Also a bit strange...

Message

#1 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 5:40 pm

Blues and I went on a trip to SF last fall and had a blast. One of the places we went for just the view, was the Shasta Dam. The view was a beaut as expected, but there was one little twist from a tour boat flyer that I read while in the area...

Tours of the lake and damn were being offered, but on orders of the Dept. Of Homeland Security, no cameras were allowed on board... Hmmm, I wondered why and today it still makes no sense to me...

#2 Unread post by **fireguzzi** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:01 pm

Maybe because it would be a really bad thing for a terrorist to get their hands on pictures of a large damn. Blowing up a damn would suck to say the least.

That's just my theory that was developed over a period of seconds after reading your post.

ceemes · #3 Unread post by **ceemes** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:10 pm

fireguzzi wrote:Maybe because it would be a really bad thing for a terrorist to get their hands on pictures of a large damn. Blowing up a damn would suck to say the least.

That's just my theory that was developed over a period of seconds after reading your post.

Sounds pretty daft to me. A quick google map search on Shasta Dam brought up this lovely satellite view....what more could a terrorist want eh?

BuzZz · #4 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:38 pm

Well, yeah, but...

Some Yahoo running around the desert chasing his goats and nursing his own personal Jihad-ish notions don't have access to the internet. It's so much easier for him to pop on over to North America and take his own pics so's he can decide exactly what corner to wedge himself into to make the biggest hole when his vest goes off.

#5 Unread post by **dr_bar** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 6:51 pm

ceemes wrote:Sounds pretty daft to me. A quick google map search on Shasta Dam brought up this lovely satellite view....what more could a terrorist want eh?

Yeah, I just happened to have had this baby in waiting, lol

I could also post a picture of the dam I took from the view point just up the road.... Gee, is that the wake from a tour boat behind the dam??? Hope there's no cameras aboard... DOH!!!

slimcolo · #6 Unread post by **slimcolo** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:16 pm

The blue prints to the Pentagon were on the DOD web site till about 6 months after 9-11. Go figure

ceemes · #7 Unread post by **ceemes** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 7:47 pm

BuzZz wrote:Well, yeah, but...

Some Yahoo running around the desert chasing his goats and nursing his own personal Jihad-ish notions don't have access to the internet. It's so much easier for him to pop on over to North America and take his own pics so's he can decide exactly what corner to wedge himself into to make the biggest hole when his vest goes off.

Riiiigggghhhhtttttt.........

Hate to break it to ya, but them there goat herders have internet access....hell, most parts of the world are better wired then we in North America are.....especially when it comes to satellite uplinks and WIFI......and its a hell of a lot cheaper then flying over to do a little recce.

Hell, I did a search on pictures of Shasta Dam and came up will manner of goodies, including a link that had detailed information on load bearings of a dam.....everything ya need to know on how to best blow one of those suckers.

BuzZz · #8 Unread post by **BuzZz** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:10 pm

Well, I'll be dammed (<--- eh,

, clever, huh?)

It appears my totally serious analysis was wrong.

ceemes · #9 Unread post by **ceemes** » Sun Jul 08, 2007 8:25 pm

Ya wanna talk odd ball security measures, scope this out.

Three years ago I had to fly to the UK to tend to a family emergency, Air Canada would not allow me to carry on a Bic Lighter or matches....however, I did have two Zippo's, but I was only allowed to bring one on board with me.

Last year I had to fly domestic to Calgary for business, again with Air Canada. This time I made sure I left my back up Bic Lighter and matches in my desk and only took my Zippo, only to be told, nope, ya can't take a Zippo on board, but Bic Disposables and matches were aokay.....hell, once I cleared Security, I went to the smoke shop in the waiting area where I could buy all the matches and disposable butane lighters I wanted....bet ya could make a nice little bomb out of those.

flynrider · Mon Jul 09, 2007 8:00 am

That's because the airport security routine (and the Shasta Dam restriction) is nothing more than window dressing. It doesn't provide any actual security, but it's supposed to make the more naive ones around you feel like they're being protected from something. It doesn't take a genious to see that the deadly nail clippers that were confiscated from you at the "security" checkpoint, are available for sale once you get on the other side of the metal detector.

Don't even get me started on the restrictions on liquids. A child could figure out a way around that in about 15 minutes.