The TSA - "A lot of what we do is make-believe."

sac said:

Alfa75 said:

Might be fun to run up to the little Hitler yelling freeze and say "eh, what are you saying? I can't quite hear you...."
or "no entiendo.."

It might NOT be fun if they decide to detain you.

OOOH! I'm scared!

Your tax dollars at work:

http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-18/naked-image-scanners-to-be-removed-from-u-s-airports.html

project37 said:

Saw this on Reddit and was wondering the same thing:

Translation:

"To our jihadist friends. You're window for using child mules to act as suicide bombers opens now. Excuse us now, we have a cripple from Sacramento to humiliate! Bon voyage!"

Two questions: Should the T.S.A. exist?

Ans: Yes.

Are the people running it, fcku ups?

Ans; Yes.

If the conversation carries on from there, things could improve.

The most thorough search we've ever been through was in Madrid, Spain. It was in the fall of 2002, my husband and I were leaving Spain to return to Chicago. Everything in our suitcases was removed, looked at in geat detail and then tossed back in the suitcase. We were touched and searched in places we didn't even know we had. There was no complaining, as we were in shock at the whole process. The security in the states is a bit of a joke. It lacks consistency on epic levels. One minute we can bring my son's Play-duh, other times they wand it and then there are times they toss it out due to it being a hazard. We travel quite a bit, so we are mentally prepared for anything.

--- not to worry though. We can be sure Michael Chertoff got his money for this fiasco.

The TSA rules change from airport to airport. Just last week I was told I didn't have to take my belt off. For 12 years I have had to take my belt off and yelled at if I don't. I also take my IPad out as directed, but was told last that I dont have to. I know that in two weeks when I travel again, the iPad and belt are going to be an issue at Lga.

One other thing- I have never taken my toiletries out of my luggage. NEVER. Even when they ask, I just say I don't have any.

Knives are okay now. Yes, really:

http://www.salon.com/2013/03/07/tsa_still_taking_our_moisturizer_but_not_our_pocketknives/

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/07/opinion/hawk-tsa-knives/index.html

Well, in fairness, knives are still dangerous NOW ( until April 25) but after that, they are safe. LOL

Yogurt is still considered deadly, right?

I say this all the time and my wife gets annoyed, but a box of sharpened pencils is far more dangerous than a metal butter knife. The box of sharp pencils is acceptable on planes. The TSA is a sham. Another waste of money along with our bloated military.
And the GOP wonders why we don't have any money and states that we have a spending problem.

As the Post put it, "Bomb-boozled":

http://gothamist.com/2013/03/08/tsa_inspector_makes_it_through_pat-.php

From the link:

A TSA inspector who stuffed a fake bomb down his pants was able to get past security at Newark airport last month, passing through the magnetometer and a pat-down without being detained. The TSA has not commented on the failed inspection, saying only, "The TSA regularly conducts tests and does not publicly share details." But a source tells the Post, "This episode once again demonstrates how Newark Airport is the Ground Zero of TSA failures."

The lapse occurred in Terminal B, home of American Airlines, JetBlue and Delta. Sources say the inspector passed through the magnetometer undetected with a fake IED in his pants, but for reasons that remain unclear, he was pulled aside for a pat-down. But that raised no red flags, and he was then allowed to proceed to his gate. Another TSA inspector was stopped for a fake bomb in a doll, but the Post's source says it had "wires sticking out” and was obviously suspicious.

More at: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/newark_tsa_bomb_boozled_eTIZBp2X7B299qO5WCWvAK?

project37 said:

Yogurt is still considered deadly, right?

The container in the back of my fridge? Yeah, probably.

You've gotta love the TSA. They strain out vegetables but let fake bombs sail through.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uebbHL-nFF8

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/confessions_of_tsa_agent_we_re_bunch_OhxHeGd0RR9UVGzfypjnLO

SODawg said:

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/confessions_of_tsa_agent_we_re_bunch_OhxHeGd0RR9UVGzfypjnLO

Wow: "A lot of what we do is make-believe."

That article needs to be shared as much as possible.

The problem is that people actually believe that they are safer with the restrictions that are in place. It a sham. It's a huge jobs program. Plus, the rules of the game in the air have changed. The old days of hijacking a plane are over- at least in the US. People won't sit and just watch anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz5gu_yHxAQ

Also, why are more people not upset about stuff like this?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/12/dressing-for-excess-at-the-tsa/

Excerpt:
Just hours before sequestration, as federal agencies were preparing to cut billions of waste, fraud and abuse from their budgets, the TSA proved once again that it is not only tone-deaf, but in need of immediate reform, announcing a $50 million contract to procure new uniforms for its 50,000 officers.

Yet another illustration of the patent falsehood of Obama's claim that sequestration is going to require longer lines, etc.

balmalocha said:

Yet another illustration of the patent falsehood of Obama's claim that sequestration is going to require longer lines, etc.

When all a poster has is a hammer ...

project37 said:

Also, why are more people not upset about stuff like this?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/12/dressing-for-excess-at-the-tsa/

Excerpt:
Just hours before sequestration, as federal agencies were preparing to cut billions of waste, fraud and abuse from their budgets, the TSA proved once again that it is not only tone-deaf, but in need of immediate reform, announcing a $50 million contract to procure new uniforms for its 50,000 officers.

1-The agents were already hired and need uniforms.
2-The contract value was the maximum, not a fixed amount. It's not like the government handed over a check for $50 million.

http://usgovinfo.about.com/2013/03/08/about-the-50m-tsa-uniform-contract.htm

But let's not let facts get in the way.

ParticleMan said:

But let's not let facts get in the way.

I'm all for facts.

For a dysfunctional agency that never managed to get a handle on its endless stream of operational and perception problems, you'd think that somebody would have the sense to reevaluate the contract given the country's current financial situation.

There is *ZERO* operational consistency with this organization and the lack of accountability is staggering. Why spend the money on uniforms when they could be focusing on (re)training the employees they have? Why all that money for appearance versus operational effectiveness?

But we'll stick to facts.

So with that, I'm glad that they can look nice while stealing from your luggage, allowing knives and missed test bombs and loaded guns to go through while traumatizing children in wheelchairs and humiliating cancer patients. At least they have a nice new shirt on.

So what should the agents wear? Seriously. Yes, there are problems with the agency. I'm all for getting rid of it. but given it exists, what is the problem regarding the contract? Again, its not as if anyone is writing a $50mil check.

Not to mention the fact that we addressed that exact issue last week, and b**** was part of the discussion.

I'm not getting something regarding the TSA uniform contract.

The TSA fronts the money for VF Imagewear to make the uniforms and keep an inventory so the TSA can issue new officers their uniform package; and officers can buy additional uniform items, as needed. Makes sense so far.

But when an officer pays for their uniform items; who gets that money?

TomR

I believe the officers get a uniform allowance. If so, isn't it essentially a benefit?

From the piece above (which has apparently moved slightly - http://usgovinfo.about.com/b/2013/03/08/about-the-50m-tsa-uniform-contract.htm):

"However, the contract provides each of the approximately 50,000 TSA security officers with three full sets of uniforms, which they pay for through an annual TSA-provided uniform allowance."

ParticleMan,

Sorry that I didn't express my query more clearly. but:

VF Imagewear is getting up to $50,000,000.00, from TSA. The TSA maintains uniform allowance accounts for its officers which are funded through the officers' uniform allowance. My point of confusion lies in whether the TSA recaptures the expenditures from the officers' uniform allowance accounts; or whether said expenditures go to VF.

Not a terribly important matter, but if you know who gets the money from the officers' uniform allowance accounts, I'd appreciate the help.

Thanks.

TomR

So if the annual bill for 50,000 officer's uniforms is $50m, take a minute to imagine what their combined salaries amount to. We're focusing on the wrong thing.

Meanwhile:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/inside-politics/2013/mar/19/tsa-agents-humiliated-wounded-marine-aggressive-in/

Excerpt:

Transportation Security Administration inspectors forced a wounded Marine who lost both of his legs in an IED blast and who was in a wheelchair to remove his prosthetic legs at one point, and at another point to stand painfully on his legs while his wheelchair was examined, according to a complaint a congressman has registered with the TSA.

Rep. Duncan Hunter said in his letter Monday that the Marine, who is still on active duty and showed TSA agents his military identification, was still forced to undergo that scrutiny.

“A TSA office asked the Marine to stand and walk to an alternate area, despite the fact that he physically could not stand or walk on his own. With numerous TSA officers sitting and unwilling to assist, an officer then made him remove his legs, then put them back on, only to advance to a secondary screening location where he was asked again to stand, with extraordinary difficult, while his wheelchair was examined for explosives,” Mr. Hunter said.

He also said TSA officers initially directed the Marine to the wrong line, then made him move lines but made no effort to help him. The incident occurred at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor airport last week, as a group of Marines was returning to San Diego.