Computers2 mins ago
Ok, Out Of Order, But Has This Guy Done Us A Favour?
19 Answers
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It's like the electronics equivalent of selling the tower of London. I do hope the idiots that bought these haven't got important jobs.
It's like the electronics equivalent of selling the tower of London. I do hope the idiots that bought these haven't got important jobs.
Answers
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Not quite sure how this "does us a favour" 3T?
And,unlike selling the Tower of London, which harms only your pride and your bank balance, selling fake bomb detectors is potentially deadly to the innocent.
Interesting this though - Bloke in Bristol, Jim McCormick, sentenced to 10 years i think. And I am sure I read somewhere that a husband and wife were being prosecuted, again for selling fake bomb detectors; Now this guy.
And,unlike selling the Tower of London, which harms only your pride and your bank balance, selling fake bomb detectors is potentially deadly to the innocent.
Interesting this though - Bloke in Bristol, Jim McCormick, sentenced to 10 years i think. And I am sure I read somewhere that a husband and wife were being prosecuted, again for selling fake bomb detectors; Now this guy.
Hopefully they have discovered some really thick poeple working in positions where they can spend public money. If someone said they had a device that could detect bombs from 700 yards, I think I'd ask some questions about the science and ask what the components are, possibly I'd even google the sceince to see if it was plausible before I'd hand over 10k a pop.
He sold these to amoungst others the Mexican and Thailand governments.
It has been alleged that hundreds of Iraqis died in explosions in Baghdad after ADE651 detectors failed to detect suicide bombers at checkpoints.
What's more the UK Government promoted them!
http://
What do you think this does for the credibility of British technology abroad?
No I don't think this has done anybody any favours
It has been alleged that hundreds of Iraqis died in explosions in Baghdad after ADE651 detectors failed to detect suicide bombers at checkpoints.
What's more the UK Government promoted them!
http://
What do you think this does for the credibility of British technology abroad?
No I don't think this has done anybody any favours
You really do love jumping to conclusions don't you Tora?
So easy when the conlusion is that other people are thick - must be a great ego boost for you.
Not so stupid to believe them when the British Government and Army are promoting them is it?
The Stupid people you need to be looking for are in the Army and Government
So easy when the conlusion is that other people are thick - must be a great ego boost for you.
Not so stupid to believe them when the British Government and Army are promoting them is it?
The Stupid people you need to be looking for are in the Army and Government
@3T Well quite - One would have expected that performance trials would have been conducted on the devices to determine that they worked. For whatever reason ( corruption, gullibility?), those trials that were carried out were not sufficiently well controlled. And as Jake points out, they have been sold in places like Thailand and Mexico as well. There was (is) a company based in Germany selling the same stuff as well - not sure what has happened to them.
In all those tests since, where the device has been properly tested, they have been shown to be completely useless. Iraq spent millions on them, deployed them zt the checkpoints around the safe zone in Baghdad, and it is thought that many civilians were killed or injured by car bombs having gone through checkpoints where devices like this were used.
Its not as if the Department of Trade were unaware of the nature of these devices either, when they granted them an export licence - an MP had written a letter to his colleague minister asking for clarification. Seems that no one could be all that bothered to look into it properly. I do wonder whether that export licence somehow conferred a degree of legitimacy to prospective buyers.
I still cannot quite see what favour you think he has done us?
In all those tests since, where the device has been properly tested, they have been shown to be completely useless. Iraq spent millions on them, deployed them zt the checkpoints around the safe zone in Baghdad, and it is thought that many civilians were killed or injured by car bombs having gone through checkpoints where devices like this were used.
Its not as if the Department of Trade were unaware of the nature of these devices either, when they granted them an export licence - an MP had written a letter to his colleague minister asking for clarification. Seems that no one could be all that bothered to look into it properly. I do wonder whether that export licence somehow conferred a degree of legitimacy to prospective buyers.
I still cannot quite see what favour you think he has done us?
@ 3T Ahh, ok. I have no idea what has happened to the buyers in the respective countries - In Iran is was a very senior military figure who sanctioned their purchase and deployment, and there was more than a whiff of backhanders going on - I do hope that they get fired or face jail-time for their actions.
As for people being gullible - The way these devices have been sold is that they work on the same principle as dowsing for water - plenty of people seem to have no trouble believing in that.....
As for people being gullible - The way these devices have been sold is that they work on the same principle as dowsing for water - plenty of people seem to have no trouble believing in that.....
Nothing new in his Sales methods
Ultimately, however, it was revealed that fully 75 percent of what he earned was spent on paying kickbacks and bribes in order to get his devices into the hands of the government, Higgenbotham added.
"It would be nice to think people fell for him because he was some kind of Donald Trump-style force in the boardroom or in meetings," Higgenbotham said. "In actual fact, he seems to be not particularly articulate and not particularly smart."
But he had the right contact. And he handed out all of those bribes.
Ultimately, however, it was revealed that fully 75 percent of what he earned was spent on paying kickbacks and bribes in order to get his devices into the hands of the government, Higgenbotham added.
"It would be nice to think people fell for him because he was some kind of Donald Trump-style force in the boardroom or in meetings," Higgenbotham said. "In actual fact, he seems to be not particularly articulate and not particularly smart."
But he had the right contact. And he handed out all of those bribes.
I think the problem here revolves around the word 'exports'.
Someone in officialdom got so worked up with national pride about the opportunity to shift a product made in this country that they didn't dare any of that looking-gift-horses-in-the-mouth kind of activity.
I mean, just think. A government field-trial would require staff time and an expenditure request would have to go up the management chain for approval... some mug would have to write several pages of bumph to make the supporting case for it. Said mug looks like a twerp and suffers career blight ever after if the product turns out to be a dud.
On a less selfish note, if the product is rubbish then the manufacturer could go bust - actual people put out of work and it's all going to be the fault of whoever wields that pen... aaarrrgggghhh!
So, it's not easy being a public servant. And half the population wants them to lose their job because "my [their1] taxes pay your [their2] wages".
p.s.
I agree with the assertion that it was an idiotic purchase decision. But don't product buyers spend all their time exposed to sales brochures and marketing hyperbole?
p.p.s.
If I put the terms "M.o.D." and "procurement" in close proximity, what images does that conjure up?
Someone in officialdom got so worked up with national pride about the opportunity to shift a product made in this country that they didn't dare any of that looking-gift-horses-in-the-mouth kind of activity.
I mean, just think. A government field-trial would require staff time and an expenditure request would have to go up the management chain for approval... some mug would have to write several pages of bumph to make the supporting case for it. Said mug looks like a twerp and suffers career blight ever after if the product turns out to be a dud.
On a less selfish note, if the product is rubbish then the manufacturer could go bust - actual people put out of work and it's all going to be the fault of whoever wields that pen... aaarrrgggghhh!
So, it's not easy being a public servant. And half the population wants them to lose their job because "my [their1] taxes pay your [their2] wages".
p.s.
I agree with the assertion that it was an idiotic purchase decision. But don't product buyers spend all their time exposed to sales brochures and marketing hyperbole?
p.p.s.
If I put the terms "M.o.D." and "procurement" in close proximity, what images does that conjure up?
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