Somehow I don't think it was caused by a butane lighter.
Posted on 12/08/2004 2:40:01 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Passengers already are barred from smoking on commercial flights. Now they won't be allowed to bring their butane lighters on board either.
As part of the intelligence reform bill passed Wednesday, Congress added the lighters to the long list of banned items, including scissors, pen knives and box cutters.
Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Byron Dorgan of North Dakota had pushed for the change for more than a year after learning the Transportation Security Administration allowed them on planes.
"When I found out that they had explicitly, in their rule, said you could take two butane lighters and four books of matches on board, I thought, 'What have they been drinking?'" Dorgan said. Matches still are allowed.
Dorgan cited FBI reports that would-be "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid would have been able to ignite his explosive and blow up a trans-Atlantic jetliner three years ago if he'd brought a butane lighter with him.
Wyden and Dorgan were so persistent in their campaign against the incendiary devices that Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., joked earlier this year that he never thought butane lighters would get so much attention.
"This is probably not the biggest thing in the world," Dorgan said. "But it's one of those areas where a big government agency couldn't develop a little bit of common sense about something so obvious."
The ban takes effect 60 days after President Bush signs the intelligence reform bill into law.
Can you tell I had my lighter confiscated on the way to Kazakhstan?
Candles? Campfires? Incense sticks?
Somehow I don't think it was caused by a butane lighter.
Okay, remember, my point isn't that this is terrorist prevention. If a terrorist wants to take a plane down, they're most likely going to find a way. I'm more worried about "psycho nutjob" prevention with the lighters. Some are probably well-versed in chemistry, but most are more likely to be pyromaniacs.
Yes they can, but I'd prefer to minimize the chances.
Maybe that's because they don't always have pressurized cabins.
Hey Mister, Got a Light?
Any other surprises in the bill we should know about before it is signed into the law of unintended consequences?
And, while they may be harder to find, matches should be banned on flights too.
Well, duh. I'm surprised they didn't do it sooner. Buy a cheapo lighter when you go to your destination. There's no need for fire on board a plane.
Whoa, dude...let's turn it down a couple of notches, eh?
Please cite some examples of psycho nutjobs downing aircraft with butane lighters...
How many millions of flights have been made to date? Surely with non-infintesimal odds, at least one must have been done in in this fashion.
So you'd recommend strip searches to find them, right? If not, the matches are still gonna get on the plane. Then what're you gonna do?
But, but, how will I smoke my weed during the flight??? (/sarc, before you draw any conclusions)
Bzzzztt - wrong-o : )
No kidding.
If a terrorist wants to take a plane down, they're most likely going to find a way. I'm more worried about "psycho nutjob" prevention with the lighters. Some are probably well-versed in chemistry, but most are more likely to be pyromaniacs.
Could you possibly stop inflicting your bizzare internal fantasies on the rest of us?
On a plane?
OK that settles it.
ALL FLIGHTS ARE HEREBY DECLARED "NO CLOTHING" FLIGHTS.
You MUST be naked to board the aircraft.
That is all.
Does anyone sell a portable electric lighter (like you had in your car until you pulled it out and lost it because you needed to charge a cell phone)?
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