Reason.TV has compiled this funny video (with a subtle jab at the Transportation Security Administration) in time for the holiday travel season. As you board planes this holiday, please be aware of 12 actual banned items from the TSA. :)
Pointing a laser beam on an aircraft can land you in the jail if you were in the US. But that is not the case if you happen to be in the middle of in Egypt’s Tahrir Square this past weekend.. And you might even get a lot of support for doing so if that said aircraft is hovering and monitoring the swell of protesters gathered at the public square.. Here is a shot of the awesome laser-on-helicopter show via The Atlantic’s In Focus
Laser Painted Helicopter in Cairo’s Tahrir Square (image courtesy: Reuters via The Atlantic)
Another view of the laser shots from the ground (Image Courtesy: AP Photo via The Atlantic)
Ground to air perspective of the laser shots at the helicopter (image courtesy: AFP via The Atlantic)
Here is a video of the June 30, 2013 incident showing the military helicopter illuminated by green laser lights from below, as it flies above Tahrir Square while a huge crowd of protesters opposing Egyptian President Morsi shout slogans against him and Brotherhood members, in Cairo.
(Source: Imgur via Reddit)
TSA has a long way to go in reshaping/redefining itself in the public’s psychology…
Why am I thinking this is a classic example of overreacting, which has become the norm in our modern day culture of “keep them wrapped in a sense of paranoia and fear”. Let’s make it clear: If a bad guy wants to wreck your machine mid-flight, he will definitely find a way to do it and he is probably much more innovative than trying to use a cell phone and in-flight wi-fi to detonate the bomb in the belly of a plane. What if he uses a SatPhone to trigger the device? It may be a bit expensive to procure but it still does the job, right?
Aviation security experts at TSA or any such governmental agency should jump in early and clear the air before this poses a threat to the sprouting wi-fi tech in the planes. Unless it is a serious and credible threat, the airline industry should proceed with the deployment plans. Hope sanity prevails.
It was revealed on 29 October that parcels containing a powdered explosive packed in laser printer cartridges had travelled undetected on aircraft to the UK and to Dubai in the UAE. A cellphone connected to a detonation circuit could have allowed a terrorist to trigger an explosion by calling or texting the phone.
This comes as the aviation industry is gearing up to provide broadband in-flight entertainment systems that feature both cellphone and Wi-Fi connections for passengers. These systems would mean that passengers would no longer need to illicitly use their cellphones when they come into range of ground masts at low altitudes near airports – a potentially dangerous activity that could interfere with the aircraft’s avionics.
Last week’s discoveries cast doubt on the wisdom of in-flight communications, says Roland Alford, managing director of Alford Technologies, an explosives consultancy in Chippenham, Wiltshire, UK. He says he expects the technology to be scrutinised in the security reviews being undertaken by the UK government and US Department of Homeland Security in the wake of the discovery of the printer bombs.
In-flight Wi-Fi “gives a bomber lots of options for contacting a device on an aircraft”, Alford says. Even if ordinary cellphone connections are blocked, it would allow a voice-over-internet connection to reach a handset.
(Source: WUSA9.com & Moving Momentarily)
Washington’s aging Metro system will be getting a 21st century security makeover that will include video cameras capable of integrating with other “facial recognition” systems in use in the National Capital region.
Some $78 million in grants for enhanced security
were recently approved by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. Grants also include money for 20 additional transit police officers, 3 bomb-sniffing dog teams and security training for 9,000 “front line” employees. The lion’s share of of the grant money will be spent on enhanced video surveillance of Metro’s sprawling rail and bus system.
And $27.8 million in grants from the Department of Homeland Security will pay for cameras on buses, in ventilation shafts, at station entrances and near the end of platforms over the next few years. $7.1 million is designated to monitor passengers inside rail cars. Metro Transit Police officers will be able to view in-railcar cameras in real-time on portable computers.
Moving momentarily editor poses an interesting question to the readers and riders: How do you feel about Metro getting federal monies for facial recognition technology at stations? Does it make the system safer? Register your thoughts below in the comments section.
Event Details:
This conference is co-sponsored by American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America) – will showcase the top industry leaders in the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) industry who are currently providing solutions for airport landside management. The conference will also feature airport personnel sharing real-world results, lessons learned, success stories bad reasons why they have chosen ITS products and services as their airport land side management solution.
Airport land side management has increasingly become a focus for airport managers and transportation management center mangers alike. More and more, airport managers are turning to Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to provide solutions to the challenges they face, such as managing parking, commercial vehicle movement, incident management, security and much more.
To register as an attendee, you may register online or download a registration form (form coming soon) and fax to (202) 484-3483.
Registration Fee: (in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank)
(includes one welcome reception, two continental breakfasts, one lunch, coffee/refreshment breaks, and all handouts)
Members $525
Non-members $575
NOTE: ITSA/AAAE reserves the right to cancel this program if the number of registrants is insufficient. In this event, we will notify all registrants and refund the registration fee in full. However, any costs incurred by the registrant, such as hotel cancellation or airline penalties, are the responsibility of the registrant. Confirmation letters will be e-mailed to attendees. If you have not received a confirmation letter via e-mail two business days prior to the meeting, and you enrolled at least 15 days prior to the meeting, please contact Sharon Alexander atITS America, 800-374-8472 . Non-receipt of the confirmation letter before the meeting is not justification for seeking a refund.
Cancellation Policy: Registrations and cancellations must be submitted in writing. Refund requests received before 7/17/09 are subject to a $125 processing fee. There will be no refunds after this date. Substitutions will be accepted without penalties and no-shows will be billed. For all inquiries regarding cancellations and refunds, please contact Sharon Alexander atITS America, 800-374-8472 or e-mail salexander@itsa.org.
For other information such as Hotel, Transportation, etc, please visit the conference website.
(Source: Yahoo Travel; Photo Coutesy: TSA)
TSA Adds a New Twist to Passenger Screening
The change is supposed to help reduce the number of Americans who are misidentified as individuals on the agency’s no-fly and “selectee-for-further-inspection” watch lists. Up until now, airlines have done the work of vetting their passenger manifests for suspect names, but under the new program, the TSA assumes the job of monitoring watch lists full-time and implements “a uniform, efficient matching process.”
In a related move, the TSA is bringing back “gate checks,” the practice of pulling aside passengers for searches while they wait at airport gates to board planes even after they have already passed through security checkpoints!
Click here to read the entire article.
