Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few days, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the attempted takedown of several planes leaving the UK for the US that was foiled yesterday. They arrested 24 people that planned to use some combination of liquid explosives and disposable electronics to blow the planes up mid-flight, suicide bomber style. This has prompted a harsh crackdown in the UK that has banned electronics, drinks (even the ones bought in the airport), and all carryons except baby formula. And even the baby formula, you have to drink yourself to prove it’s safe. In the US it’s not quite so bad, but they’ve still banned all liquids and gels. That means no toothpaste, no shampoo, no soap, no aftershave, etc. There’s plenty of stuff floating around the net about this, including alot of firsthand reports of it all.  I find it humorous that all this “potentially explosive” liquid is just being thrown in trashcans or poured into barrels right next to huge crowds of people stuck in security lines.  Not only is the net effect (lots of people dead or injured) just the same, but who has to empty all this foul sticky tarry beverage every few hours?  And where?

One has to wonder just how effective this will be, but CNet has an excellent article detailing a previous attempt to do what these guys had planned. I have to think that we’re (the US) not very far from being in the same boat as the UK, and I do not look forward to the prospect of putting my $5000 laptop in checked baggage. I also do not enjoy the prospect of taking a long 5 hour flight with absolutely no carryons, including books and ipods. Next week I head to Maryland for a few days (work related, mostly) and after the last travesty with my checked baggage (checked against my will anyway) I’m not looking forward to this.

I frankly don’t think it’s worth it to sacrifice the tiny bit of comfort of every flier in the hopes of preventing the one airplane-related terrorist attack every 5 years. I also feel bad for my dad heading to Austin for a week.
[tag:news][tag:airplane][tag:explosives][tag:terrorism]

Be Sociable, Share!

No related posts.