THANKS FOR NOTHING, MR SIZZLYPANTS

[defrog]

Those of you living in the US or UK will be hearing a lot about the Nigerian al Qaeda wannabe who was foiled in his attempt to do a Richard Reid. A lot of what you’ll hear will likely be wild hysterical speculation devoid of facts. As usual. And that’s just the TSA.

I know the last thing anyone wants to hear at a time like this is reasoned discussion and rational measures. But when the local news reported that the TSA responded by imposing new rules banning people from using electronics or leaving their seat for the last hour of a flight or having anything in their laps, the bridal unit looked at me and said:

“So if the terrorist already has a bomb on the plane, he has one less hour to set it off. Why is that safer again?”

Which is funny because security expert Bruce Schneier said more or less the same thing:

What sort of magical thinking is behind the rumored TSA rule about keeping passengers seated during the last hour of flight? Do we really think the terrorist won't think of blowing up their improvised explosive devices during the first hour of flight? ...

... Only one carry on? No electronics for the first hour of flight? I wish that, just once, some terrorist would try something that you can only foil by upgrading the passengers to first glass and giving them free drinks.

See also: Xeni Jardin’s take on the new rules.

Pants on fire,

This is dF