A mixed bag of information about some provisions of the new intelligence bill. On the good side, it requires the TSA to establish a process for getting people off the no-fly lists, and directs them to start installing various devices like explosive residue detectors and evaluate blast-resistant cargo containers. Still no requirement on depressurizing suitcases before loading, which is a pity. On the not so good side, it has the TSA keeping logs of everyone who flies anywhere. (Good data mining, but I repeat a previous estimate: We will need internal passports to travel within four years if this goes on) On the somewhat incomprehensible side, the bill bans butane lighters in carry-on luggage.
(Yes, you could make those explode, I suppose. It would take a good deal of work, and it would be hard to rupture a hull that way. Would they also like to ban pens? I’m pretty sure I could kill someone with mine – it’s sturdy enough to penetrate to various vitals. Maybe we should only be allowed crayons.)
Yonatan Zunger’s Blog 
I got an idea for intelligence reform: let’s can all those agencies and start over.
They missed the collapse of the USSR. They dropped the ball on 9/11 and continue to drop the ball on al Qaeda (if there even is such a thing). They got bullied into issuing a pack of lies about Saddam’s non-existent weapons. They totally misunderestimated the effect of our high-tech weapons on Serbian forces in Kosovo.
Rumsfeld’s redesign of the military is all dependent on good intelligence, but we seem to keep rewarding failure in the intelligence community.
I got an idea for intelligence reform: let’s can all those agencies and start over.
They missed the collapse of the USSR. They dropped the ball on 9/11 and continue to drop the ball on al Qaeda (if there even is such a thing). They got bullied into issuing a pack of lies about Saddam’s non-existent weapons. They totally misunderestimated the effect of our high-tech weapons on Serbian forces in Kosovo.
Rumsfeld’s redesign of the military is all dependent on good intelligence, but we seem to keep rewarding failure in the intelligence community.
A couple of months after 9/11, Chris and I flew out to visit his family for the holidays. While waiting, we were in an airport restaraunt getting something to eat. They gave us a metal fork… and a plastic knife.
Honestly, a metal fork is *so* much more dangerous than a metal butter knife!!
Yet another example of crazyness.
A couple of months after 9/11, Chris and I flew out to visit his family for the holidays. While waiting, we were in an airport restaraunt getting something to eat. They gave us a metal fork… and a plastic knife.
Honestly, a metal fork is *so* much more dangerous than a metal butter knife!!
Yet another example of crazyness.
At least a butane lighter has actually been used in an attempt to destroy a plane, which is more times than a nail file has.
At least a butane lighter has actually been used in an attempt to destroy a plane, which is more times than a nail file has.
Hmm. By that logic, a shoe has been used in an attempt to destroy a plane, and so we should all go barefoot. Anyway, why on earth are butane lighters banned but liquid-fuel lighters not? Or for that matter, matches, or flint and steel?
Hmm. By that logic, a shoe has been used in an attempt to destroy a plane, and so we should all go barefoot. Anyway, why on earth are butane lighters banned but liquid-fuel lighters not? Or for that matter, matches, or flint and steel?