Following the explosions in two BC sawmills, which experts are speculating may
have been caused by fine sawdust caused by excessively dry wood, the TSA has
banned any particulate materials, such as sawdust, flour, and icing sugar, to
be
banned from all flights.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/04/25/bob-mcdonald-science-
sawmill-fires.html
Also included in the ban are any objects made from particulate materials, such
as
particleboard, bread, and icing sugar dusted donuts. (The union representing
TSA
workers had argued, unsuccessfully, against this last item.) The TSA's
Director Of
Really Dangerous Stuff also noted that materials with larger particle sizes,
such as
table salt and sand, were also being included in the ban.
At press time, we were still awaiting word on whether computer equipment was to
be included in the ban, since silicon chips are commonly said to be made of
sand.
(Yeah, yeah, I know, don't give the TSA ideas ...)
(Dust explosions used to be common, and still happen, in coal mines, sawmills,
and
granaries. The idea that beetle-killed wood might be at fault is interesting,
since
sawing dry wood creates smaller particles and more of them, and the existing
safety measures may no longer be sufficient. One report quoted a witness to
the
recent fire who couldn't believe that dust could create such an explosion. I
understand that, absent nuclear weapons, the most powerful explosives in the
military arsenal are fuel-air explosives [FAE], which are essentially the same
thing.)
== (quote inserted randomly by Pegasus Mailer)
rsl...@vcn.bc.ca sl...@victoria.tc.ca rsl...@computercrime.org
Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out,
but he can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake.
victoria.tc.ca/techrev/rms.htm http://www.infosecbc.org/links
http://blogs.securiteam.com/index.php/archives/author/p1/
http://twitter.com/rslade
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