Your Most Disturbing Realizations

[52Styleline]

"My memory is that from the time I've flown in the mid-'70s, we've been going through metal detectors. From TV shows and movies, it appears we weren't in the '60s. My even more vague memory is that it was bunch of hijackings that caused the change. Does anyone know more accurately when and why?"

Here's a thumbnail sketch of how today's air travel experience came to be:

In the 1950’s I remember the (very) occasional bomb blowing up a passenger plane in the air but as I recall it was usually someone getting rid of an unwanted spouse or parent or trying to collect life insurance.

In the 1960’s there were a few bombings plus well-publicized hijackings, mostly to Cuba, but other destinations as well. In 1961 the U.S. government began placing armed guards on commercial planes when requested by airlines or the FBI. In 1969 The FAA developed a hijacker psychological profile to be used along with metal detectors to screen passengers and their bags

Arab hijackings and destruction of planes began in 1970. And of course , in 1971 we had our very own DB Cooper here in the Pacific NorthWet .

In December of 1972 The FAA issued an emergency rule requiring all passengers and carry-on baggage to be either screened by metal detectors or searched by hand and requiring airports to station armed guards at boarding checkpoints.

And in 2001, the TSA was created with all the subsequent rules under which we now travel

 

[Fading Fast]

"My memory is that from the time I've flown in the mid-'70s, we've been going through metal detectors. From TV shows and movies, it appears we weren't in the '60s. My even more vague memory is that it was bunch of hijackings that caused the change. Does anyone know more accurately when and why?"

Here's a thumbnail sketch of how today's air travel experience came to be:

In the 1950’s I remember the (very) occasional bomb blowing up a passenger plane in the air but as I recall it was usually someone getting rid of an unwanted spouse or parent or trying to collect life insurance.

In the 1960’s there were a few bombings plus well-publicized hijackings, mostly to Cuba, but other destinations as well. In 1961 the U.S. government began placing armed guards on commercial planes when requested by airlines or the FBI. In 1969 The FAA developed a hijacker psychological profile to be used along with metal detectors to screen passengers and their bags

Arab hijackings and destruction of planes began in 1970. And of course , in 1971 we had our very own DB Cooper here in the Pacific NorthWet .

In December of 1972 The FAA issued an emergency rule requiring all passengers and carry-on baggage to be either screened by metal detectors or searched by hand and requiring airports to station armed guards at boarding checkpoints.

And in 2001, the TSA was created with all the subsequent rules under which we now travel

Thank you.

And BTW, while it's cruel and immoral to kill your spouse, etc. for money, it is beyond insanely cruel and selfish (a deeper pit in hell is needed) to be willing to let a plane full of people die just to mask your crime.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

Unfortunately, sociopaths have no problem with that.

 

[Stanley Doble]

I only recall one case of an airplane bomb as murder weapon.

 

[sheeplady]

I travel a lot internationally, and the biggest difference between US airports and most international airports is at the US airports, the security is at the terminal, and everyone goes through the same long line and you can't get past the ticket counter without a boarding pass. At most international airports, security is at the gate, so you're only standing in line with those on your flight. This is not only orders of magnitude faster and more efficient, but your loved ones can still go into the airport terminal and wait at or near the gate. You only need a boarding pass to get on the plane, not into the airport itself. Flying in the US is so much more miserable than flying anywhere else in the world, and this is one of the many reasons.

That's true except for those international airports that serve as an entry point for the US... where you do airport security and then customs right in a row before you even get on the plane to come back to the US.

Like Dublin. <shudders> Husband, me, and littlest one went through security 3 times in Dublin. In a row. With a baby. Intial, Dublin airport, then customs. Took 3.5 hours til the bitter end.

 

[52Styleline]

"I only recall one case of an airplane bomb as murder weapon."

One source

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/q0283.shtm

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

Probably why they got rid of those life insurance machines you used to see in airports. I think I mentioned them earlier in this thread.

 

[HudsonHawk]

That's true except for those international airports that serve as an entry point for the US... where you do airport security and then customs right in a row before you even get on the plane to come back to the US.

Like Dublin. <shudders> Husband, me, and littlest one went through security 3 times in Dublin. In a row. With a baby. Intial, Dublin airport, then customs. Took 3.5 hours til the bitter end.

Yeah, if you're traveling back to the US, and have to go through both security and passport/customs before you leave, it can be a pain. But that's not the airport's fault. US Customs can be a headache no matter where you enter. I've only done the pre-customs things once, out of Toronto. It wasn't too bad, but it was late at night when my plane left. I'm sure it's worse when the airport is busier. But I've waited 3.5 hours simply to fly from Denver to Houston. Brutal.

 

[sheeplady]

Yeah, if you're traveling back to the US, and have to go through both security and passport/customs before you leave, it can be a pain. But that's not the airport's fault. US Customs can be a headache no matter where you enter. I've only done the pre-customs things once, out of Toronto. It wasn't too bad, but it was late at night when my plane left. I'm sure it's worse when the airport is busier. But I've waited 3.5 hours simply to fly from Denver to Houston. Brutal.

No, it's not the airport's fault, you're right. I pretty much hate customs coming back into the U.S. because I always feel like they don't want to let me back in.

 

[HudsonHawk]

No, it's not the airport's fault, you're right. I pretty much hate customs coming back into the U.S. because I always feel like they don't want to let me back in.

I got Global Entry a couple of years ago, and it's saved my sanity more than a few times. Yes, I had to get fingerprinted, but I'm not one of those who thinks the government is out to get me, so I didn't mind. Since then, US Customs has not taken more than 60 or 90 seconds, tops. Except the one time when I actually declared something more than the duty exemption. I had bought my wife a really nice green sapphire ring in Thailand, and dutifully declared it upon entry, knowing there'd be a little to pay. The problem was, I had to wait in line behind a guy who argued for an hour with customs agents about the value of what he was bringing in. Once I got the table, I showed the agent the ring and receipt, and went to the window to pay my $18 or whatever it was.

I also now try to make my port of entry into the US my final destination, that way if I do get jacked up in customs, I don't risk missing a connecting flight. Did that once...missed my connection in San Francisco by about 5 minutes (plane was actually 25 minutes from taking off still, but they said too bad, you have to make it through customs 30 minutes prior to scheduled departure)and had to wait 9 hours for the next flight. Luckily I live near a big international airport, so getting direct flights from lots of places isn't too difficult most of the time.

 

[Harp]

a really nice green sapphire ring in Thailand...

I picked up a light blue Thai topaz that I put away and forgot about. Gifted it to a friend who uses the jewel as a bible book mark.

 

[Edward]

I've read on more than one occasion that athletes (not all sports) peak at 29 and, while I'm not a pro-athlete, that is about when I'd say I started to notice some aging stuff happening. And once it starts, it just keeps going.

I definitely can't do what I did at 21 anymore.... though I feel a lot more alive for it, bizarrely.

And not to mention fine corsetry.

The thing I don't understand is why his toupee on the original ST series in the '60s looks better than that mop of fake curls he sports now? How could the toupee technology have been so much better then?

It'll be a health and safety thing. Shatners' Star Trek tv series hair always looked highly flammable to me.

^^^^^^
a workaholic who’s a bit too curious.

SLJ used to do an ad here in the UK for soem bank or other with the line "If a dollar were a chicken, would a Chicken be evil?". I wish I could get that soundbite as an MP3.

Freshmen starting high school this year will learn about 9-11 as a historic event that happened before they were born.

In the last few years I've had to explain to UK undergrads (21 year old final years) not only who MyraHindley was, but also Jamie Bulger. It's crazy!

I thought of that yesterday when I hired a kid who was born in 1999. She'll be the first kid we've had here who has no memories of the 20th Century.

Mn. Every time I see my brother's kids, it reminds me they don't remember a time without technology I first used in my early twenties. And I'll be fifty when the elder turns eighteen....

We're starting to see a whole generation of individuals who will never know what it is like to wave goodbye to a loved one at the gate, yet alone have a last passionate kiss as they make the final boarding call.

Or what it was like to be able to fly without nearly being strip searched.

Think about all the ways our lives (in the US and many other countries) changed after 9/11. It's a defining moment in the change of a lot of our cultures.

Funnily enough, it's gone the other way for me. I grew up in Northern Ireland through the worst of it. In those days, there was a squaddie checkpoint a mile up the road from the airport, then airside-type security for *everyone* getting into the building - and you'd be denied access if you weren't with someone who was actually flying. Then another security check to get airside.... All seems positively relaxed to me now!

 

[2jakes]

SLJ used to do an ad here in the UK for soem bank or other with the line "If a dollar were a chicken, would a Chicken be evil?". I wish I could get that soundbite as an MP3.

Isdisit?

 

[Edward]

That's it! I love it.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Texas stopped execution of a man, which was convicted because of the controversial complicity-law of Texas.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-texas-execution-halted-20160819-story.html

 

[2jakes]

Now I won’t feel so bad
when I have to go there!

 

[Harp]

Texas stopped execution of a man, which was convicted because of the controversial complicity-law of Texas.

The Texas law of parties, or the more common Felony Murder Doctrine is a controversial shibboleth; although the defendant's case was returned for clarification following
a discredited psychiatric testimony, the courts have upheld a finding of competency and the factual issues remain unchanged.

 

[2jakes]

There was a time when this winged neon pegasus brought terror to many yutes.

As for me ---I knew that the moment the lights went out at night this
coat would change

and become this....

When I was 3, images on the left side was the way I saw the signs: pretty colors.

so many collectibles for practically pennies back then.

 

[Inkstainedwretch]

For many decades that red neon pegasus was an icon atop Dallas's Magnolia building. Until the 60s it was the tallest building in town. A long-lost symbol of my youth.

 

[Trenchfriend]

You know, that I like the video and the style.
But I realize, that in 1988, Grant was two years younger than me now and Amanda was just 22/23, woohoo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_McLennan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda_Brown_(musician)