Author Topic: Don't bring your laptop into the US  (Read 2501 times)

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Offline dpareja

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Don't bring your laptop into the US
« on: January 03, 2014, 03:24:05 am »
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/laptop-searches-by-agents-at-border-ok-u-s-judge-says-1.2481751

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U.S. border agents should have the authority to search laptop computers carried by news photographers and other travellers at international border crossings without reasonable suspicion, a federal judge in Brooklyn ruled this week.

...

Korman found that the plaintiffs hadn't shown they suffered injury that gave them standing to bring the suit. He also cited previous rulings finding that the Fourth Amendment constitutional right against unreasonable searches doesn't apply to the government's efforts to secure international borders from outside threats.

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Abidor "cannot be so naive to expect that when he crosses into Syrian or Lebanese border that the contents of his computer will be immune from searches and seizures at the whim of those who work for Bashar al-Assad or Hassan Nasrallah," the judge said, referring to the president of Syria and leader of Hezbollah.

Yep, Syria does it so that makes it A-OK!

Also, fun bonus US Customs screw-up!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/musician-s-bamboo-flutes-destroyed-at-u-s-customs-1.2482370

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A Canadian flutist has been left baffled and distraught after U.S. customs agents decided to destroy his traditional, handcrafted Middle Eastern bamboo flutes.

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Razgui insists that his flutes are no different from any other plant-based instrument. "Like guitars, they are all from plants—from trees and stuff," said Razgui. "They are dry."

But the border agency told As It Happens that it "discovered fresh green bamboo canes approximately three to four feet long" in unclaimed baggage that belonged to Razgui. Fresh bamboo is prohibited from entering the U.S., the agency said.

Since the purported "fresh bamboo" and Razgui's instruments were in the same container, he lost his entire collection of 13 flutes—and with them, his livelihood.

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Razgui has played the flute for over 40 years and performed at concerts all over the world, including Toronto and Montreal. He insists that he just wants to play his flutes in the time he has left.

Can the entire world bring a lawsuit against US Customs for damages resulting from the loss of cultural contributions this man might have made in the time that he has to spend making new flutes?
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Offline Katsuro

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2014, 06:39:26 am »
That's one reason I haven't re-visited the US: I don't want to have to deal with all their fucking bullshit when you arrive.  All countries have secuirty checks and stuff that don't always make sense and seem an invasion of your privacey, but the US seems to go all out and take it to a new level.

Just for comparison, I always got the impression that Australia was quite strict and uptight, particularly when it comes to Customs.  But when I went it was pretty layed back, they didn't even check that I had nothing to declare, the customs guy didn;t seem like he really gave too much of a fuck.   There was even a mistake on my temporary visa thing (passport number had a typo so it didn't match the number on my actual passport) that only cost me a few minutes delay, and when they reliased it was just a typo they were like "Oh right..yeah whatever, go ahead."  I know people who've been stuck for hours upon arrival in the US for less.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2014, 06:44:52 am by Katsuro »

Offline Id82

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2014, 11:30:10 am »
Did they have to destroy them? Couldn't they just like send them back to Canada?
Also why is "fresh bamboo" illegal to bring into the country?
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Offline JohnE

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #3 on: January 03, 2014, 12:02:28 pm »
I'd be tempted to fill my hard drive with shock images.

Offline agentCDE

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2014, 12:49:26 pm »
Also why is "fresh bamboo" illegal to bring into the country?

Well, probably because bamboo grows insanely fast and could easily spread into and contaminate fragile ecosystems. I can understand them not wanting to allow an invasive plant species into the states, but destroying the obviously NOT fresh flutes was a serious fuckup.

Offline SpaceProg

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2014, 01:17:19 pm »
^I think this with regards to the fresh bamboo, but there was no reason to destroy bamboo that had no way of reproducing and was long dead.

Preventing another Kudzu situation is one thing, but destroying his flutes along with everything else... that's just ...  US Customs I am very ashamed and disappoint.

Offline booley

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2014, 02:59:19 pm »
Also why is "fresh bamboo" illegal to bring into the country?

Well, probably because bamboo grows insanely fast and could easily spread into and contaminate fragile ecosystems. ….

Ok so dumb question totally off topic but..

does that mean the bamboo they sell in stores and malls here a different kind of bamboo that doesn't grow fast??
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Offline SpaceProg

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2014, 03:03:26 pm »
It doesn't grow wild.  They're sterile and their seeds don't germinate. like most other "tamed" exotic plants.  The different cultivars are grown with grafting and such.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2014, 03:06:29 pm by the Doctor »

Offline Old Viking

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2014, 03:31:17 pm »
Doesn't playing the flute make your palms hairy?
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2014, 04:18:16 pm »
My guess is, they saw the bamboo flutes, freaked out because they finally thought they had something worth making a big deal about (because they can't tell the difference between fresh bamboo and dry bamboo), then broke them.
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Offline niam2023

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2014, 05:23:12 pm »
It seems our customs and protective forces are becoming like the Peacekeepers of Hunger Games, employed by the tyrants of The Capitol.
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Offline Dakota Bob

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2014, 06:03:10 pm »
Wait, why is bringing in bamboo a problem?

Offline Søren

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2014, 06:31:38 pm »
I wouldnt mind if they searched my laptop, of course i would goatse the desktop just for giggles.
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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2014, 08:54:14 pm »
I'd be tempted to fill my hard drive with shock images.
Better yet, fill it with as many identical 100+ hour versions of Nyan Cat as will fit and give them child porn/bestiality related titles. Enjoy the fact that some low level customs agent will be obliged to watch every single minute of those videos.

Offline SpaceProg

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Re: Don't bring your laptop into the US
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2014, 10:37:14 pm »
Wait, why is bringing in bamboo a problem?

Because, like kudzu, if bamboo is brought in that's able to reproduce naturally and ends up growing wild, that stuff could squeeze out so many niches it's ridiculous.  It's a grass, that grows huge like a tree, so there's two things it'll be squeezing out upon that particular habitat if they went crazy.

Look up kudzu (the Strangler of Dixie) and the oriental honeysuckle plant.   The white honeysuckle that are so common aren't really supposed to have ever been here.  They've taken over most of the habitat of the American honeysuckle (which is a red-orange color).

EDIT:  Ooh, an Ozzie example.  Two words. Cane Toads.
« Last Edit: January 03, 2014, 10:40:13 pm by the Doctor »