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Citation required.

Here
Here
Here
Just a start.

Since this is the federal government, you must mean the interstate highway system? Having recently driven all the way across the country at 60 mph without hitting a single pothole, what are you smoking?

Ok. I was joking there, but never the less. Touche.

Yes, you can walk into the emergency room, where treating you will cost me (a taxpayer) ten times as much as if I just paid for your health insurance so you could make an appointment at a primary care office.

Ok. So since our government has proved to be so smart handling medicaid at a reasonable cost, you'd like to have them handle all health care?

Well, I'm going to go ahead and discount your theories as long as you keep discounting the rest of the industrialized worlds actual experience, okay

Why is it fair to compare the way that the rest of the world does health care in a vacuum. Germany has good health care, sure, but they also pay around 50% tax.

here reports on this too. Just to get a bit of perspective ? I am glad my suitcase wasn't raided by that person when I was at EWR, but I guess chances are pretty small that such a thing would happen.

But you forget. It is a voluntary search as you give them permission by boarding. They will say that you did not have to enter the boarding areas that are usually clearly marked.

Oops that still is the rule in Canada but in the US it is no longer the case http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/08/court-says-trav.html as you pretty much cannot enter the airport without automatically agreeing to be searched at any time.

Oh well, if you drive or take the bus or train you still have some rights that are upheld. But to get people to refuse to fly and hurt the airline industry in a way that makes them listen probably will not happen.

This still leaves private aircraft.

The TSA is moving headlong into screwing around with private aircraft, too (pdf) .

You know. They don't want the guy/girl flying the plane to have weapons to overpower the pilot and take control of the plane. (Chicago actually searched planes and pilots for this reason until Mayor Daley finally took the shortcut and bulldozed Meigs Field to save it from terrorists.)

• Tools (seven inches or less in length)
• Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length)
• Scissors - plastic or metal with blunt tips.
• Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches in length.
• Small compressed gas cartridges (Up to 2 in life vests and 2 spares)
• Common Lighters

Of course good luck trying to convince the agent at the checkpoint that your 4 inch metal scissors or seven inch screwdriver are on their approved list. I never quite get used to it how insane, incompetent and contradictory the TSA is.

Customer data on a laptop in a locked room is kind of odd. The fact it (or one that looks like it) was recovered IN THE SAME room a week later is even more suspicious. When you combine what the TSA just decided to do last month you wonder what is its future?

http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2008/0724.shtm

If the TSA is no longer doing background checks it no longer really has any security value. Then you really don't need to collect that much information about someone because it basically becomes a "skip to the front of the line" card with maybe some discounts at airport shops. You don't need that much data, you don't need the biometrics thing because it doesn't really matter who has one. It becomes little more than your frequent shopper card at your local grocery store.

Don't believe me? This is what one of Clear's competitors is resorting to:

http://www.secureidnews.com/2008/08/04/redskin-fans-can-flo-into-stadium

http://www.btnmag.com/businesstravelnews/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003831648

Also from the horses (ass...err) mouth: http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2008/0724.shtm

Burn to you, for out of dateness, and Clear for not updating their website.

Wrong.

http://www.tsa.gov/who_we_are/what_is_tsa.shtm

"We are the Transportation Security Administration, formed immediately following the tragedies of Sept. 11. Our agency is a component of the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for security of the nation's transportation systems."

Try linking a relevant page next time.


Here, the TSA explains that you can bring all prescription medications with no problem.

TSA is a Government agency and TSA screeners are definitely Government employees.

Instead these high-tech sort of solutions will cost $$$ and not give results.

Don't forget the low-tech solutions which cost $$$ and don't give results.

http://www.tsa.gov/blog/2008/05/you-asked-for-ityou-got-it-millimeter.html

This isn't an X-ray machine, or even a Z-backscatter machine. It's a millimeter wave device. TSA has a web page for the thing. It's not as detailed as a Z-backscatter image.

Here's the product page for the ProVision scanner. It's made by Level 3 Communications.

This thing was first announced last year, so the story is out of date.

FYI: http://www.tsa.gov/blog/2008/05/so-what-exactly-happens-to-all-of-that.html

The TSA still has those restrictions: http://www.tsa.gov/311/311-carry-ons.shtm

Does anyone have pictures of what the resulting scans look like? The only one I could find was on the tsa.gov website.

If that's what it really looks like, then I don't understand how there is any real controversy here. You'd have to be a desperate fella to get aroused by that. Any of these technologies, I assume, are going to be very abstract representations of the human body, hardly something comparable to an actual naked photo of you.

In the end, people will always be able to see you naked the old fashioned way: using their imagination. Get over your vanity, honestly.

Does anyone have pictures of what the resulting scans look like? The only one I could find was on the tsa.gov website.

If that's what it really looks like, then I don't understand how there is any real controversy here. You'd have to be a desperate fella to get aroused by that. Any of these technologies, I assume, are going to be very abstract representations of the human body, hardly something comparable to an actual naked photo of you.

In the end, people will always be able to see you naked the old fashioned way: using their imagination. Get over your vanity, honestly.

Yeah there is a pic on here: http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/mwave.shtm This all reminds me of snowcrash. Neal Stephenson was always on about millimeter waves - I am now off to my burbclave :)

First the disclaimer... I am a researcher in a related field and so have a vested interest in the public perception of this technology. That being said... The parent article is somewhat misleading. There are actually two seperate technologies that are being looked at for this application X-ray backscatter and Millimeter-wave... The TSA has a good summary of the difference( http://www.tsa.gov/approach/tech/body_imaging.shtm) The youtube refenced in the parent article actually shows X-ray backscatter images. The millimeter-wave images are generally much lower resolution (limited by the physics of imaging at these wavelengths) but have the advantage of using a portion of the spectrum where the radiation is completely innocuous from a health perspective. However, both technologies are competing for a market that may not exist if the public backlash is severe. I personally am perplexed by the reactions that some post... Given that some sort of secondary screening is inevitable, would you really rather have a stranger touching you during a pat down than have an individual in another room looking at blurry images of your form.

Not exactly the cream of the crop.

O RLY?

Really ? Can you show me a source for your claim that *that* is the "official" reason ?

Sounds downrigth ludicruos to me, and I've never seen that particular claim before.

I've seen it (or rather something similar) in plenty of places. This one seems official enough to me.

First, it's not true that it's hard to make a can that is sealed well enough that no vapors, certainly not enough to cause visible condensation would escape.

Second, condensation happens on cold surfaces, if the plastic-bag is the same temperature as everything else (I don't see why it wouldn't be) there'd be little condensation even if there *was* a lot of vapor inside the bag.

The variant I've seen is that the bag catches a vapour that's easy to detect, and therefore bottles (which are the primary target, not cans) do not need to be opened to check the contents.

Third, there's no prohibition that I've seen on having a ventilated plastic-bag, say one that has lots of holes in it, or even one made of some breathing membrane.

This page suggests the bag must be zip-topped. I've never seen anybody supply a zip-topped ventilated bag, although I suppose you could make holes in it yourself. This would probably, however, only serve to draw attention to yourself.

Not that being ridicolous is any sort of defence offcourse, lots of downrigth silly things happen anyway.

This I don't disagree with. :)

Really ? Can you show me a source for your claim that *that* is the "official" reason ?

Sounds downrigth ludicruos to me, and I've never seen that particular claim before.

I've seen it (or rather something similar) in plenty of places. This one seems official enough to me.

First, it's not true that it's hard to make a can that is sealed well enough that no vapors, certainly not enough to cause visible condensation would escape.

Second, condensation happens on cold surfaces, if the plastic-bag is the same temperature as everything else (I don't see why it wouldn't be) there'd be little condensation even if there *was* a lot of vapor inside the bag.

The variant I've seen is that the bag catches a vapour that's easy to detect, and therefore bottles (which are the primary target, not cans) do not need to be opened to check the contents.

Third, there's no prohibition that I've seen on having a ventilated plastic-bag, say one that has lots of holes in it, or even one made of some breathing membrane.

This page suggests the bag must be zip-topped. I've never seen anybody supply a zip-topped ventilated bag, although I suppose you could make holes in it yourself. This would probably, however, only serve to draw attention to yourself.

Not that being ridicolous is any sort of defence offcourse, lots of downrigth silly things happen anyway.

This I don't disagree with. :)

I'm not sure that's a good idea, TSA's security Muppets don't like people playing dress-up.

Be proud for them though, this is the closest thing they've got to any real success so far.

TSA does not and will not confiscate laptops or other electronic devices at our checkpoints.... We will not ask for any password, access to any files or take the laptop from you for longer than it takes to determine if it contains a threat. Should anyone at a TSA checkpoint attempt to confiscate your laptop or gain your passwords or other information, please ask to see a supervisor or screening manager immediately.

I had to reply to this and all comments that blame the TSA for doing these searches. According to all the articles I've read on this subject, the culprit is US Customs -- not the TSA. The TSA has a blog entry up that explains that they do not search laptops or phones. See: http://www.tsa.gov/blog/

As the article states and the TSA has noted on their blog, the searches and confiscations are being conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, not the Transportation Security Administration.

(Not that that makes it right, but it helps to identify the correct culprit when complaining to the powers that be or even when just spreading the story.)

As the article states and the TSA has noted on their blog, the searches and confiscations are being conducted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, not the Transportation Security Administration.

(Not that that makes it right, but it helps to identify the correct culprit when complaining to the powers that be or even when just spreading the story.)

You're strongly advised against that because you're also not allowed to lock your luggage any more, and the strong possibility of it getting stolen

You're strongly advised against that because you're also not allowed to lock your luggage any more, and the strong possibility of it getting stolen

On this page it says that toy transformers are allowed on the plane. Anyone have Megatron I can borrow to test this?

If they really gave a flying fucking about security they wouldn't allow "Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length)" in carry-on luggage. Seriously, are these people fucking stupid or what? You think I can't stab someone with a 6 inch screwdriver but I can with an 8 inch?
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#7

Also (Video unavailable, it's on a tape and I currently don't have the equipment to digitise it) they wouldn't take scanned and verified checked-in luggage from the X-Ray machine back into the untrusted areas of the airport (shops, the line you wait in to put your baggage through the x-ray machine, ticket desks etc.) on an open trolley, unescorted, before going back into the trusted area and being loaded on to the aircraft.(LAX, Tom Bradly International Terminal within the last week)

Plenty of time and opportunity to steal baggage, or slip something into a bag of your choosing.

Let me guess, they use the camera's to watch the trolley's to ensure this doesn't happen?
Why the FUCK are they using trolley's in the first fucking place and not conveyors belts like EVERY other fucking international airport I've been to (South Korea, Paris, Heathrow, Melbourne, Sydney, Frankfurt, Amsterdam) so I'm fairly sure they don't have the initiative to follow them with cameras.

By the way, if you read the marketing posters next to the areas under construction within the Tom Bradly International Terminal, it has nothing to do with security. Just more waiting areas and seats.

But as long as I don't bring my Pudding of Death (over 3 oz, http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#10) then all is well....once you actually get to the damn checkpoint, after all, the line has 300 people in it. Great traffic flow planning fuck-wits.

If they really gave a flying fucking about security they wouldn't allow "Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length)" in carry-on luggage. Seriously, are these people fucking stupid or what? You think I can't stab someone with a 6 inch screwdriver but I can with an 8 inch?
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#7

Also (Video unavailable, it's on a tape and I currently don't have the equipment to digitise it) they wouldn't take scanned and verified checked-in luggage from the X-Ray machine back into the untrusted areas of the airport (shops, the line you wait in to put your baggage through the x-ray machine, ticket desks etc.) on an open trolley, unescorted, before going back into the trusted area and being loaded on to the aircraft.(LAX, Tom Bradly International Terminal within the last week)

Plenty of time and opportunity to steal baggage, or slip something into a bag of your choosing.

Let me guess, they use the camera's to watch the trolley's to ensure this doesn't happen?
Why the FUCK are they using trolley's in the first fucking place and not conveyors belts like EVERY other fucking international airport I've been to (South Korea, Paris, Heathrow, Melbourne, Sydney, Frankfurt, Amsterdam) so I'm fairly sure they don't have the initiative to follow them with cameras.

By the way, if you read the marketing posters next to the areas under construction within the Tom Bradly International Terminal, it has nothing to do with security. Just more waiting areas and seats.

But as long as I don't bring my Pudding of Death (over 3 oz, http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm#10) then all is well....once you actually get to the damn checkpoint, after all, the line has 300 people in it. Great traffic flow planning fuck-wits.

The timeline at http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/sop/index.shtm reads like the plotline from an episode of Get Smart. Embarrassing to have a government that thinks common lighters are a terrorist threat. Only people made happy or secure by that policy were those who work for manufacturers of disposable lighters -- gave them job security all right!!

The most humorous thing was a day later finding out she had her lighter in her jacket pocket the entire flight home, so even on the connecting flight up from Florida it was on her and she didn't know and no one checked for it.

What kind of lighter was it? As long as it was not a Torch Lighter TSA has allowed lighters since April of last year so unless she flew before then it would not have been a problem. You can read more about TSA's lighter guidelines here and here

The most humorous thing was a day later finding out she had her lighter in her jacket pocket the entire flight home, so even on the connecting flight up from Florida it was on her and she didn't know and no one checked for it.

What kind of lighter was it? As long as it was not a Torch Lighter TSA has allowed lighters since April of last year so unless she flew before then it would not have been a problem. You can read more about TSA's lighter guidelines here and here

You can't lock your luggage anymore when traveling (right?)

You can't lock your luggage anymore when traveling (right?)

Good thing they banned lighters, then! ;-) Just kidding, I agree. But, if they took fires seriously, I'd expect a lighter ban. But, the tobacco industry has bought a lot of pull among politicians.

Obviously they needed to be banned. Lithium batteries are much, much more dangerous than 3oz of water outside of a plastic baggie.

And for that matter, people bleed to death of papercuts all the time. Paper must be banned from airlines. Similarly, Cheeseburgers, umbrellas during lightning storms, and those shoes with little wheels in them must be stopped. On airplanes.

Other things that should never be brought on an airplane include: step ladders, Christmas lights, and Chuck Norris. Gambling is a very serious addiction, and as such fliers are hereby banned from setting foot inside of Las Vegas McCarron Airport.

Thank you for your attention, and thank you for flying with the TSA. The TSA: Drawing on our imagination to creatively protect America from imagined harm.

The thing is lighters are permitted to be carried on. You can also bring full sized bottles of liquor (up to 5 I believe) aboard a plane, provided you bought it at a duty free shop.

The thing is lighters are permitted to be carried on. You can also bring full sized bottles of liquor (up to 5 I believe) aboard a plane, provided you bought it at a duty free shop.

We also paid close attention to the idea of terrorists combining multiple small bottles in a larger container or combining many small bottles together after going through the checkpoint. Due to the extreme volatility of liquid explosives, the international consensus was that those scenarios don't represent a significant threat.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_multi_image_with_table_0099.shtm

since august 4th lighters are allowed again.

Transportation security administration. http://www.tsa.gov/