Path: ...!weretis.net!feeder8.news.weretis.net!eternal-september.org!feeder3.eternal-september.org!news.eternal-september.org!.POSTED!not-for-mail From: Torbjorn Lindgren Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.fandom Subject: Re: AKICIF: Exploding Pagers Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2024 16:01:54 -0000 (UTC) Organization: A noiseless patient Spider Lines: 57 Message-ID: References: Injection-Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2024 18:01:54 +0200 (CEST) Injection-Info: dont-email.me; posting-host="54400eff4b7577dc9b20712a56bba63d"; logging-data="1240044"; mail-complaints-to="abuse@eternal-september.org"; posting-account="U2FsdGVkX18JaT67ncBdAygrCAQvl/GEsv5+5cqF814=" Cancel-Lock: sha1:15SKAaoAe8rPZNecltQuVZZfnDw= X-Newsreader: trn 4.0-test77 (Sep 1, 2010) Bytes: 3762 Charles Packer wrote: >On Thu, 19 Sep 2024 13:31:28 -0400, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote: >> Are there any SF stories that predicted the sort of attack via exploding >> pages/walkie-talkies/etc.? > >I wonder what effect these (news) stories will have on airport security >procedures. Up until now I haven't flown often so I was surprised >in August when the agent asked me if I had any tablets or laptops >in my carry-on and when I answered yes asked me >to take it out (a Kindle Fire) and place it in the tray to run >through the x-ray separately from the bag. I don't >recall this happening on a trip last November. This has been "best/standard practice" for more than a decade now in pretty much every airport I've flown via. That includes dozens of EU airports, dozens US airport (both domestic and international flights) and a couple of Asian ones. I think this became commong around the same time the 100mL/1L (3.4fl.oz/?) rules for liquids? Or perhaps after 9/11? In fact, whats NEW is that the last few years we finally have scanners that promises to do away with all this thanks to higher resolution and better penetration. But it's still spotty and very varied between countries and different airports. The same scanner technology also promised to abolish the liquid and "no jacket" rules but... the examples I know of has since walked back to the old liquid limits after test showed that there was dangerous liquids that would still slip past even these (basically the manufacturer oversold their capabilities). >My cell phone, also in the bag, apparently was exempt from this >scrutiny. It's still scanned, just together with other things. Which is fine as long as there's not too much clutter or any dark voids in the scan. And if they can't make out some details they'll usually rotate the bag and send it again, and if it still can't be resolved they may take out all items that could be responsible and send the bag and the items through individually (or find it, say "ahh" and let it go). Been there, seen both (IIR it had a 170W laptop charger, some USB cables plus noise cancelling headset, it happens but is RARE). The reason "large electronics", "laptops, tables" or "laptop, tables and cameras" tends to be called out and needing to be sent through separately is because they're far more likely to trigger this so they're saving time by just doing it pre-emptively instead of scanning each item 2-3 times. And also reducing the risk of missing something. But as I mentioned the rules at different airports vary a lot depending on how good/recent equipment they have and how much the relevant regulatory body trust said equipment. Most airports have a mix of old and new equipment, so it's not necessarily consistent even in one airport terminal!