Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/03/26

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Subject: [Leica] Hong Kong xray
From: creativevisions at verizon.net (Michael J Herring)
Date: Sat Mar 26 11:25:28 2005
References: <200503201951.j2KJpC5U062197@server1.waverley.reid.org><004d01c52d97$2bb32700$1ae76c18@ted><437366a70e9f103bcf29b56e23d024f9@pix-that-stimulate.com><6.1.2.0.2.20050320193209.0211d3c8@mail.comporium.net><1111394972.423e8a9ca7148@flounder.singnet.com.sg><42424F76.3040500@planet.nl> <00da01c53089$d729f0b0$1ae76c18@ted><008b01c53164$aa1d3a60$aa00a8c0@ic7max3> <42445AB5.5090707@adrenaline.com>

Yes, and these are the people our country is going to rely on to protect
us
from terrorism!!! It is a sad, sad world we live in.
The bottom line is this - It is all about the money - Nothing more,
nothing
less.

Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Scott McLoughlin" <scott@adrenaline.com>
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2005 1:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Hong Kong xray


>I have a very close friend who works for the TSA. Right on the
> "front lines."  He tells me that the a healthy proportion of the TSA
> staff are out and out thugs.  There are actually frequent disciplinary
> problems and occurences of theft in their own locker room.  The pay
> is extremely low, so you get what you pay for, I guess.  Really too
> bad.
>
> Scott
>
> Michael J Herring wrote:
>
>>Ted,
>>
>>You are (unfortunately) absolutely right. I am an American and I am
>>embarrassed by the manner in which the TSA people treat our equipment.
>>They
>>bashed my equipment around and had absolutely no regard for the value of
>>said equipment.
>>I can only imagine what people from other countries think of this
blatant
>>disrespect.
>>They smashed my Arca-Swish ballhead, even though I had wrapped it in
>>cushioning which should have protected it from virtually any fall. I am
>>quite certain they removed the foam material and deliberately smashed it
>>onto the concrete floor, just to see what would happen to it when they
>>treated it this way!
>>
>>I have also encountered this type of treatment when I purchased audio
>>equipment from both Canada and Singapore. In one case the metal chassis
>>was
>>completely smashed in on one side and  when I sent the photos of the
>>damage
>>to the manufacturer he told me he did not think it was possible to
create
>>this kind of damage unless the unit had been deliberately smashed. It
took
>>literally 3 months to have this hand-made vacuum tube CD player rebuilt
>>and
>>returned to me (At the manufacturer's expense).
>>The other piece was a custom vacuum tube preamp I had made in Vancouver,
>>by
>>Space Tech Labs(Wonderful people). TSA lost the item for 3.5 weeks
before
>>it
>>mysteriously showed up.
>>At this point in time, the poor manufacturer was ready to replace the
unit
>>because he thought they had stolen it.
>>
>>Sorry for the ranting....The world has changed.....and NOT for the
better
>>!
>>! !
>>
>>Take care and good luck when you travel,
>>Mike
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Ted Grant" <tedgrant@shaw.ca>
>>To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org>
>>Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2005 10:55 AM
>>Subject: Re: [Leica] Hong Kong xray
>>
>>
>>
>>>>joelct wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Tina
>>>>>
>>>>>There are many "vulnerable" airports around the world via which one
>>>>>should never check in valuable equipment - unless the contents are
>>>>>specifically insured and the luggages are specially secured eg in
>>>>>Pelican cases.<<<<<<<<<
>>>>>
>>>Sorry mate when the Security Law says you "cannot lock your cases,
>>>
>>luggage
>>
>>>or whatever" you check in, you are going to loose things to thieves!
>>>
>>This
>>
>>>security situation has opened the door to anyone working baggage to
help
>>>themselves to everything you own. Given I had my Pelican case opened, I
>>>had to leave it unlocked with several M lenses, RapidWinders, 3 M7's,
>>>
>>new
>>
>>>ones, smashed so badly and absolutely impossible to use on the
>>>
>>assignment
>>
>>>to the extent Leica had to remove the shutter release guts inside the
>>>
>>body
>>
>>>and start from scratch to re-build the innards due to TSA equipment
>>>handling, I've taken to hanging them on my neck or body anytime I fly
>>>
>>into
>>
>>>the USA.
>>>
>>>Even then at hand inspection check in I watch them like a hawk having
>>>
>>seen
>>
>>>one guy drop Sandy Carter's brand new M6 off the conveyor belt to the
>>>floor, pick-it up and return it to her bag........... without a word he
>>>had done it! :-(  And yes it was broken and had to be replaced three
>>>
>>days
>>
>>>before she left on a major assignment in South Korea! Fortunately a
>>>
>>camera
>>
>>>was available and replaced under warrantee! But that's no excuse for
the
>>>way cameras are handled by poorly trained inspectors.
>>>
>>>And as far as getting your stuff insured only means the thieves don't
>>>
>>feel
>>
>>>the least bit bad because they lifted your camera you need for your
>>>assignment immediately upon arrival at your destination! I'm sure their
>>>attitude, if they have any is, "it's insured he'll get a new one for
>>>free!"
>>>
>>>If the so called checked baggage scanners are so damn hot they'll
>>>
>>destroy
>>
>>>film, why do we have to leave everything unlocked for the easy theft
>>>entry? Surely there's an easier way.  I suppose the simple answer is..
>>>"screw it don't fly if you can drive!"  It may take longer, obviously
as
>>>long as it isn't a shoot on the other side of the pond, but drive and
>>>screw the airlines. And for sure the security thieves!
>>>
>>>If I sound a tad off my feed this morning I apologize, but I still have
>>>
>>an
>>
>>>absolutely bad taste from TSA smashing my new M7's!
>>>
>>>ted
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Leica Users Group.
>>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>--
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>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Leica Users Group.
>>See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


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In reply to: Message from lew at speakeasy.net (Lew Schwartz) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from tarek.charara at pix-that-stimulate.com (Tarek Charara) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from images at InfoAve.Net (Tina Manley) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from joelct at singnet.com.sg (joelct) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from nathan.wajsman at planet.nl (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from creativevisions at verizon.net (Michael J Herring) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)
Message from scott at adrenaline.com (Scott McLoughlin) ([Leica] Hong Kong xray)