dramatic and disturbing video of fake bomb detecting devices

via Gizmodo LINK

Update: Canada to US air travel security restrictions

Canada has loosened it's carry-on restrictions for travel to the U.S. Information here (via OneBagOneWorld.)

Looks like I can carry both my Tom Bihn Ristretto and Aeronaut . . . just barely.

Report: Canada #YVR to US air travel security w/ @tombihn laptop bag

Before my trip to Canada I had a very hard time finding good information about the new travel restrictions for travel by air from Canada to the United States. The general statement of "no carryons" isn't quite right. A comprehensive of permitted items is now listed at the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (PDF). The confusing distinction is that they permit laptop bags but not briefcases. Here's what I observed from my experience traveling today through Vancouver airport security:

• wheeled luggage of any size, even if it's laptop bag, is definitely not allowed
• carryons that can be shown to be designed to carry laptops are allowed
• My Tom Bihn Ristretto (a small over-the-shoulder satchel) was allowed through. I had packed in it a small Lenovo, an accessories zipper pouch, Bose headphones, a camera and a Kindle.
• I saw a woman with a Zero Halliburton style attache case. She appeared to get through. She was not carrying a purse in addition.
• Standard, generic, "Dell-style" laptop briefcases for 14-17" style larger laptops were getting through but they appeared to be lightly packed.
• Many people were carrying laptops in slipcases or "naked".
• Women were being turned away with large purses (my guess is anything that's really stuffed and is larger than ~14 inches long).

At 5:30 am on a Monday the lines were short but slow. By 5:45 they had lengthened considerably. The procedure at YVR now is that you drop your checked luggage some distance before you go through security--it used to be adjacent--so if you have to return to put something in checked baggage it will be a bit of a walk. The security personnel are taking as much time as they need. It appeared that in addition to the X-ray screening, all luggage was also being hand searched.