Steve Jobs Tries To Sneak Shurikens On a Plane

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Steve Jobs Tries To Sneak Shurikens On a Plane

Posted by samzenpus on Tuesday September 14, 2010 @05:16AM from the there's-a-throwing-star-for-that dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Steve Jobs, while on a family vacation to Japan in July, picked himself up some Shuriken, otherwise known as Ninja throwing stars, as a souvenir. In his wisdom he decided to put them in his carry on luggage for the return journey. As it was a private plane he probably thought there would be no issue, but he was wrong. Even private plane passengers have to have all their baggage scanned, and the throwing stars were detected and deemed a hazard. It's alleged that Jobs argued that he could take them on the plane as no one could steal them on his private jet and use them. Security at the airport disagreed and demanded he remove the stars. Jobs, clearly angry at losing his throwing weapons, stated he would not be returning to the country." Undoubtedly this is part of the iNinja project.

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Shurikens on a Plane by tonique · 2010-09-14 05:18 · Score: 3, Funny

Check out the new hit movie, Shurikens on a Plane!
1. Re:Shurikens on a Plane by Anonymusing · 2010-09-14 05:22 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Enough is enough! I have had it with these motherfucking shurikens on this motherfucking plane!
  
  --
  Liberal? Conservative? Compare perspectives at Left-Right
and... by spiffydudex · 2010-09-14 05:19 · Score: 3, Insightful

this makes the front page why? Its common knowledge...don't bring sharp objects into airports unless you are checking the bag.
1. Re:and... by Pharmboy · 2010-09-14 05:21 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  But he is RICH! It is wrong to think that rich people should have to follow the same rules as the unwashed masses.
  
  --
  Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
2. Re:and... by mark72005 · 2010-09-14 05:22 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  The point is that even on a private plane, even on YOUR private plane, you are subjected to the same rules. I don't think most people would intuitively know that.
3. Re:and... by oldspewey · 2010-09-14 05:25 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  There's an app for that.
  
  --
  If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
4. Re:and... by blair1q · 2010-09-14 05:28 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  While they were paying attention to the throwing stars in his backpack, he stole the electronics industry of Japan and sold it to China.
5. Re:and... by Pharmboy · 2010-09-14 05:28 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Someone will post that bringing shurikens onto a plane is a brilliant innovation of the plane user experience, and someone else will post complaining that airport security is a walled garden.
  You forgot the guy who will claim that GNU/Star is better because it is open source.
  
  --
  Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
6. Re:and... by IndustrialComplex · 2010-09-14 05:34 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  IIRC, generally the same place you check-in with the airport to let them know you are there. The plane still gets assigned a "gate" even if that gate is simply a virtual tarmac parking location, so it can be sent along with a gent on a luggage trolly.
  I've flown on private jets many times. Perhaps at larger airports, but when I went I was never searched, or had any of my luggage inspected. I walked up to the terminal, waved to the pilot, and walked onto the plane. If I was going on a trip longer than a few days, he would load my luggage into the plane, but didn't search it.
  That's one of the perks about flying chartered I thought. I walked up, 5 minutes later I was on board and all we waited on was departure clearance.
  Does this have something to do with Japan or their export restrictions?
  
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  Out of modpoints but really liked a post? 1BDkF6TtmmeZ3yqXbz9yhdYVqRYnwFoXDj
7. Re:and... by Darkness404 · 2010-09-14 05:34 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Its not because he's rich, its because its his own fucking plane and quite honestly he should be able to do whatever he wants to with his own property, just like there are rules in buses and taxis that don't apply to your own personal cars.
  
  --
  Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
8. Re:and... by Sir_Sri · 2010-09-14 05:47 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Well except that he's in japan. What you can, or cannot do on your private plane in any other country has nothing to do with what you can, or should be allowed to do in Japan. If you want to fly in japan, you follow japans rules. And really, aren't most american planes private? They're owned by either leasing companies(GE) or the airlines, they have one set of rules of what you can, or cannot do on their planes, and the government has others, and you have to follow them all.
  Also, I would think if you wanted to park a plane in your yard you can probably put whatever weapons on it you want, but if you want to be allowed to take off, well then the FAA might have a few things to say about it.
9. Re:and... by zach_the_lizard · 2010-09-14 05:50 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  He didn't say there were no rules; he said there were some rules that applied only for buses and other public forms of transportation that don't apply in your own vehicle. Maybe the bus won't let you bring an animal aboard, but you can bring it in your own personal vehicle. The bus company / city / etc. might have to worry about the animal attacking passengers, flaring up allergies, etc. that the private citizen has no need to worry about in his own vehicle. The same applies in this case: an airline has to worry about hijackers, bombers, etc., while the owner of a private jet doesn't need to be worried about whether he's going to bomb it, hijack it, etc. by virtue of the fact that it's his own plane.
  
  --
  SSC
10. Re:and... by magarity · 2010-09-14 05:57 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Don't know about the situation in Japan, but I know that in the US there are some smaller General Aviation airports
  
  And that's the problem; he was going through the security in the main public airport. There's no control preventing an item that comes through security with a passenger headed for private plane A being handed over to a passenger headed for commercial plane B. Duh.
11. Re:and... by Volante3192 · 2010-09-14 06:07 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Which results in the bigger question of... "So what?"
  So someone brings ninja stars on a 747 and goes on a bloody rampage (or...well...two, three people before everyone in the 5 rows above and behind tie him up with seat belt extenders...)
  How different is this from someone taking a tie and strangling the person in front of them? Or breaking off the tray table? Or using any one of a hundred other improvised weapons?
  Security theater is not security. There are more cases of passengers stopping lunatics on planes than there are of TSA stopping lunatics from getting on planes.
12. Re:and... by Americano · 2010-09-14 06:15 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  If the terrorists purchased their own jets... would preventing them from bringing a shuriken on board their private jet prevent them from flying that same jet into a building?
  No?
  Did you actually bother to think that through at all before posting your emotional knee-jerk?
13. Re:and... by hey! · 2010-09-14 06:15 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Yes, while you're driving. That has a rational purpose: to ensure that you conduct your vehicle with reasonable respect for the safety of others. If the car is sitting in my garage, it's nobody's business whether I sit in the driver's seat to drink a beer.
  If A has the right to make the rules for B, surely that right is contingent on such rules serving a rational purpose. Of course, such rules are often an injustice to others. For example, not being able to carry my pocket knife in my pocket is an injustice of a sort to me, since I'm not going to hijack the plane. However, it is rational for me to accept this rule, since I don't want planes (even ones that I'm not on) being hijacked. You could think of it this way: rule minimizes the *net* injustice to me, so it's in my interest to accept this rule.
  This particular argument doesn't apply to a private jet. Does that mean that the rule is irrational? Not necessarily.
  I suspect this may involve scenarios that people aren't taking into account. One such scenario might go like this. We're talking about security at the perimeter, right? So Steven Jobs points out to the security screener that this is a private plane. Why would he want to hijack it? The screener agrees and Steve takes his Ninja stars inside the security perimeter. Once there, he transfers them to a confederate who takes them aboard a commercial flight.
  But wait! Steve isn't a terrorist, and he would do no such thing. But neither am I, and *I* can't bring throwing stars inside the security perimeter.
  Now I should point out I have no idea whether this scenario is possible. I'm just saying that there is often more to a situation than what is "obvious".
  
  --
  Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
14. Re:and... by LBArrettAnderson · 2010-09-14 06:22 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I don't know how you're at +5 right now. Based on the /. summary it appears that this was a public airport. What's to stop him from giving the weapons to someone else who is getting on a public flight? No point in having the security check at that point.
15. Re:and... by spazdor · 2010-09-14 06:22 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  No, there are rules about what you can do on the public highways.
  And remind me, whose airways was Steve planning on running his private plane through?
  
  --
  DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
16. Re:and... by dcollins · 2010-09-14 06:29 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  "Its not because he's rich, its because its his own fucking plane"
  So it's because he's rich.
  
  --
  We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes
17. Re:and... by darien.train · 2010-09-14 06:40 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  I had to fly through Narita once on my way to Beijing during the bird flu scare and I saw things at the airport there that I will never forget. Mainly the hordes of doctors, nurses, and security people who all boarded the plane upon landing (probably 20 people total) and put infrared cameras right in everyone's faces (like really strangely and aggressively). People who were deemed "a risk" had these funny yellow stickers attached to them by the doctors (weird!) and were herded off the plane. We were all then given "health history" forms to fill out that were in some of the most ridiculous Engrish I have ever seen - I could only barely understand about a third of the questions. The half American/half Japanese guy sitting next to me said that he considered the event and specifically the form a true embarrassment for his country and we then proceeded to repeat the medical inspection routine two more times are different points along the way to pick up our bags. You also should have seen the smoking lounge there...it's incredible and also permanently staffed with a clean-up crew in hazmat gear with masks and vacuums that attach to their backs to clean up the butts and ashes.
  My point is that crazy shit happens in Japanese airports and it's best to just accept it...it comes with the territory. Jobs should have been prepared for this being the frequent jet-setter that he is. I've only been to a Japanese airport once and wasn't surprised at all by the story.
  
  --
  I don't know how many years on this Earth I got left. I'm going to get real weird with it. - Frank Reynolds
18. Re:and... by Caerdwyn · 2010-09-14 06:55 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I can carry a gun in my private car, even onto an airport, even in Washington DC or New York City. I do not need a permit to do so. Federal law and legal precedent clearly state that you may transport a firearm from place A to place B as long as it is legal in the endpoints, and intermediate jurisdictions may not interfere as long as the firearm is secured. I can even take it INTO an airport, as long as it's unloaded and in my luggage and is declared at the counter for tagging so some TSA monkey can steal it.
  When I fly my own plane, I can carry a gun, not just in my baggage, but on my hip. For private aircraft, it's the pilot-in-command that makes that decision, and has full legal authority to do so. I can also choose to allow my passengers to do the same. I can also let them have as much alcohol as I, the pilot, think is prudent (though I can't have any. I don't work for Northwest, after all...) As long as the gun stays in the airplane, no local authority can gainsay me. That's the law too. Note the difference between "private plane" and "chartered plane".
  The above are US laws, applicable to US territory. Japanese laws are more restrictive. While the interior of an aircraft registered in a given country is technically the sovereign territory of that country (same laws as a ship), the fact is that local law enforcement does have considerable authority as to what happens on their airports. Not everybody is aware of this. Assuming this story is true-as-reported (and I am not assuming that, given the... bias which a lot of people have about Mr. Jobs, both against and for), it's likely that Jobs was thinking American laws apply on American planes regardless of location. That's true, but only to an extent. And there IS the possibility that the Japanese authorities overstepped their bounds. To know for sure would require a careful examination of AMerican law, international law, Japanese law, and any treaties which may be in effect. We don't have that information.
  It's also worth noting that other high-profile CEOs (Larry Ellison) have run into issues with the Japanese authorities regarding export and carrying of Japanese bladed weaponry, though in Ellison's case it has to do with laws regarding antiquities. Ellison is a well-known fan of Shogunate-era arms and armor, and has a substantial collection (one of the largest). However, Japan does not allow the export of antiquities without a permit, and Ellison has run afoul of this from time to time. Japan's export laws arose in response to the very large amount of antiquities which were claimed as war prizes following World War II, and as soon as Japan regained its sovereignty it passed those laws to stem the flow of its cultural heritage out of the country. It is possible that, if the shuriken in question were old and "real" (as opposed to cheap tourist-trap knockoffs), that Jobs ran afoul of the same law. Again, we don't know. The law might not differentiate between new and antique items in that category.
  Like most sensationalist stories which are relevant to nothing in particular except fueling dislike for someone famous and controversial, I'd take this one with a huge grain of salt.
  
  --
  Everybody gets what the majority deserves.
19. Re:and... by iamhassi · 2010-09-14 07:34 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  "Based on the /. summary it appears that this was a public airport. What's to stop him from giving the weapons to someone else who is getting on a public flight? No point in having the security check at that point."
  
  And what's to stop him from landing his plane anywhere he wants, buying weapons, flying to a public airport and jumping out to supply everyone in the terminal with weapons? I guess they do a security check for people that get off planes?
  
  No, of course not, because private planes don't land at the same terminals as big 747s. They land at the airport and taxi over to a smaller hanger area where you get off your plane, get in your car and drive way. No gift shop, no lines, no security besides the security gate that your car drives through.
  
  --
  my karma will be here long after I'm gone
Already denied by Again · 2010-09-14 05:21 · Score: 4, Informative

Denied here:

“Steve did visit Japan this summer for a vacation in Kyoto, but the incidents described at the airport are pure fiction. Steve had a great time and hopes to visit Japan again soon.”
http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100914/qotd-the-ninja-throwing-stars-they%E2%80%99re-for-my-friend-larry-ellison/
1. Re:Already denied by D+Ninja · 2010-09-14 07:31 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Surely the Narita airport has video surveillance
  I'm guessing they do...and don't call me Shirley.
  (That quote is totally on topic for this thread.)
Jobs v Stallman by dkleinsc · 2010-09-14 05:22 · Score: 4, Funny

He needs the shuriken for his upcoming bout with Richard Stallman, who's ninja skills are well-known.

--
I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
1. Re:Jobs v Stallman by gmuslera · 2010-09-14 05:54 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  That match only will happen if Jobs win over Ballmer. Im not sure if Jobs skill throwing shurikens will have a chance against Ballmer with a few chairs at hand.
Meanwile, back in Redmod ... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · 2010-09-14 05:22 · Score: 3, Funny

Jobs, clearly angry at losing his throwing weapons, stated he would not be returning to the country.
And then he threw a Shuriken at the press, just to make the point clear . . .
Jobs with shiriken; Balmer with chairs . . . who wins . . .?

--
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
1. Re:Meanwile, back in Redmod ... by Pharmboy · 2010-09-14 05:30 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  And then he threw a Shuriken at the press, just to make the point clear . . .
  Jobs with shiriken; Balmer with chairs . . . who wins . . .?
  We do.
  
  --
  Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
In other news... by A.+B3ttik · 2010-09-14 05:23 · Score: 5, Funny

Steve Ballmer was recently forbidden from trying to sneak chairs onto a plane.
1. Re:In other news... by bennomatic · 2010-09-14 06:48 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Why do I hear Samuel L. Jackson's voice when I read your post?
  
  --
  The CB App. What's your 20?
Well, They're Certainly Shiny Enough. And Edgy. by RobotRunAmok · 2010-09-14 05:24 · Score: 3, Funny

I'm just not sure how I feel about hipsters whipping these out on subway trains the way they do those other cool-affirming gadgets.
It was a public airport by Anonymous Coward · 2010-09-14 05:26 · Score: 4, Informative

Kansai is a public airport, and the spokesman from Kansai (quoted in the article), said "The airport doesn’t have separate boarding arrangements for private- jet users", so i don't see why Jobs was surprised.
Since it's a public screening point (where presumably the private jet passengers can mix with the regular commercial passengers after screening), they have to apply the same security restrictions to all passengers. Otherwise anyone who wants to get a bomb on a public plane would just charter a private jet, go through security with his bomb, then hand it off to someone in the public terminal.
I'm sure that if he really cared about the items, he could have arranged to have them sent to his plane as checked luggage (it's not as if his private jet was going to leave without him), or he could have found someone willing to mail them to him. Heck, he could have found an apple fan-boy in line in the terminal who would have checked them and mailed them to him from the USA for the chance to shake his hand.
uhh...what? by blhack · 2010-09-14 05:27 · Score: 5, Informative

I just want to clarify that this is absolutely *not* how things work in the United States.
In the US, if you're flying privately, you walk through the lobby of whatever FBO (Which is a company that provides fuel, a pilot lounge, catering, etc.) your plane is parked at, smile at the person behind the desk, get on your plane, and leave.
Jobs was right to think that he could get on the plane with his stars because, usually, he would be able to.

--
NewslilySocial News. No lolcats allowed.
1. Re:uhh...what? by mqduck · 2010-09-14 06:44 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Jobs was right to think that he could get on the plane with his stars because, usually, he would be able to.
  Well, technically, he was *wrong* to think that, because it was incorrect.
  
  --
  Property is theft.
Above the Law by Kagato · 2010-09-14 05:28 · Score: 3, Interesting

Wired had a big write up how Steve doesn't put plates on his car and feels free to park in the Handicap spots at will at his companies. So why would this surprise anyone.
http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/the-mystery-of-steve-jobs-plateless-benz/
1. Re:Above the Law by noidentity · 2010-09-14 06:20 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  Wired had a big write up how Steve doesn't put plates on his car
  
  That's a myth. The fact is that his reality distortion field interacts with the reflective material in the license plate to make it look like it's not there. Simple mistake, really.
2. Re:Above the Law by ktappe · 2010-09-14 06:26 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Wired had a big write up how Steve doesn't put plates on his car and feels free to park in the Handicap spots at will at his companies. So why would this surprise anyone.
  http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/08/the-mystery-of-steve-jobs-plateless-benz/
  It would surprise people because it is completely false.
  
  --
  "We can categorically state we have not released man-eating badgers into the area." - UK military spokesman, July 2007
Way to be Timely... by whisper_jeff · 2010-09-14 05:29 · Score: 3, Informative

Way to be timely Slashdot - AppleInsider has already reported that the story is bunk. http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/09/14/steve_jobs_prevented_from_bringing_throwing_stars_on_private_jet_report.html
Prototype iPhone 5 by Shimbo · 2010-09-14 05:29 · Score: 4, Funny

Obviously these are prototype case designs for the iPhone 5. Grip it the wrong way and you lose a finger.
Slashdot trolls itself, film at 11 by BobMcD · 2010-09-14 05:29 · Score: 4, Insightful

The only possible reason that this particular item would have made it off the Firehose is the flame-inducing material within it. It makes me sad. While I'm no fan of Apple, per se, I feel sorry for the guy. He could have investigate the local laws and policy before challenging them, and will absolutely be returning to Japan at some point, but still this is genuinely trivial.
Maybe 'Idle' material, but 'Apple'? Trolling, plain and simple.
Security Theater by XxtraLarGe · 2010-09-14 05:37 · Score: 4, Informative

Airport security is one of the most ridiculous & arbitrary things I've ever had to deal with. I went to a conference in San Francisco last year, and bought my in-laws a Golden Gate Bridge snow globe. The security goons deemed it a security risk--too much fluid apparently, even though it was pretty small--so they informed me that I could either leave my place in line & mail it, or I could surrender it. I spent about $5 on it, so I wasn't going to spend $10 to mail it, so I told them to keep it. The year before I had brought home a snow globe from Las Vegas without problem. I wasn't paying close enough attention, because they confiscated the rest of presents I had bought as well, including t-shirts & Ghirardelli chocolates. Basically, they stole about $100 from me. I can picture them now laughing as they ate the chocolates while using the t-shirts as napkins...

--
Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
Re:Ninja throwing stars! by Darkness404 · 2010-09-14 05:38 · Score: 4, Insightful

The idea of "Post-9/11" is bullshit. For one it is his own property he isn't endangering others. Secondly, the world isn't safer due to all this security theater and imperialistic wars. The thing that changed on 9/11 is now if someone tries to hijack a plane people are going to tackle them and pin them to the ground. People now associate hijackings with that they are going to die no matter what they do, and not the idea that they should comply with the hijackers, wind up in Cuba and be on a plane home in a day with a wild story to tell to the media. No, if someone even remotely tries to attack a plane the passengers will prevent that. -THAT- is why we haven't had another 9/11.

--
Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
Re:Except for one point: it wasn't the US by nelsonal · 2010-09-14 05:46 · Score: 3, Funny

All I have on my maps are the US and outside of that "Here be Dragons".

--
Degaussing scares the bad magnetism out of the monitor and fills it with good karma.
Re:The problem is the airport, not the airplane by yumyum · 2010-09-14 06:54 · Score: 3, Insightful

No, the problem is that the story is false. Incredible how much bloviated nonsense has accumulated in this thread for something that never happened.
Lost in translation by srussia · 2010-09-14 06:59 · Score: 3, Informative

Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs said he’ll never come back to Japan after officials at an airport barred him from taking Ninja throwing stars aboard his private plane, SPA! magazine reported in its latest issue.

"SPA!" means "The Onion" in Japanese.

--
Set your phasers on "funky"!