do another secret mission for them. OK, so how many did I miss? ;) #9, Uncle Dave,

Let’s see;

You’re really Harvey Dembrowski, you were born on 123 Mainstreet in Anytown, Mystate, USA. Your birthdate is April 01, 1950 (or 1960 or 1970 depending upon the woman you’re trying to pick up)

Your parents names are Dad and Mom and you attended High School Secondary. Your first pet was a gold fish named Fluffy (who incidentally died when pedro took him for a walk).

Your stint in the Army resulted in a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, six Purple Hearts, and a secret Congressional Medal of Honor for a secret mission you can’t discuss.

You took your current job to keep busy after selling your start-up for several tens of millions, which are tied up in the courts at the moment for some reason you don’t like to get into.

Yes, government agents are looking for you, but not for unpaid parking tickets. That is a ruse to get you to do another secret mission for them.

OK, so how many did I miss? ;)

]]> By: Uncle Dave http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605297 Uncle Dave Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:22:05 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605297 #1: Your mother's maiden name, your city of birth and other other kinds of 'secret' questions is a perfectly safe way of protecting access if you use a fake name, city, etc. It's not like they check. Make up something and always use it in those situations. I use (for a number of things) a fake name I made up in a story I once wrote that nobody ever read. Impossible to guess, look up or whatever. #1: Your mother’s maiden name, your city of birth and other other kinds of ’secret’ questions is a perfectly safe way of protecting access if you use a fake name, city, etc. It’s not like they check. Make up something and always use it in those situations.

I use (for a number of things) a fake name I made up in a story I once wrote that nobody ever read. Impossible to guess, look up or whatever.

]]> By: Dallas http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605263 Dallas Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:44:23 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605263 It might be preventing explosives from getting past the checkpoint if terrorists think it works. Sort of like the TSA. It might be preventing explosives from getting past the checkpoint if terrorists think it works.

Sort of like the TSA.

]]> By: chuck http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605172 chuck Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:53:07 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605172 If you use the device to check a vehicle that doesn't have any guns or bombs in it, and the device doesn't detect anything -- that is clear proof that it works. If you use the device to check a vehicle that doesn’t have any guns or bombs in it, and the device doesn’t detect anything — that is clear proof that it works.

]]> By: Ah_Yea http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605155 Ah_Yea Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:37:13 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605155 "no one from the company had taken up the offer" Why should they? They are selling 1500 at between $$16,500 to $60,000 each. This comes out to $24,500,000 at a minimum! “no one from the company had taken up the offer”

Why should they? They are selling 1500 at between $$16,500 to $60,000 each.

This comes out to $24,500,000 at a minimum!

]]> By: AdmFubar http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2009/11/26/iraqi-army-using-dodgy-magic-wand-to-detect-explosives-at-checkpoints/comment-page-1/#comment-1605151 AdmFubar Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:52:04 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=63814#comment-1605151 #3 but they were "right wing nuts" this reminds me of a python sketch.. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XY31P7sLJho&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XY31P7sLJho&hl=en_GB&fs=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> #3 but they were “right wing nuts”

this reminds me of a python sketch..

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