How did they get the knives on the planes? I've gone to the airport several times recently. There was one "security officer" working the metal detector who was very slow to move and speak, probably to think as well. He seemed to display many of the signs of mental retardation. I don't mean that as either a joke or an insult. It's just an example of the extreme negligence displayed by airline and airport officials, in all aspects of operations. And then they arrest someone who gets impatient about waiting on the runway, seatbelt on and unable to use the water closet, for three hours. Power is used without accountability these days. We the people give power to public officials hoping that they will protect us. They rarely do that anymore, but they sure enjoy harassing us. Ground crews allow a bomb aboard a plane? No problem, we'll just arrest more passengers. By the way, this possibly retarded young man was fairly nice to me, unlike anyone else at the airport.
to airport security: arabs at airports = % increase in the likelihood of a terrorist attack i guess that's only my stereotypical equation himmel
As I posted on another thread, today I saw an Arab I know (from Kuwait) and he was laughing at the whole thing. "Good attack, huh?" The really strange thing is that he didn't seem to understand why I wasn't laughing too. But it may have been a matter of his individual personality, not his ethnic background. Very few Arabs actually commit terrorist attacks. I've often thought that advocating a specific act of physical violence should be, if not a crime, at least sufficient grounds for deportation. He didn't go that far, but I was disgusted nevertheless.
Plastic. How do inmates make knives? from their toothbrushes. Plastic knives do just as much damage as metal ones.
RichGuy, You're much more disciplined than me. I would have probably hit the guy if someone was laughing about such a tragedy. Dani
I think the age of carry-on bags may be finished. The age of curbside baggage checks certainly is over.
Our international flights already have snipers aboard. Honestly, I would be willing to pay more for my ticket if I knew an armed man or woman was aboard looking out for my safety. Whoever planned this attack did their homework. I believe, they would not have succeeded if they tried it aboard an American international flight. Dani
In the not so distant past we had "Sky Marshals" flying on domestic flights and perhaps this is something that should be considered again. As for Airport Security I actually applied for one of these positions at one time. I did not accept it as they generally pay barely above minimum wage and with the exception of completing a 10 year background check which is FAA required, there are not a lot of high standards applied to the job. The jobs are subcontracted to security companies for the most part. At BWI (Baltimore Washington) when I applied, I was told I would undergo an extensive 5 day training program! I'm sorry - 5 days of training- is just too little for the depth of responsibility these people carry.
You are quite right Hal. I fly out of Boston about 3 to 4 times a month, to go home to Florida. I generally arrive before the contracted security company sets up--they are generally waiting for some of their employees to show up. I take a seat at the Burger King, located just behind the security checkpoint, and watch folks as they pass thru the security checkpoint, with great humor. Humor, because I am amazed at what people bring thru the security checkpoint, (baby carriages with God-knows what strapped to it) and the contracted security folks, the men at least, spend a fair amount of time, watching the women, while the female security agents, are busy doing the "wand thing" for those who the alarm buzzed for. I know that when I fly home in a few days, I will have a very different view of my favorite airlines, if they are flying at all. Over the last 13 years, I have come to know personally, many of the flight crew and security folks and I can tell you, if someone intended to do anyone harm and they were really bent on it, it would probably get by most of the flight crew and security folks, because afterall, they are just people too, trying to make ends meet, with all the associated challenges that come with it. Who knows what the answers are? The security folks are not even making a living wage here in the Boston area, so their attention span, is about as long as the insistence of their boss, to clear the line, that is queing up. Imagine working at a place where the boss is barking at you all day to hurry up and clear the line. How much would you love your job? Just a thought! My heart goes out to all those involved, because it will be years, before we even get to the tip of the iceberg. Best wishes, TommyC
It was a cowardly attack. But it was "good" only in the sense that it was professional. I just recently saw the footage from the first WTC crash. The angle and accuracy at which that plane hit the tower (and not the street below) was unbelievably "good". These people KNEW how to fly planes. Some reports say they were getting trained at a Daytona Beach flight school, but I suspect these men were well trained commercial/military pilots. Simply horrible.
Because they were trained pilots, they will be able to find out who they were and who they were associated with.
As I said before, the current state of airport security is mainly window dressing. Airlines balked at the cost (as in dollars) it would take to properly secure the airports and planes--the airlines are the ones who pay for the contract security people at US airports. The FAA Inspector General's office conducted several security serveys at various airports and in all cases, they were able to penetrate the airport into either the baggage area, an airplane or two and/or the tarmac unchallenged. While there, they could easily have introduced prohibited items: drugs, weapons, bombs etc. When presented with the results of these studies, the response from the airlines and congress was, don't worry about it--terrorism against a US airline on US soil won't happen...
It does not appear anything currently illegal was introduced into the planes, other than maybe the maze spray. I have heard that it legal to carry as much as a 4 inch knife.
- u.s. marshalls were deployed on planes back in the 70s, cost too high, & in the event of a pistol fired in the pressurized, too dangerous: plan aborted - low paying airport security: federal government should step in and take control of airport security because it's a national risk, not just the sole responsibility of the airlines. - security is the last line of defense, airplane cockpit doors are collapsable, not designed to be terrorist proof, my 5 year old nephew can take those nellie flight attendants. - up to now, its been reported that knives were not outlawed, <font size=+1 color=red>why are passengers allowed to board with knives?</font> scary! - but the saddest thing of all is that all innocent americans will now have to be VERY inconvenienced because security will be very tight from now on. unfortunately this tighter security isn't what our airports need. for window dressing, it servers its purpose just fine! WHAT WE NEED is to beef up security 1000% when a person of Arabic background enters our airports. Why inconvenience John Doe when Muhammed Ala Abdul smelly curry scumbag is our main suspect when it comes to terrorists activities. Here in Wichita, KS, the air capital of the world, McConnells' airforce base's line for military personnel reporting to work was backed up 3 hours. give me a break! We are searching amongs ourselves for abdul? doesn't the federal government and the american people realize that as soon as you get rid of bin laden, another will take his place. because they don't have the same mentality that we do. deport the bastards, arab students getting educated (pilot training if huffman flight school in florida) by americans, using american resources (planes) as weapons against us. i say you see john doe at the airport, let him by. but nail abdul to the floor, strip search the f***er, detain him for 5hrs until all his papers clear. that's my immediate solution to airport security, before we start spending frivolously on other measures.. okay, i'm all vent out now. himmel
Let's not forget a recently executed fellow named "timothy". I am not for the Arabs, but please lets be a little sensitive.
And let's also not forget the OTHER Holy War going on in the world...in Ireland. An independent radio commentator was taking the US media to task over the fact that the Middle East/Muslim/Jew conflicts over religion, God(s), holy lands etc take up almost ALL news coverage. Yet when it comes to the war in Ireland--where the people "look like Americans" in that they are white, speak English and, get this, worship the SAME God, there's not too much mention of them... Yet we don't talk in the same terms about the dr*nk, p*tato eaters even though we should be just as concerned about them too. A lot of people in this world dislike the USA--even Americans--terrorists come in all colors, languages and nationalities.
Because "Muhammed Ala Abdul" - more often than not - is an American citizen too - just like you and me. This is not the time to go overboard with retaliatory ethnic prejudice against all Arabs, whether they be American or not.
