[extropy-chat] FWD (SK)[Risks} Pointless Security

[Terry W. Colvin]

This was posted to the Risks email list.


I live in the UK and my parents live in the USA. Every year, at Christmas, 
I send them a parcel containing food items that are hard or impossible to 
get in the USA, or are prohibitively expensive there.  (Apologies if any of 
this takes on the attributes of a rant. I find it difficult to talk about 
this rationally.)

I find that as of 12th Dec 2004, any food items mailed to the US have to be 
pre-registered with the FDA.  From the Web site 
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fsbtact.html:

"Nearly 20% of all imports into the U.S. are food and food products. In 
2002 Congress passed the Bioterrorism Act as a part of its ongoing effort 
to combat terrorism - in this instance, by reducing the ability for 
international terrorists to carry out terrorist attacks in the U.S.  by 
contaminating imported foods."

Now for the rant bit. I can appreciate that the US Government wants to 
protect the food supply against bio-terrorism, but what in the name of Ghod 
do they think this is going to achieve? Were I a bio-terrorist, about to 
ship a boxful of Ebola contaminated sausage to the USA, would I register it 
on the FDA site? Or would I write "Books" on the Customs form and send it 
anyway?

And that brings me to the registration process itself, in order that I 
might legally send Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding and Marmite (*) to my 
poor deprived parents. At least I can do it online (see 
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pn/pnoview.html). But do I have to register at 
all? "Private residences of individuals" are excluded. Why? My box of Ebola 
could just as easily come from my kitchen as from the local sausage plant. 
And if I'm a terrorist (which I'm not), again I ask, why would I register 
at all? And if I do register (which I haven't), why threaten me with US law 
(which the site repeatedly does.) I know the US Government struggles with 
the concept of extra-terratoriality

In short, what is the point of this? Other than make-work for Government 
employees. Still, at least the website works with Mozilla. I guess I should 
be thankful for small mercies.

"Something must be done. This is something. Therefore we will do it."

(* Yes, I know Americans regard Marmite as a bioweapon, but it isn't. 
Honestly.)

Scott Peterson


-- 
"Only a zit on the wart on the heinie of progress." Copyright 1992, Frank Rice


Terry W. Colvin, Sierra Vista, Arizona (USA) < fortean1 at mindspring.com >
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