film airport security

Besides laziness, the reason the TSA wants everything to go through the
X-ray is they know it would be easy to load the boom-boom material into a
35mm cassette or MF spool covered with the outer wrapper and have it pass a
hand inspection. How many of those inspectors really know what photography
equipment should look like? The X-ray machine would detect wiring or
detonators otherwise invisible to the naked eye in a hand inspection
(assuming the X-ray operator is awake/aware/trained/capable/concerned). To
be real honest, it doesn't matter if I have 50 pounds of plastic go-bang if
I don't have any way to make it go bang. It's really just expensive Silly
Putty at that point. Fire won't make it do it's thing. Security personnel
are looking for the 'make it go bang' more so than the actual boom-boom
material. Not to say they don't look for that either.

The last several times I got a Hand Inspection they did a swipe test. A
swipe test looks for all sorts of go-bang (including what's in the 'make it
go bang') because it looking for chemical traces of the materials
themselves. This is becoming more common as the swipe equipment is improved
and fielded.

Which ever way you look at it, the inspections are there to protect you and
the public at large. Take these facts into consideration and plan
accordingly.

FWIW, the last time I passed through the Frankfurt Germany Airport, I had a
complete hand inspection of all my baggage (including checked) at the check
in counter. They did a swipe test of my separated and bagged film and MF
gear (even though it's Rollei, they had no idea what it was) and two X-rays
of my carry-on, one when I entered the concourse and the second right before
I entered the plane, Even though I got to the Airport 3 hours before my
flight, I was one of the last people on the plane. It didn't bother me a
bit (I also ended up in Business Class:~).

[The 'expl...' & 'det...' words were not used to avoid the NSA and it's
Carnivore software]

Paul Schmidt wrote:
: Frank Pittel wrote:
: The thing I don't understand is why security puts up such a fuss. If a terrorist
: wanted to smuggle explosives onto a plane inside of film containers why would
: they ask for the film to be hand inspected. They would pack it into the film
: canister and let it go the the xray machine were the operator wouldn't give it a
: second look. The last thing I would think a terrorist would want is to have a
: security guard to actually handle the film can with the explosives in them.

: lazyness?

: When a security person can just stand there while passengers put their
: stuff on the belt, and not do anything other then a cursory glance at
: the screen, the amount of "work" they need to do is minimal. When they
: actually need to take out the stuff and inspect it, then there is a lot
: more work involved.

I always figured that it was to give the "people" a warm and fuzzy feeling about
the security. For example there would be nothing stopping a person from going
through the metal detectors with a ceramic knife in a pocket. If you've never
seen a ceramic knife they're stronger and sharper then a steel knife!! As to
getting explosives through an xray machine. In may I went through security twice
with the power pack from a Metz flash. While they opened up the bag they never
turned it on or swiped it. The power pack with all it's wires could hold a heck
of a lot of explosives and a detonator. For the record I put the power pack in
the same bag as the flashhead with the cable needed to make it work so I could
hook it up and show them it was a flash.

My thinking is that the seven cameras all the film flashes, etc convinced
security that I was a professional photographer. Unfortunatly that would be the
perfect cover for a terrorist.

In case any governmental people are reading this I have no desire or intention
of blowing up any planes and when I got to the airport I arrived with more then
enough time for security to go through my bags with a fine tooth comb and would
be more then happy to let them do so. I have nothing to hide and as a result I
hide nothing.

To the rest ask yourself if you want to live in a country were something like
911 couldn't possibly happen. Me, I enjoy my freedoms far to much to trade them
in for that little security.

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------

Paul Schmidt wrote:
: Frank Pittel wrote:
: The thing I don't understand is why security puts up such a fuss. If a terrorist
: wanted to smuggle explosives onto a plane inside of film containers why would
: they ask for the film to be hand inspected. They would pack it into the film
: canister and let it go the the xray machine were the operator wouldn't give it a
: second look. The last thing I would think a terrorist would want is to have a
: security guard to actually handle the film can with the explosives in them.

: lazyness?

: When a security person can just stand there while passengers put their
: stuff on the belt, and not do anything other then a cursory glance at
: the screen, the amount of "work" they need to do is minimal. When they
: actually need to take out the stuff and inspect it, then there is a lot
: more work involved.

I always figured that it was to give the "people" a warm and fuzzy feeling about
the security. For example there would be nothing stopping a person from going
through the metal detectors with a ceramic knife in a pocket. If you've never
seen a ceramic knife they're stronger and sharper then a steel knife!! As to
getting explosives through an xray machine. In may I went through security twice
with the power pack from a Metz flash. While they opened up the bag they never
turned it on or swiped it. The power pack with all it's wires could hold a heck
of a lot of explosives and a detonator. For the record I put the power pack in
the same bag as the flashhead with the cable needed to make it work so I could
hook it up and show them it was a flash.

My thinking is that the seven cameras all the film flashes, etc convinced
security that I was a professional photographer. Unfortunatly that would be the
perfect cover for a terrorist.

In case any governmental people are reading this I have no desire or intention
of blowing up any planes and when I got to the airport I arrived with more then
enough time for security to go through my bags with a fine tooth comb and would
be more then happy to let them do so. I have nothing to hide and as a result I
hide nothing.

To the rest ask yourself if you want to live in a country were something like
911 couldn't possibly happen. Me, I enjoy my freedoms far to much to trade them
in for that little security.

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------

I survived an attempted aircraft bombing in Germany many years ago. It was in
the 1970's and I was flying from Cologne to Frankfurt. (Today I would take the
train, but in those days there was no rail connection to Frankfurt Airport.)
After a thorough inspection, including a pat-down of all passengers, we got on
the plane and it started to taxi out. Then it stopped, and the pilot said
there was a problem and we had to go back to the terminal. At the terminal we
all got off and all the baggage was taken off and lined up on the tarmac. Then
we were all instructed to identify our luggage. When that was done, there was
one bag left over. We were again patted down, got on the plane and went on our
way. Presumably the police took the extra bag away and blew it up.

I traveled all over the world for the US Government, flew through a typhoon in
Hong Kong, a tornado in west Texas, etc., etc. I have no problem with airport
security.

Back in the days when Kodacolor 64 was the standard film, I had my film X-rayed
as many as 12 times on a trip and never had any problem with X-ray damage.
Today, with 400 speed films, maybe there is more of a problem. But I take the
whole security thing very seriously, and I support whatever measures are used
to insure I get where I am going in one piece.

Best regards from the top of the Chesapeake Bay--

I survived an attempted aircraft bombing in Germany many years ago. It was in
the 1970's and I was flying from Cologne to Frankfurt. (Today I would take the
train, but in those days there was no rail connection to Frankfurt Airport.)
After a thorough inspection, including a pat-down of all passengers, we got on
the plane and it started to taxi out. Then it stopped, and the pilot said
there was a problem and we had to go back to the terminal. At the terminal we
all got off and all the baggage was taken off and lined up on the tarmac. Then
we were all instructed to identify our luggage. When that was done, there was
one bag left over. We were again patted down, got on the plane and went on our
way. Presumably the police took the extra bag away and blew it up.

I traveled all over the world for the US Government, flew through a typhoon in
Hong Kong, a tornado in west Texas, etc., etc. I have no problem with airport
security.

Back in the days when Kodacolor 64 was the standard film, I had my film X-rayed
as many as 12 times on a trip and never had any problem with X-ray damage.
Today, with 400 speed films, maybe there is more of a problem. But I take the
whole security thing very seriously, and I support whatever measures are used
to insure I get where I am going in one piece.

Best regards from the top of the Chesapeake Bay--

DaveHodge wrote:
: I survived an attempted aircraft bombing in Germany many years ago. It was in
: the 1970's and I was flying from Cologne to Frankfurt. (Today I would take the
: train, but in those days there was no rail connection to Frankfurt Airport.)
: After a thorough inspection, including a pat-down of all passengers, we got on
: the plane and it started to taxi out. Then it stopped, and the pilot said
: there was a problem and we had to go back to the terminal. At the terminal we
: all got off and all the baggage was taken off and lined up on the tarmac. Then
: we were all instructed to identify our luggage. When that was done, there was
: one bag left over. We were again patted down, got on the plane and went on our
: way. Presumably the police took the extra bag away and blew it up.

WOW what story!!! Did you ever hear if the caught the people responsible??

: I traveled all over the world for the US Government, flew through a typhoon in
: Hong Kong, a tornado in west Texas, etc., etc. I have no problem with airport
: security.

I've had trouble with the larger airports. Of course this was before the
security operations were taken over by the feds.

: Back in the days when Kodacolor 64 was the standard film, I had my film X-rayed
: as many as 12 times on a trip and never had any problem with X-ray damage.
: Today, with 400 speed films, maybe there is more of a problem. But I take the
: whole security thing very seriously, and I support whatever measures are used
: to insure I get where I am going in one piece.

Having been through what you've been throuhg I can understand. I'm still not
willing to trade my rights for short term security. As you found out during the
70's inspections and pat downs can't stop a determined terrorist. Also ask
yourself if you wanted to sneak explosives onto a plane in film canisters would
you demand that the canisters be hand inspected? Or would you run them through
the xray machine?


: Best regards from the top of the Chesapeake Bay--

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------

DaveHodge wrote:
: I survived an attempted aircraft bombing in Germany many years ago. It was in
: the 1970's and I was flying from Cologne to Frankfurt. (Today I would take the
: train, but in those days there was no rail connection to Frankfurt Airport.)
: After a thorough inspection, including a pat-down of all passengers, we got on
: the plane and it started to taxi out. Then it stopped, and the pilot said
: there was a problem and we had to go back to the terminal. At the terminal we
: all got off and all the baggage was taken off and lined up on the tarmac. Then
: we were all instructed to identify our luggage. When that was done, there was
: one bag left over. We were again patted down, got on the plane and went on our
: way. Presumably the police took the extra bag away and blew it up.

WOW what story!!! Did you ever hear if the caught the people responsible??

: I traveled all over the world for the US Government, flew through a typhoon in
: Hong Kong, a tornado in west Texas, etc., etc. I have no problem with airport
: security.

I've had trouble with the larger airports. Of course this was before the
security operations were taken over by the feds.

: Back in the days when Kodacolor 64 was the standard film, I had my film X-rayed
: as many as 12 times on a trip and never had any problem with X-ray damage.
: Today, with 400 speed films, maybe there is more of a problem. But I take the
: whole security thing very seriously, and I support whatever measures are used
: to insure I get where I am going in one piece.

Having been through what you've been throuhg I can understand. I'm still not
willing to trade my rights for short term security. As you found out during the
70's inspections and pat downs can't stop a determined terrorist. Also ask
yourself if you wanted to sneak explosives onto a plane in film canisters would
you demand that the canisters be hand inspected? Or would you run them through
the xray machine?


: Best regards from the top of the Chesapeake Bay--

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------

If I was a terrorist I'd be looking for a better plan
than to use aircraft at all.

Never the less, it is a good idea to remain vigilant.


In article ,
Frank Pittel wrote:

Also ask
yourself if you wanted to sneak explosives onto a plane in film canisters
would
you demand that the canisters be hand inspected? Or would you run them
through
the xray machine?

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

If I was a terrorist I'd be looking for a better plan
than to use aircraft at all.

Never the less, it is a good idea to remain vigilant.


In article ,
Frank Pittel wrote:

Also ask
yourself if you wanted to sneak explosives onto a plane in film canisters
would
you demand that the canisters be hand inspected? Or would you run them
through
the xray machine?

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Gregory Blank wrote:
: If I was a terrorist I'd be looking for a better plan
: than to use aircraft at all.

Fortunatly neither of us are terrorists. :-) If the intent of the attack was to
blow up a plane the the best way to do it would be to use an explosive of some
type.


: Never the less, it is a good idea to remain vigilant.

I have a few of my own ideas of how best to deal with the terrorist threat. The
first would be to have the CIA infiltrate the groups, identify the members and
then kill them. No public attacks, no arrests, simply hunt them down like dogs
and kill them where they are. No where in the world for them to hide or find a
safe havanSP? Once the wanna be terrorists discover that discover that joining
a terrorist group is a death sentence there will be fewer of them.



: In article ,
: Frank Pittel wrote:

: Also ask
: yourself if you wanted to sneak explosives onto a plane in film canisters
: would
: you demand that the canisters be hand inspected? Or would you run them
: through
: the xray machine?

: --
: LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
: or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
: is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
: to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

--




Keep working millions on welfare depend on you
-------------------