Via Doug Garrett comes word that the TSA requested that international carriers ban airmail packages headed to the U.S. which weigh over one pound. Garrett links to this report in the Japan Times:
Japan Post Services Co. said it will stop accepting airmail packages bound for the United States weighing 453 grams (1 pound) or more starting Wednesday because airlines will stop such delivery at the request of U.S. aviation authorities as part of antiterrorism measures.
The postal services arm of Japan Post Holdings Co. handles 16 million letters and packages by air and sea to the U.S. annually, and “15 percent of that will be affected,” a Japan Post spokesman said. That means about 200,000 packages a month will be affected.
The company said it will accept packages from senders that use a service enabling them to pay after delivery instead of beforehand, a service designated for regular customers, even if a package weighs 453 grams or more. The company will notify the public of any changes in the situation, the spokesman said.
The Transportation Security Administration of the U.S. has informed air carriers of the 453-gram rule, and carriers notified Japan Post Services, the spokesman said. The rule applies not only to packages from Japan but from other countries.
According to the report, Fedex, UPS and DHL do not plan to comply, yet. James Fallows at The Atlantic has other links as well.
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Comments
This is just brilliant. Let's ban packages from Japan, because we don't want to hurt Yemenis' feelings.
I've met people at every level of TSA, from Directors on down. I've never met anyone that impressed me as competent. Have you?
It'll be interesting to see just how long we let these pathetic farces–grope and X-ray stations, limits on mail from Japan, harrasing Granny at security, etc–continue before we, as a nation, accept that the only solution is the one that's been obvious all along: profiling individuals and nations.
Lunacy. Napolitano should be fired for incompetence and DHS should to be dissolved altogether.
Un-frickin'-believable!!! This is yet more proof that these clowns (The O Admin, Homeland Security/TSA, EPA, HHS, DoJ, etc.) are working on how to take down this country – on purpose!
People fly packages ALL THE TIME to friends and family, not just using UPS/FED EX or other carriers. (I personally use the USPS – the non-commercial government service – because it is usually cheaper. I am sure that is the case for those overseas trying to send packages in to the US, too.)
News to the brainless TSA: toner cartridges and cell phones often weigh in at less than 1 lb. these days, depending on what else is in with the pkg. Also, have you heard of multiple shipments? Send the "bomb" in one pkg – weighing about 1 lb., then send the "detonation device" in another pkg – also weighing about 1 lb. Still makes the plane explode, geniuses! Problem NOT solved by your liberty-stealing new policy. Remember – no matter what the One and the Admin says, these terrorists are SMART and have figured out how to game the system, to use our liberty against us, knowing our weaknesses and playing on them. Witness CAIR pushing for a waiver for Muslim women in burkhas to get a WAIVER – and Clown Napolitano is considering it!!! Truly lunatics running the asylum, folks!
Killing our economy and country, one regulation at a time. Liberty is in peril more than ever with these dangerous, clueless lunatics.
This is ridiculous! It's simply an attack on another branch of the American economy! Obama intends to destroy us at all costs in order to protect Muslims who actively want to kill us.
I sense a trend:
Muslim terrorists hijack plane using box cutters–TSA reaction: no more weapons such as box cutters, fingernail clippers etc. allowed through security.
Muslim terrorists attempt to blow up planes using explosives in shoes–TSA reaction: everybody takes off their shoes.
Muslim terrorists attempt to blow up planes using liquid explosives–TSA reaction: no more liquids over 3 ounces on planes.
Muslim terrorists attempt to blow up planes using underwear bombs–TSA reaction: everybody subjected to nude scanning and sexual assault.
Muslim terrorists attempt to blow up planes using mail bombs–TSA reaction: no more packages over 1 pound.
Do you see the trend? What's next? When a Muslim attempts to blow up a plane, or blows up a plane, using an explosive inserted in their rectum what will be TSA reaction be? Will it finally be recognizing that its Muslim terrorists trying to blow up our planes and as a result interviewing every single one like the Israelis do? Absolutely NOT — their response will be no more passengers allowed on planes!
I guess the terrorists will just have to get accustomed to blowing up ships instead of planes now. Poor deprived babies.
Hmmm… Not sure I want to see "TSA" and "package" in the same post right now.
The US government takes a sweepingly restrictive action, and Americans only learn about it via the foreign media.
Guess my Swedish snus shipments will soon be history. First there was the "PACT ACT" (banned shipments of tobacco products via USPS), which jacked up my shipment costs from about $6 to $20. Now this.
Is it my imagination, or are they just trying to isolate us and make us miserable? If so, they're doing a great job. Thanks a$$holes!
I'm confused, does this mean no christmas fruitcake, or if my junk weighs more than a pound i'm banned from flying?
@m
Perhaps… But look on the bright side: If your junk weighs more than a pound, you may have a new career in the adult film industry.
This is so stupid. Has anyone consulted ANYONE on the domestic impact of banning so many packages from being delivered here? This is just a backhanded way to stop people from spending money internationally. This ban needs to be shot down.
Always remember the first principle of government, nicely expressed by
Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former Chief of Staff.
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You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that, it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.
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Emanuel doesn't just like solving a problem. Problems handed to government are always an excuse to expand the power and prestige of government, and to increase the taxes collected to fund the government.
The TSA is over-defending against visible, political threats. They are not smart or motivated enough to do things more efficiently, or to guide the public to a rational evaluation of threats. So, the expense for "security theater" grows without limit, as real safety remains constant. They are always fighting the last threat.
A bureaucrat has only one fear, that he will seem to allow the same mistake twice and be fired. He can make any number of different mistakes without penalty.
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The Brains of TSA
12/21/08 – Econlog.Econlib.org by David Henderson
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When Charley and I tell a story of poor thinking, we almost never name the person, but here I'll make an exception. This high-level manager was Kip Hawley, head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). [See why at the link]
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The security expert Bruce Schneier has collected some links to his interesting posts about the TSA and airline security
It is because the TSA is always reactive that these measures are generally a waste of time.
I have a better idea: ban packages from Yemen and Somalia. Also ban the sending of items from all Muslim countries. That should reduce a good portion of the risk.
Does the TSA believe that the Japanese are going to start sending bombs in the mail?
Or for that matter, what about from Australia.
Let me use an example from Australia. I like doing needlecraft. Now what happens if I want to exchange wool or thread with someone in America? It makes economic sense for me to bundle everything together but it does not take much to reach 453 grams or 1 lb. This would mean that I would have to pay even more to keep down the weight than what the product is worth.
What if someone wanted to purchase a book on tatting from Japan? Or even purchase several books for others at the same time? We would not be able to do that because of the new and unnecessary restrictions.
What the TSA does not get, is that once this trick has been tried and failed, the terrorists are less likely to try it again. They will try and make up another plan.
The latest information is that they are now planting explosives via women's boobs… actually via the breast implants. What will be the reaction to that sort of information? Will women find themselves having to be examined more closely if they have had breast augmentations?
Why not simply profile the people most likely to be terrorists? They come from Pakistan, Indonesia, Somalia, Yemen, Morocco and similar countries. Let those people be the target of inspections. Leave everyone else alone.
I do not mind going through the metal detector but the rest of it? No way!!
I hear that the terrorists hate us because of our freedoms. Apparently, the terrorists need not hate us anymore.
Great timing. The month before Christmas, and announced too late for a non-air-shipped pacakge to necessarily arrive in time for the holiday. the foreign post offices have no clue that the policy isn't enacted yet or what the exceptions are. (possibly they won't even let you send it ground.)