How a forgotten iPod in an aeroplane toilet prompted a full-scale terror alert

[pne]

(Via Bruce Schneier's blog)

This is a surreal story about a guy who accidentally drops his iPod into an airplane toilet, prompting a full-scale terror alert.

(The URL may simply dump you unceremoniously on the front page of the forums rather than on the story in question. If so, click on "World of Warcraft", select an arbitrary forum and then an arbitrary thread. Once you've done so, visit the URL for the story again and you should be able to see it.)

Comments

security

[pne.livejournal.com]

And I really wouldn't want to be the person who has to decide on security procedures because it's a terrible line to balance

It is. Especially when people blame you when they think that an accident could have been prevented "if only" this or that additional restriction or precaution had been in place, and you have say that you took all reasonable precautions and then have to defend your interpretation of "reasonable". Because it's always a tradeoff. (As another example, I'm sure that both the number and the severity of car accidents could be reduced if cars were limited to a maximum speed of, say, 10 mph. Yet the fact that this precaution is possible doesn't mean that it's likely to be implemented -- again, a convenience vs security trade-off.)

Re: security

[sovereigna.livejournal.com]

Agreed, although I'd love to see that algorithm they use to calculate the speed limit in an area! lol

Just out of curiosity, of course. I don't want their job either! lol