TSA Experiences

[Andrea]

Former TSA worker faces child porn charges

http://www.eagletribune.com/latestnews/x1472212120/Former-TSA-worker-faces-child-porn-charges

"Miguel Quinones, 38, of 67 Whittemore Ave., Manchester, faces 10 felony counts after he turned himself over to police on an arrest warrant yesterday, according to Londonderry police Lt. Timothy Jones."

[Andrea]

Report Says T.S.A. Screening Is Not Objective

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/us/report-says-tsa-screening-program-not-objective.html?_r=1&

"The Transportation Security Administration has little evidence that an airport passenger screening program, which some employees believe is a magnet for racial profiling and has cost taxpayers nearly one billion dollars, screens passengers objectively, according to a report by the inspector general for the Homeland Security Department."

[Andrea]

The TSA’s Solution For My Reluctance To Open Baby Food Jars? A Pat-Down

http://consumerist.com/2013/06/19/the-tsas-solution-for-my-reluctance-to-open-baby-food-jars-a-pat-down/

"What he wasn’t expecting was a request from the agent to actually open the jars. While the TSA’s published policies do say that it has the authority to request that baby food containers be opened, actually unsealing the food jars is problematic as, once the lids are opened, the contents need to be refrigerated within an hour or be tossed out. Given that the family still had hours of traveling in front of them, opening the jars would effectively be the same as being told to throw them in the trash."

[*Anya*]

Originally Posted by Andrea

The TSA’s Solution For My Reluctance To Open Baby Food Jars? A Pat-Down

http://consumerist.com/2013/06/19/the-tsas-solution-for-my-reluctance-to-open-baby-food-jars-a-pat-down/

"What he wasn’t expecting was a request from the agent to actually open the jars. While the TSA’s published policies do say that it has the authority to request that baby food containers be opened, actually unsealing the food jars is problematic as, once the lids are opened, the contents need to be refrigerated within an hour or be tossed out. Given that the family still had hours of traveling in front of them, opening the jars would effectively be the same as being told to throw them in the trash."

Yes, they must not know about vacuum sealing....I guess terrorists could?

Reminds me of a post I put in here a while back. Had a prescribed liquid med with pharmacy label and it was factory sealed. Had to open it so they could test it. Then had to pray it wasn't contaminated from the test solution.

Also had brought a letter on letterhead from my MD regarding the medication.

I guess all of that could be faked?

I recently traveled to NM on business. Though I hate to check luggage, I did anyway, just to avoid all the security hassle and just prayed they would put the top back on tightly.

They did.

No pat down either this time.

I don't know what the answer is.

We are kind of damned if we do or damned if we don't, aren't we? (As a nation, with airport security).

[Andrea]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

Yes, they must not know about vacuum sealing....I guess terrorists could?

Reminds me of a post I put in here a while back. Had a prescribed liquid med with pharmacy label and it was factory sealed. Had to open it so they could test it. Then had to pray it wasn't contaminated from the test solution.

Also had brought a letter on letterhead from my MD regarding the medication.

I guess all of that could be faked?

I recently traveled to NM on business. Though I hate to check luggage, I did anyway, just to avoid all the security hassle and just prayed they would put the top back on tightly.

They did.

No pat down either this time.

I don't know what the answer is.

We are kind of damned if we do or damned if we don't, aren't we? (As a nation, with airport security).

(Bolding mine) I respectfully disagree. I believe the reinforcing of the cockpit doors and the change in how a terrorist on an airplane is dealt with (no longer passive), are sufficient to deal with the once in a while terrorist on a plane actions.

There is NO evidence that the security measures of the TSA has in any way stopped terrorists. In fact, I am surprised a terrorist hasn't targeted the queue for the TSA as the lines often contain more people than a single plane.

I don't know what the answer is either but I do know it isn't the TSA and the security theater we are currently subjected to.

Thank you for your comments, Anya.

[Andrea]

Tomorrow, June 24, 2013, is the last day to submit your comments about Passenger Screening Using Advanced Imaging Technology

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=TSA-2013-0004-0001

[Andrea]

TSA's new Instagram shows all the dangerous items that presented no danger

http://boingboing.net/2013/07/03/tsas-new-instagram-shows-all.html

"But what they don't show is all the grand-jury indictments for conspiracy to commit air terrorism that they secured after catching people with these items -- even the people who were packing guns.

That's because no one -- not the TSA, not the DAs, not the DHS -- believe that anyone who tries to board a plane with a dangerous item is actually planning on doing anything bad with them. After all, as New York State chief judge Sol Wachtler said (quoting Tom Wolfe), "a grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich,' if that's what you wanted." So if there was any question about someone thinking of hurting a plane, you'd expect to see indictments."

And my favorite part of the article:

"But," he said, "maybe someone who did want to crash the plane might take the bad thing away from them and attack it."

"That doesn't sound like a very reliable plan," I said. "If you were a terrorist and that was your plan, you'd have to spend a lot of time in the air waiting for someone to open his laptop bag and show you that he forgot to take his handgun out of it before he boarded."

"Yeah," he said. He thought for a moment. "This is really above my pay-grade."