Just thought you might find these two first-hand accounts interesting regarding the actual security around the Superbowl.
Taken from Debbie Schlussel's article: Where's Homeland Security?: Superbowl Exposes HUGE HOLE @ US/Canada Border
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/archives/2006/02/wheres_homeland.html
From a Canadian truck driver: "I cross the border into the States a few times a week in my truck. Usually at Port Huron.
I went across Windsor to Detroit yesterday and observed something. I can drive into Windsor over the bridge and get about 300 feet into America. There were no inspections, cops, border guards, radiation detectors, barricades and even toll collectors. I could have anything in my truck and nobody would ever know until I'm in Detroit when I get to the U.S. border guards. Before I reach them and any type of inspection is done, I looked on my map and realized I am only 3000 feet away from Ford field.
On the radio I kept hearing that the baseball All-Star game was used as a trial run for security. I wonder if someone else also used it as a trial run to check out security?
A Concerned Conservative Canadian
And here's a different comment.
From: http://www.floppingaces.net/2006/01/13/superbowl-possible-target-for-al-qaeda
Oh, this morning, I told my wife that one of these days the police will stop me and check my back pack on the way in to work. I drive a motorcycle as I mentioned earlier and park inside Cobo’s garage. Well, today at the police check point, I drove up to the officer and he said, “I love motorcycles, just go ahead”. And off I went into the garage! I really wouldn’t mind letting them check things out. It would make me more comfortable...
Comment by Melch — February 2, 2006 @
He works directly across from Cobo Hall. He took several pictures today. You can see them at: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b337fc39457c&sid=8AcMmjlk4aNnHA
Not too encouraging to hear these reports. I thought that they had switched around the border situation but apparently didn't. Debbie S. says it was about money and politics.
I was very surprised today while listening to the hearings to hear John Negroponte say that the Canadian border is a bigger problem than the mexican border. Since I'm ordering new curtains for the house, I wasn't completely listening but that caught my attention.
There is a pdf transcript of his testimony but my computer will not read pdf very well. Someone may be able to take a look at it to see the context in which he said that.
Thanks for the ping. I have sent this to several friends and wanted to stay up with it myself.
Last time I came across from Windsor to Detroit I was in a rental car and had my drivers license, other IDs etc. The very nice customs lady told me I should have had proof of my US citizenship such as a birth certificate and also the rental car agreement with me. I had neither. She smiled and let me in anyway. Of course, I probably didn't look very suspicious.
Yes, thank you for passing this info on to me - OB1