Well, here we are back off topic again. I'll at least make an effort to add
an "OT" signature to this thread. And please, would anyone with objections
bother to note that I have not started this thread, as I have never started
any OT threads, I only respond to the thoughts of other fellow Zuikoholics.
Anyway . . .
. . . I hope this measure does not go through but I don't know.
It's nothing more than a wink and a nod to the real problem before us and
would only serve "to keep honest men honest." Meanwhile, the actual problem
continues reside . . .
. . . somewhere out there . . . where we can't see them . . .
. . . and they must be laughing awful hard on this one.
CNN has had a couple/three interviews with airport workers since New York
came down, one yesterday from a man at Logan. The feedback is security's
still a bad joke. I'm waiting for the first public announcements by
airlines to the effect "We're paying our people as much as they pay in
Europe now so everything's okay!" and then stroll through an airport like
SFO and eyeball the same "checkers" who stood statue-like beside the
scanners the year before. Also, these comparisons to Europe are misleading
enough in themselves: I've just completed a tour to and from the continent
and while the system "over there" seems better than what we have in the
States it is not "good" in my opinion, which isn't even to mention the
allusion to safety standards as practised in Israel.
I doubt much of this will change overnight. America is dumbed down, has
been dumbed down for some time (over a generation and in spite of New York
I don't see a significant change in attitudes around me) , and there's no
way it could possibly gear up its laughable airport security overnight or
even in a few years to a state which even remotely modeled what the Israel
has. First of all the conditions are not close to being the same (Israel
has one international airport to secure, America has a multitude, just for
example), and in any event we stand wayyyyyyyy back from the Israeli's
general attitudes vis-a-vis issues re terrorism in general. New York served
in a manner to sting greater America out of its deep stupor, but it will
require lots more to stop all this talk and get down to brass tacks. In the
interim, it is only natural to see the sorts of "solutions" rushed before
the public thus far, the ban on all carry-on luggage being a prime example.
For photographers (for all photographers who do not work for outfits like
National Geographic or some other major publication who can afford to
either reimburse their employees or own the equipment themselves) the
practical lunacy of this proposal strikes home immediately, of course, as
I'm not aware of any regular insurer who will underwrite liability for
camera gear. If such insurance coverage is available it would undoubtedly
exist in a form outrageously expensive from some off-shore re-insurer
through a larger house such as Lloyd's, say, all of which would effectively
limit such coverage to the "rich and famous" and preclude J. Blow.
Hand my camera kit full of 4T's and Zuikos over to the girl with the
painted-on smile at the ticket counter? I don't think so. <g>
Until someone in the USA gets his act seriously together re air-travel
safety I doubt if I'll travel to Europe again in the first place, though. I
was a white-knuckler before with respect to mechanical issues within the
industry; the notion of terrorists onboard plunges a cold dagger to my
tourist's heart.
Tris
I doubt that this will actually 'fly' (pardon the bad pun.) The airline
industry is already in deep trouble by taking a hit from less folks traveling
for pleasure, you do this and you will loose many business travelers as well.
Business people need the time on the plane to work, and so will want to be
able
to take on laptops, paperwork, ect. I suspect it will be debated, but I don't
see it happening, at least on a permanent basis.
Jim Couch
Stephen Troy wrote:
> It appears that President Bush is going to recommend the banning of all
> carry-on items for US flights in his upcoming visit to Chicago.
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