[LINK] Annoyance avoidance system for Sydney

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

The Link Institute announces,
 
> 17 July 2004, Sydney: The Link institute announced today that it had 
> partnered with the NSW Premier's Office to provide protection from 
> annoyance for Sydney visitors. Following the controversy with the 
> World Youth day, the Authorized Slogan System (ASS) will 
> automatically monitor slogans on t-shirts in the Sydney CBD.
>
> The nodes of the Emergency Warning and Intercommunication System ..
> have been interconnected with the cameras of the Sydney Coordinated 
> Adaptive Traffic System .. Image recognition software reads the slogans
> and logos of all t-shirts worn by pedestrians in the Sydney CBD. Those
> which have not been pre-registered are deemed to be "annoying".

Hmm, we'll need to include scanning for those square-bar-code thingies.

I saw one on a t-shirt Monday, but no phone-readers exists for Treos yet,
so i had to ask the wearer what his t-shirt said. That could be a problem.

  <http://www.qrious.com.au/main.html>

> A person wearing an annoying t-shirt is given a verbal or visual 
> warning via the EWIS. Those who fail to comply will find that no 
> pedestrian crossing will turn green for them. Police are then 
> deployed to apprehend j-wakers crossing against the lights. Under NSW 
> regulations to be proclaimed retrospectively, crossing against the 
> lights now carries a penalty of 30 days detention.
> 
> So far thirty ALP officials, seeking to meet with the Premier to 
> discuss his future, have been arrested at the lights outside Parliament 
> House...

These bar-codes could also be a problem at the Olympics. I hear China has
banned all flags, banners and slogans .. even apparently loud cheering is
not allowed at their games. (no kidding, has anyone else also heard that?)

Indeed, this whole 'freedom of speech' thing could be a real big problem.

Cheers, Tom
Stephen Loosley
Victoria, Australia