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WRChris

macrumors 6502a
Aug 17, 2016
680
949
Indiana
Frankly, the US should be afraid of itself.

A country where the Second Amendment is engraved or tattooed on people's bodies, hearts, souls and minds - and thinks that background checks on some of the individual who seek to purchase weapons that kill are an invasion of civil liberties - has problems with e-readers, tablets and computers on planes?
Yeah the second amendment is the problem, smh. If there were no guns, there would be more knives. You seem to think that guns are the reason for hate in this world. My guns stay in my gun safe and guess what? They have never shot anyone from in there. Sorry the us is not full of sissies who are scared of metal and lead.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,074
46,531
In a coffee shop.
Yeah the second amendment is the problem, smh. If there were no guns, there would be more knives. You seem to think that guns are the reason for hate in this world. My guns stay in my gun safe and guess what? They have never shot anyone from in there. Sorry the us is not full of sissies who are scared of metal and lead.

Now, frankly, that is a rather silly assertion.

And why the need for that last dismissive sentence? Can you not argue the point in a post without the need to add insult? Those who dislike the idea of societies armed to the teeth dislike armed societies that fetishise guns and the right to bear them; that does not - in any way - make them "sissies".

Firstly, I do not think that guns are the reason for hate in this world, and if I thought that, I would have written it as I am quite capable of articulating my thoughts on paper.

However, - but this is a separate debate - I will say that I am of the opinion that religion - in all its forms - causes far more than its fair share of hate in the world.

Re guns, my comment was more an observation on what seems to be a growing atmosphere of fear and paranoia that increasingly governs the tone of much discourse that emanates from the US.

I come from a country where the police do not carry arms, let alone the population.

Needless to say, I do not deny that we face challenges, but I do not wish to live in a world governed by fearful attitudes and dictated to by paranoia.
 
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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,074
46,531
In a coffee shop.
My only question is how does a laptop ban help the airlines? I could see this for sure with respect to the first ban of 8 countries, but I'm not sure about domestic international flights. Won't this just cause flights to avoid the US entirely? Why would people use American airline carriers then? Thoughts?

Fair question, and one that I think has not been sufficiently justified by the relevant government departments. If you wish to ban something, you must make an argument for it - and the argument - 'a possible bomb' is insufficient to my mind.

In any case, I don't think a complete ban is the answer.

For my part, firstly, I would be most uneasy about stashing my MBA into my hold luggage - not only could it run the risk of theft, I would not trust law enforcement officials in the US not to seek to access it.

This would most certainly have an influence on any decision I might make on whether (or not) to use US airlines, or even visit the US for official purposes.
 
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yg17

macrumors Pentium
Aug 1, 2004
15,027
3,002
St. Louis, MO
Yup I've already heard this and the reason comes down to risk. The likelihood of a laptop battery randomly catching fire is probably extremely low, whereas somebody detonating a laptop bomb in the cabin is high enough that a ban is being considered. You're not going to hear any argument from me about how inconvenient and annoying this seems, but I'm advocating that before we collectively flip out we should try and understand why this is being seriously considered.

Except lithium ion battery fires have brought down planes before. See UPS Flight 6 and they were also a possible culprit on Asiana Flight 991. Cargo fires are no joke, and have been the cause of many fatal crashes over the years. There has never been a case where a bomb hidden inside a laptop was detonated. But cargo hold fires have brought down many planes, and more specifically, batteries brought down one, possibly two 747s. Forcing people to put laptops and tablets in checked luggage will do more to make flying more dangerous than anything ISIS could ever pull off.

And maybe that's ISIS's end game. Scare people enough to cause plane crashes without ever setting foot in an airport. Because there's going to be another Dell, there's going to be another HP, there's going to be another Note 7, but this time, the devices will be in the cargo hold where no one will know there's a fire until it's too late.
 

Kabeyun

macrumors 68040
Mar 27, 2004
3,412
6,350
Eastern USA
The US is afraid of the rest of the world when they have this:

http://www.gcmap.com/featured/20170125
This thread isn't about gun ownership. Since 9/11 how many US airline terrorist acts involved firearms? None, afaik. Even the 9/11 hijackers used box cutters. The only gun-on-plane incident I know of was this idiot who left her service weapon in the bathroom by accident.
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,074
46,531
In a coffee shop.
It already started. I just flew from Florida to NY about a week ago and the TSA made everyone take out iPads from their luggage and put them through the scanner separately.

This has already been the situation in Europe for years; you are required to remove your laptop and any tablets you have from a briefcase or rucksack and put them through the scanner separately. This is not a ban, merely a security precaution.

That has been for ages the usual procedure for electronics in Europe. It is not a ban.

Exactly.
 

Mansu944

macrumors 6502a
Mar 11, 2012
746
1,921
Frankly, the US should be afraid of itself.

A country where the Second Amendment is engraved or tattooed on people's bodies, hearts, souls and minds - and thinks that background checks on some of the individual who seek to purchase weapons that kill are an invasion of civil liberties - has problems with e-readers, tablets and computers on planes?

How is this related? And FYI that document has helped create the greatest most powerful country ever. That 2nd amendment is just as important as the other 9. If you don't like it tough.
 
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Scepticalscribe

macrumors Haswell
Jul 29, 2008
64,074
46,531
In a coffee shop.
How is this related? And FYI that document has helped create the greatest most powerful country ever. That 2nd amendment is just as important as the other 9. If you don't like it tough.

No, I "don't like it", but, I would argue that the reasons I don't like it are more important than the simple fact of my dislike.

Now, as it happens, I really do not wish to derail this thread - there are more than enough Second Amendment threads as it is - and we can take this discussion elsewhere - but two thoughts occur.

The first is that this feeds into a persistent environment of fear that seems prevalent in parts of US political and social culture.

And the second - which I truly do not understand - is the inability of some of the second amendment supporters to conduct a discussion or debate in a civil manner.

Dismissive or insulting replies do not serve to persuade many outside of you country of the arguments that might support your position, or benefits - or advantages - (if any) to having this amendment; quite the contrary, in fact.
 
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alfonsog

Contributor
Jul 17, 2002
534
528
Cape Coral, FL
Everything that's happened in airplane security since 9/11 is paranoia. The only thing that they've done since 9/11 that would have possibly prevented it is reinforcing and locking the cabin doors but really it's that passengers would now fight back against hijackers since they're going to assume the plane is going to crash into buildings. Stopping a lone suicide psycho from blowing up a plane... I guess it's a risk of living in the world where it happens at a concert or subway or bus or Olympics or mall, there are lots of nut jobs from all religions... and the solution for all this extremism is to end poverty and hunger worldwide.
 
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AlliFlowers

macrumors 601
Jan 1, 2011
4,542
15,755
L.A. (Lower Alabama)
If they have reason to believe explosives can bed built into an iPad, there should be a simple method to test their presence.

To be fair, a terrorist can do as much damage at the security checkpoint as on a plane. He could bring down an entire, busy, airport, and create far more casualties. So maybe airports should move security to another building and transport cleared luggage and passengers to the terminal building after security.
 

alphaod

macrumors Core
Feb 9, 2008
22,183
1,245
NYC
If they ban laptops then they better get rid of the TSA as well. I will only fly if I can get the airport 30 minutes before my flight and make it. Otherwise what do they expect people to do these days when there is a delay and we need to get work done?
 

BWhaler

macrumors 68040
Jan 8, 2003
3,788
6,244
Otherwise what do they expect people to do these days when there is a delay and we need to get work done?

They want you to shop.

No joke. I have a family member in this line of work, and airports are all being redesigned to be mini-malls. You are a captive audience with nothing to do, so you'll fill the time by spending money. And this helps offset airport costs, which traditional levies no longer cover adequately.
 

danny_w

macrumors 601
Mar 8, 2005
4,467
300
Cumming, GA
If there is a real risk here then I can understand and support a ban, but it will have a serious impact on business travel. Many private individuals will be hesitant to put their personal laptop into checked baggage but doing so for business is far more serious. Most tech companies that I have worked for would flat out refuse to do this for data security reasons; no company would want their classified information to leave the employee's possession. These companies will need to find another way to get classified information to the destination. Personally it is not that big of a deal to me but my employer would never allow it; fortunately I have no need to travel for business.
 

itsmilo

Suspended
Sep 15, 2016
3,985
8,728
Berlin, Germany
It already started. I just flew from Florida to NY about a week ago and the TSA made everyone take out iPads from their luggage and put them through the scanner separately.

That is always the case for any electronic device for at least the last 5 years i remember

Now, frankly, that is a rather silly assertion.

And why the need for that last dismissive sentence? Can you not argue the point in a post without the need to add insult? Those who dislike the idea of societies armed to the teeth dislike armed societies that fetishise guns and the right to bear them; that does not - in any way - make them "sissies".

Firstly, I do not think that guns are the reason for hate in this world, and if I thought that, I would have written it as I am quite capable of articulating my thoughts on paper.

However, - but this is a separate debate - as I will say that I am of the opinion that religion - in all its forms - causes far more than its fair share of hate in the world.

Re guns, my comment was more an observation on what seems to be a growing atmosphere of fear and paranoia that increasingly governs the tone of much discourse that emanates from the US.

I come from a country where the police do not carry arms, let alone the population.

Needless to say, I do not deny that we face challenges, but I do not wish to live in a world governed by fearful attitudes and dictated to by paranoia.

i think its a bit of a vicious circle like if any maniac can get a gun without a proper background check than you may get paranoid and assume every one may carry one so you get one yourself. Over here i just do not expect someone to carry, it never even crossed my mind. I think the mindset of americans is a whole lot different based on their history or up bringing. E. G. BUT SOMEONE COULD BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE AND KILL YOU while i am more like MEH WHAT R THE CHANCES OF THIS HAPPENING AND EVEN IF IT DOES I WOULD BE DEAD BEFORE EVEN GETTING TO MY GUN

Either way that is getting a bit OT
also first rule "do not talk with americans about politics, guns or health care" :D
 
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V.K.

macrumors 6502a
Dec 5, 2007
716
466
Toronto, Canada
I could understand banning laptops, but tablets? Manufacturers can barely put a decent battery in one and people are worried about a bomb? Even if you can fit a bomb, how much damage would it really do. Tablets are very thin.
Agreed. They could even ask ppl passing through security to have their tablets turned on. There is no way anybody can squeeze a bomb into one and keep it operational. This might create some delays in screening but it should be manageable.
 

Böhme417

macrumors 6502a
Mar 11, 2009
985
1,344
Agreed. They could even ask ppl passing through security to have their tablets turned on. There is no way anybody can squeeze a bomb into one and keep it operational. This might create some delays in screening but it should be manageable.
Isn't this already required? I'm pretty sure those signs at security say that all your devices must be able to power on. Though, admittedly, it's been a while since I've actually read them. I spend most of my time eye rolling at people holding up the line.

From the onset, this ban has seemed to be to just be a blatant admission that the TSA can't do the job they're supposed to be doing. It says, "we can't do the job we said we've been doing this entire time, so now we're just going to tell you to stop flying with your things."
 
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sorcery

macrumors regular
Mar 27, 2016
179
364
Ring of Fire
And why, if information is being shared, does the ban only apply to USA and some UK flights.
I shall certainly not be travelling.
BTW lithium batteries are different from lithium ion.
 

nt5672

macrumors 68040
Jun 30, 2007
3,360
7,138
Midwest USA
They (TSA, FAA, etc) are trying to keep us safe, I support them all the way. It's unfortunate for our current challenges that our airports were designed during a more simple time of meeting friends at the gate and arriving just before your flights. Our airports needs to be redesigned and then people won't think so lowly of the TSA.

I think this line of thinking is pure BS. I was in Washington DC on 9/11 for business and when I was finally able to fly home they broke the file off of my nail clippers. Really, they just wanted to protect everyone, I don't think so.
What the TSA wants is to escape blame when something happens, regardless of how much they inconvenience travelers. The risk of getting in a car accident has to be 100's if not 1000s of times larger than a terrorist attack in the US, but you don't see anyone trying to ban cars.

Government fear mongering is at an all time high. Its time we forced the governments of the world to make life worse for terrorists rather than making life worse for travelers. See it is easier to attack travelers than terrorists and that is what the government does. Getting on a plane involves risk, does not matter if that risk is from a malfunction or a bomb, your still dead. The government has plenty of tools to use to identify and stop terrorists, they just need to use them and we travelers need to understand that the government is not perfect, the world is not perfect, we are not perfect.
 

kstotlani

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2006
774
1,234
Yup I've already heard this and the reason comes down to risk. The likelihood of a laptop battery randomly catching fire is probably extremely low, whereas somebody detonating a laptop bomb in the cabin is high enough that a ban is being considered. You're not going to hear any argument from me about how inconvenient and annoying this seems, but I'm advocating that before we collectively flip out we should try and understand why this is being seriously considered.

You have got this completely in reverse. The chances of a lithium battery catching fire in the cargo hull is extremely high especially since it is not pressurized. This is the reason you are asked to not checkin your battery backups. In most countries this is checked.
 
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V.K.

macrumors 6502a
Dec 5, 2007
716
466
Toronto, Canada
Isn't this already required? I'm pretty sure those signs at security say that all your devices must be able to power on. Though, admittedly, it's been a while since I've actually read them. I spend most of my time eye rolling at people holding up the line.

From the onset, this ban has seemed to be to just be a blatant admission that the TSA can't do the job they're supposed to be doing. It says, "we can't do the job we said we've been doing this entire time, so now we're just going to tell you to stop flying with your things."
I don't remember about those signs but what I am suggesting would go further than that. Make people take their tablets out of their bags, turn them on and put them in separate bins when they go through security. This shouldn't slow down the screening process much and as I said, I can't imagine anybody being able to squeeze a bomb inside a tablet so that the tablet remains functional.
 
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