Cows Are Getting Plugged Into The Internet of Things
by Heather Callaghan
Activist Post
Apr 4, 2014
Photo: by hbomb
The Internet of Things envisions a world where all things are “smartened” and connected to the Internet, always broadcasting real-time updates. Usually people think of appliances, which for me always conjures images of The Brave Little Toaster.
Did you ever carry this idea out into living things? Plants, then animals…then humans? Well, technology from the Internet of Things has definitely crept into the world of plants and is now making its way toward animals. Large-scale farms are particularly eager to use new technical applications – anything to help stay ahead of the changing food system and a shuttering economy.
So now plugged into the Internet of Things, we’ve got appliances, electrical meters, industrial equipment, devices for plants, and…cows. Yes, more and more cattle are connecting through their collars which emit real-time updates about their heat cycles.
The special Wi-Fi connected collar is called the Silent Herdsman, originating from Glasgow, Scotland. Not only does it monitor, but also uses artificial intelligence software to determine when Ms. Moo is in heat. There’s a similar product actually called the MooMonitor but requires more interpretation from the farmer.
In recent years a LOT of thought and theories have gone into methods for the most milk production for the farmer’s buck. This could be anything from waterbeds to relieve stress to biotech help with fertilization to the above-mentioned devices which are intended to capture the exact moment a mother cow can get pregnant again after having just birthed a baby calf.
To a large-scale farmer, it is apparently worth it, because one missed cycle means 5 more gallons of milk per day that could have been sold, to the tune of $315 per cycle. All of these cows are artificially inseminated – one failed attempt, during a tiny window of time that farmers believe happens during the night – is a high price.
Battery power is also no longer a concern. The Silent Herdsman lasts for three years and has actually synced the cow’s personal data to the software whenever it enters into the receiving area, be it a designated field or barn.
Source:
http://singularityhub.com/2014/04/03/why-farmers-are-connecting-their-cows-to-the-internet/
Also read:
- Domestic “Internet of Things” Begins to Merge With The Industrial Smart Grid
- AT&T and IBM Partner to Connect The Internet of Things
- “Internet Of Things” One Step Closer With New Tech
Recent posts by Heather Callaghan:
Yes, There Are Paid Government Trolls On Social Media, Blogs, Forums And Websites
by Michael Snyder
endoftheamericandream.com
Feb 26, 2014
Do you want solid proof that paid government shills are targeting websites, blogs, forums and social media accounts? For years, many have suspected that government trolls have been systematically causing havoc all over the Internet, but proving it has been difficult. But now thanks to documents leaked by Edward Snowden and revealed by Glenn Greenwald, we finally have hard evidence that western governments have been doing this. As you will see below, a UK intelligence outfit known as the Government Communications Headquarters, through a previously secret unit known as the Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group, has been systematically attempting “to control, infiltrate, manipulate, and warp online discourse”. This should be deeply disturbing to anyone that values free speech on the Internet.
It isn’t just that the British government is trying to influence what people are thinking. The reality is that this is far bigger than a mere propaganda campaign. As Greenwald recently noted on his new website, the “integrity of the Internet itself” is at stake…
By publishing these stories one by one, our NBC reporting highlighted some of the key, discrete revelations: the monitoring of YouTube and Blogger, the targeting of Anonymous with the very same DDoS attacks they accuse “hacktivists” of using, the use of “honey traps” (luring people into compromising situations using sex) and destructive viruses. But, here, I want to focus and elaborate on the overarching point revealed by all of these documents: namely, that these agencies are attempting to control, infiltrate, manipulate, and warp online discourse, and in doing so, are compromising the integrity of the internet itself.
So what techniques are the British using to control and manipulate discourse on the Internet? According to Greenwald, the documents that Snowden has uncovered show that they are willing to sink to despicable lows in order to get the results that they desire…
Among the core self-identified purposes of JTRIG are two tactics: (1) to inject all sorts of false material onto the internet in order to destroy the reputation of its targets; and (2) to use social sciences and other techniques to manipulate online discourse and activism to generate outcomes it considers desirable. To see how extremist these programs are, just consider the tactics they boast of using to achieve those ends: “false flag operations” (posting material to the internet and falsely attributing it to someone else), fake victim blog posts (pretending to be a victim of the individual whose reputation they want to destroy), and posting “negative information” on various forums.
The following is a list of Internet infiltration techniques that were listed on one particular slide that Snowden leaked…
–Infiltration Operation
–Ruse Operation
–Set Piece Operation
–False Flag Operation
–False Rescue Operation
–Disruption Operation
–Sting Operation
You can check out this slide for yourself right here.
There is also evidence that the Canadian government has been involved in this sort of thing as well. The following comes from Natural News…
You’ve probably run into them before — those seemingly random antagonizers who always end up diverting the conversation in an online chat room or article comment section away from the issue at hand, and towards a much different agenda. Hot-button issues like illegal immigration, the two-party political system, the “war on terror” and even alternative medicine are among the most common targets of such attackers, known as internet “trolls” or “shills,” who in many cases are nothing more than paid lackeys hired by the federal government and other international organizations to sway and ultimately control public opinion.
Several years ago, Canada’s CTV News aired a short segment about how its own government had been exposed for hiring secret agents to monitor social media and track online conversations, as well as the activities of certain dissenting individuals. This report, which in obvious whitewashing language referred to such activities as the government simply “weighing in and correcting” allegedly false information posted online, basically admitted that the Canadian government had assumed the role of secret online police.
You can see a video news report about this activity up in Canada right here.
Are you disturbed yet?
You should be.
So what kind of people are the governments of the western world targeting online?
Well, when it comes to the U.S. government, all you have to do is to look at their official documents to see who they consider the “problems” to be. For much more on this, please see my previous article entitled “72 Types Of Americans That Are Considered ‘Potential Terrorists’ In Official Government Documents“.
Sadly, the reality of the matter is that the days of the free and open Internet are numbered. The governments of the world are increasing their control over the Internet with each passing day, and eventually a time will likely come when we will not be able to communicate openly like this any longer.
[…CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE]
[related: Big Brother’s Facebook: UK, US intelligence ‘infiltrating’ social media]
VIDEO/PODCAST– An Interview with Thomas Hunt – “Mad Bitcoins” – #192 – Gnostic Media
Gnostic Media
Mar 7, 2014
Today Thomas Hunt joins the Gnostic Media podcast to discuss “Mad Bitcoins”. This episode was released on Thursday, March 06, 2014, and was recorded March 05.
What’s with all the mainstream media hype lately over Bitcoin? What is Bitcoin? What is Mt. Gox? Is Mt. Gox the same as Bitcoin? Or is that equivalent to saying Enron, or Bernie Madoff, or Al Capone, is the dollar? Is Bitcoin really only used by drug smugglers and pornographers? Is it really a government conspiracy for a global digital currency? A Ponzi scheme? Is it really unsupported by anything? Is it something we should fear because it’s not supported by the Government, which brought us the dollar that’s lost most of its value through usury and inflation? (Note: This is the same government that bailed out the banks in 2008 – the failed banks. The same government that prints the money and then takes 1/3rd of it back each year.)
You’ve probably heard most, if not all, of these exaggerations.
What if, instead of believing and spreading misinformation and fear, we got informed on what Bitcoin really is? I’ve done over 6 months research in preparation for doing some shows on this topic.
Today Thomas Hunt joins us from Mad Bitcoins.
Mad Bitcoins is a daily YouTube news show covering the exciting world of cryptocurrency. Watch and Subscribe at YouTube. Host Thomas Hunt also moderates a more serious weekly Bitcoin panel discussion entitled “The Bitcoin Group“ available at TheBitcoinGroup.com and is hard at work on the new WorldCryptoNetwork.com.
Tom’s websites:
www.madbitcoins.com
www.thebitcoingroup.com
www.worldcryptonetwork.com
Our new Coin Alive:
www.coinalive.com
If you like what we’re doing here at Gnostic Media, you may send Bitcoin donations to:
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Microsoft Windows Enters The Internet of Things Surveillance Matrix
by Kevin Samson
Activist Post
Apr 2, 2014
Following other behemoth tech companies IBM, AT&T and Google, Microsoft has finally come along to state their intentions for promoting The Internet of Things.
Where Google sees adding robotic intelligence to every home, and the IBM/AT&T global partnership is to ensure that no home, appliance, or gadget is left behind, Microsoft’s Windows on Devices aims to offer its proprietary operating system to engage users on an already familiar platform.
Specific details remain sparse, but the video below speculates on a few areas that have come to light. The possible uses that have been offered are tame compared to what we already know are the intentions behind the move toward a Smart World.
In what researcher Julie Beal has dubbed “Uberveillance” she outlines the greater picture in her article from 2012:
Now global surveillance of citizens is announced with pride and accepted without question. This is the age of the ‘Internet of things’ – everything is to be woven into the Web. Companies like IBM are busily creating ‘smartworld’ where the Internet becomes the system of systems, linking all devices, people, and even nature.
Everything we buy from the shops, even our food, will one day incorporate smart tags. This practice is on the increase, facilitating what is known in the industry as ‘asset tracking’, and is being taken up more and more to enable tracking and tracing of documents, equipment, pharmaceuticals, warehouse stock, etc. (Source)
Clearly the potential is such that former CIA director David Petraeus made mention of it, implying that Smart tech will most likely lead to a CIA (and NSA) home invasion:
CIA Director David Petraeus made headlines with a speech given at the summit for In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital firm. In this talk, Petraeus discussed the emerging “internet of things” and the implications it will have for increased levels of surveillance. Petraeus explained that, because of the rise of gadgets which are connected and controlled by apps, intelligence agencies will no longer need to place spy devices inside your home – you will do it for them.
In conjunction with a recent unveiling of a new low-powered computer chip by ARM, one of the world’s largest chip companies, the fact is virtually every piece of electronic equipment (including appliances) can be controlled via apps and Internet-based systems. It is for this reason that Petraeus stated that the CIA will be able to read these devices via the Internet and even radio waves outside of the home.
Petraeus further stated,
‘Transformational’ is an overused word, but I do believe it properly applies to these technologies.
Particularly to their effect on clandestine tradecraft. Items of interest will be located, identified, monitored, and remotely controlled through technologies such as radio-frequency identification, sensor networks, tiny embedded servers, and energy harvesters – all connected to the next-generation Internet using abundant, low-cost, and high-power computing.
He also added, “the latter now going to cloud computing, in many areas greater and greater supercomputing, and, ultimately heading to quantum computing.”
(Source)
As the world moves toward connecting real devices to the virtual world of the Internet, the recent U.S. move to relinquish Internet control to a structure of global governance will have even vaster implications. Also consider the fact that major tech companies are working together rather than competing in the Internet of Things space by forming an “Industrial Internet Consortium.” Lastly, we have Facebook pursuing the purchase of a solar drone company to potentially offer planet-wide connectivity.
As if all of that should not be troubling enough, the Windows on Devices website states the following:
Connections are everything
Your Windows device can connect to the cloud to enable interesting new scenarios. Use Azure data services, build a new mashup, analyze your data, connect your devices together, or update your devices remotely. Once your device is in the cloud, the sky’s the limit. (emphasis added).
So beyond the normal government backdoors into your devices, Cloud interaction will be built in as well. In her article “Prepping the cloud for the internet of things” tech writer Barb Darrow leaves no doubt:
As billions more devices get connected to the internet (estimated to be 26 billion by 2020 – Ed.), there will be a huge infrastructure transformation on the backend. Cloud computing will play a major role in how the world takes advantage of that device-driven data explosion. (Source)
This push continues despite the fact that Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak went on record to caution that Cloud Computing is absolutely not secure and is in fact fully compromised.
When the above developments are combined with the stated goals of UN Agenda 21, we are seeing a convergence of disparate areas under a simple single banner of connectivity.
To be sure, having you stay permanently connected in the real and virtual world has very little to do with your coffee mug or pet robot bear.
Video transcript with additional research links posted below:
Microsoft Could Bring Windows to Coffee Mugs, Robots
by Adam Falk
A new site suggests Windows might be coming to your coffee mug.
Engadget reports the site, called Windows on Devices, showed up briefly Tuesday – just ahead of Microsoft’s Build 2014 conference.
But it’s since been taken down and now looks like this, which tells us, well, nothing.
Before leaving the web, the site reportedly said Microsoft is “bringing Windows to a whole new class of small devices.”
It even used a smart coffee mug as an example. This suggests Microsoft might embrace the so-called ‘Internet of Things.’
Meaning, it’s going to make our everyday, dumb devices – like kitchen appliances or coffee mugs – smarter by connecting them to the internet.
Reports indicate Microsoft is aiming Windows on Devices at makers. That is, if it’s even happening.
Reports are speculation at this point, and as CNET notes, “The Internet of Things is certainly designed to extend smart technology to ‘dumb’ devices, but a coffee mug or bear? That might be a stretch.”
How about a watch? The Verge says the question is whether Windows on Devices could power things like watches or eyewear, “both of which Microsoft is rumored to be working on.”
We should likely know more about this mysterious site and more as Microsoft Build kicks off Wednesday.
Additional source:
http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/179617-microsoft-finally-gets-into-the-internet-of-things-prepare-for-blue-screening-fridges-mugs
Recently by Kevin Samson:
VIDEO — Twitter Feminists Want to #KillAllMen
Infowars
Mar 24, 2014
Underscoring once again how many feminists have misappropriated the women’s rights movement into an excuse for hating men, Twitter was once again flooded yesterday by a number of users who expressed their desire to #killallmen.
PODCAST — An Interview with Michael Dean and Derrick Slopey – “NameCoin and Meowbit – Fighting Internet Censorship” – #195 – Gnostic Media
Gnostic Media
Mar 19, 2014
Today Michael Dean and Derrick Slopey join the Gnostic Media podcast to discuss “NameCoin and Meowbit – Fighting Internet Censorship”. This episode is being released on Wednesday, March 19, 2014, and was recorded yesterday.
Michael Dean:
Michael is a tech writer, first adopter, documentary filmmaker, musician, and libertarian talk radio host on The Freedom Feens and Michael Dean After Dark. Many years ago he was in a band on Warner Brothers called Bomb. He lives in Wyoming and loves cats.
Michael was on the team that released FreeSpeechMe, the first-ever user-friendly software for viewing Dot-Bit websites.
Derrick Slopey: Entropy Descrambler.
Derrick runs Alienseed Software and developed the Silver Calculator App for Windows Phone.
Their websites and projects:
http://meowbit.com/
http://meowbit.com/meet-the-team/
http://www.michaelwdean.com/michaels-bio/
http://whatisthiscoinworth.com/
http://freedomfeens.com
Witness Namecoin and Meowbit in action!
Their .bit websites (Meowbit and Namecoin software required):
http://freedomfeens.bit
http://derrickslopey4towncouncil.bit/
http://feens.bit
http://peacemonger.bit/
http://dotbitkittypix.bit/
And also:
https://dot-bit.bit – Namecoin DNS – DotBit Project
http://www.dotbitwhois.bit/ – dot.bit who is.
List of additional .bit websites:
http://www.meowbit.com/list-of-working-dot-bit-websites/
Related to this discussion:
https://www.namecoin.org/
http://bitcoinmagazine.com/11300/bitcoin-namecoin-appear-draft-icann-report-u-s-plans-relinquish-remaining-control-internet/
Donate to Gnostic Media
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