Stop Traveling Musicians' Abuse!!! - Horror Stories & Links...
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"United Breaks Guitars"....
Luckily for that guy, he got some Media Coverage....
Must have been a slow news day?!
But hey, every bit helps!
I think that Curve Productions did a great job with that video, and I am looking forward to theit next one this topic! I wish I had those guys in my corner when I made my "Traveling Musicians Abused!" video, about 2 years earlier, my Mac laptop, and posted it on YouTube on 12/25/07...
Expert: TSA Screening Is Security Theater...
Are airport security hassles making us safer? The Transportation Security Administration says yes, but a TSA advisor calls it "security theater." Lesley Stahl reports. More...
FEDS CAN SEIZE TRAVELERS' ELECTRONICS
http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/08/01/feds.free.to.seize.laptops/
the above photo and article are a reprint of a Reuters article as of August 1, 2008...
Below are a few thoughts I have on this matter:
> The seizures do not require a suspicion of wrongdoing
To me that sounds like FOR ANY REASON!!! (see the article below***)
And then it can probably be extended to other items, making my old topic here, Stop Traveling Musicians' Abuse!, that much more SCARY!
The SLOW PROGRESS as far as American Federation of Musicians (AFM) protecting the musicians traveling with their sintument seems more like a "window dressing", with almost meaningless letters to TSA and other officials.
ARKADY.COM doesn't claim to have all the answers, and screaming about that topic has been a lonely feeling for years now... But how about this:
In addition to the legislative track, how about lobbying track?
INSURANCE COMPANIES are the ones that will have to pay the claims for lost, or stolen, or damaged instruments, and all other covered items! Is AFM even talking to the Insurance Companies? Or are the Musicians Unions too busy trying to collect the work dues from the as many recordings contracts as possible:), only to provide the ever worsening health coverage for SOME of its AFM members, who are "lucky" enough to qualify for that "coverage"!?
No, I am not anti Union, and I am not looking to do the dirty laundry in public..., but still... It shouldn't be one or the other!
Meanwhile, musicians or not, many folks travel with their laptops etc., with personal information on them.
> The seizures do not require a suspicion of wrongdoing
To me that sounds like FOR ANY REASON!!! (see the article below). If a musician is on tour, or it's a person who just travels a lot, and runs his or her life off that laptop, paying bills electronically etc., shopping etc.
> the policies require agents to destroy any copies of the data
> The contents of the confiscated
laptops and electronics can then be shared
> with not only other agencies, but private entities in order to decrypt the
> data they contain.
With so many hands that the PRIVATE DATA could be passing through, there is no guarantee that it won't be Copied by someone before it's DESTROYED! The Credit Card Customer Service calls it: Compromised Security! Identity Fraud waiting to happen!!!
> at the border
And it's not like this new policy is directed against non-use citizens only!
And then what? Which border is next?
And if it's this CRAZY on the US BORDERS, then it's an OPEN SEASON on everyone anywhere as far as any INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL!!! US will give foreigners hard time, they will give traveling US citizens hard time, and so on...
Imagine yourself in a foreign country, and your laptop is taken away, with all the vital information on it, phone numbers, account numbers, passwords etc., itinerary and so on -- it can turn into a total nightmare. And, if one is on an extended trip and is not coming back to the airport where the laptop was confiscated, who is one to get it back? Will they mail it back? When? To where?
We can only hope that this new policy is meant for the most extreme cases, but with
> The seizures do not require a suspicion of wrongdoing
it sounds like there is plenty room for abuse! I can only hope that I am wrong about that!
Read this article for yourself:
FEDS CAN SEIZE TRAVELERS' ELECTRONICS
http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/08/01/feds.free.to.seize.laptops/
Or here it is in case it's no longer available:
Friday, August 1st, 2008
As of July 16, US federal agents have the power to seize travelers' laptops and other electronic devices at the border and hold them for however long they want, says a Friday report. The seizures do not require a suspicion of wrongdoing, and are aimed to counter terrorism, with the new policies passed by two Department of Homeland Security agencies. The contents of the confiscated laptops and electronics can then be shared with not only other agencies, but private entities in order to decrypt the data they contain.
DHS officials maintain the new policies allow federal agents to take any hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers and video or audio tapes, as well as books and any written materials from any person entering the USA, US citizens included. While the measures were being practiced before they were made public in mid-July, pressure from civil rights and business travel groups made the government admit the existence new policies.
To protect sensitive business information and privileged material, such as between lawyers and clients, the policies require agents to destroy any copies of the data they acquire once a review is complete and there is no more probable cause to leave the information on file.
-----------------
Some good Comments further down on that article's page...
"Axes" On Board
Traveling Musicians Abused! Horror Stories & Links!
I made this video as "quick" iMovie Project. The Goal was to SPREAD THE WORD about this topic. Hope you can help with that, given how important it is to the musicians, proffessional or not!
In the next Version 2.0 of this video, I will add more Text Overlays -- a "counterpoint", context specific to the News Reporters' Comments, in order to make this video more Information Rich...
WARNING: If you Embedded this Video, Version 1.0, or shared the Direct Links to it, those Links might not work with the next Version 2.0, and the Comments and Views Count will not be transferred -- such are YouTubes current limitations. So, it would be best to Bookmark Arkady's YouTube Page, and this page so that we stay in touch...
Related Links in this Video:
I can only wonder if CNN did or not have it both ways: reporting on this problem, as well as getting paid for giving the above listed companies a plug? But hey, as long as this story helps the traveling musicians, I don't mind... On other hand, most musicians, who travel with their instruments, won't be able to utilize those companies. Why? Cause the gigs simply don't pay enough to cover such expenses!!! Sad, but true! Just ask any musicians you might know!
ABC's 20/20 TV Show
Luggage Looted and Belongings Lost (originally broadcasted on 12/14/07)
Passengers claim thousands of items go missing every year according to the TSA --12/13/2007
Don't be confused by a brief commercial at the beginning of this video
NYC's Channel 2, WCBS TV
had some good stories about airlines... These are the Search Results of their Video Library, keywords: airlines security...
Click on this picture to watch the video -- Don't be confused by a brief commercial at the beginning of this video
There are more videos under keywords: airline security... Click on this picture to watch the video
I can't thank those news reporters enough for spotlighting these issues... Who knows, maybe it all some will help the traveling musicians?!
!!! AFM Urges Airlines to Treat Musicians Fairly !!!
HORROR STORIES...
November 6, 2006, WCBS-TV New York
Channel 2 Investigates: Airline Insecurity
Don't be confused by a brief commercial at the beginning of this video.
If it's no longer available, please let me know! If you want to help upload it to YouTube, I'll send you the QuickTime File.
October, 2006, Overture, Los Angeles Musicians' Union Newspaper
Flight Fright -- excellent article!!! Be sure to read a letter from Bob Sheppard to Delta's CEO on page 3
click here to download a PDF of this article
October 22, 2006, New York Times
Musicians : Fly through Paris at your own peril - mondomix.com article on Valery Ponomarev
The Ballad of Valery Ponomarev. It's Their Way Or It's Their Way.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/9/16/72849/4595
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2006/9/15/55125/2698
http://www.myleftwing.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=4847B52866FDC86A3F1476C70E3FA463?diaryId=11760
http://www2.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2006/9/15/55125/2698
October 10, 2006, New York Times
A Trumpet, a Struggle, and a Musician’s Broken Arm -- Valery Ponomarev abused in Paris!!!
September 22, 2006, The Times, UK
Airlines overturn ban on large bags and musical instruments
September 1, 2006, Playbillarts
The Nightmare Comes True: Musician's Instrument Destroyed While Checked as Baggage on Plane
August 15, 2006, New York Times
THREATS AND RESPONSES: TRAVEL; Tighter Security Is Jeopardizing Orchestra Tours
August 14, 2006, New York Times
Baggage Rules Trouble Musicians
if this original article is no longer available, here it is
RELATED LINKS
New York Senators Charles Schumer & Hillary Clinton
Find your US Senators or US Congress Representatives
TSA Letter to American Federation Of Musicians - Download
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