Thread: Support H.R.220 - Common Sense About Identity Theft & RE

LIFE WITH BIG BROTHER
Fear mark of the beast? State OKs special license
West Virginia drivers receive exemption from requirement to digitally store photo
Posted: August 09, 2008
8:00 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

It's not "666," but it's close enough to the New Testament's "mark of the beast," says a small religious group in West Virginia that won an exemption from the state's requirement that driver's license photos be stored in a digital database.

Phil Hudok, a high school physics teacher in Randolph County, pastor Butch Paugh and 12 others raised the issue in 2006 during meetings with Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Joseph Cicchirillo as the state prepared to bring its driver's license policy in line with the federal Real ID Act, passed a year earlier. Under Real ID, states would be required to share information about licensed drivers, including photos, with agencies in other states.

"We see us getting closer and closer to the mark of the beast," Hudok told the Charleston Gazette-Mail.

According to John the apostle's vision in Revelation 16:1-2, those who are found with the mark are the objects of God's wrath:

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth."

So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.

In 1999, WND reported Hudok's fight with the school board over his refusal to wear a photo ID with a bar code that had to remain visible at all times.

Hudok said his religious beliefs prevented him from wearing the ID because it had a bar code displayed next to his photo. He said he believed the card was the "mark of the beast" as referred to in Revelation.

Although he was given an exemption based on his religious beliefs, he was fired because he would not enforce the rule against students who refused to wear the computer-coded ID.

"I can't do that. How can I possibly ask someone to do something that I can't do myself? They've already given me permission to cut off the bar code, which I did," Hudok said at the time. "But they're saying that I have to enforce the students to wear their cards which have bar codes."

The school implemented the policy based on federal guidelines for reducing campus violence.

(Story continues below)






In August 2000, WND reported, the West Virginia State Supreme Court ordered Hudok reinstated with back pay and benefits.

Now, eight years later, without having to go to court, Hudok has succeeded in winning an exemption for people like himself who believe the growing computerization of personal information – in this case, photographs – have spiritual meaning and consequences.

Under the agreement worked out with the DMV, members of Paugh's group will be allowed to have their DMV pictures taken at the Capitol DMV office, where a hard copy will be kept on file. The digital version, however, will be deleted from the computer system.

"What these people objected to was the digital image," Cicchirillo said. "All the other information stays there."

Cicchirillo said he had received few objections to the state's digital-photo requirement.

"Right now, I have three or four people who have requested it for religious reasons," he told the Gazette. "I think what they told me was it had to do with the mark of the beast.

"The only reason we're trying it is these people's religious beliefs and they don't want their pictures stored," he said of the "pilot program."

For Hudok, the digital photographs are "getting closer and closer to the mark of the beast" associated with the arrival of the Antichrist.

"They haven't defined what the limits will be on the Real ID," he said.

According to Hudok, the digital images can be used to establish "unique facial" characteristics that identify people better than their fingerprints.

"My children won't even have yearbook pictures taken," he said, adding that companies taking the images also forward them to the national Amber Alert for storage in the missing children program's database.

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=P ... geId=71943

Published: August 08, 2008 09:43 pm print this story email this story

Fearing ‘mark of the beast,’ teacher gets special driver’s license
Mannix Porterfield
Register-Herald Reporter

‘And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name’



— Rev. 13: 16-17



Physics teacher Phillip Hudok, a fundamentalist Christian who once lost his job temporarily over bar-coded student ID cards, is driving now with an alternate license, sans the digitized photograph he fears is a step in putting the entire world under an end-time dictator, known in the Bible as the Antichrist.

Hudok traveled Friday to Charleston to pick up his new driver’s license, accompanied by Pastor Butch Paugh, a Nettie resident who pastors two fellowships, in Huttonsville and in Summersville.

Paugh views the digitized photograph on West Virginia operator’s cards as a prelude to the coming Antichrist, which the Book of Revelation says will exert global control on every human being via the number of his name, 666.

“We believe it pertains heavily to the ‘mark of the beast’ and the coming ‘mark of the beast,’â€

Mississippi considers federal REAL-ID requirements

9/2/2008 5:43:20 AM
Daily Journal


BY BOBBY HARRISON
Daily Journal Jackson Bureau

JACKSON - The already painfully slow process of driver's license renewal could be stretched to the proverbial snail's pace thanks to federal legislation that Mississippi has yet to adopt.

In coming years, the Mississippi Legislature must deal with the federal REAL-ID legislation, which requires states to develop driver's licenses and identification cards that meet federal guidelines.

Congress passed REAL-ID legislation in 2005 as part of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

States are not required to comply with REAL-ID, but Adam Telle of Sen. Thad Cochran's office said federal agencies won't recognize state-issued driver's licenses or IDs unless those cards are in compliance. That could affect the ability of a person from a non-compliant state to board a commercial aircraft or access a federal facility.

Mississippi House Transportation Chairman Warner McBride, D-Courtland, held a committee hearing on the REAL-ID issue recently. He said some have equated it to an unfunded federal mandate.

Steve Simpson, appointed earlier this year as commissioner of Public Safety by Gov. Haley Barbour, said it is too early to estimate the cost of REAL-ID to Mississippi, but did say it would require "a complete revamping of our system."

Simpson acknowledged that the current system is slow and burdensome for people wanting to obtain, renew or replace a license. He said it is an issue he is working on, but said the driver's license bureau is understaffed and the people underpaid.

Mississippi received about $700,000 from the federal government to go toward enacting REAL-ID. Simpson said that is far short of what is needed.

In addition to training personnel, the current system would have to be purged.

Originally, REAL-ID was supposed to be in operation in March of this year. But that deadline has been extended to May 2011 at the latest.

The nationwide cost is estimated to be at least $4 billion, Jeremy Meadows of the National Conference of State Legislatures told McBride and his committee. Thus far Congress has appropriated $90 million.

Under REAL-ID, states must electronically verify a person's identification documents, such as birth certificate and Social Security card, through multiple national databanks and must terminate a driver's license from any other state.

Employees also must be trained to recognize false documents.

Thus far 10 states have passed legislation rejecting REAL-ID while 19 states are moving toward adoption. Legislation has been introduced in Mississippi, but nothing has passed.

Contact Bobby Harrison at (601)-353-3119 or bobby.harrison@djournal.com.

http://www.djournal.com/pages/story.asp ... 1&div=News

August 21, 2008
How RFID Tags Could Be Used to Track Unsuspecting People
A privacy activist argues that the devices pose new security risks to those who carry them, often unwittingly

By Katherine Albrecht

If you live in a state bordering Canada or Mexico, you may soon be given an opportunity to carry a very high tech item: a remotely readable driver’s license. Designed to identify U.S. citizens as they approach the nation’s borders, the cards are being promoted by the Department of Homeland Security as a way to save time and simplify border crossings. But if you care about your safety and privacy as much as convenience, you might want to think twice before signing up.

The new licenses come equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags that can be read right through a wallet, pocket or purse from as far away as 30 feet. Each tag incorporates a tiny microchip encoded with a unique identification number. As the bearer approaches a border station, radio energy broadcast by a reader device is picked up by an antenna connected to the chip, causing it to emit the ID number. By the time the license holder reaches the border agent, the number has already been fed into a Homeland Security database, and the traveler’s photograph and other details are displayed on the agent’s screen.

Although such “enhancedâ€

[quote]“They say you have to do this to travel and board a plane and open a bank account. When it comes right down to it, it’s still a personal decision as to whether you go along with a state or a federal mandate.â€

Comments about: Maine official to explain Real ID law on cable TV

AUGUSTA -- Maine's top motor-vehicle official is going on cable TV to explain the state's new requirements for driver's license renewals, designed to ...
published on November 29, 2008 [ back to story ]
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http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/nu_c ... 31&cid=208

Lawmakers Urge O'Malley To Hold Off On "Real ID"
Lisa Rein

A dozen Democratic lawmakers representing the "New Americans" caucus in Annapolis met with Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) yesterday to urge him not to move ahead with legislation to require immigrants to prove they are legal residents before they can drive.

The change would reverse a long-standing policy that makes Maryland one of four states that allow undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses. Many states now require a "legal presence" to comply with the federal security law known as "Real ID," which calls for a uniform license like a national identity card.

Anyone who does not have a license that complies with the new law would not be able to board commercial airplanes or enter federal buildings.

O'Malley administration officials have said Maryland must act this year to comply with a Dec. 31 deadline. But yesterday, the lawmakers pleaded with him to hold off, saying they have high hopes the Obama administration will scale back the law's provisions.

They said they will sponsor a bill to develop a two-tier system instead that would mandate separate licenses to those here legally and those who are not. Those with the more restrictive license could drive but not be able to board planes, for example.

"Real ID is going to change," said Ana Sol Gutierrez(D-Montgomery), one of the General Assembly's leading advocates for the rights of immigrants. "We expect the Obama administration to delay the impact. We're saying, don't use this as an immigration tool."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/annapo ... =annapolis

Defeat of fingerprint scanner with tape raises questions about Real ID
5 comments
January 27, 10:04 AM
by J.D. Tuccille, Civil Liberties Examiner
« Previous
Next »
Fingerprint scanner
High-tech fingerprint scanners like this one can
apparently be thwarted with tape.
(Photo by Matthias Sebulke)
The folks at Mythbusters can say "I told you so" now that Japanese authorities have found a 51-year old woman slipping in and out of the country by using a piece of tape to defeat fingerprint scanners. The seemingly simple exploit raises questions about expensive border security systems -- and about the usefulness of the biometric data the federal government wants to incorporate into drivers licenses with its controversial Real ID scheme.

The unnamed South Korean bar hostess, whose real fingerprints were on file as that of an illegal alien, bypassed her listing in the database with tape supplied by a black market contact named "Mr. Lee." She affixed the tape to her index fingers and let the $45 million security system instantly check her fake prints against a listing of undesirables. Having apparently been given her money's worth by Mr. Lee, she passed into Japan without a hiccup.

The woman was arrested in South Korea after attempting to purchase a fake passport.

U.S. authorities use a similar fingerprint identification system at the border, raising questions about the level of security provided by the high-tech devices. The machines haven't been useless -- they've actually stopped thousand of criminals. The scanners seem to act as an effective barrier to miscreants lacking the sophistication of South Korean bar hostesses, and therefore willing to submit to fingerprinting without taking precautions.

But since workarounds for the scanners are now available on the black market, the cost and false sense of security provided by the technology has to be weighed against the ease with which it can be bypassed.

The same can be said of the controversy-ridden Real ID system, a federally driven scheme for standardizing state-issed drivers licenses and incorporating biometric data.. The plan would effectively convert licenses into national ID cards and has been vigorously opposed by privacy advocates. Many state governments have denounced the plan and several have flat-out refused to comply.

The federal government argues that incorporating biometric data in drivers licenses is necessary for "enhancing national security" and stopping terrorists, but the easy defeat of fingerprint scanners suggests that the Real ID scheme may not be just a threat to privacy, but also an expensive and contentious waste of time.

Not long ago, the popular television show Mythbusters tried several methods of defeating fingerprint scanners and found several relatively simple techniques that worked -- including a photocopy of a fingerprint. You can see them for yourself below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAfAVGES-Yc

I wonder if Mr. Lee is a fan of the show.

But don't blame Mythbusters. If there's a buck -- or a yen -- to be made by defeating security, somebody is going to step up and cash in on a little creativity.

Want more information? Here's a paper (PDF) from the Helsinki University of Technology on defeating fingerprint scanners. (Note: The manufacturer emphasizes that the fingerprint scanner spoofed in this paper is older technology that is no longer on the market. As such, the results of this 2003 effort should not be taken to reflect the current state of the art.)

http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Lib ... ut-Real-ID

February 6th, 2009
Privacy Advisers Tell Government to Improve REAL ID, Border Search Policies
Deeplink by Marcia Hofmann

A committee of privacy advisers has recommended that the government add vital privacy protections to two high profile and controversial homeland security efforts.

The Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee made a host of recommendations to the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) secretary and acting privacy officer in a February 2 draft letter February 5 final letter, which has been posted on the DHS web site. [UPDATE: the February 2 draft letter has been removed from the DHS web site, but is available here.] Among the issues flagged for improvement, the committee highlighted the implementation of the REAL ID Act and handling of travelers' digital information during border searches.

The misguided Real ID Act requires state-issued drivers' licenses and ID cards to meet uniform standards to be used for purposes such as traveling on an airplane or entering a courthouse. The law also calls for the establishment of a vast national database to link all ID records. Last January, DHS released a final rule describing procedures for implementing the law, which EFF opposed because it failed to provide critical privacy and security safeguards for personal data. Moreover, many states have opposed the Real ID Act, refusing to implement its provisions because of crushing cost and privacy concerns.

The advisory committee's letter agreed that the REAL ID final rule fails to "fully address privacy and data security," and noted that the committee's past recommendations to improve the situation have not been carried out. As a result, "the rule leaves states in the position of subjecting their residents' personal information to the vulnerabilities of the state with the weakest protections." The committee suggested that DHS review and revise the rule, but we believe the true source of the problem is the profoundly flawed Real ID Act itself, which Congress should repeal.

The committee also recommended that DHS revisit its policy on searching travelers' digital information at the border, an issue that has prompted heated public debate and proposed legislation to protect travelers' privacy. A recent Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by EFF and the Asian Law Caucus revealed that DHS's policy on searching travelers' personal documents has become dramatically more permissive in recent years. As the advisory committee noted, however, "while certain DHS components may have legal authority to conduct border searches, there is a significant difference between looking at paper documents and searching through the volume of digital information that can be carried by travelers." The committee recommended that the agency's Privacy Office help review DHS's approach to searching and seizing digital information and develop guidelines to protect privacy during such searches.

EFF agrees with the committee's recommendations and hopes that recently confirmed DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano takes this advice seriously. DHS has a long way to go on the civil liberties front, and a commitment to addressing the problems created by REAL ID and digital border searches would be a strong first step.

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2009/02/pr ... prove-real

UNH students charged with making, distributing fake IDs
By Karen Dandurant
kdandurant@seacoastonline.com
February 06, 2009 4:28 PM

DURHAM — Three University of New Hampshire students were arrested on charges involving the manufacture and distribution of fake Maine drivers licenses.

On February 4, investigators from the New Hampshire Bureau of Liquor Enforcement arrested Ryan McKenna, 19, of Milford, and charged him with four counts of manufacturing/sale/possession of false identification. McKenna was arrested at the Durham Police Department. He was released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned in Durham District Court on March 26.
Spotting a fake

By Karen Dandurant

kdandurant@seacoastonline.com

DURHAM — Because they believe there could be many more fake Maine driver’s licenses circulating throughout the area, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission is issuing an alert to establishments that are licensed to sell alcohol.

The Bureau is urging all employees to pay close attention to any youthful looking person carrying a Maine license.

If they seize licenses, employees are asked to get as much information as possible about the person and contact the Bureau of Enforcement at (603) 271-3521.

What to look for:

There is microtext below the header. Real Maine IDs will have microtext reading BUREAUOFMOTORVEHICLES, while the fake ones have only a faded blue line.

The fake IDs have much bolder text on the face than what the real ID display shows.

[View images of real and fake IDs]


More UNH news:

seacoastonline.com/UNHNews
Related Stories

* UNH trio charged in fake ID scheme
* Fake IDs prompt alert to liquor sellers

Investigators also arrested Joshua (Roy) Poisson, 20, of Rochester and John DeWispelaere, 20, of Milford, both for three counts of criminal liability for the conduct of another. Roy and DeWispelaere were arrested at their home in Durham. Both were released on $1,000 personal recognizance bail and will be arraigned in Durham District Court on March 26.

The charges for criminal liability for Poisson and DeWispelaere allege they gathered the information for the fake licenses and brought it McKenna who manufactured them.

UNH spokesperson Kim Billings said that Anne Lawing, Senior Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs will reach out to the liquor commission.

“Depending on its investigation, we would file student conduct charges parallel to theirs, or wait until the commission’s process is complete,â€