The net was all abuzz yesterday about a report released by the US government claiming that radio transmitters were found embedded in Canadian coins. I get the impression that the report was not supposed to be released because the government is now backtracking. And of course the US press is playing along.
Update: Apparently the story is true. See below for more details.
“There is no story there,” the official, who asked not to be named, told The Globe and Mail.
Mmmm… so a government spokesman is refusing to give out his (or her) name over what is alleged to be nothing more than a misunderstanding?
He said that while some odd-looking Canadian coins briefly triggered suspicions in the United States, he said that the fears proved groundless: “We have no evidence to indicate anything connected with these coins poses a risk or danger.”
And check out his careful wording. He never said the transmitter coins never existed, only that they never posed a risk or danger.
But a U.S. agency that investigated the complaint found no evidence of any secret transmitters, or of any other tampering.
It’s not clear why this information failed to find its way into the released U.S. Defence Security Service report.
So, an agency investigated the problem, found no evidence, but for some reason failed to put that in the report? Mmmm….
There is a classified version of the report with more details circulating within the U.S. government, but officials are not speaking to it.
So there’s also a “secret” version of the report but no one is talking about it. If this never happened, what’s not to talk about?! And how could there be “more details” about coins that never existed?! Mmmm…
“On at least three separate occasions between October, 2005 and January, 2006, cleared defence contractors’ employees travelling through Canada have discovered radio-frequency transmitters embedded in Canadian coins on their persons,” reads the U.S. Defence Security Service report.
So the investigative report noted that “radio-frequency transmitters” were in fact “discovered” to be embedded in coins, but somehow forgot to note that they really never existed?! Mmmm….
Found by tallwookie and Eideard. Paranoid ramblings by yours truly.
Update: The story is true!
Associated Press – January 11, 2007:
“What’s in the report is true,” said Martha Deutscher, a spokeswoman for the security service. “This is indeed a sanitized version, which leaves a lot of questions.”
What information could the US possibly have that is of any use to anyone? I mean look at the way we run our Country?? If anything, maybe it was to get the info, then do the opposite?
I think most would agree with me when i say who cares? Canadians spying on us, what on earth would they have to gain? And also who caries Canadian money on a long term basis anyway in the United State?
Is this why it’s illegal to melt nickels and pennies?
It seems to me a coin would not be an ideal place to put a bug for many technical and logistic reasons. Although we do have a GWB wannabe running our country so I suppose anything is possible. Maybe it’s the CIA tracking nationals in foreign countries.
“Sir, please speak into the Looney. ”
-for those who may not know, our dollar coin has a Loon (Gavia immer) on it.
Go to the Mint’s page, click on “Browse the catalogue”, have a look at the coins.
Wow, they’re different. They have coloured bits on them! Must be a RFID spy-transmitter ’cause nobody would do something funky like that.
You know, these are circulation coins, not just collector sets. That means they get used. A lot.
Ever see a brand new Loonie (the Canadian $1 coin)?
Back when they first came out, I passed a group of USian tourists stopped on the street. The one had a handful of them and was saying the to the others “See? They use gold coins up here!”
Bottom line: it’s a stupid story. But hey, why let that get in the way of a (vastly more entertaining) conspiracy theory?
Paranoia.
6. “Paranoia….” will destroy ya! Da dada da dadada da!
#4 : “Sir, please speak into the Looney. ”
Great line!
Crap! We’ve been outted.
Let’s hope the investigation doesn’t expose our WMDs.
Run and hide!
#2 I think most would agree with me when i say who cares? Canadians spying on us, what on earth would they have to gain? And also who carries Canadian money on a long term basis anyway in the United State?
Agreed, BTW, Is Canada north or south of the USA?
13. “BTW, Is Canada north or south of the USA?”
Both. And let’s not forget that Canada is also both east and west of the US. Fuck, they have us surrounded! AAAAHHHHH!!!!
um… is this really any different than… the metalic strip that has been in US paper currency for years and years?
15. “is this really any different than… the metalic strip that has been in US paper currency for years and years?”
If that metal strip is really a tiny radio transmitter, then you’re correct. There is no difference.
If it is true it’s far more likely to be industrial espionage than country to country spying. Those folks have some serious capital for such things.
They must have a lot of time on there hands in Canada listening for all the different messages these coins transmit.
Beats reading a magazine while waiting in line for that nationalized heath care, I guess.
I saw this being discussed on a canadian board, and there was speculation that the ruckus was over some special issue ‘remembrance day’ coins that come with a dotty, colored pattern on them.
It was an effort to find out who is playing pocket pool and who is playing “away” games.
18,
Waiting in line for heath care sure beats dying with none!
#21 – A good point lost on the right wing.
Of course, those opposed to health care are rich, so why should they care. They got theirs, screw us…
Why most people assumed that it’s Canadians who do the spying? How about China or Russia…
21. “Waiting in line for heath care sure beats dying with none!”
You apparantly don’t understand the US healthcare system. Healthcare is available to anyone. Hospitals are not allowed to turn away patients.
Back in the 90s I was involved with a serious accident and racked up over $65,000 in expenses. I found a government program to take care of it.
The difference between Canada and the US is that if the government refuses to pay, you’re out of luck. You simply cannot buy insurance so if the government doesn’t want to pay you pay it yourself.
Here’s a good example, “Canada discontinues treatments for autistic children.”
And since I live on the Canadian/US border I know that plenty of Canadians cross the border to get healthcare here, at their own expense of course. How could anyone argue that Canada’s system is working if people have to leave the country to get treatment?
Isn’t it equally possible that the US had planted those coins to spy on Canada?!?! Then, to remove suspicion from the US government, they accuse Canada of spying on them! Brilliant!!
Oh wait, if its that good of idea, it couldn’t have come out of the US…I guess that Canada really did do it!
27. “Isn’t it equally possible that the US had planted those coins to spy on Canada…. Brilliant!!”
Hey, paranoid rantings are my job!
BTW, it’s quite obvious that the coins were left by aliens to spy on us.
#21, #22, #23 – Read #25, then get a clue.
when I found the link I though it sounded familliar, and after a day or so i know why – its like futurisitic version of this: http://www.wheresgeorge.com/
#21, 22, 23 and 28…
Thanks a lot James, but I really don’t want this to turn into a debate about health care systems. Yeah, I realize it’s partially my fault.
If anyone wants to debate health care, feel free to create a cagematch discussion. Any further comments on that topic here will be deleted.
oh my cheeks are sore from smiling so much,,you made me chuckle over all the comments,,funny stuff,on so many levels,,& yet there are some people who will beleive that story,just another level that i chuckle over..
let’s keep this one (story) going,,
Most likely they found a couple of Toronto Transit Tokens. These new transit tokens introduced a month or so ago contain embedded RFID tags. A picture of on is at http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/coupler/0107/new%20tokens.htm
They are made by a U.S. company.
Comment deleted. See #30.
31. “& yet there are some people who will beleive that story”
I wrote all the paranoid conspiracy stuff last night as a joke, not believing the story at all. However, I was quite shocked to pick up a newspaper this morning and learn that the story is in fact true.
Although, I have to admit that I find 32’s explanation much more reasonable.