I got busted by the NYPD trying to take the worlds smallest swiss army knife on to Liberty Island, tucked away in my bag. They said they could hold it for me until I got back, at which point it would be destroyed in front of me! The only other option I was given was to go hide it in the park first and rejoin the line, or take a hike. I took the hike. I asked if I was allowed to carry the knife on the streets of NY, "Yes Sir, that's fine. But you can't take it to Liberty Island"
That sealed it for me, Yanks are complete and utter nutters!
Dave.
--
---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
Late at night, by candle light, John Larkin penned this immortal opus:
The guy, Abdullah bin Whatever, is really a stooge for the security companies. Since nothing serious has been happening the last couple of years and there have been doubts over the whole rigmarole, they got afraid of business slackening off and stirred the pot a bit.
I've lost three of those 2-3/8", confiscated by TSA.
But I got a carry-on with a big-ass corkscrew right through their screening ;-) ...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
Help save the environment!
Please dispose of socialism responsibly!
Yes, at least the NY Times said the guy was in the bathroom for 20 minutes, presumably tinkering with his bomb, then went back to his seat to set it off. Can't imagine why, makes more sense to set it off in the bathroom. Well, maybe he forgot to bring something to the bathroom?
Maybe it's just copycatting? Like the failed attempt at a follow-up in London Underground with bombs that didn't work?
What's scary is the possibility that several passengers, over several flights of the same plane, manage to carry on and stash components to build a bomb in the john :-(
Why was he in the john for 20 minutes?
There has to be some way to dispose of these Islamists that prevents them from entering their "heaven" and getting all those virgins (*) ...
Boil them to death in pork fat ?:-)
(*) What good is a virgin... I want a "cougar" ;-) ...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, CTO | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | |
| Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat |
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |
Help save the environment!
Please dispose of socialism responsibly!
Maybe they watched too many Crocodile Dundee movies?
Same thing happened to me at the airport on Long Island. I had a tiny Swiss Army Knife tucked into my shaving kit. The blade was smaller than what is on my razor (which was permitted). The X-ray screener found it and searched the bag for it. I will say that the TA folks at LI are on their toes.
It has gotten to the point where you can't carry anything sharp anymore and there has been "serious" discussion as to banning boy scouts from carrying knives. Its not looking good for future generations.
On a sunny day (Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:44:17 -0500) it happened RFI-EMI-GUY wrote in :
Yup, had to turn in my swiss knife too, asked if they could keep it for when I returmed, but they said it would all be destroyed. Such a waste of a good tool.
Wonder what is next, ballpen? pencils? hairpins? I think I will no longer fly, seems if you are on the toilet too long they arrest you too these days :-)
Maybe those big cruises from Europe to America? Takes longer, but more freedom and entertainment. OTOH on some everybody got sick from something I did read.
Of course that would not have prevented a single incident so far, but it might generate handsome income for the companies mfg them. There are many such opportunities around when almost unlimited US-government funds are available (don't ask). Some of them will work some of the time, but most assume that the adversary is stupid or sloppy, which stretches my sense of ethics. You'd almost never be able to set off a high explosive with anything that wouldn't kill the passengers, which pretty much defeats the purpose.
It's possible to hide >1kg of very stable high explosives in body cavities. That's enough to bring down a plane, if removed and placed well. They are not easy to detonate- allegedly high explosives were used (carefully) for cooking fuel during the Vietnam war. But I suppose the detonator could be similarly hidden. I suspect this "aspirational" al-Qaeda knucklehead didn't have the detonator working properly, as his PETN seemed to burn well enough.
Countermeasures? Ultrasounds have been used to detect kg size loads of drugs inside people. Imagine picking up your luggage with lube smeared all over your lower regions, and you're not even coming back from a "conference" in SFO...
Or just equip every plane with the next best thing to Rambo-- Dutch filmmaker Jasper Schuringa, hero of the day, who can fly through the air and tackle bad guys from across aisles and save the meek folks cowering in their seats.
Best regards, Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com
Anssi Saari wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@pepper.modeemi.cs.tut.fi:
they want to detonate close to the wings,where the fuel tanks are,to damage the wing structure and ignite the fuel vapors. IIRC,they already had one guy blow out a lavatory in flight,not much damage,plane landed safely.
amateurs are less likely to be on watch lists. (not that it was any impediment to this guy...)
But it's appearing that he does have some connection to al-Qaida in Yemen. Yemen is turning out to be the newest "Afghanistan",lair of A-Q.
RFI-EMI-GUY wrote in news:4b37d52e$0$4863$ snipped-for-privacy@unlimited.newshosting.com:
you have to remember that the 9-11 hijackers used BOX CUTTERS,which don't have very long blades either.I've got a box cutter that is very thin and compact,uses a regular single-edge razor blade.A screener might not recognize it for what it really is.
I prefer Archie Bunker's solution; hand out handguns to everyone aboard;when the bad guys stand up and attack,everyone else draws and shoots them full of holes.
(actually,to allow those ODCs -with concealed carry permits- to carry aboard AC;they already know the laws concerning shooting,have shown some level of competency with a gun,and have amassed an exemplary record of safety and lawfulness.They have shown themselves to NOT be any problem.)
We have a ridiculous law against carrying knives here in Australia, they bought it in quite a few years ago. Almost anything with a blade is banned in theory, even the smallest keyring swiss army knife.
But the exemptions are:
1) Work purposes
2) Sport
3) If you are a knife collector
4) For peeling fruit and my favourite 5) "Religous purposes"!
So if I get busted with my swiss army knife in my pocket I just say I'm on my way to work while geocaching (sport), I have a collection (I do actually), I just ate some peeled fruit, and the flying spaghetti monster said I must carry one. I'm covered on all five counts, it's up to them to prove otherwise :-P
Dave.
--
---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
Oh, you mean the Fox News owned by Rupert Murdoch. The same Fox News that spins every story far right to help ensure that the poor hapless Americans stay perpetually scared of this so called threat of "terrorism"? They do a good job, don't they! George.W and cronies would be proud.
Ah, America, the only place were it's always Nineteen Eighty-Four
Dave.
--
---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
Shhh, better not tell'em about the Mentos you can buy at the airport convenience store. Combine that with Diet Coke and you might be looking at 20 years to life!
Dave.
--
---------------------------------------------
Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.eevblog.com
Consider this, both Ried and this latest lunatic failed completely--one would think they'd get the message: "I don't want you blowing up or killing innocent people..." -- God.
ElectronDepot website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.