Sorry to say, but this happens in Scandinavia too. This woman went to jail for ten days for joking about having a bomb in the Copenhagen airport: http://www.180grader.dk/Krimi/kvinde-fik-10-dages-faengsel-f...

As I mentioned in my comments, the problem here is that its for any joke. Furthermore, being Danish and reading through the article it says:

"The woman kept repeating the word 'bomb' after the security pointed out that they didn't find it funny." She also said "I'll just leave my bomb here," while placing her cell phone on the X-ray belt.

As the security said (kindly!), it is not fun. If someone, after kindly being reminded that this kind of humor can be misinterpreted, continues - then I agree you asking for trouble, especially when the so-called joke involves a threat against the employees.

That being said, this is a good example that even bomb jokes are tolerated in Scandinavia, obviously to a certain extent where they have to take action.

That woman was simply telling the truth. A cellphone with a lithium ion battery is a bomb. A small bomb to be sure, but on an airplane even small bombs can be dangerous.

The day will come when all carryon baggage and clothing will be banned. You will be required to strip naked at the airport, and put on a regulation air travel robe. If you want to bring anything else on board it will have to be packed in the pockets of a transparent plastic roll, which will be duly xrayed and unrolled by security personnel who will then inspect the contents. There will be a special "pill pocket" section for any medications required on board. No electronic devices will be allowed except special tablets with removable batteries which can function when being plugged into the aircraft power supply. Things like batteries and cellphones will need to be checked in the special small baggage section along with your street clothes, and will be transported in a special bomb-proof cargo hold just in case.

Does everyone in Scandinavia get their information on the US from blog articles?

TSA have the authority to put messages on the airport sound system. TSA does not have the authority to arrest you for making innocent jokes.

Some American authorities doesn't seem to have a healthy relationsship to have they do, or do not, have authority to, according to the European media. Maybe the reason why we trust these blog articles that are being posted here pretty frequently, is that they fit the picture of what we are told in the media about things like the recent NSA scandals very well?

Maybe the TSA have the authority, but they are not allowed to disclose what they are doing? That wouldn't be the first time we heard this.

Back on a more serious note: Please, prove this blog entry wrong. Don't just try to decrease the trust of this source. I'd love to know this wasn't true, but I'm afraid it is.

If you're more concerned about your right to joke about bombing civilian aircraft rather than attend a serious conference then the conference is better off without you.

I'm not concerned for my own person. I can easily restrict my use of jokes, but I can't support a country that disallows some of the most basic human rights, namely the freedom of speech (which I consider country-wide, not like the American version where you have to stand in a free speech zone to exercise the right). I hope the good people from the developer community in USA will attend the European conferences, so we can still meet and share experiences.

Also, this isn't just jokes as to what you are referring, it's jokes that any way involves security at airports, as I understand it. E.g. "Careful, it might smell" when they pick up your shoe.

So you're claiming that in a European airport I can joke about having a bomb or smuggling heroin and I won't attract any additional attention from the security staff?

Read through my post. It's not about bomb jokes, but innocent jokes about the security procedures, such as them touching you strange places or taking off yor shoes.

I would put even money on such jokes working out for you in Ireland, for what its worth.

If you are more concerned about attending a conference than about the erosion of French Revolution concepts and rights, then Democratic countries are better off without you.

Hint: It's not about the jokes.

This is not about the right to make jokes. Comments about airport security should simply not be grounds for arrest. All this would cause is many innocent people being detained for saying what they think.