Comments on: Light weapons welcome on board – but not jokes

By: Jim Steel

Jim Steel — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I have two stainless steel plates running the length of my forearm and only once (in New Zealand, by chance) have either they or the screws holding them there ever rung any bells. I will confess that I haven’t tried joking about them yet, but I’ll try to work up some material for my next trip.

By: Nicholas Gruen

Nicholas Gruen — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Very funny.

HAVE THAT MAN ARRESTED!

By: Francis Xavier Holden

Francis Xavier Holden — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

jim – my son the homie has a few metal plates and screws in his arm curtesy of a mispent yoof sk8brding. He hasn’t managed to save enough to fly anywhere yet but he has a lot of stupid jokes about his arm and screws etc – need any – just ask.

I got held up at Tulla last year because I had a small fold up pocket knife and toothpick and bottle / can opener in my toilet bag (toilet bag is such a misnomer)- its barely half an inch long. Being a respectable middle aged gent (shhhh don’t tell Paul Watson) I was embarrassed as the two HUGE tattooed and dreadlocked Maori Brotha’s were ushered through before me and they spent an engaging two minutes or so smirking and asking why the security guys and gals thought the “old granpa white guy” was a terrorist” . Bloody Kiwis.

By: Nabakov

Nabakov — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Nick,

Good points and here’s a dude that not only agrees with you, but is coming up with some solutions too. If you are interested in this area, he’s a damn good go to guy.

http://www.schneier.com/blog

By: Tiny Tyrant

Tiny Tyrant — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

It is more about affecting our lives so we appreciate that terrorism is out there and ‘its gonna get you sucka!’, than stopping attacks.

Only a fool would believe you can ‘stop’ terrorism.

We have been made a joke of.

Its not just hokey, surly staffed, airport security harrassing travellers while baggage is being tampered with by airline staff. There’s guards in bright jackets patrolling harbour bridges while thousands of potential mobile bombs traverse them daily.

Meanwhile, piles of money is poured into the ‘security’ industry, ever more draconiam laws are pumped through our legislatures and chest-beating politicians are playing pantomime good-guys and protecting us all.

By: Steve Edney

Steve Edney — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I find it interesting that people say they get through dectectors with all these bits of metal on them. On my recent trip to and around Europe, which involved probably about 10 different scannings I didn’t make it through once without setting off the alarm even after I’d removed my belt and (sometimes) shoes and so had no metal other than my digital watch. In Korea, about 3 out of 4 people were being individually hand scanned after they went through the detectors despite dumping keys wallet etc in the X ray machine.

I’d assumed they’d turned all the machines up to some ridiculous level where everyone just set them off, because of the metal zipper on their fly.

By: Ender

Ender — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

I travelled from Perth to Melbourne and back with a small screwdriver in my top pocket. I am a computer person and I find having a small screwdriver saves many trips back to my desk when I need to unscrew a cable from the back of a PC.

I totally forgot about it and went on the plane through the screening – mind you I had to take my shoes off however once I did this I passed OK. The screwdriver top I suppose resembles a pen when it is in my top pocket. I only realised I had it this when I came out the Perth end after returning from Melbourne.

By: Geoff Honnor

Geoff Honnor — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

“Being a respectable middle aged gent (shhhh don’t tell Paul Watson)”

Too late FXH! Paul can sniff out the rotting privilege of incipient senescence from several suburbs distance…..

By: Rafe

Rafe — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

The late Peter Medawar was asked a routine question on entry to the US, something like “are you planning to overturn the Constitution?” (are they still asking that) to which he replied he did not intend to do so, and hoped that he would not overturn it by accident.
My impression of many regulations, like the 100 points for bank accounts, is that they cause a lot of bother for everyone and don’t solve the problem because serious criminals will easily find a way around.
The same applies to the incredible rules that regulate financial advisors and the like, scores of pages of fine print that are supposed to protect people who are too thick to ask the sensible questions about the admin costs, exit costs etc.
The first CIS publication that I ever read was about the way that regulatory agencies get captured by the people who they are supposed to regulate (because they have the strongest motive to get into the act).
What about regulations that work? Like compulsory seat belts. What are the differences between regulations that work and regulations that don’t?

By: Mark Bahnisch

Mark Bahnisch — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Nicholas, on the 100 points of ID thing.

I tried to get a mobile phone with Telstra a few years ago, and not being a driver, didn’t meet their particular ID requirements. The guy in the Telstra store phoned Melbourne and said “this is ludicrous – we’re prepared to give this guy a credit card with a 10k limit and he has internet and phone with us but we can’t give him a phone”. No dice. Needless to say, I walked next door and got one from Vodafone.

Telstra wouldn’t accept the photo id 18+ card – issued by the Transport Department – the mob who obviously give out drivers’ licences – and for which I had to present 100 points of ID.

Go figure.