"The policy could be a particular headache for U.S.-bound connecting passengers who may have not have access to a power source for many hours. A British Airways spokesman was unable to clarify if passengers would be allowed to board the plane if they chose to leave their device behind. U.S. officials last week asked airports handling U.S.-bound flights to tighten security amid fears al-Qaeda-linked terror groups might conceal a bomb within a fake smartphone or laptop. Virgin Atlantic warned customers they would not be able to travel with unpowered devices but did not say passengers would be required to re-book on other flights."
10 comments:
In my flight to Israel, they focused way more on behavior and destination and your looks.
Treat everyone the same, use no discrimination, and you miss things.
So we know who's trying to blow shit up, but refuse to acknowledge that we know it, or act on it.
Why look at the Muslim guy just coming back from Pakistan?
Racist!
Could be anyone!
What could go wrong?
But Pogo- It's important that we don't hurt terrorists feelings. That's why single women who fly alone, granny and little kids get extra scrutiny,. Just in case there's a terrorist standing in line. We don't want to single him out and make him feel bad. We should never profile or judge people based on their behavior or appearance. Who cares if a plane blows up? As long as terrorist feelings were spared.
Plus, our journalism schools spit out idiots. The folks who work for TSA don't even have journalism degrees.
This is off topic. Please forgive me for dumping this here but I recently noticed something about myself and it's too weird to mention it to people who know me.
I was thinking about doing something innocuous, and I decided to do it, and then . . . as I started doing it . . . I sensed my memory of the making of the decision slipping away. It might have been only a millisecond but I definitely experienced it. And I fought (mentally) to hold onto it but it disappeared from perception and then it was gone and I just sort of stood there baffled by it all.
I never noticed that happen, ever before, and it more or less dawned on me that I had noticed a phenomenon in real time that had happened many times before but which had been invisible.
What am I talking about?
Here's an example. A boy punches his sister or steals a cookie or something and the parent catches him and scolds him and says, "Why did you do that?!" And the kid says he doesn't know. And maybe he's lying and maybe he isn't.
Maybe he really doesn't know -- he doesn't remember -- and now he has an incentive to gin up some sort of post hoc rationalization for his past conduct or else he'll be punished even more severely because the parent might conclude that he's lying on top of everything else.
The epiphany of experiencing it first hand just kind of rocked my world, is all.
Thanks for listening.
Maybe I'm just losing my marbles.
Occum's razor.
Maybe it's just gas.
Does this mean TSA may actually catch a terrorist?
PS Eric, sometimes it's just the impulse of the moment.
I believe we are now really comfortable with a ridiculous level of laziness and incompetence in most of the organizations and institutions in our society. My impression is that most of the hassles and wasted time in our lives is due to people running things who are overwhelmingly incompetent, unimaginative and simply lazy.
Just a related example is how slow it has been for airports and airlines to supply power outlets for travelers. It's been a longstanding problem that is still barely addressed. What is so hard about installing lots of usb power outlets in airports and airplanes. It's very low voltage and therefore quite safe and simple to install. It's probably the most needed and potentially appreciated improvement short of stripper poles in airports. Lets get this done people. Hell, just have the tools and hardware there, and I'll install some personally during my next layover for free. I'll do the poles too. In fact, each stripper pole should have a usb outlet. This isn't even thinking outside the box. It's obvious.
Genius. You're hired, Bagoh.
There will be cell phones and laptops confiscated because the traveler's recharger doesn't fit those silly-ass European electrical sockets.
I realize this is Britain this time, not the U.S. Still.
Then our ever so trustworthy TSA, or Britain's version, a government employment center and nothing more, will be selling them, while giggling over your x-rays when they're not subjecting you to unnecessary pat downs to feel your intriguing package and firm butt.
Do you imagine those expensive colognes and perfumes and creams go unrecycled?
They x-ray my canes and see for themselves they do not hold a blade, but will not let me use them to pass through their scanner, where they see for themselves the metal inside my leg. I ask, "My I place my hand on your shoulder?" And the heavyset black woman kindly obliges and walks with me to the scanner, then turns her attention elsewhere abandoning me inside the scanner unable to walk forward.
I can walk forward. But not easily. I look like a robot. If I fall then I'll have to crawl out. This weighs heavily on my mind with hundreds of people all around. I feel like every one is looking at me, judging my ordeal. And my shoes are removed making walking a bit more tricky for me.
Then my brother says to me directly, "You know, Chip, you really impress me. You do."
"How so?" I didn't do anything impressive.
"No matter what indignity you are subjected to you always endure it gracefully. That's what I notice."
"Fuck that. But thank you. I despise this whole thing. I feel no grace internally whatsoever. Only pure raw disgust." I'm amazed that doesn't show.
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