Originally Posted by mikeef (Post 12801403)

You missed my making (or trying to make) a funny.

Originally Posted by jkhuggins (Post 12796953)

"Because, after all, we should always suspect anything remotely unusual. All hail conformity."

Originally Posted by jkhuggins (Post 12800987)

The argument, which has some merit, is that certain folks like school bus drivers, postal workers, sanitation workers, and so on, are out in the same public spaces on a regular basis, and would be more likely to notice sudden differences in the environment than others who aren't as familiar with those places.

Originally Posted by mikeef (Post 12800537)

I don't understand why we're concentrating on school bus drivers, anyway. From what I remember about mine, he dranked and he smoked and he told dirty jokes. And it's not like he could have caught a terrorist, anyway; he was slow as a turtle because he wore a girdle.

Mike

Originally Posted by tev9999 (Post 12805043)

But how is that any different than me being in the same public spaces every day? I drive through the same neighborhood the bus driver does and walk my dogs down the same sidewalks that the postal worker walks. I know a lot more about when my neighbor goes to work and comes home - should I call the police if he comes home late? What makes a bus driver more qualified to determine "normal" than any ordinary resident of a neighborhood?

I see this as just another PR piece to assure the public "we are doing everything to keep you safe".

Originally Posted by QUERY (Post 12804248)

BTW, Schneier is a cryptologist, not a physical security expert. You might as well link to JoeBlow's website if you are linking to supporting evidence as JoeBlow's opinion would be as good as Bruce Schneier. If the issue was about codes or ciphers, then Schneier's website would be a good place to look.

Originally Posted by tev9999 (Post 12805043)

What makes a bus driver more qualified to determine "normal" than any ordinary resident of a neighborhood?

Originally Posted by N965VJ (Post 12806372)

Just for grins and giggles, here’s the little brochure the TSA has for school bus drivers.



What is with the constant fear of people that take pictures? :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by mikeef (Post 12806689)

Unfortunately, that brochure made me neither grin nor giggle. In fact, the only emotions I could summon were fear (for our rights) and pity (for the morons who think they're saving the world with these brochures).

Mike

Originally Posted by RadioGirl (Post 12809403)

+1

Since when can a bus driver ask people for their identification? :confused:

Great, now we not only have airport screeners as wannabe LEOs, we got school bus drivers as wannabe LEOs. :td:

"Do you want to go to school today?" :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by doober (Post 12809484)

With all due respect to good bus drivers, I have to say that many of the people who drive the buses that bring our kids to school are fortunate that they can find the place every morning.

Originally Posted by jkhuggins (Post 12805277)

"You've obviously not read what Schneier has done lately. He's more than a cryptologist now ... his last three books have been on more general topics than cryptology ... and all have been widely praised."

No, I have not read his latest book, Schneier on Security, published in 2008 and his ONLY recent book, the last being in 2003. Again, he is not a physical security expert. His latest book is about the broad subject of security. Per his website page, which details the book's content, he discusses many different security issues and is written for the layman. It cannot even approach the depth of books that cover just a single issue. For example, one of the issues he discusses is computer security. That is such a broad field in itself and there are many subfields, including one which I went to school for, information security. I would rather read a detailed book written by someone with a CISSP certification, about computer security, than a general book on a broad subject, written for a layman by Schneier. Just take a look at the requirements for obtaining the CISSP and you would understand why. Anyone can write a book for money. It doesn't make them an expert.

Originally Posted by RadioGirl (Post 12810098)

Montgomery County MD requirements for school bus operators include:

Can read and speak the English language sufficiently to converse with the general public... Knowledge of basic arithmetic...High School graduate or GED preferred...