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Comdex Bans Bags From Show Floor

Posted by timothy on from the bring-large-hands dept.

ckd writes: "CNET is reporting that COMDEX organizers have a new security policy--no bags except vendor supplied plastic bags will allowed on the show floor. "While on-site, you should CARRY A PHOTO ID (DRIVER'S LICENSE OR PASSPORT) ON YOU AT ALL TIMES." They want you to leave your laptop in your hotel room, too! Oh, and no cameras at the keynotes, either. But they haven't announced that they're planning to strip search people ... yet."

7 of 454 comments (clear)

  1. No laptops? by Rob.Mathers · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I can understand a no bags policy, but barring people from entering COMDEX (fricken tech show for pete's sake) with laptops is just stupid. I note (IIRC) it doesn't say anything about PDAs, but still, wtf were they thinking? A better idea would be to have people turn it on quickly at the door (although this might slow things down a lot).

    --

    My other sig is funny!
  2. stopgap by Karmageddon · · Score: 4, Interesting
    some of these precautions make sense in the short run, but in the longer run the terrorists will compensate. anybody as prepared as the Sept 11 hijackers will rent their own booth and will be bring in all the gear they need.

    somebody on the radio pointed out that as we get better and better at stopping individual acts, the response is for a smaller number of more dedicated enemy to plan more thoroughly. So, for example, the number of hijackings has long been on the decline, but the number of people killed in each hijacking has gone way up.

    anyway, in the particular case of hi-tech and shows like comdex, having the toys banned kinda takes the wind out of the whole affair.

    1. Re:stopgap by Jburkholder · · Score: 4, Interesting

      >Today at O'hare a man got through the checkpoint with 9 knives, a can of tear gas, and a stun gun.

      That is so not true!

      ... he only got 7 knives through at the checkpoint. The crack security staff confiscated 2 from him. The other 7 and the stun gun and mace were discovered during a random (yeah, right) carry-on check.

      Even better is the guy's claim that he accidentally left them in his bag and didn't mean to try to get them on the plane. Wouldn't the discovery of the first two jog your memory about the other 7?

      I live near Chicago and get to experience the airport (United) security at O'Hare on a regular basis. I have no confidence at all that those people have the first clue what they are doing.

  3. From no security to overboard -bag checks are easy by Mandelbrute · · Score: 4, Interesting
    In Australia we were going to have something like this at the olympics with an extra little twist. It was going to be illegal to bring in drinking water, but perfectly legal to line up for three hours (which happened) for bottled water at 300% mark up in 35 celcius heat. The reason given was for security reasons - but it was overthrown because it was just someone using security as an excuse to make a buck.

    If someone wants to bring anthrax to comdex, why will they need to bring it in a bag? If someone wants to bring in an automatic weapon it should be pretty easy to pick up in a bag search. Explosives don't need a lot of space.

    Whatever you do, don't be Irish .. (no wait that should read from anywhere from Morroco to the Phillipines, or even be Greek) and be in the wrong place at the wrong time until sanity prevails.

  4. Re:Using WTC as an excuse by Kris_J · · Score: 4, Interesting
    "...in no way increases security, but the first does increase the visibility of vendor advertising."
    Quick Trick: Take the biggest show bag you're handed and turn it inside-out. Presto, no logo.
  5. Re:Theft by Animats · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The truth is, short of a strip search and body cavity search of each and every attendee, there's no way they can ensure people won't bring something dangerous into the conference.

    Oh, yes there is. Check out the AS&E Backscatter X-Ray BodySearch(tm) system. Used in prisons now; coming soon to your local airport, office building, etc.

  6. Re:Smallpox schmalpox by ergo98 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Is Bin Laden dead? The reality is that the suicide bombers are generally the suckers, but the people calling the shots are directing the actions based around their own well being and the general well being of their society. Lots of Japanese were hurled out to die in World War II, but once the Emporor felt personally at risk from nuclear weapons (no longer was he immune) the war suddenly ended. Smallpox would not be contained to North America, so anyone using it would pretty much be wiping out their own societies (in fact they would moreso be wiping out their own societies given poor sanitation, inadequate healthcare, etc.) : Not really an effective measure.

    If you're measuring the enemy by the suckers, if you will, who died in the aircraft then you are foolish. They were mere pawns for others (and I'll bet you for a split second before crashing into the building they thought "Hrmmm...what if there isn't an eternal afterlife of bliss and heaven?". It reminds me a hilarious Simpsons were Maude Flanders is rescued and she states "Oooh Neddy : I almost thought I was going to the place of eternal bliss and salvation!" and that right there points out the hilarious paradox of religion)