AN anti-terror squad has been formed to protect politicians, diplomats and
judges against attack.
The Australian Federal Police Special Response Team will be trained in
hostage rescue and tactical assaults and will be equipped with weapons
similar to those used by the SAS.
They are training with the Canberra Raiders football team and one heavily
built P.I.G. was called,'our doorbreaker.'
Thirty years ago AFP doorbreakers were breaking UNLOCKED doors at the
Melb.Uni,Union Building,looking for pirate radio staion 3DR.(draft resister.)
The US judge overseeing Sun Microsystems' request for an injunction against
Microsoft Corp has compared the software giant's treatment of Sun to Tonya
Harding's knee-capping attack on rival figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.
Whit Diffie as Nancy Kerrigan? Yeah,I can see the resemblance.
Remember that movie the Cable Guy?
Pay television piracy is rife in Australia, with at least $50 million of
revenue lost to illegal activity last year.
The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association estimates
between 5 and 10 per cent of all pay TV connections are illegal.
Pirate operators are reportedly charging as much as $4000 for the full
installation of a satellite dish and illegal set-top box.
Hacked smart cards that give legitimate subscribers access to premium
channels for which they have not paid range between $200 and $300.
But a campaign to stop the piracy is claiming some early victories, with
the conviction and fining of a 27-year-old television installer from
Sunshine and a spate of arrests over recent weeks.
More than 3000 hacked smart cards have been seized in recent searches
around the country. In August, 37 ACT police officers raided 10 homes after
a three-month investigation into a network of ACT satellite television
users illegally getting access to subscription services. Ten people were
arrested and that same month, searches on two Ballarat premises resulted in
the seizure of a significant amount of equipment as well as two arrests.
A man from Mill Park, alleged to be one of the country's leading suppliers
of pirated smart cards and related manufacturing equipment, has been
summonsed on a range of state and federal charges at a date yet to be set.
The crackdown comes at a crucial time for pay TV operators, who rely on the
growth of satellite customers to bring the loss-making business into the
black. Although both cable and satellite networks are prone to piracy, the
ready availability of satellite dishes and set-top boxes makes this market
more vulnerable to illegal activity.
According to one story reported in a trade newsletter, an executive of
regional provider Austar was offered a bogus smart card by a neighbour.
However, consumers are likely to find they have been duped by the illicit
equipment, as pay TV operators regularly modify their encrypted signals to
screen out hacked cards. Ironically, operators can pinpoint the location of
pirate activity by inquiries to call and help centres made by customers
whose cards cease to work as a result of the industry's technological
countermeasures.
Although pirates are being targeted in the current crackdown, consumers who
gain access to pay TV services via pirated devices could potentially face
criminal charges.
"Many people in the community are not aware of the consequences of pirating
pay TV equipment," Debra Richards, the executive director of ASTRA, said.
"They are perpetuating a crime and exposing themselves to severe penalties
of up to $60,500 in fines and imprisonment for up to five years.
"Consumers, too, are leaving themselves very exposed. If they end up being
conned they can often find themselves with a faulty service that can be
easily shut down or even worse - has faulty wiring and may be dangerous. As
a result of this illegal practice, others pay a higher price."
Only employees and licensed contractors of pay TV providers can carry out
installation work, says ASTRA. Such work is accompanied by official
contracts and paperwork.
ASTRA has set up a hotline for the reporting of suspected pirate activity
at 1 800 428 888.
http://theage.com.au/articles/2002/12/07/1038950233423.html