Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NYPD Seeks an Air Monitor Crackdown for New Yorkers (Geiger counter ban)
Villiage Voice ^ | 1/15/2008 | Chris Thompson

Posted on 01/23/2008 3:47:38 PM PST by Aglooka

A city councilman and the cops don't want you to have that Geiger counter without their permission.

But Richard Falkenrath, the NYPD's deputy commissioner for counterterrorism, knows that it's just a matter of time. That's why he and Mayor Michael Bloomberg have asked the City Council to pass a law requiring anyone who wants to own such detectors to get a permit from the police first. And it's not just devices to detect weaponized anthrax that they want the power to control, but those that detect everything from industrial pollutants to asbestos in shoddy apartments. Want to test for pollution in low-income neighborhoods with high rates of childhood asthma?

...

And if people use these detectors without a permit, Vallone asked, do we really have to put them in jail? Afraid so, Falkenrath answered.

...

But don't think Vallone has given up or anything. He and his colleagues will try to accommodate all the concerns when they redraft the bill, he said, but one way or another, the cops are going to have this new power. "No one's going to be completely happy in the end," Vallone said, "but I think the police department gave some very impressive testimony on the stand, and also expressed a willingness to listen to concerns." After all, if you let research scientists and community groups do their jobs, the terrorists will have already won.

(Excerpt) Read more at villagevoice.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: geigercounter; homelandsecurity; nyc; nypd
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-50 next last
To: Pentagon Leatherneck

I believe that the Eloi were the sheep.

The Morlocks were the wolves.

Either way, you are right. Those in power crave more.


21 posted on 01/23/2008 6:17:26 PM PST by ex 98C MI Dude (All my hate cannot be found)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: steve86
I’d like to piss on his doorstep and then he can try out his urine detector.

I don't care who you are, that's hilarious! Blackbird.

22 posted on 01/23/2008 6:45:53 PM PST by BlackbirdSST (Go Ron Go!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Nailbiter

pingz


23 posted on 01/23/2008 7:41:10 PM PST by IncPen (Elect Barack and it's an Obama-Nation !!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: BlackbirdSST

Bump


24 posted on 01/23/2008 9:34:02 PM PST by dcwusmc (We need to make government so small that it can be drowned in a bathtub.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: IncPen

I almost thought this is unbelievable, but then I Thought SF was going to have govt control of thermostats.
One step closer...........


25 posted on 01/24/2008 2:33:31 AM PST by Nailbiter (One step closer....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka; All
Hmmm theres an awful lot of them on ebay, maybe I should buy a 3 pack, while I can.

Any suggestions on good ones?

26 posted on 01/24/2008 2:50:33 AM PST by Kakaze (Exterminate Islamofacism and apologize for nothing.....except not doing it sooner!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka
When the Environmental Protection Agency promised that the air surrounding Ground Zero was safe, Vallone said, independent testers proved that such assurances were utterly false. Would these groups really have to get a permit before they started working? "It's a good question, and it has come up prior to this hearing," Falkenrath replied. "What I can assure you is that we will look extremely carefully at this issue of the independent groups, and get the opinion of the other city agencies on how to handle that, and craft an appropriate response." And if people use these detectors without a permit, Vallone asked, do we really have to put them in jail? Afraid so, Falkenrath answered.

So, those of us in the Environmental, Health and Safety fields got your panties in a wad eh? You're going to require people who are meeting all the regulatory requirements set out by the EPA, OSHA, WC, at both city, state, and federal levels...to now need a permit to own and operate the equipment to do their jobs?! There was only one piece of equipment I ever needed to get a permit for and that permit was required by the NRC for a lead detector because it contains a uranium source. This is going to be a real nightmare at all levels. On one job alone I several dozens of different detectors and everyone of them had to be tracked and calibrated per EPA/OSHA standards. Now they want to add on "permit requirements." to the already required permit requirements....insanity...

27 posted on 01/24/2008 3:09:27 AM PST by EBH (Loose lips sink ships.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kakaze

Yes.

You want one of the refurbished civil defense models. Victoreen is one of the common models. Be careful not purchase a “survey” detector, as they are fairly useless, in the sense they only detect massive amounts of radiation as, after a “nuclear exchange”. “Honey, is it safe to go outside yet??” The 700 series is along the lines of what you are talking about.

For all that, modern units are probably more accurate. There are also different types of radiation - beta, gamma, etc. The surplus units likely need calibration, and possible capacitor replacement on the circuit board. They are pretty simple devices overall.


28 posted on 01/24/2008 3:09:53 AM PST by Freedom4US
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Freedom4US
Thank you, I appreciate the advice. I know they are simple machiens, but I was amazed at how cheap they are.

Replacing the capcitor is no problem in fact just another excuse to spend time with my nephews on the work bench !

29 posted on 01/24/2008 3:13:22 AM PST by Kakaze (Exterminate Islamofacism and apologize for nothing.....except not doing it sooner!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Kakaze

I bought one a while ago, they are interesting devices.

Since our elected officials don’t seem to be willing or, capable of doing much other than suck up massive amounts of taxpayers dollars for dubious purposes, obviously you won’t find any useful advice on saving your ass as far as I know.

You’ll have to go back 40 years, to when they at least paid lip service to protecting the public.

See http://www.civildefensemuseum.com

My how times change.


30 posted on 01/24/2008 3:47:19 AM PST by Freedom4US
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka

Ping for later.


31 posted on 01/24/2008 7:03:46 AM PST by jjm2111 (Sarcasm tags deleted by popular demand)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka

“There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of law-breakers.”

Quote by: Ayn Rand
(1905-1982) Author
Source: “Atlas Shrugged”, Part II, Chapter 3


32 posted on 01/24/2008 7:28:53 AM PST by CSM ("Dogs and beer. Proof that God loves us.- Al Gator (8/24/2007))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka

WHAT!


33 posted on 01/24/2008 3:13:59 PM PST by LurkedLongEnough (Music washes away the dust of every day life. ---Art Blakey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka

btt


34 posted on 01/24/2008 10:59:24 PM PST by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka
"But the extent of the opposition, on such short notice, was a bit surprising."

Translation: "Oh crap, these pesky citizens are actually watching what we're doing."

It's a scary mindset that thought, and probably hoped, something like this could be railroaded through unnoticed.

35 posted on 01/28/2008 11:25:26 AM PST by antiRepublicrat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

bookmark


36 posted on 01/28/2008 11:32:02 AM PST by DocRock (All they that TAKE the sword shall perish with the sword. Matthew 26:52 Gun grabbers beware.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: NinoFan
I find this very disturbing.

My "favorite" part:


"There are currently no guidelines regulating the private acquisition of biological, chemical, and radiological detectors," warned Falkenrath, adding that this law was suggested by officials within the Department of Homeland Security.
[emphasis added]

37 posted on 01/30/2008 1:50:49 AM PST by Don Joe (We've traded the Rule of Law for the Law of Rule.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: RightWhale
A Geiger counter is so simple anybody with a soldering iron can make one.

Or, tinfoil, string, and a mason jar. Google "kearney detector" -- of course, THAT will be "criminal" too under this abomination -- even though the government originally advocated people learning how to build them!

(Granted, it's not a GC -- it's an electrometer/dosimeter -- but, the main thing is that it's an illegal device, and will put you in prison.)

38 posted on 01/30/2008 2:13:13 AM PST by Don Joe (We've traded the Rule of Law for the Law of Rule.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka; mountainbunny; Pentagon Leatherneck; NinoFan; -=SoylentSquirrel=-; RightWhale; ...
Once this happens in NYC do gooders all over the country will try to pass their own versions.

See my previous post (#37) -- NYC is doing this at the instigation of DHS. They want to do it to you, wherever you live.

WRT to This sort of ban does no one "good". Being in possession of information that can keep you healthy is always good -- I will simply point out that "doing good" is not the goal. Putting people in prison is the goal, and for that, it will be quite handy.

The "ubergoal" of course is to keep people depending on The State for as much as possible.

I expect that next, there'll be a crackdown on KI sales and possession. Maybe they'll make it a "Schedule" drug. Imagine that, doing hard time for "possession of the dangerous narcotic drug 'potassium iodide'"...

Welcome to the future, where "privacy" means "abortion" and "rights" are something that are reserved for illegal aliens -- "law-abiding illegals," to use a phrase I wish was a joke.

(When you hear Blessed Rulers emoting crap like "law-abiding illegal aliens" you KNOW you're clean through the looking glass.)

When I was a kid in gradeschool -- government school -- my teachers used to tell me that one thing that made us different from other countries was that we never had to meekly obey "Papers, please?" demands, and we had true freedom and liberty.

Now, I'm thinking back to the other things they taught me -- like, about how in "those other countries" people would go to prison for having a radio, or a typewriter, or copy machine (mimeograph back then).

So I'm thinking, "geiger counter, CO tester, radio... what's the difference?"

What's the REAL difference?

If you like gun control, you'll LOVE "electronic test equipment control."

Going to prison for owning a geiger counter. The mind boggles... (Especially when you consider that MOST of the "civilian-owned" geiger counters -- and dosimeters -- are "surplus", put on the market when the government CLOSED the fallout shelters that used to be found all across the country. They closed the shelters, and disposed of all the equipment and supplies that were stored in them -- and now, they want to PROHIBIT us from taking up the slack on our own.

I guess we'd better shut up and be happy with our duct tape and plastic tarps.

Trust and obey, for there's no better way... to stay out of prison!

To those who haven't seen it yet, PLEASE read post 37 -- this is NOT "a New York City thing" -- it is being done because DHS is pushing it through -- it's only NYC where it's "surfaced" -- but DHS is a national (federal) agency.

You are NOT "don't worry" material just because you don't live in the Bad Apple!

39 posted on 01/30/2008 2:19:56 AM PST by Don Joe (We've traded the Rule of Law for the Law of Rule.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Aglooka

They can pry my Geiger counter from my cold, dead, slightly glowing hands...


40 posted on 01/30/2008 2:55:50 AM PST by gridlock (Proud Romney Supporter since January 20, 2008)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-50 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson