Saturday, April 23, 2005

In the name of security Oh, now that's just silly: Penguins in airport security. Cory Doctorow: Two Seaworld penguins flying out of San Diego airport were sent walking through the metal detector. I feel safer already. Link (via Schneier) [Boing Boing] It's not clear if the TSA staff required the penguins to go through the metal detector, or if it was more of a publicity stunt. No matter, it's all just silly anyway. The whole airport security thing just ticks me off. We're not any more safe because of the scanning and poking and probing, and if we think so we're just kidding ourselves. On my CHI trip earlier this month, the screeners were nearly insisting that people take off their shoes. I declined; I choose to wear a pair that doesn't set off the metal detectors. At both ends, San Jose and Portland, the screeners said "it's not the metal we're looking for now, it's thickness." If you don't take them off, you're required to submit to a wanding--sit down, stick feet out, run metal detector wand over shoes. Wait. A. Minute. You just said you're not looking for metal in my shoes, but you're running the metal detecting wand over them? And not checking for thickness? Who are you kidding?!!? And in Portland I was pulled aside into an area separate from the x-ray machine that I'd just sent my backpack and computer through. And there was my computer sitting at the end of the x-ray machine, out of reach. I practically had to yell at the dolts to GO OVER THERE AND BRING MY COMPUTER HERE BEFORE SOMEONE STEALS IT!!! Thank you. I'm sorry, but we're idiots for submitting to all this nonsense without loudly complaining at every opportunity. 6:04:53 PM    Questions? Comments? Flames? []

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