15. Reality Sets In
We tear the roof off of energy drink effects, credit card magnetic strips, and cell-phone tracking conspiracy theories. All will be revealed!
TG: But you could be tracked through your cell phone? It’s possible?
JK: Your cell phone lends itself to that because of the location features built into it, but “They” don’t have access to it. As a matter of fact, in that show I consulted for, Eyes, there was a scene where we tracked a guy to a sea-tainer down by the docks. Just for fun and to try and stay as close as possible to reality, we had an FBI agent working with us. We got a judge’s order, because that’s what it takes. It takes a federal magistrate’s order for anyone in law enforcement to access that geolocation data. I can tell you right now, it sure as hell doesn’t look like it does in the movies, where you have the moving map thing. It’s not like that. Even the phone company can’t do that. They just don’t have that capability.
What they can do is provide a very detailed data feed coming from the different towers that can basically triangulate your position. But there are no fancy moving maps, no watching your little dot blink along. Forget that. We tried it and couldn’t get it to work, even with the permission of a federal magistrate. Basically, they’re lucky when they can nail you down to a couple-block area, let alone the beep-beep-beep while one guy is on the phone and the other guy is watching him through his PDA. It just doesn’t happen that way. The military, in their most secret technology, does indeed have devices that can do that, but they’re not used by law enforcement in this country because of a number of different laws protecting us. We just don’t allow that kind of technology to be used here.
TG: Even after 9/11 and the Homeland Security Act?
JK: You know, that came and went. It was a giant threat for a while, and it looked like all of our privacies were out the window. And then a lot of these knee-jerk groups, the EFF and a lot of others—not to mention legitimate ones like the ACLU—stood forward and said, ‘Whoa, wait a minute here.’ So they started picking the thing apart until, piece by piece, it got dismantled. Now, there’s not that much left of it. I have to tell people this all the time: The ability for law enforcement to track you by your cell phone is not only extremely limited but requires a magistrate’s order. I’m not talking about the traffic ticket guy at your local court, either.
These big carriers will not surrender that information and give law enforcement access to that without a court of competent jurisdiction. It should be at least a district court. Sure, you can get a district court to do a lot of things, but when you start talking about phones, it’s one of the last bastions of privacy we have left, and it still remains relatively private. I mean, I have a hell of a time getting phone records when we’re tracking a hacker. We’ve got a good IP, we know where they’re at, but it’s still a big hassle to exercise all of these privileges. We’re still very funny about our phones. 
- 1. How Does It Work?
- 2. Confessions of a Caffeine Addict
- 3. Red Bull Weighs In
- 4. Crazy From the Caffeine
- 5. And Good For You!
- 6. A Vigorous Fanboy
- 7. A Better Brew?
- 8. When Enough is Enough
- 9. Of a Bad Stripe
- 10. A Machine With Malice
- 11. Three Swipes and Out
- 12. Stifling the Noise
- 13. Somebody’s Watching Me
- 14. NSA: Not So Authoritative?
- 15. Reality Sets In
I actually have part a receipt scotch taped to the magnetic strip on my card; works like a champ.
shudda thrown 5 hour energy in there... its only caffeine, nothing else
Nonsense. I don't know who this Klein guy is but he's either way behind the times or deliberately misleading.
Under Bush phone calls and emails were routinely monitered without a court order. They even proudly admitted to this once it was reported on and said that it was necessary to keep us all safe, and threw out all sorts of specious legalistic arguments to claim that they had the legal right to do this, even though these arguments were all laughably rediculous (the gist being that during "wartime", the president basically has dictatorial-like powers, something that even the right-leaning Supreme Court repeatedly rejected).
And ever since the revised FISA law was passed last summer (which Obama voted for despite having initially promised not to), it has been legal (but still of dubious constitutional legitimacy) for the government to spy on Americans without a warrant (provided that they're communicating with someone abroad). There are supposedly safeguards in this law, but they're very lenient and hard to enforce.
No, I'm not saying that "Big Brother" is spying on all of us. It has no reason to do this and the manpower and computational resources that would be necessary to do this effectively would be unimaginable. But it has the ability, both technological and legal, to do this selectively, and I don't doubt that it does do this, when it feels the need, whether or not it's justifiable on its face (i.e. to keep us safe).
shudda thrown 5 hour energy in there... its only caffeine, nothing else
You are so wrong. http://www.5hourenergy.com/ingredients.asp
shudda thrown 5 hour energy in there... its only caffeine, nothing else
You are so wrong. http://www.5hourenergy.com/ingredients.asp
William!!!
You must try "Rockstar Juiced Mango". http://www.rockstar69.com/product.php?pdt=4
It's like a freaking orgasm in your mouth. You'll be hooked once you try it, the energy drink connoisseur that you are
Evergreen 64, YOU are the one 'behind the times' Bush was caught doing something VERY illegal and shut down for it, it didn't happen all during his administration as you claim.
Nice job William, how about an article about the myth that drinking alcohol kills brain cells. Saw something about that on TV last week (an 'expert' said it just didn't happen no matter how much you drank), but haven't chased down the research that proves it is a lie.
Actually, kakkoii, Rockstar ANYTHING is a sugar bomb waiting to completely obliterate your energy levels once it wears off. I've been sorting through energy drinks for at least 4 years now, and have finally settled on 2 1/2 that I will regularly drink.
Red Bull tastes funny and zingy in a strange way; too much sugar,
not down with fake sweeteners like Aspartame and Glucosamine either.
Rock Star, same deal. Read the friggin ingredients on any Rock Star, a ridiculous boatload of sugar.
The 2 that I regularly drink are:
Bing, made in Denver, CO. 40 calories per can, very little sugar, made with real bing cherry juice, and has all sorts of awesome herbs, vitamins, and minerals.
Go Fast, also made in Denver. Sweetened with natural Australian honey. Tastes like watermelon. Pure awesomeness in a can. Go Fast lite has 30 calories. Less sodium and sugar than most other energy drinks.
William, I'll definitely check out Vigor if it's available in CO.
Actually, kakkoii, Rockstar ANYTHING is a sugar bomb waiting to completely obliterate your energy levels once it wears off. I've been sorting through energy drinks for at least 4 years now, and have finally settled on 2 1/2 that I will regularly drink.
Red Bull tastes funny and zingy in a strange way; too much sugar,
not down with fake sweeteners like Aspartame and Glucosamine either.
Rock Star, same deal. Read the friggin ingredients on any Rock Star, a ridiculous boatload of sugar.
The 2 that I regularly drink are:
Bing, made in Denver, CO. 40 calories per can, very little sugar, made with real bing cherry juice, and has all sorts of awesome herbs, vitamins, and minerals.
Go Fast, also made in Denver. Sweetened with natural Australian honey. Tastes like watermelon. Pure awesomeness in a can. Go Fast lite has 30 calories. Less sodium and sugar than most other energy drinks.
William, I'll definitely check out Vigor if it's available in CO.
@Jakemo136:
Lol, it's hardly a "sugar bomb". It has almost half the sugar of most cans of pop. It only has 22g.
Ingredients for the Rockstar Juiced flavor I'm talking about:
http://www.rockstar69.com/productIngredients.php?pdt=4
It also a ton of good vitamins and nutrients in there. And I absolutely love the taste. And yes it is funny and zingy, but in a nice way. And you really got swish it around and taste it's flavor, its amazing lol.
..lightweight
I walk into to world of large blackeye's and quad shots.
But I have been looking for an alternative, the excessive amount of caffeine is taking its toll. Monster is the only energy drink that I like (for now). Tried Red Bull, Rockstar, No Fear and didn't like em.
Sobe Adrenaline Rush, Full Throttle (yes these have tons of sugar), and Xyience Xenergy (no sugar). For the Xenergy, grab the Apple (tastes like a Sour Apple Jolly Rancher).
Monsters used to be my daily thing, or at least every other day. Then i realized they were great for a 3 to 5 hour stretch, but once your off it, you just crash and burn and become miserable. So i went to 5 hours energy drinks with 0 calories but the same effect. I now drink Redlines anytime i pull a 24 or just gaming really hard. Best drink ever made, 0 calories, same effect. Though i will say i still love all the monster flavors except the purple can.
My advice, stay off of 5 hour energy shots. The second one I ever tried (only 'energy drink' I drank for the day) poisoned me. I was in bed for 3 full days, every breath I took made my lungs feel on fire.
Thanks for the article, it was most excellent! I agree completely that different people will receive different results from energy drinks. For instance: Bawls energy drink gave me no energy at all, it tastes good but actually made me sleepy. NOS on the other hand always seems to keep me going, but I only drink it when I need that kinda energy. I wish I could try that Vigor you were talking about, maybe I'll have to shop online.
Also, thank you for stressing the point: "Everything in Moderation". I am glad that I'm not the only one who understands energy drinks are beneficial when used properly.
OK - its a tangent, but it's one that the article introduced and I have to comment on it.
The EFF is "knee-jerk" and, in context "illegitimate". But the ACLU is "legitimate" ? What makes an advocacy group "legitimate"? What loaded words. The ACLU has advocated for a bunch of crap over the years, hitting the right mark so infrequently that one could mistake it for an accident. What has the EFF done that is so whacked out it merits the designation "illegitimate" ?
Lionelhutz, as the editor of this article, I, too, chafed at William's description of the EFF as "knee jerk" in contrast to the ACLU, but since this is a column, I deferred to William's right to editorialize with his own opinion. Perhaps he will weigh in here with an explanation. In my opinion, both organizations are legitimate advocacy groups (as in, they have the right to exist and attempt to do the work they do).
This was not my verbiage; it was Klein's quotation. I chose to let his words and opinion stand as I try not to get too much in the way of my interviewees. I've interviewed the head of the EFF before, and I think it's a worthy organization.
Also, to all of the above, I do like the occasional Rockstar Juiced and plain ol' Rockstar, but the calories...well, you know my stance there. I don't know how people drink Monster , but the No Fear is a middle ground for me. It's always an effort to decide between milligrams of caffeine and total caloric intake. Those mochas I describe are either triples or quads, and I like mine with raspberry or caramel. Yes, indeed, if a little is good, more just might kill you. Slowly. :-\
This was not my verbiage; it was Klein's quotation. I chose to let his words and opinion stand as I try not to get too much in the way of my interviewees. I've interviewed the head of the EFF before, and I think it's a worthy organization.
My apologies--you're absolutely right--it is a direct quote. Mr. Klein is entitled to his opinion, and I doubt we're going to get any clarification from him, but if we do--great!