"...the most powerful weapon available for the prevention of hijacking. It's -- the passengers themselves! The hijackers of the first three 9/11 flights succeeded only because the passengers didn't know they were on a suicide mission. Nowadays, if anyone were foolish enough to try to "take control of the plane," they'd be picking up the pieces of him all the way from First Class to the Coach Class restrooms..."

That's exactly right. The 9/11 template is all but useless to a potential attacker -- something I've highlighted in many of my prior TSA/security columns. Try this one...

September 11th anniversary -- security madness and the state of the industry

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/09/06/airline_security/

- Patrick Smith

"...the most powerful weapon available for the prevention of hijacking. It's -- the passengers themselves! The hijackers of the first three 9/11 flights succeeded only because the passengers didn't know they were on a suicide mission. Nowadays, if anyone were foolish enough to try to "take control of the plane," they'd be picking up the pieces of him all the way from First Class to the Coach Class restrooms..."

That's exactly right. The 9/11 template is all but useless to a potential attacker -- something I've highlighted in many of my prior TSA/security columns. Try this one...

September 11th anniversary -- security madness and the state of the industry

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/09/06/airline_security/

- Patrick Smith

I used to fly if the distance was > 500 miles. Now it's at least 750. For purely personal travel, I'd only fly (from Maryland) overseas or to the West Coast. Even with gas at $5+

Flying has become nothing but painful, at best barely tolerated with gritted teeth.

Captain Smith has made an excellent effort to underscore the ludicrous procedures and attitudes of airport "security" personnel. The procedures are absurd for the fact that they manifestly lack any meaningful deterrent effect to the terrorists they're aimed at thwarting. The billions of dollars wasted on this charade each year could pay off the national debt. Terrorists have many points of access to aircraft, should they desire to pursue this mechanism of terrorism again in the future. Remember, the September 11, 2001 terrorists entered the aircraft despite airport security, that while lacking some of the farcical aspects of today's system, was nonetheless as robust as can be expected to thwart commercial aviation attacks through concerted efforts.

The people of TSA are something else again. They are brimming with the self-righteous fullness of their mandate. They are employed by an agency that thrives on the threat of terror, real or imagined. They believe and are trained to believe, that they cannot be questioned or challenged, no matter how downright ridiculous some of their decisions and actions may be. This is a dangerous thing in a free republic. This agency, the people who run it and the employees that work for it, need to have their sails trimmed.

What is needed is for Congress to thoroughly examine the policies and procedures of the TSA in light of a realistic, non-hyperbolic assessment of the actual threat that exists in commercial aviation. Most aviation professionals believe that terrorists have had their day with aircraft and will not employ that method again. There is also a large consensus that the upper-echelon terrorist organizers have gained an objective in the huge economic price being paid as a knee-jerk reaction to "9/11" and that they view the billions being spent as part of their effort to bankrupt America. They have a point.

TSA and other U.S. government regulators have made flying so inconvenient, unpleasant and costly that the industry is in an economic spiral that threatens the continuity of the national air transportation system that was built in the post WWII era. The system needs to be fixed and fast, or commercial aviation as we know it is headed for the ash heap of history.

Some of us heard you, Captain Smith, on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me," this morning. Salon is the first step, and NPR is the second. Hollywood can't be very many more steps away. Please remember us when you get there.

If Cheney decides to shoot down another airplane...

If anyone thinks this is about "safety" in the air, I've got a yellow star for you...

Want some torture with your peanuts?

Just when you thought you’ve heard it all...

A senior government official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expressed great interest in a so-called safety bracelet that would serve as a stun device, similar to that of a police Taser®. According to this promotional video found at the Lamperd Less Lethal, Inc. website, the bracelet would be worn by all airline passengers (video also shown below).

This bracelet would:

• Take the place of an airline boarding pass

• Contain personal information about the traveler

• Be able to monitor the whereabouts of each passenger and his/her luggage

• Shock the wearer on command, completely immobilizing him/her for several minutes

The Electronic ID Bracelet, as it’s referred to, would be worn by every traveler “until they disembark the flight at their destination.” Yes, you read that correctly. Every airline passenger would be tracked by a government-funded GPS, containing personal, private and confidential information, and would shock the customer worse than an electronic dog collar if the passenger got out of line.

Clearly the Electronic ID Bracelet is a euphemism for the EMD Safety Bracelet, or at least it has a nefarious hidden ability (thus the term ID Bracelet is ambiguous at best). EMD stands for Electro-Musclar Disruption. Again, according to the promotional video, the bracelet can completely immobilize the wearer for several minutes.

So is the government really that interested in this bracelet?

Apparently so.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/aviation-security/2008/Jul/01/want-some-torture-with-your-peanuts/#again

It's no accident the agency is called Homeland Security. Reminds me of the Fatherland, nicht? Ach vee are finally returning to za good ol days of Adolf.