{"id":133450,"date":"2017-05-11T08:08:53","date_gmt":"2017-05-11T14:08:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/05\/11\/how-the-us-will-actually-isolate-us-from-europe.html"},"modified":"2017-05-11T08:08:53","modified_gmt":"2017-05-11T14:08:53","slug":"how-the-us-will-actually-isolate-us-from-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/05\/11\/how-the-us-will-actually-isolate-us-from-europe.html","title":{"rendered":"How the US will actually isolate us from Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"

By making flying from there to here even more miserable than it is now.<\/p>\n

'The Department of Homeland Security is considering expanding its ban on electronic devices on US-bound flights from certain airports, according to a report by CBS News. The CBS report cites unnamed sources close to the DHS, who say the ban on larger devices could be expanded to flights departing for the US from Europe and perhaps the UK.<\/i><\/p>\n

The ban applies to <\/i>tablets, laptops, e-readers, cameras, and portable DVD players,<\/i><\/b> among other electronics. Cell phones and medical devices are exempt from the ban.'<\/i><\/p>\n

So a few things: <\/p>\n

1. The current ban on such electronics (though I'd heard it previously couched as only affecting laptops) from certain Middle Eastern airports, has never made any sense, as it only restricted carrying the stuff into the cabin.<\/p>\n

So instead Joe the Terrorist stashes his laptop bomb into his suitcase. Problems solved!<\/p>\n

(Are they really suggesting that they are going to physically inspect ever suitcase with a computer, e-reader, tablet, or camera packed in it? How long is that<\/i> going to delay flights?)<\/p>\n

Heck, he doesn't have to do that. There have been enough Lithium Ion battery fires in cabins to make the prospect of more laptops down into the cargo hold bursting into flames a delightful prospect all on its own.[1]<\/p>\n

2. Given the nature of theft problems at airports, who in their freaking right mind is going to put an expensive laptop, tablet, or camera into their checked luggage? Let along watching the baggage handlers and luggage carousels play heave-ho with said expensive electronics.<\/p>\n

3. Why just Europe? If I'm Joe the Terrorist, why would I not then book a flight through Africa? Or Asia? How can you actually target this kind of thing to particular geographical locations in a globally traveling world?<\/p>\n

4. The UK is, actually, geographically, part of Europe.<\/p>\n

5. You're going to take my Kindle away from me? And my tablet? On an international flight? For freaking real? Do you really want me rioting in the aisles?<\/p>\n

I mean, on one level, this seems like kvetching about comfort and convenience vs some (handwaving risk analysis) security threat. But it also seems nonsensical in its application — trying to target certainly geographies as more dangerous than others in a globalized world; ignoring the risks of such devices in cargo holds instead of cabins; the theft and damage risk to such electronics inside of luggage; and, yeah, relegating us back to the bad old days of having to carry a new paperback book. Ugh.<\/p>\n

——<\/p>\n

[1] http:\/\/www.consumerreports.org\/electronics\/problem-with-stowing-lithium-ion-batteries-on-planes\/<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n
\n<\/a>
\nReport: Ban on laptops in planes may expand to Europe<\/a><\/span>
\nElectronics larger than cell phones might be barred on US-bound flights.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

View on Google+<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By making flying from there to here even more miserable than it is now. 'The Department of Homeland Security is considering expanding its ban on electronic devices on US-bound flights from certain airports, according to a report by CBS News. The CBS report cites unnamed sources close to the DHS, who say the ban on … Continue reading “How the US will actually isolate us from Europe”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[106],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-133450","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plusposts"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9042,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2006\/02\/28\/because_travel.html","url_meta":{"origin":133450,"position":0},"title":"Because travel needs to be more expensive and less convenient!","author":"***Dave","date":"Tue 28-Feb-06 6:45am","format":false,"excerpt":"Annoying pair of articles about how all those airports that have gone to great trouble and expense to provide WiFi service are now capping off and restricting access to power...","rel":"","context":"In "Travel"","block_context":{"text":"Travel","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/travel"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":133500,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2017\/05\/17\/laptops-and-tablets-and-kindles-will-keep-flying-in-from-europe-for-now.html","url_meta":{"origin":133450,"position":1},"title":"Laptops and Tablets and Kindles will keep flying in from Europe … for now","author":"***Dave","date":"Wed 17-May-17 10:30pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Apparently the airlines seriously balked at blocking any electronic device bigger than a cell phone from being carried onto planes from Europe to the US. The EU wasn't very happy, either, about all this discussion going on without anyone cluing them in on the specific nature of the threat (even\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":43385,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2014\/07\/07\/dont-drain-your-phone-on-international-trips.html","url_meta":{"origin":133450,"position":2},"title":"Don't drain your phone on international trips","author":"***Dave","date":"Mon 7-Jul-14 4:04pm","format":false,"excerpt":"Or you might have problems getting back aboard.I've seen checks like this done on an ad hoc basis in the past, so what's new is increased use of the tactic. It makes a moderate amount of sense, as such things go, but I'm sure there will be some problems that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "~PlusPosts"","block_context":{"text":"~PlusPosts","link":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/category\/blogging\/plusposts"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":11670,"url":"https:\/\/hill-kleerup.org\/blog\/2007\/07\/22\/because_you_know_its_not.html","url_meta":{"origin":133450,"position":3},"title":"Because, you know — it’s not like fluids designed to ignite are a danger or something …","author":"***Dave","date":"Sun 22-Jul-07 8:16am","format":false,"excerpt":"Well, here's a news flash. 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