During the first 10 months of 2014 the TSA seized 1855 firearms from people about to board airplanes. Of these 1471 were handguns and rifles which were loaded. The seizures occurred mainly in the airport of certain areas: Dallas/Fort Worth, Hartsfield-Jackson-Atlanta, Phoenix Sky Harbor and Houston George Bush International. The number of firearms which people attempted to carry on board has steadily increased since 2005 when 606 were uncovered. The TSA however declined to speculate as to the why for the increase. The 1855 firearms seized in the last few months were actually part of the 3084 weapons, firearm components, stun guns, replicas and inert explosive material which were detected in that same period. Arrests occur in about 20% of the cases, and the most common explanation given by travelers for having a firearm is that they forgot they had a weapon in their carry-ons. It’s a reason that does stretch one’s credulity. Regardless, it speaks for the love of guns some have. More than that it speaks for the love of guns of some placing many at risk. I have every reason to believe the TSA does its best, but after reading this story, I was left wondering if people really think they can make it through security checks with firearms, what does get through undetected?
Danielle Levy
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ibelong
A few weeks ago, one of these pieces featured the issue of being stateless, a problem that tends to be neglected and ignored. Now a potential solution stands a chance to alleviate the suffering of so many and I feel duty bound to mention it. UNHCR, the UN agency for refugees is launching a campaign to help end statelessness. UN Special Envoy Angelina Jolie along with some 30 other celebrities and world leaders wrote a letter launching the ibelong campaign which initiates the process whereby it is hoped that 10 million people will sign the online petition. The campaign is a joint effort between UNHCR and the United Colors of Benetton which is providing the creative ideas. Currently at least 10 million (hence the number of sought signatures) or more are stateless in various parts of the world and a baby is born stateless every 10 minutes. If signing the petition matters to you, and I hope it does, or to read the letter, go to http://ibelong.unhcr.org
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Innovation or Exploitation?
Three Italian entrepreneurs think they have the answer to finding a parking place on a busy city street, something all of us know is hard to find. They developed an app that allows the person who occupies the space and is about to vacate it to signal that to other motorists who then bid on it. In essence the app allows the holder of a public parking space on a public street to sell it to whoever bids the highest. Not surprisingly some cities are fighting back. A few months ago San Francisco’s city attorney issued a cease and desist order to these apps. His basis was a police code that prohibits the buying, selling or leasing of public street parking spaces. The entrepreneurs’ next targets are Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, although their city councils have voted to ban the exchange of a public parking space for any form of compensation. And in Los Angeles, although the app is not yet available, the city council has preempted it by outlawing it. Obviously in any number of cities parking is a problem that requires solutions. What struck me about these apps was not they were attempting to solve a problem, but how. I find them opportunistic and exploitative. The idea of selling space that does not actually belong to the seller, that in fact belongs to the public, sounds nothing short of chutzpah. But there’s a larger issue here, of the use of technology. These apps remind us that just because something is possible, does not make it constructive, useful or desirable. As I understand their use, such apps do not serve the cause of innovation nor do they advance progress. But they do send us a signal: In a culture where freedom of thought is paramount, the onus falls on us to learn to reject such negative applications of technology.