**** Elections thread *****

[OngBonga]

What are you seeing that an idiot like me isn't?

Smartphones are good, laptops are bad. Smartphones are basically mini laptops. What can a laptop do that a smartphone can't? Break a window I guess.

[BananaStand]

Smartphones are good, laptops are bad. Smartphones are basically mini laptops. What can a laptop do that a smartphone can't? Break a window I guess.

I suspect that the reason they want large electronics in checked luggage, is to give security personnel more time to search/evaluate them for threats.

I'm not a security expert, but I would guess that it's easier to hide weapons, explosives, or other contraband within a larger unit.

It's obvious they are acting based on some intelligence that tells them bad guys are using, or are seeking to use, large electronics to do something bad.

My only point is.....why is that a problem? Why do people think they have so many "rights" on an airplane?

[OngBonga]

I suspect that the reason they want large electronics in checked luggage, is to give security personnel more time to search/evaluate them for threats.

Who's checking the phones?

[BananaStand]

Who's checking the phones?

You seem to be ignoring the underlying fact here, that there is intelligence suggesting that the bad guys will use large electronics, not small ones, to do something bad.

Senior administration officials are calling the measure an active-emergency amendment based on “evaluated intelligence”

Apparently, that "evaluated intelligence" said phones are ok, bigger stuff is not. I'm not privy to that intelligence, so I can't comment on its conclusion. But at the same time, on what basis could I challenge it?

If security was the issue, then smartphones would be banned too. Who needs a phone on a flight? I'm not arguing in favour of people's rights on planes, I'm arguing for honest and relevant policy, instead of project fear.

how are you concluding that the policy is not honest, nor relevant? How are you determining that it has no basis in security, but is "obviously" a fear-mongering tactic?

[Jack Sawyer]

I'm not a security expert, but I would guess that it's easier to hide weapons, explosives, or other contraband within a larger unit.

There are a multitude of x-ray machines at every international airport in the world, specifically in place for this purpose.