Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Tiny flying spies

By Libby
Updated below

I have to say with all the myriad methods that our government can employ to spy on us, that this new development doesn't really bother me that much. In fact I think roboinsects are kind of cool and at least you can see them when they're doing their work.

Vanessa Alarcon saw them while working at an antiwar rally in Lafayette Square last month.

"I heard someone say, 'Oh my god, look at those,' " the college senior from New York recalled. "I look up and I'm like, 'What the hell is that?' They looked kind of like dragonflies or little helicopters. But I mean, those are not insects."

Now I know you all are going to think I'm just being paranoid again but I found the description really interesting because last month I saw a huge black dragonfly three or four times over a couple of days and that was exactly what I thought when I saw it.

The first time it almost flew right into me, which I thought was weird at the time. They're not normally aggressive. The other times I saw it was flying parallel with my second floor deck and on the last time it flew off, it almost ran into the huge light fixture on the side of the building that abuts the deck. I remember being struck by how awkwardly it flew and by the odd wing flapping. It really did look more like a little helicopter than a dragonfly. I haven't seen it since but, have I mentioned lately that Blackwater's main facility is practically in my backyard?

I'm not attributing any deep meaning to all this, but it certainly is an odd coincidence.

Update: The BHC points out another new surveillance unit being openly built by Blackwater. It's also pretty cool. I love blimps myself and if they're going to spying on us anyway, I prefer it be with something at least entertaining.

The interesting thing about this project though, is the administration is already using drones to patrol the Mexican border and certain large cities. This project suggests to me that Blackwater anticipates a strong market for privatized domestic surveillance.

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