Well they WON didn't they.. After knocking down 4 measly Buildings. You can't Fly without being poked, prodded & having you batteries, sissors, tweezers & your Razor blades confiscated.. You can't go to a ball park or to a Concert without a pat down search & having your UMBRELLA CONFISCATED.. How absurd..What do they do think this is McGuyverville. I'm gonna slit the Pilots wrist, & jump out of the plane with my Umbrella Parachute.. I can't believe were gonna put up with this crap for long.. Were doing just what they want.. Now if you BREATH Your a SUSPECT> And god forbid don't be anything but PURE white.. Some Yahoooo is out looking for you! Like I say they got to be laughing there Asses off. Idiot Americans confiscating umbrellas Damn I feel so much safer now. Hell I'm ready to go let someone search me & my baggage & my family & there baggage to take a plane ride.. SURE!

I'd rather fire up the lights in the Winnabago in the DRIVEWAY & Bring a Burger from Jack in the Crack..

Anyone else feeling the SAME WAY!!

-- Geno-Calif (headturbo@hotmail.com), September 25, 2001

Answers

I don't know about the rest of the world but as a person living outside the USA (PLOTU) this seems perfectly normal. Wecome to the real world America.

The thing that will make the most difference to US domestic security was implemented at 8.45am 9.11.2001. That is: America was woken up. People are no longer going around with their eyes closed. It's actually quite simple to spot people behaving suspiciously. But it is even easier to say it's none of my business or maybe they'll whip out a gun and blow me away or I better not say anything in case someone calls me a racist. Obviouisly this has a very nasty downside when taken to extremes but in the long term it will make a huge difference.

But if you want water-tight airline security:

Remove the door to the cockpit completely (pilot has separate door). No carry on. No food. All passengers and any persons required to enter the aircraft at any time must wear airline supplied jump suits and carry no objects. All objects needed for the day to day running of the aircraft should be kept on board the aircraft (dangerous stuff locked away with the key left on the ground) All baggage and passenger personal effects and clothes go in a completely different aircraft which avoids populated area as much as possible.

This should pretty much deal with the really nasty stuff.

The question is will Americans put up with it? And will they pay for it? There's no such thing as a safe free lunch. If the US Govt wants to do something to help the US economy, they could bankroll this industrail upgrade rather than throw US$1,000,000 bombs at Afghan mountains.

Or they could solve the problem at the source and loosen the offensive (to Muslims) US military strangle-hold on the gulf.

-- clivus (clivus@attglobal.net), September 25, 2001.

I was taken aback, by the suggestion we arm the pilots. Those idiot Terrorists that did the takeover ( with plastic knives) were pilots. In fact one tried to board a plane in a Delta Pilot Uniform... The point is, it happened, the blame is on CIA; INS; FAA; until we fix the checks and balances with these agencys; then checking all the umbrellas in the world won't help us, and giving pilots weapons is not a bad idea but not a good one because that won't help us either. my take on it love to all Judy

-- Judy/W (Judywhalen@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

quite so - Geno. Its killing us, especially at the border for commerce. Moronic, kneejerk overkill. I even saw a Professor of Economics from George Mason University on National Business Report warn about politicians stealing our freedoms because thats the only way they know how to respond in a situation like this.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley1@netzero.net), September 25, 2001.

Just for the record, the hijackers apparently used box cutters -- which have razor-sharp blades -- and folding knives, all with metal blades, not plastic. I've always carried a Barlow knife in my pocket when flying and no one even blinked when I put it in the tray with my keys and loose change at the metal detectors. But now even plastic knives are not allowed aboard aircraft or even in the concourses behind the security checkpoints. Wonder what they're using to cut the steaks in first class.

-- Cash (Cash@andcarry.com), September 25, 2001.

The security check at Universal Studios Park in California this last Saturday was quite an experience.

We already had tickets, but my wife had her purse with her. We were told we would have to stand in a line a mile long already (only half an hour after the park opened) to have the purse searched, unless we wanted to return the purse to the car a lock it up. Then we could enter through the "express" line, which was for those with no drink bottles, backpack, purses, canera bags, strollers, etc. and was only about 20-30 people long.

So, back to the car with the purse. By the time we got back the express line was a double merging line with several people with strollers, back packs, camera bags, etc.

Park personel kept making the announcement that these express lines were for people with no "baggage" to be searched. Not one of them listened to what was being said and the park personnel did nothing to take them out of line.

When they reached the entrance, the park had to delay everyone to find the equipment and personnel to search these idiots in the express line.

By the time we reached the entrance, about 75 minutes now, there was such confusion, very little was being searched. I, myself set off the metal detector, but was only asked what I had in my pocket. I said "a key", and was allowed to pass right on through. I have no idea what set off the alarm.

To make a long story shorter, the "express line" took longer than the lines which were set up to search baggage and people.

After this experience, I don't think I'll be going to any crowded areas anytime soon. First of all no one listens to directions (what if something was found?) and the added security practices by Universal is a joke -- at least in this this part of the country.

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), September 25, 2001.

Can someone explain the nail clipper ban to me?

Forget all this new stuff. Just go back to the security we had before 9/11/01. The attitude of the passengers will ensure flight safety. Once folks realize that *they* are part of the weapon, then I wouldn't want to be a hijacker. Regardless of your religion, having people tear you apart (and I mean that literally), would be an interesting deterrent.

Just a thought.

J

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), September 25, 2001.

I had no idea that they were imposing that kind of security on an amusement park. That's going to turn off visitors if you have to stand in a mega line before you get in the park. More damage to tourism. A friend of mine suggested that video games and other entertainment for the home is going to sell really well because it will be too much trouble to go anywhere and do anything if your always treated like a potential terrorist.

My favorite bureaucratic kneejerk or perhaps I should say the worst example is just after the terrorist bombing they wouldn't let military retirees use the bowling alley, base exchange, commissary and various other benefits. I don't know about you but I don't think I'd have a difficult time differentiating between a terrorist and a military retiree and yet there are always morons out there who claim that's necessary in order to feel safe. The world is being taken over by the terrorists and the PARANOID! I'm not sure which is worse because I have never, personally been affected by terrorism but I am certainly being affected by the bureaucrats and the paranoid.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley1@netzero.net), September 25, 2001.

If they pass legislation to make Americans carry National I.D. cards, that will be a defining moment in the loss of civil liberties in this country. I, for one, do not want to be required to carry any socialistic I.D. card like some communist countries are required to do.

-- Paul (skypilot99@aol.com), September 25, 2001.

If they pass legislation to make Americans carry National I.D. cards, that will be a defining moment in the loss of civil liberties in this country

ORACLE Chairman and CEO Larry Ellison this weekend called for the United States to create a national identification system -- and offering to donate the software to make it possible -- free-of-charge.

"We need a national ID card with our photograph and thumbprint digitized and embedded in the ID card," Ellison said in an interview Friday night on the evening news of KPIX-TV in San Francisco.

...it will be virtually impossible for anyone to live a normal life without the new ID card in England - possession of a valid card will be necessary for boarding an aircraft, buying gas, opening a bank account, starting a job or claiming government benefits.

If you think this is merely just socialistic behavior......try reading Revelation 14 9-11 once my friend.

-- 666 (mark@of the beast.com), September 25, 2001.

Re: national ID card

Wouldn't it be easier and more secure to implant chips in everybody's right hand or forehead? That way the face scanners at the airports and stadiums could easily pick out "terrorists" and other enemies of the state. You also wouldn't have to carry around yet another card (my wallet is stuffed!) and have the danger of somebody stealing your ID if you lose your card. When you go grocery shopping, you can just flash your hand at the scanner. So easy.

8^P

-- Margaret J (who ALSO reads Revelations) (mjans01@yahoo.com), September 25, 2001.

I will not get on an airplane because I don't want to jump through the hoops, and go through the interrogation of being a consumer wanting to go from A to B. There's plenty of other places to go within 4 hours of my home for entertainment and culture.

I will not attend any concert of sporting event where I'm subjected to a body search and my backpack confiscated. Why go to any event and be upset the whole time over the ordeal of getting into the arena? Why pay big bucks just to sit and fume over being searched head to toe?

The government wants us to go on and live or lives. At what expense? No thank you. I'd rather go to the beach, a park, a hiking trail, or visit small quaint towns and window shop. Why should I open up my wallet and spend money where I'm being treated as a criminal.

If it's that dangerous to attend a sporting or concernt event, why even spend money for a ticket? Genoo-Calif, I agree with you!

-- (CAkidd_94520@yahoo.com), September 26, 2001.

In this thread, I detect a sense of profound anger already, not just against the terrorists, but against the already emerging tactical mismanagement of the War Against Terrorism, on the home front. The spike of patriotic fervor may be rapidly dissipated as a result.

If "security" practices are being as badly mismanaged as the facts of these posters state, and the foreign-directed military prong of this War Against Terrorism is as badly mismanaged, the world faces certain Doomsday.

The stakes in this "War Against Terrorism" are so high that every human being on this Planet is, or should be, thoroughly TERRORIZED! So, who's the winner, so far? The odds thus aren't in our (anti- terrorism side) favor.

-- Robert Riggs (rxr.999@worldnet.att.net), September 26, 2001.

CA Kidd - I read your response to Genos post. I guess I'll put up with being treated like a criminal for a long flight because it would be much worse to drive there but all the rest of the events, not interested. I won't be interested in crossing into Canada and Mexico either unless its by plane. Its going to crush this country, especially tourism. The terrorists have won already. Its just a matter of time. A recession is GUARANTEED because of the way we've overreacted.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley1@netzero.net), September 26, 2001.