EU forced to release list of objects you're not allowed to take on planes
The European Court of Justice is forcing the EU into publishing its top-s33kr1t list of things you're not allowed to take on airplanes. Oh noes! Now the terrists will have the complete, exhaustive list of all the devices it is possible to crash an airplane with. We are doomed.
The fight waged by the Austrian passenger, who had been ordered from a plane before takeoff because of his sports equipment, forced the European Commission on Thursday to agree to publish a secret list of banned items for air passengers...Link (Thanks, Loren!)The case arose from an episode in September 2005, when Gottfried Heinrich was stopped at the security control of Vienna-Schwechat Airport because his carry-on baggage contained tennis rackets...
The criticism of the EU policy came in an opinion from an advocate general Eleanor Sharpston, a legal adviser to the European Court of Justice.
In unusually tough language, she attacked what she described as the "fundamental absurdity" in the position of the European Commission, which had kept the annex secret but had issued a press release describing some of its contents.
The adviser said the error was so big that EU rules on aircraft security should be declared "non-existent."
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This reminds me of those online games where they won't tell you how to play; you just figure it out as you go. But that can be fun, because all you lose is time. In the airline game, you risk a run-in with the authorities, losing your possessions, and/or missing your flight, because they won't tell you the rules.
I can't wait to see this list. Water, of course, tennis rackets, lipstick, guns, knives and swords. I suspect it will also have some sort of catchall disclaimer such as "and any other item the people on the machines don't like" otherwise how will such things as a home-made [insert weapon of choice - e.g. blowpipe and poison darts] be banned? And how will they otherwise be able to delay people flying with essential medical equipment?
The stupidity of this may well give the TSA a run for its money.
if you have long hair, it can be soaked with epoxy resin and molded into a knife blade that takes a good edge with a little stropping. It's undetectable and if pre-cut at the base, will detach instantly.
Clearly,we must all be required to shave our heads before boarding. It is the only way to be safe.
Takuan,
And naked. We're going to have to fly naked.
/me shudders.
Oh well, they'll probably be confiscating my glasses too and that will be a mercy.
Not I. Noblesse oblige dictates my magnificence be displayed to maximum effect on all possible occasions.
an oldie but goodie
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-As-Weapons-Ricky-Jay/dp/0446387568
Dressage whips. My teenage daughter and I were in England in January and stocked up on equestrian supplies. Dressage whips are about a meter long and our mateched set would not fit in our bags, so we thought we'd just carry them on. We were flying business class.
No. We were first turned back at the security checkpoint because I had 200ml of biotene mouthwash that they insisted had to be separated into two 100ml clear plastic containers. When we had gone to the erminal's Boots store and taken care of that we went back.
No. The whips. A security guard took them and together with another they examined the handles. Then she took the whips off to her superior and came back about fifteen minutes later. She said, and I quote: "It's not what you might do with them, it's what might be done with them in the hands of another."
Apparently Brie and Camembert are regarded as liquids, and so no more than 100ml is allowed in hand baggage. My other half was forced to abandon one and a quarter Bries at Charles de Gaulle yesterday. Gruyere is fine.
I must point out the shocking gap in security that grossly negligent, so-called "security personnel" consistently ignore: child intestines. The lower gastro-intestinal tract of any small child could easily be turned in to a lethal garrote by a determined terrorist. It would be a small matter for them to seize a child, rip open their abdomens with their teeth, haul forth the unfortunate toddlers most intimate parts and then throttle the pilot, co-pilot and entire drinks-serving cabin crew thereby causing the aircraft to crash in to a valuable government building. Clearly then, we must immediately institute a policy of preemptive evisceration at every airport throughout the land.
Anyone opposed to this child-gutting procedure is obviously a Mohammedan and a Whig.