Interest grows in blimps for homeland security, defense

[Judi Lynn]

Interest grows in blimps for homeland security, defense


By ELLIOTT MINOR
The Associated Press
6/27/04 1:46 PM


COLUMBUS, Ga. (AP) -- In this age of laser-guided weaponry and real-time satellite communications, it may be difficult to imagine any interest in supplying the U.S. defense arsenal with fat, lumbering blimps.

But it's no joke. Backers of airships say they are cheaper than satellites and manned reconnaissance planes, and would fill a gap between the two. And, by hovering over a particular area, airships can provide more persistent surveillance than unmanned reconnaissance drones.

The blimps also could serve as communications platforms, providing wireless phone or Internet service.

"Think of us as a low-hanging satellite," said Mike Lawson, president of Techsphere Systems International LLC, which is gearing up to produce 60-foot and 200-foot versions of its "Aerosphere" spherical airship in Columbus, Ga. "We're a niche in the marketplace that will create a safer world."
(snip/...)

http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/business/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?f0009_BC_DirigiblesForDefense&&news&newsflash-financial

[nolabels]

1. Are they going to bring back the Scuba Spies too?

http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?sku=207837&master%5Fmovie%5Fid=2188

[shance]

2. The United States of Eavesdropping*

Whats interesting is Ive already seen blimps around, and certainly more than I had in previous years.

If this so-called interest was focused on truly finding *terrorists* (how much more can they overuse this phrase), that would of course be one thing.

Seems to appear more and more like the only *terrorists* they are tracking are any and all Americans they are in the mood to snoop upon.

And, because of the Patriot Act, they can (and are) violating any and all citizens houses, phone, computer, etc without having to leave a calling card.

Essentially, they are tracking us with our tax payer money and violating our Civil Liberties at the same time.

Sounds constitutional, as well as legal doesnt it?

Dick Cheney tells Americans to prove that the Patriot Act is violating citizens civil liberties.

I would assume hes laughing inside as hes saying it, knowing its essentially impossible to prove any violation is ocurring due to the technology they are using with which to eavesdrop.

Americans need to become more saavy and less dismissive of the so-called far out methods being used to eavesdrop on innocent citizens. It is happening and it is very wrong.