Worries about air travel?????

[KruznKel]

Is anyone out there in cruisecritic-dome worried about upcoming travel plans now that Osama Bin Laden was killed? just curious...:confused:

 

No we are not and never will be..;)

[T. Advisor King]

I wouldn't say I'm "worried". I appreciate the, "can't live your life being scared" attitude, but I don't think that is the OP's question. You can still be "worried" but decide that it won't let it interfere with your enjoyment of life. But that doesn't mean you're not thinking about it. I think it is fair to say that anyone making a reasonable assessment of the risks could view recent events as raising the risk of air travel. It doesn't mean you're necessarily "worried", but you probably are thinking about it, being more aware, etc.

 

That said, I'm probably more concerned about being within firing range from Tripoli on the Magic in July than I am about the air travel to get to Barcelona.

 

I've heard a lot of complaints about airport security screeners. Some complain they are too invasive and some complain that they are too lax. That tells me it is probably just about right. Personally, I have a lot of faith in those people.

 

When we returned from Honolulu in January, we went through airport security at HNL. As my backpack passed through the X-ray machine, the screener looked up at her colleague with an expression of alarm and said, "Did someone put the test bag through". Who knew there was even something called a "test bag". I said to my kids, who were both standing with me at that point "This can't be good." (my wife was still on the other side of the walk-through metal detector as the line had then ground to a halt). The security colleague barely looked up and said, "What?" The X-ray screener said again, "Did someone put the test bag through?". The co-worker dropped what he was doing, came over and looked at the screen. Then they called over a supervisor. The supervisor looked at the screen, then looked at me and said, "Is this your bag, sir?". I said, "Yes". He said, "We're going to run it through again, okay?" I said, "Okay" (what was I supposed to say)?

 

They ran the bag through again, then the supervisor came over with the bag and said, "you have a laptop battery in there and a pair of binoculars, right?" I said, "yes, that's right." He said very nonchalantly, "The way the binoculars were sitting up on the battery, it looked like two sticks of dynamite in the x-ray machine." He handed me my bag and we were back on our way. My kids, who hadn't heard the explanation, asked, excitedly, "What was it??" I said, "I can't tell you because I don't want to use those words in this area." I tell my kids that it is generally not a good idea to say words like, "bomb" or "gun" when going through security or, really, anywhere in an airport and I wasn't about to break that rule right there.

[twoputt.plusone]

I'm flying this time next week and have absolutely no concerns about the flight. I'm more worried about the length of time it may take me to clear security and to cross the border to get to the airport but not the flight itself. No terrorist is going to stop me from living my life the way I want to. :mad:

[6rugrats]

No, I have a flight tomorrow and I have no concerns.

[Globaliser]

Is anyone out there in cruisecritic-dome worried about upcoming travel plans now that Osama Bin Laden was killed?

Yes. My companion is flying back to London later this week, and the amount of luggage means I need to go to Heathrow with the car.

 

I'm always worried about driving to and from the airport. A dangerous activity, that.

[Globaliser]

and until i see those taking security seriously as opposed to the charade that goes on with patting down nuns and children as opposed to proper profiling, i have decided we will no longer fly.

How is profiling going to stop anything? What are the visible characteristics of an Al Qaeda terrorist? How could you identify them? They come in all colours and both genders.

[toberman]

How is profiling going to stop anything? What are the visible characteristics of an Al Qaeda terrorist? How could you identify them? They come in all colours and both genders.

 

Israeli's seem to do it quite well !!

[Globaliser]

Israeli's seem to do it quite well !!

By starting from the position that you suspect everyone, and then doing a job that's so thorough that it would seize up airports if every airline did it.

 

That airline is, after all, most famous in the UK for having detected and stopped the bomb being carried by a pregnant white Irish woman (who didn't know it was there).

[ohioNCLcruiser]

I don't think anything will be done with an airplane anytime soon. People onboard just wouldn't let it happen. Last week I was on a redeye flight out of Los Angeles when a man tried to open the door inflight and was making a huge scene. It took about five seconds before he was tackled by fellow passengers who made sure he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

 

James

[operafan]

I have NO problem seeing a "nun" or child patted down...people use their children for all kinds of illegal activities because they will not be "suspected" or patting a child down is not PC...and how do I know the woman next to me is a nun and not in a disguise??? There should be pat downs and extra security checks for everyone not just those that fit the "profile". Terrorists are looking for non-profile people...

 

If it means I feel and am safer PAT AWAY...

 

A false sense of security can be a wonderful thing. Sister Mary gets radiation and a grope, little Timmy gets a grope, guy from Yemen sails through the metal detector because "we don't profile". Keep drinking the Kool-Aid..........

[wcook]

Is anyone out there in cruisecritic-dome worried about upcoming travel plans now that Osama Bin Laden was killed? just curious...:confused:

Nope. The world is a lot safer today than it was two days ago. The only folks upset by Osama's killing already hated Americans and wanted to kill us anyway.

[Globaliser]

Sister Mary gets radiation and a grope, little Timmy gets a grope, guy from Yemen sails through the metal detector because "we don't profile".

Would it be better that the guy from Yemen gets thoroughly groped because of profiling, while a fake "Sister Mary" carries the bomb or the guns through?

[wcook]

Israeli's seem to do it quite well !!

If you are suggesting that the US and Canada adopt Israli-style security, I suspect you don't understand what Israli-style security entails.

[operafan]

Would it be better that the guy from Yemen gets thoroughly groped because of profiling, while a fake "Sister Mary" carries the bomb or the guns through?

 

 

Are you saying it's better to irradiate and grope (futile) millions of innocent people? Cargo and airport personnel go unscreened, weapons tests are failed half the time and in the mean time we're going shoeless while they bend over backwards to appear "unbiased". We are practicing security theatre at it's worst.

[Fattony]

I suspect people will be worried for a few weeks and then go back to how they were before, though attacks such as 9/11, and even individual hijackings, could take weeks or months to plan, and are more difficult to carry out these days, so IMHO the immediate days and weeks are not the times to be most worried (though I would hesitate to vacation in Pakistan). Down the road, who knows? And just because the attack we think of involved airplanes doesn't mean the next one will.

[Globaliser]

Are you saying it's better to irradiate and grope (futile) millions of innocent people?

Nobody above suspicion - that should definitely be the starting point.

[SwissDave]

If there are more attacks by terrorists then I very much doubt it will be against airplanes. They will go for softer targets such attacking the public side of the terminal (like Glasgow & Moscow), or trains (like London & Madrid).

 

 

I would be much happier to get through security as quickly as possible and sit on a plane than stand around Grand Central in New York, or Kings Cross in London.

[CtheW0rld]

if anything, i feel safer.

[H82seaUgo]

How is profiling going to stop anything? What are the visible characteristics of an Al Qaeda terrorist? How could you identify them? They come in all colours and both genders.

 

that's easy.

 

take this test an tell us:

 

1. In 1968, Robert Kennedy was assassinated by:

a. Abbe Hoffman

b. Tiny Tim

c. The Chicago Seven

d. A Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

 

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, Israeli athletes were kidnapped and massacred by:

a. Olga Corbutt

b. Sitting Bull

c. Arnold Schwartzeneger

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

3. In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:

a. Lost Norwegians

b. Elvis

c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

4. During the 1980s, a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:

a. John Dillinger

b. The King of Sweden

c. The Boy Scouts

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

5. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:

a. A Domino's pizza delivery boy

b. Pee Wee Herman

c. Geraldo Rivera making up for a slow news day

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

6. In 1985, the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard by:

a. The Smurfs

b. Davy Jones

c. The Little Mermaid

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

7. In 1985, TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens and a U.S. Navy diver was murdered by:

a. George Washington

b. Benedict Arnold

c. Gold Selleck Silliman

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

8. In March 2004, when a train was detonated in Spain with a series of 10 explosive devices, who was responsible?

a. Captain Kidd

b. Charles Lindberg

c. Mother Teresa

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

9. In 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed by an exploding vehicle in the underground parking facility by:

a. Richard Simmons

b. Grandma Moses

c. Michael Jordan

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

10. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:

a. Mr. Rogers

b. Hillary, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems

c. The World Wrestling Federation to promote its next villain: "Mustapha"

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

11. In 1999, The USS Cole was attacked and more than 15 American Sailors were killed by:

a. David Letterman

b. Shaquille O'Neil

c. The Cookie Monster

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

12. On Sept. 11, 2001, four airliners were hijacked and thousands of people were killed by:

a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd

b. The Supreme Court of Florida

c. Mr. Bean

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

13. On Dec. 22, 2001, a failed attempt to destroy a Boeing 767 on American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes was made by:

a. The Pope

b. Mr. Magoo

c. Barbie and Ken

d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

 

14. In 2002, the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:

a. Enron

b. The Lutheran Church

c. The NFL

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

15. In 2002, reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:

a. Bonny and Clyde

b. Captain Kangaroo

c. Billy Graham

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

16. In 2001, Philippine Missionaries Gracia and Martin Burnham were kidnapped, held for over a year, and Martin subsequently killed by:

a. Mr. Rogers

b. Scooby Doo & Shaggy

c. Ronald Reagan

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

17. On July 4, 2002, two Innocent airline passengers were killed, and three others Injured at the ticket counter of El Al Airlines in the LAX International terminal by:

a. Hulk Hogan after losing the WWF Title

b. The cast of Monty Python

c. Senator Lil' Tommy Daschle

d. A Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

 

18. On July 31, 2002, five Americans were killed by a Palestinian HAMAS bomber in Jerusalem while attending school by:

a. The US Congress

b. The tooth fairy

c. The Easter bunny

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

19. On October 12, 2002 more than 200 innocent civilians (including 200 Australians and 5 Americans) were brutally murdered in Bali by:

a. Kermit the Frog & Miss Piggy

b. Bert & Ernie from Sesame Street

c. Charles Barkley

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

20. On October 29, 2002 more than 700 Moscow theater goers were taken hostage and threatened with execution by:

a. Royal Canadian Mounted Police

b. Laurie Dhue of Fox News Channel

c. Peter Jennings of ABC News, pissed because Fox News is kicking his ass

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

 

21. On July 7, 2005, four bombs were detonated on London's subway and bus system by:

a. Paris Hilton fans

b. Brittany Spears fans

c. Regis Philbin

d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40.

 

22. On November 6, 2009, 13 people were shot and killed and 38 others were injured in a shooting rampage at Ft. Hood by:

a. Keith Olbermann

b. Martha Stewart

c. J. Paul Getty

d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

 

23. Given the patterns set forth in these questions, who should the TSA be profiling in airport searches?

a. Little old ladies

b. Buxom young women

c. Wealthy socialites

d. Muslim male extremists between the ages of 17 and 40

[wcook]

that's easy.

 

take this test an tell us:

If you don't realize you could easily come up with an equal number of situations involving people who aren't Muslim males, then you are woefully uninformed.

 

If you do realize you could easily come up with a list attacks from non-Muslim men, but have decided to ignore those and focus on exclusively on Muslims, what does that say about you?

[H82seaUgo]

If you don't realize you could easily come up with an equal number of situations involving people who aren't Muslim males

 

give it a go....

[SwissDave]

Can you tell me what a Muslim male extremist looks like?

[wcook]

give it a go....

Are you saying you don't realize you could come up with similar lists involving non-Muslims?

 

PS - Is your quiz really there to help understand attacks on the US? Or does the list exist to defame people? If you want to actually think about this a bit... start with the first item in your list. Why is that included, but not a related but more significant event? Isn't there enough hatred in the world without you adding to it?

[SwissDave]

give it a go....

 

Well, we could start with the 35 terrorist attacks between 1970 and 2001 in London alone, none of which were by 'Muslim male extremists'.

[H82seaUgo]

Can you tell me what a Muslim male extremist looks like?

 

check the news.