TSA BOHICA?

ScottM

ScottM

Taxi to Parking
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Messages
42,529
Location
Variable, but somewhere on earth
Display Name
Display name:
iBazinga!
Reporting from Washington —
Scrambling to plug holes in cargo security revealed by the bomb plot in Yemen, the Transportation Security Administration announced Tuesday it was planning an overhaul of its passenger and cargo screening methods.

Top Homeland Security Department officials met all through the weekend to decide what long-term steps to take to address the vulnerability of cargo and to identify remaining gaps in security.
Click to expand...
Well I am glad that for something this important they are going to take from now through the weekend. We sure would not want any kneejerk security response :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-yemen-bombs-20101103,0,7826493.story
 
ScottM said:
Well I am glad that for something this important they are going to take from now through the weekend. We sure would not want any kneejerk security response :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-yemen-bombs-20101103,0,7826493.story
Click to expand...

Side note: as a matter of "coincidence", the news of the toner cartridge issues broke the very same day as TSA implemented pre-planned & long rumored major changes to their procedures, including "enhanced" full-body frisks and a greater push to make body scanners (virtual strip search machines) as the primary means of screening passengers. The new procedures mandate much more invasive touching of the body. Link to article

Not sure how much more invasive they can get, based on the description in the article. But it is pretty interesting that the TSA had planned to change their guidelines & had been training their staff for a month or two in advance. Then the possible bombs were discovered. Coincidence? Or conspiracy?
 
Read the article. You'll enjoy the "wide stance" comments... there's also another article linked within that's worth a read.
 
wsuffa said:
Side note: as a matter of "coincidence", the news of the toner cartridge issues broke the very same day as TSA implemented pre-planned & long rumored major changes to their procedures, including "enhanced" full-body frisks and a greater push to make body scanners (virtual strip search machines) as the primary means of screening passengers. The new procedures mandate much more invasive touching of the body. Link to article

Not sure how much more invasive they can get, based on the description in the article. But it is pretty interesting that the TSA had planned to change their guidelines & had been training their staff for a month or two in advance. Then the possible bombs were discovered. Coincidence? Or conspiracy?
Click to expand...

I will place a million dollar bet on conspiracy..... :incazzato:

It makes it alot easier to roll out another loss of our freedoms and the masses will buy it hook, line and sinker..
 
I thought it was hilarious that the UK has issued a ban on toner cartridges in hand luggage.
 
From a very lengthy report on NPR, the major freight carriers FedEx, DHL, UPS and others) gave massive push-back after 9/11 concerning security. They claimed it would seriously impact the speed of delivery from origination to destination and hence, major profit hit.

One of the enlightening aspects of the report was following the transportation chain from a small village in Africa to final destination in the US. It's normal for the package/letter to go thru 4-6 intermediate facilities before a major carrier even touches it. There is little, if any, security review at any point.

Person drops off package at village post office (or similar)
VPO sends package, among others to next larger location
NLL sends to "Consolidator" in large town
Consolidator puts package into a collection, many collections going to the hub for the major carrier
Major carrier takes the collection (and probably doesn't even see the individual packages) and puts into a shipping crate
Shipping crate onto an aircraft.
On this side, the crate goes to the carrier's hub where contents separated and sent to distribution hubs

And I guess my description of many years ago regarding airport security has finally come true - Federally Mandated Sexual Assault.

On the other hand, I wonder how offended the TSA personnel are, being forced to do this. Somehow, I don't think most of them look forward to doing a pat-down. At least I hope none of them do.
 
sba55 said:
I thought it was hilarious that the UK has issued a ban on toner cartridges in hand luggage.
Click to expand...

DAMMIT!!! What am I going to do now?? How am I going to take spare toner with me on vacation????????
 
He feels me up. "Could you widen your stance, please?" he asks.

"Hey, I'm not in the United States Senate!" I say, widening my stance.
Click to expand...

Fair comment.... he is in an airport, after all, just not in a stall.
 
OMG! WTFBBQ! IT'S A CONSPIRACY!

N801BH said:
I will place a million dollar bet on conspiracy..... :incazzato:

It makes it alot easier to roll out another loss of our freedoms and the masses will buy it hook, line and sinker..
Click to expand...

Not that I don't know the TSA is just theater. I have enough metal in me to set off any properly calibrated metal detector, and I often don't if it's "busy" at the airport. Regardless...

its_a_conspiracy1.jpg


That is all.

:goofy:
 
wsuffa said:
Side note: as a matter of "coincidence", the news of the toner cartridge issues broke the very same day as TSA implemented pre-planned & long rumored major changes to their procedures, including "enhanced" full-body frisks and a greater push to make body scanners (virtual strip search machines) as the primary means of screening passengers. The new procedures mandate much more invasive touching of the body. Link to article

Not sure how much more invasive they can get, based on the description in the article. But it is pretty interesting that the TSA had planned to change their guidelines & had been training their staff for a month or two in advance. Then the possible bombs were discovered. Coincidence? Or conspiracy?
Click to expand...
Cavity searches?
The TSA is just using this super frisk as a way to encourage higher use of the full body scanner. Remember, they would tell you that flying is an option. There are other ways to travel. And as Steven Wright said "Everything is within walking distance... If you have time."
Resistance is futile.
 
silver-eagle said:
Cavity searches?
The TSA is just using this super frisk as a way to encourage higher use of the full body scanner. Remember, they would tell you that flying is an option. There are other ways to travel. And as Steven Wright said "Everything is within walking distance... If you have time."
Resistance is futile.
Click to expand...
This is why we really do need an alternative to commercial air travel. We need true high speed rail between key hub cities, better GA access to travel and of course a Star Trek like transporter.
 
ScottM said:
This is why we really do need an alternative to commercial air travel. We need true high speed rail between key hub cities, better GA access to travel and of course a Star Trek like transporter.
Click to expand...
It is not going to matter. The TSA is a self sustaining dynasty that WILL find a way to insert itself into whatever method we manage to substitute for mass air transport.
We need to remove their "superior aire". The problem is any humbling experience they have is used as an example (case in point) to extend their ultimate control.
I'm reminded of the scene from "Total Recall". The TSA is aiming for that screener. Nothing will get by.
 
ScottM said:
This is why we really do need an alternative to commercial air travel. We need true high speed rail between key hub cities,
Click to expand...

You DO know, don't you, that they are doing show-of-force searches on many of the Acela trains between DC and NY? I've been pulled aside for those searches several times. And they're done by Amtrak police in full body armor.... with the passengers at gunpoint. (no, I'm not exaggerating).

better GA access to travel and of course a Star Trek like transporter.
Click to expand...

I'll agree 100% on those. "Beam me up, Scotty!" :cheerswine:
 
wsuffa said:
You DO know, don't you, that they are doing show-of-force searches on many of the Acela trains between DC and NY? I've been pulled aside for those searches several times. And they're done by Amtrak police in full body armor.... with the passengers at gunpoint. (no, I'm not exaggerating).



I'll agree 100% on those. "Beam me up, Scotty!" :cheerswine:
Click to expand...

How often do you see police not in body armor?

They were pointing the barrel of their weapon at the passenger?
 
ScottM said:
This is why we really do need an alternative to commercial air travel. We need true high speed rail between key hub cities, better GA access to travel and of course a Star Trek like transporter.
Click to expand...

My wife has been after me to build one of those since we were dating (when STOS was on the air, not in re-runs, yeah, we've been together a few years). Hasn't happened yet, and I might take a "Bones" attitude on the subject. :D
 
ScottM said:
This is why we really do need an alternative to commercial air travel. We need true high speed rail between key hub cities, better GA access to travel and of course a Star Trek like transporter.
Click to expand...

TSA will be coming to Amtrak as soon as the new "Unstoppable" movie comes out and people start geting afraid of trains.
 
alaskaflyer said:
How often do you see police not in body armor?
Click to expand...

Let me be more specific: "Full riot gear"
They were pointing the barrel of their weapon at the passenger?
Click to expand...

From some angles it looked that way. Not shouldered, but fully automatic weapons held in a way they could be fired very quickly.
 
Ghery said:
My wife has been after me to build one of those since we were dating (when STOS was on the air, not in re-runs, yeah, we've been together a few years). Hasn't happened yet, and I might take a "Bones" attitude on the subject. :D
Click to expand...
The baton has been passed. My brainiac daughter is working on it. The one who placed 2nd in the Florida science fair at age 10.

Oh, wait, that's Mr. Fusion she's working on. My youngest son is working on teleportation. The oldest's project is time travel. I figure if any of em get even close to succeeding, I'll be able to get a really nice fleet of airplanes.
 
alaskaflyer said:
How often do you see police not in body armor?

They were pointing the barrel of their weapon at the passenger?
Click to expand...

Um - these guys are dressed like HRT - helmets, goggles, full kevlar suit. NOT your typical cop-with-a-vest. And they have submachine guns, with the barrels pointed downwards, but the hands are on the grip and the finger is held off the trigger.

They look alot like http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/36/Inselian.jpg The impression one gets from these folks is that deadly force is a lot nearer than you get from an average street stop.
 
alaskaflyer said:
How often do you see police not in body armor?
Click to expand...

The officers who work special events at the local natural history museum wear vests under the uniform blouse. They think no one notices.
 
Ken Ibold said:
The baton has been passed. My brainiac daughter is working on it. The one who placed 2nd in the Florida science fair at age 10.

Oh, wait, that's Mr. Fusion she's working on. My youngest son is working on teleportation. The oldest's project is time travel. I figure if any of em get even close to succeeding, I'll be able to get a really nice fleet of airplanes.
Click to expand...

I've been "working on" repealing the laws of physics. So far it hasn't been going too well. :wink2:

I could believe that fusion reactors could become reality some day. Teleportation, not so much. At least until someone can tell me what physical principle a "Heisenberg Compensator" would be based on!
 
ScottM said:
Well with the newly elected Republican Congress I hear they are planning to repeal a lot of laws. Maybe they can add those to the list :D:D:D:thumbsup::thumbsup:
Click to expand...
One can hope.

Imagine, flying with no contraption, no license, no regulation too. It isn't hard if you try.
 
And the knee-jerk comes:

Link

This coming Monday, the 8th of November, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects to announce that it will prohibit airline passengers from flying with printer ink and toner cartridges, sized at 16oz by volume or larger. This will be Security Directive (SD) 1554-10-05.
Click to expand...

The author is a journalist that has written for many organizations. He was one of the folks that the TSA visited last year when he noted that someone provided a copy of the TSA's manual. The TSA confiscated his computers.
 
What is it about the TSA that makes me say very impolite things?
 
wsuffa said:
You DO know, don't you, that they are doing show-of-force searches on many of the Acela trains between DC and NY? I've been pulled aside for those searches several times. And they're done by Amtrak police in full body armor.... with the passengers at gunpoint. (no, I'm not exaggerating).
Click to expand...

At gunpoint I would take to mean guns pointed directly at pax versus just holding gun off to side - up in air (IE normal stance you see various armed guards holding guns in some European airports. )
 
This is getting very scary. How long until the AIT scanners become mandatory and LASP and other nonsense comes back?
 
woodstock said:
At gunpoint I would take to mean guns pointed directly at pax versus just holding gun off to side - up in air (IE normal stance you see various armed guards holding guns in some European airports. )
Click to expand...

In this case it was off to the side, but pointed directly toward the passengers. NOT up in the air. The message was unmistakable. This was NOT the "normal" stance you see at some Europe airports. Had that been the case, I would have described it as such.

I do know the difference....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top