"Gunner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 05 Apr 2004 15:09:18 GMT, "Ed Huntress"
wrote:

"Spehro Pefhany" wrote in message


Only place I've ever had to do that is in the totalitarian/communist
countries of Eastern Europe. Not even in China. Not a very high
standard, I must say. And NEVER any &*$#$*&$ fingerprints, ANYWHWERE,
even in the most corrupt, totalitarian hellhole like Romania.

It must have been a while since Gunner travelled abroad. The last time my
passport was held at a hotel desk was in Paris, in 1968. And that was a
student hostel, during Paris's year of the barricades and student-mob
clashes with police.

It's long gone, Gunner.

Ed Huntress

Cool. It has been some time. 1972 IRRC.

Well, the fingerprinting will be long gone in not too many years also.
When the Tangos are no longer a problem.
Perhaps there will be no need for even passports by then. Shrug.

That's a happy thought. I hope it comes true.


Until then, as long as the EU is a haven for Muslim Extremists hell
bent on the demise of the US...I can live with the 2 minute
inconvience to tourists.

It's not something I get worked up about. I think the Europeans will be
fairly understanding, but I'm surprised at the turnaround. The plan was for,
I think, 26 countries that we basically trust, to do the checking and to
produce some kind of secure passport that the US would accept without
further ado. That plan must have run into some kind of problem.

Ed Huntress