TSA Bans Toner and Ink Cartridges On Planes 633
Grond writes "The US has banned toner and ink cartridges from passenger aircraft in the wake of last month's bomb plot. 'The printer cartridge ban affects cartridges over 16 ounces.' No word yet on whether that's a weight or volume measurement or whether it's a per-cartridge or per-passenger limit."
The ban comes alongside a prohibition on air cargo originating from Yemen and Somalia. Bruce Schneier's blog points out another potential consequence from the recent bomb plot: the end of in-flight Wi-Fi.
Re:Disturbing to see TSA still behind the curve. (Score:5, Interesting)
They're not going to ban WiFi. The airlines make too much money from it and will raise a storm if it goes away. The airlines only have a certian level of tolerance for these things, especially if it costs them money and inconviences business travellers.
The TSA is however quite effective. It's one of the more creative, pervasive, improve theatre groups that ever put to the non-traditional stage.
Re:Disturbing to see TSA still behind the curve. (Score:4, Interesting)
My last flight on Thursday to San Jose got me a grope by the TSA agents who now apparently are permitted to do full on frisk-downs
They weren't allowed to do that until the full body scanners came into the scene. Now they are doing that to the people who opt-out, presumably on the theory that by making the opt-out extremely unpleasant they can discourage people from exercising it.
Personally, if I'm ever forced to fly again (+1 on the suggestion to just drive) I plan on raising my voice a few octaves, adding a lisp and doing my best Mr. Slave impression. "Oh, Jesus, Jesus Christ!"
Weren't the bombs on cargo planes? (Score:4, Interesting)
It gets worse (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm far more concerned about TSA's new pat-down procedure [crunchgear.com] than I am about not being allowed to bring toner with me on a plane. Not that the ink/toner cartridge ban makes much sense, but how often do you bring printer supplies with you on a plane?
TSA Security Theater (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Disturbing to see TSA still behind the curve. (Score:1, Interesting)
Let's play a game. What can we make the TSA ban next and how ?
Re:The illusion of security (Score:2, Interesting)
Which judging from the fact that the voters decided to promote bipartisanship by giving the GOP a majority in the house is pretty clearly out of the question.
Which exit poll did you read that said the voters wanted to promote bipartisanship? The main issue is the economy. The Democrats are perceived to be neglecting it and/or pushing policies that are ineffective.
BTW, since you made an offtopic snipe at the GOP, may I presume that you are a Democrat or lean in that direction? If that's the case are you really happy with the way that President Obama is handling this issue? His Administration hasn't done jack-shit to halt the growth of the security theater industry.
Re:Diminishing returns... (Score:2, Interesting)
If you think what they've done to airflight has any effectiveness what so ever you are severely confused.
There are enough chemicals on most aircraft for the stewards use that you could surely come up with a way to get in the cockpit or blow the plane out of the air.
I was on a flight a couple of weeks ago, sitting on the tarmac due to weather and I came up with at least 4 different ways I could destroy the aircraft with things I could pick up WHILE ON THE AIRCRAFT. Excluding the bag full of explosives I had (Certain battery types can be rather effective with nothing more than a screw driver and the battery and they go RIGHT through screening.) and the various things I could come up with from seeing things other passengers had.
All it takes is a half way determined, well educated engineer and the plane is coming down, period. It take some more effort to take the plane and fly it to your own destination at this stage, I'll admit that, but its because the passengers aren't going to give anyone an opportunity to take over the plane, and has nothing to do with the 'security improvements' jokes the TSA makes up.
I'm beginning to wonder if the TSA isn't made up of the real terrorists considering how fucking uncomfortable they've turned the airport experience into.
Re:Disturbing to see TSA still behind the curve. (Score:5, Interesting)
Just my thought the other day while standing in a TSA security line. A much bigger (at some airports) and softer target.
The "obvious" answer is to hire even more TSA screeners, buy more equipment, and set up a larger security perimeter with lots of small lines.
Sigh. I remember flying in and out of Heathrow when IRA bombings were at a peak. No security lineups, lots of crowds, and any package left unattended for more than few seconds was quietly disappeared.
Doesn't go far enough. (Score:3, Interesting)
Obviously, these toner cartridges were packed in some sort of suitcase. Imagine that, a closed case on a plane that a terrorist could use to put any kind of horrible device. The only logical reaction is to ban all suitcases. This should also apply to duffle bags, backpacks and other forms of closed containers. Travellers will be encouraged to carry their clothes in big piles to the check in area where they will be looked through (and any funny underwear will be lifted up high for everyone to laugh at). Then, the whole pile will be shovelled onto the airplane. Luggage pickup areas will now have a dump truck back up to them and dump the cargo bin's contents onto the ground for traveller's to fight through. Make sure you write your name and address in big letters all over every piece of clothing in permanent ink. And remember, it might be a minor inconvinience but this and other measures like the upcoming "automatic strip searching for hot passengers" rule help keep the skies safe from terrorists.
Re:Disturbing to see TSA still behind the curve. (Score:4, Interesting)
The approach comes dangerously close to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Exactly. You think that's not intentional? This is 100% identical to the Westboro people inciting violence against gays and claiming that they are justified in doing so because "gays are violent". They then picket funerals and say the most hateful things in the hope they will be attacked and thus get everything they want.
The TSA is just hoping someone will put the smackdown on one of their expendable minimum-wage immune-to-prosecution "law enforcement officials" as an excuse to create internal passports a la Apartheid-era South Africa. You just know they're drooling over that prospect.
My own answer is to fly myself. It's a bit more expensive and slower, but no TSA jackboot can tell me I can't do it. The FAA issued my pilot's license, and ONLY the FAA can revoke it. The TSA can go pound sand; I'll just walk to the other side of the airport and go general aviation. Yeah, this isn't a solution open to everyone, but there's no single solution short of the disbandment of the TSA that will be universal. Fly yourself, drive, take a train (until the TSA claims they own trains too), don't travel, sue, vote Libertarian, do SOMETHING to lawfully resist. And let the airlines know. Airlines have more ability to resist the conversion of the TSA into the KGB than an individual, but individuals have power over the airline's most precious resource: income.
Re:Disturbing to see TSA still behind the curve. (Score:3, Interesting)
If you're going somewhere Amtrak goes, it is quicker than driving, takes you to city centers instead of airports, and still has wifi and no virtual strip searches.
Re:Home Security Theater (Score:3, Interesting)
That's ridiculous. We should only treat young Middle Easteners like criminals. </sarcasm>
The quickest path towards resolving this is genuinely for all non-criminal young Middle Easterners to start ejecting the radical element from within their ranks. The next time one of your peers tells you how evil all those white infidels are, tell him to shut the hell up, to grow up, and step away from the radical idiot who cares less for their life than for his own ego. End the war from within, and see those who fear you turn into your supporters.
Solutions to this sort of thing start at home.
Consequentially, this is likewise why I believe we need a full evacuation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Until the jihadis themselves are ready to reject this idiocy for what it is, we need to reject them. We can try other things, but they're just not going to be effective at the costs we'd find reasonable to pay.
Re:Home Security Theater (Score:3, Interesting)
Is this why they shot holes in that one girl's laptop?
Re:Home Security Theater (Score:1, Interesting)
My mother worked for Customs at LAX. Customs agents get very good at identifying the intent of people, most just call it a hunch but it develops with experience and they can't describe it.
Her favorite and most interesting story was a flight coming in from Mexico (previously routed through Columbia), she checked a caucasian 75 year old grandmother in a wheelchair, US Citizen, the whole bit. Everything seemed to check right but she had a "hunch". She pulled her into secondary, turns out her sweater was lined with bags of coke.
You're right young Middle Eastern men have something to worry about, which is why the terrorists are actively recruiting non MIddle Eastern Muslims. The TSA knows this and is looking at everyone, and decades of Customs experience like the story above is exactly why.
Ostracise all christians. (Score:1, Interesting)
The Christians should fight the nutcase fringe element of their own faith and until they do, all professed Christians should be treated as criminals.
The quickest path towards resolving this is genuinely for all non-criminal young Christians to start ejecting the radical element from within their ranks. The next time one of your peers tells you how evil all those gays or abortion doctors are, tell him to shut the hell up, to grow up, and step away from the radical idiot who cares less for their life than for his own ego. End the war from within, and see those who fear you turn into your supporters.
And don't give me all that "they aren't REAL Christians", they say they believe in Christ just the same as you do and just like the muslim terrorists proclaim the same faith in Mohammed as the mainstream muslims.
Treat all Christians as the murdering terrorists the fringe of Christianity are until they learn to stand up against their own noxious element.