Oh, the stories I could tell about airport security... Oh, why not, since
I've bored most of you into oblivian anyway and Vert and Toky are in
counseling.
John P wrote:
>I recently went through DFW airport where the FAA was conducting trials
with
>a new method of detecting explosives in laptop PC's. The security officer
>wiped the PC case with a small circular pad, not at all unlike facial
>cleansing pads, then placed the pad inside a small machine. According to
>the officer, this machine could detect residue in the part per billion
>range. Pretty sensitive sniffer. But I didn't have to turn the unit on to
>demonstrate it really worked, it was residue-free according to the machine.
>He let me pass.
This happened to me in Hamburg, Germany where they whiped my lunchbox
computer with a paper towel and analysed it. They found cocaine residue on
it (not my computer, a pool computer from work that traveled throughout the
world). I got body searched a couple times (no slots or ports, thankfully),
and there were several armed guards standing there blocking my exit. They
went through absolutely everything I had with me. Kinda embarrasing having
your dirty underwear spreadout all over the inspection table. Last time I
ever travelled with the fancy pair with the hearts on em.
Laptop security is a real hoot. Unfortunately, my Toshiba Tecra takes
forever to boot up. I've learned to put it in pause mode and just pop the
cover open. Saves about 5 minutes. ALWAYS double check to make sure you
have your power cord with you before you leave home! A dead battery will
not get you past security without severe hassles.
Film security? I'm batting about 500 on international travel. Germany
hasn't been a problem with hand inspection as they like to do that anyway,
but London (Heathrow is aweful, Gatwick slightly better) is almost a given
that you will get you filmed zapped. Doesn't matter what you say or try,
they will make your life miserable there if you try to get a hand
inspection. Only real salvation is to put your prized films in film
cannesters that say ISO/ASA 3200 on them. That'll usually work--unless they
open one up and see your Velvia in there... Some of these security people
are pretty smart--not all are minimum wage rent-a-cop retirement types.
Camera security. Yup, I'm getting the lens lookthrough more and more. It
used to be that I only got that level of inspection from the Secret
Service--but not anymore. I've been asked to open the back of the camera a
couple times, but they always let me rewind the film first. Even firing a
few frames is sometimes asked for.
What was odd, was a couple years ago I installed a computer system in Italy
where you had to pass through security to get into the building. Vehicles
were checked inside and out at the gate for bombs, bags were checked for
weapans and everything got x-rayed. It felt like trying to get into NORAD,
but it was just a single private business. My camera equipment was
confiscated every day and put in a security area. If I wanted to take any
pictures, I was accompanied by two security people who told me what and
where I could photograph and from what angles, etc. The blueprints of the
building were "classified" and I couldn't take any pictures that showed the
outside as somebody could use that image to determine where things were
located in the building. Oh, did I mention that the security people all
carried fully-automatic weapons? (and at main entrance, they left the
safeties OFF!) I did manage to get a couple pictures of the master control
room by using the OM-1. I locked up the mirror, zone focused (previously
got the metering), and fired during a sneaze. On day three, I managed to
get into the building WITHOUT passing through security of any kind. Later I
met with the head of security and told him how it happened so he could plug
that hole. Security at that place is currently so tight that you can't even
get a vehicle within 200 meters of the building.
Back to airports, I have found the tightest security to be for the
"puddle-jumpers" and not for the big airliners. Doesn't make sense. Who
would want to blow-up a Beach 99? Who would have to, they crash all by
themselves? Sorry...
Ken N.
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