ROTF :D 78910

And record losses industry-wide, as well. They are being artifically propped up by government infusions of money. The whole industry is a great illusion at present. I'm certainly glad I no longer take 1-2 trips per week like I did a few years ago.

On terrorism and bee stings
 

I flew from San Francisco on Thursday, arriving home in Bergen Norway Friday afternoon. Never felt any reason for fear. And all three of my flights left on time. A lighter moment was when a whole console of overhead electronics almost fell on the head of two passenters across the aisle -- this attempt at "terrorism" by Northwestern was stopped by several dozen yards of masking tape and a great deal of laughter. ;)

If I had had the time and money in the months following 9-11, I would have travelled. Lots! Perhaps there has never been a safer and cheaper time to fly.

When I was in Turkey some years ago, a bomb went off in a neighbouring town. Many tourists headed home. Frankly, I was more worried about the bus drivers passing slow cars in blind curves -- now that got my adrenalin going.

A couple of years ago, I believe, there was a Pentagon report concluding that casualties due to terrorism hadn’t been lower for 25 years.

Voldenuit and Dr John Mueller have an important point: We really do need to put this into perspective. After all, how many more people die due to: reckless drivers, diseases due to smoking, alcohol, obesity, overconsumption of sugar, drinking unclean water and CO poisoning (esp. in Third World), etc etc. Not to mention complications from properly induced prescription drugs.

I do not mean to belittle a single individual casualty, all of which are tragic and reprehensible -- but I would bet that most years more people die from bee stings and other insect bites than from terrorist attacks.

Indeed, the fear is disproportionate. And so is the well-designed fear mongering.
I’ll stop there, lest I get political...

And I, post-retirement and reasonably well off have over 500,000 air miles :mad:. I read that in Britain you will not be permitted to bring a book either, never mind electronics. Starting in Canada, flights to many places pass through Heathrow - places I would have liked to have seen but never will while that restriction lasts. Fortunately, I've already been to Turkey and to South Africa, six and roughly 10 hours out of Heathrow.

Indeed, the fear is disproportionate. And so is the well-designed fear mongering. . .

I don't know about that. What was planned was several planes detonating simultaneously. That would have killed lots of people and screwed up air travel for some time. Bee stings don't exactly affect the economy the same way. :rolleyes:

I was traveling Thurs. and so I had to put all my toiletries in one bag and check it. No big deal, really. No problem with bringing my iBook on board or checking it.

Back in the 80s I often heard about escaped Africanized bees that were imported to Brazil. Long story short, these deadly bees were apparently mating and migrating their way North. I'm still waiting for the bees to get here

What's that surposed to mean? We don't clean our teeth?

Agreed. In my opinion this incident was very professionally handled by both UK and US authorities. Furthermore the measures were carried out efficiently and with respect for travellers. For a few hours, there was good reason to fear that someone had slipped under the radar.

My comments about fear and fear-mongering, and the need to remember proportions, were general. Ufortunately it is very difficult in this day and age to remind ourselves how few terrorism casualties there are in the Western world, compared to far more worrisome threats to our well-being.

In the meantime our way of life is changing drastically...

– ArcticStones

Login is not relevant. The way they search it is to boot from an external system that will suck out all the data for analysis. No word on when/if they ever delete that data, or how they keep it safe.

Of course, file vault foils this. THAT is what I wonder about; would they attempt to make you reveal the password? Under current law you can't be forced to do so, but you could simply be denied entry to the country.

Great TV interview on airline security:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYcTbJ2oyyU