TSA's ultimate passenger security plan
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gprellwitz
Touchdown! Greaser!
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Grant Prellwitz
Note that they aren't wearing any clothes, either! 
ScottM
Taxi to Parking
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iBazinga!
Those are goats. I thought we were sheeple? 
Missa
En-Route
Those are goats. I thought we were sheeple?
With a name including cowbell you should be able to identify livestock!
article said:
bbchien
Touchdown! Greaser!
WHY are they doing this? Bighorn sheep can swim......they don't like it, but they can.....
RMCN172RG
Pattern Altitude
Because people determined the number of Sheep the Island can support and the others are extracted for the good of the herd. Can't imagine how they survivied on the Island before people intervened.
Similar to the Pony round-up at Chicoteague.
bbchien
Touchdown! Greaser!
But the ones moved will likely SWIM BACK. Critters go back to the social structure they know and compete therein. Sheep are amazingly DUMB. Sigh.
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jshawley
Pre-takeoff checklist
B-b-b-b-b-but Bruce, don't you know this is a government program?! The gov'mint is always right!
sba55
En-Route
Every time I fly (which has been too much lately), I like the TSA more. There's just so much stupidity in everything they do that it's funny.
I was going through security at KLAS today and encountered a new "policy". After putting my laptop on the belt (why do I even bother - it's not like they'd find it if I didn't put it there), I started walking toward the x-ray machine, with the intention of going through and picking up my laptop on the other side. Before I got anywhere, however, the agent on the other side yelled at me to stay with my luggage. I told him that I couldn't actually see my luggage since it was inside the x-ray machine at that point, a remark he pretended not to hear. It was pretty funny in person.
They've also got a new video that plays while you wait in line. It advises people to "think in layers" - like sweater, laptop, t-shirt, etc. Brilliant!
-Felix
I was going through security at KLAS today and encountered a new "policy". After putting my laptop on the belt (why do I even bother - it's not like they'd find it if I didn't put it there), I started walking toward the x-ray machine, with the intention of going through and picking up my laptop on the other side. Before I got anywhere, however, the agent on the other side yelled at me to stay with my luggage. I told him that I couldn't actually see my luggage since it was inside the x-ray machine at that point, a remark he pretended not to hear. It was pretty funny in person.
They've also got a new video that plays while you wait in line. It advises people to "think in layers" - like sweater, laptop, t-shirt, etc. Brilliant!
-Felix
steingar
Taxi to Parking
They won't be happy until you board an airliner naked with nothing. Makes their job easier (and more interesting).
wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
LAS has now eliminated the first class and elite priority lines....
sba55
En-Route
Yeah, that really doesn't make it any better.
Denver still seems to have them, at least as of 2 weeks ago.
-Felix
TMetzinger
Final Approach
Just heard the advertisement for "Clear", the registered traveller program which is supposed to get you through Airport security in 4 minutes or less. You pay a fee, get your biometrics taken, and once you're pre-cleared, you get a special card and can go through a special line. Not sure how that will work once most business travellers sign up, and enough disgruntled "regular" travellers start complaining to their representatives.
wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
They should leave them in place - ESPECIALLY Las Vegas. The goal of the commercial interests in Las Vegas is to keep people gambling as long as possible. If they have to waste extra time (and I'd guess that the high-rollers that don't fly privately fly in First) cooling their heels in a security line, it's bad for business.
Clear pays a concession fee to the airport. For DCA and IAD, the fee is a minimum of $500K/year. And it goes up depending on the number of passengers handled.
Clear is in more danger of being unsuccessful because it offers nothing to the traveler besides cutting the line. Clear passengers have to disgorge their bags, take off shoes, show picture ID, and so forth just like everyone else. It is nothing more that a way to pry more money out of the pockets of travelers and more personal information but offering only the ability to cut in line.
As long as elite lines/F lines exist at airports (and the airlines generally want those elite lines as the encourage more spending on tickets), Clear is not going to be well supported.
sba55
En-Route
I agree - not sure that my post was clear. If you pay for First (or you have status with the airlines), you shouldn't have to wait in those stupid security lines.
Ever been to Frankfurt? They've got a very nice first class terminal there. That's the way to do it, IMO.
-Felix
Obi Heed Kenobi
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iBo Deeh Ibonek
Just to be fair, the ponies on Chincoteague aren't there naturally. Best guess is that they came off a Spanish ship that wrecked on the coast.
The round-up is one heck of a revenue generator for the local fire department, though. Makes them a mess of money.
Ghery
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Ghery Pettit
Not that I needed one on Thursday night. Went through the regular line and waited all of a minute or so to get my boarding pass and ID checked. I've NEVER seen a line that short, anywhere. Must have been a quiet evening at DEN.
wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
woodstock
Final Approach
and a lot of little girls very happy! They can have their very own Misty of Chincoteague. Just not the stuffed version.
astanley
En-Route
I've never really understood Clear -- it just seems to fill a segment between those who never fly and those who don't fly enough to make status, but, there are so few of those fliers, and most of those who would pony up for such a system are probably on a higher status ticket (e.g. First or Biz) OR they don't care enough to spend the money.
10k miles in 90 days will get you Platinum on AA, if you want it, so why pay?
Cheers,
-Andrew
wsuffa
Touchdown! Greaser!
The original concept of Clear was to offer simplified screening to folks that passed a background check. Much like GA pilots that want to fly into the DC3 pass a background check and get special privileges.
The concept was that a Clear-screened person wouldn't have to take shoes off, deal with baggies, etc.
DHS and TSA hated the idea, and refused to implement it. Congress finally told 'em to implement it. So, DHS and TSA implemented it in the most obnoxious possible way: they refused to grant any privileges other than bypassing the regular line for screening. It's so bad that the biometrics that you have to submit and are encoded on the card (retina and fingerprint, IIRC) are NOT acceptable to the TSA in lieu of a picture ID - you must present a government-issued picture ID in addition to the Clear card. (Please note that I've had my retinal scan done in the UK for their Iris program - which I can use in lieu of a passport when entering the country).
In other words, TSA can claim that they (grudgingly) lived to the letter of the law, but certainly didn't live up to the spirit of the law - it was "thumb your nose at the constituents and Congress".
If TSA and DHS would live up to the original concept of Clear/Registered Traveler, I (and a lot of others) might see value to spending the money & loss of privacy for the card. I did it for the DC3, and I'm doing it for a govt security clearance.