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IP: Re: F.A.A. Announces Stricter Rules; Knives No Longer Allowed -- get out your dull chopsticks
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 13:09:53 -0400
Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2001 10:32:09 -0500 From: gep2 () terabites com Subject: Re: IP: F.A.A. Announces Stricter Rules; Knives No Longer Allowed -- get out your dull chopsticks To: farber () cis upenn edu X-Mailer: SPRY Mail Version: 04.00.06.17 One of the more curious reports I've heard here in Dallas is that American Airlines (based here in Fort Worth) is seriously considering to ban *all* carryon articles, presumably including attache cases, camera bags, and notebook computers. (I know from personal experience that it is **not** safe to check notebook computers and video camcorders on airplanes, even with serious efforts to pack them well to protect them). Eliminating the possibility of use (even just carrying) of personal computers aboard aircraft would doubtless have a serious advese effect on the notebook computer industry (of course, this in no way downplays the "serious adverse effect" that things like terrorism have on a whole range of other industries!) I certainly agree with you... I don't see how eliminating curbside baggage checkin, or not allowing passengers to await friends at the gates (or likewise to see them off there) would have prevented what happened this week. It sounds to me more like they want to be SEEN as "doing something", regardless of whether what they're doing is actually effective or not. Honestly, I hate to see people accept sheep-like any supposedly "security" measures which simply don't make any sense. The one measure I've read about which I think **would** make a difference is the use of passenger full-body imaging systems, which allow security staff to essentially see visually what is in passengers pockets (even body cavities) etc. This would visually show things like plastic/glass knives and other possible weapons, something that existing metal detectors simply don't (and never will) pick up. The biggest argument against such imaging systems is reportedly that they "look through clothing" (indeed, that's the purpose!) and thus display a clear image of not only weapons, guns, knives, and such but also genitalia and other things that people are sensitive about and feel is an "invasion of privacy". On a list of rights and freedoms that I'd be upset about losing, and related concerns, I personally think that having hangups about being imaged (intimately!) would be one of the easier ones to conquer. Gordon Peterson http://personal.terabites.com/ Support the Anti-SPAM Amendment! Join at http://www.cauce.org/ 12/19/98: Partisan Republicans scornfully ignore the voters they "represent". 12/09/00: the date the Republican Party took down democracy in America.
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- IP: Re: F.A.A. Announces Stricter Rules; Knives No Longer Allowed -- get out your dull chopsticks David Farber (Sep 13)