TSA Overstepping Their Bounds

I once did a time/motion study for the TSA to try and figure out how to help them meet metrics for throughout time. It involves me building a computer simulation of a TSA checkpoint. To do that I had to get average time distributions for all of their processes, and the group I was in was told not to tell the agents what we were doing since they behaved differently if they knew they were being watched. There were three of us on the team. We were question or detained by airport police and agents every single time we observed them. We could be in a lounge overlooking the checkpoint with all of our stuff hidden behind a newspaper and within an hour someone would be coming up to us asking "can I help you with something?"

I have serious beef with the TSA, but to the individual agents' credit, they were super nice and took an active interest in our study once they learned what we were doing and that we were trying to help their teams meet metrics.

Interesting. You mean if I want to have fun with them all I have to do is park myself somewhere and watch them intently? Mwa ha ha...
 
How many airliners have been hijacked in Israel?
The TSA program being lambasted looks to be based on Israel's security program. They use behavior as well traditional screening techniques to determine who needs additional watching. When you compare their security record and ours, I know which one I will bet on.

Tim
 
How many airliners have been hijacked in Israel?
The TSA program being lambasted looks to be based on Israel's security program. They use behavior as well traditional screening techniques to determine who needs additional watching. When you compare their security record and ours, I know which one I will bet on.

Tim

This is true and I was going to bring it up but I'm not sure about the details of Israel's program. I was under the impression they profile also using age, gender and ethnicity/religion in addition to behavioral clues, something we are forbidden to do. I don't think Israel would think twice about me, a frumpy old American female with hot flashes and frequent bathroom usage the way they would a young male Arab with the same symptoms. I don't think Israel is all wrapped up in PC the way we are, and that makes their targeting effective and in that context you are correct. But applying it broadly to everyone like Quiet Skies seems to be doing is another thing altogether; a big waste and misdirection of effort. But that's just the impression I get; possibly neither Israel security nor ours are revealing the whole truth of what they're doing.
 
@Rushie

I love your self description! Reminds me of my wife and she is an accountant to add to the stereotype, except she has a French accent.

Tim
 
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