[geeks] Dos and similar games

[Mike Meredith]

Jumping in here ...

On Wed, 16 Aug 2006 07:30:12 -0500 (CDT), Lionel Peterson wrote:
> >From: Phil Stracchino <phil.stracchino at speakeasy.net>
> >> Also, if you watch the check-in/boarding process, you could
> >probably spot the "temporary" Sky Marshal - either because of their
> >class upgrade, a wink or a smile to the flight attendant, etc...

Whatever the merits of sky marshals it is unlikely that having one or
more on the planes targeted by the latest attempt in the UK would have
made much difference. The rumour is that the intention was not to hijack
the planes but to detonate explosives held in hand luggage over a city
en-route.

> Were I to bring down a plane, it would be through checked baggage, and

It's possible that it's now the weak point, but checked baggage does in
theory go through more rigorous screening and is held in containers
intended to reduce the effects of an explosion.

> Personally, I can't wait for folks to start checking their bags again
> - it's silly, in the name of getting out of the airport faster, they

There's enough people worried about high value items being stolen
(justifiably) that getting out of the airport faster isn't the only
reason. 

What's always puzzled me is the enormous amount of variability in
airport security ... varying from security guards more interested in
having a chat than watching the scanners (London Gatwick a few years
ago) to Zaragosa where the walk-through scanner had the sensitivity
turned up to "ping if you find metal filings" and the guards were
carefully inspecting everything that went through the carry-on scanner
(I had to demonstrate that my PDA was working). Of course a few days
after I left, ETA threw a hand grenade onto the runway at Zaragosa.