[IP] more on news from the UK

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Thomas Shaddack <shaddack@mauriceward.com>
Date: August 10, 2006 9:08:50 AM EDT
To: David Farber <dave@farber.net>
Cc: ip@v2.listbox.com
Subject: Re: [IP] news from the UK



There is also the issue of the tendency of some Li-ion batteries to
undergo thermal runaway. There was a range of published cases when a
cellphone or laptop self-ignited.

A battery going into a thermal runaway followed by a spontaneous
self-disassembly and venting of burning gases is a nuisance when in a
passenger cabin with attentive people and fire extinguishers around. The
same battery in a checked luggage and surrounded with combustible
materials may present a substantially higher danger.

Once again, we traded a nebulous potential maybe-threat for a real  
but by
far not so glamorous one. Surprising?



On Thu, 10 Aug 2006, David Farber wrote:

> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Craig Partridge <craig@aland.bbn.com>
> Date: August 10, 2006 8:46:23 AM EDT
> To: dave@farber.net
> Subject: news from the UK
> Reply-To: Craig Partridge <craig@aland.bbn.com>
>
>
> Hi Dave:
>
> News reports this morning of a terrorist plan to blow up international
> flights from the UK.  Initial reports suggest the plan was to blow up
> a number of planes (sobering if it proves true).
>
> One feature, if you read the articles, that might be of interest to  
> IP.
> In the UK, they've banned people from taking electronic equipment on
> planes: that means laptop computers, mobile phones, and iPods among
> other items.  See for instance:
>
>     www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-US-Terror-Plot-Glance.html
>
> I have no idea what the security basis is for this decision.  But
> pragmatically, if this rule continues, it presumably will case some
> serious dislocations for business travelers.  (Given what I've heard
> about theft problems, I'm not likely to put my laptop in checked
> luggage -- even assuming I had a suitably armored case in which to
> do it).
>
> Craig
>
>
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