TSA (Totally Stupid Agency) fails again

It's, umm, "cute" that the unnamed union spokesman managed to twist
some logic and blame this incident on sky marshals.

The fact is, every security system can fail. Ironcially, if the
passenger intended to do harm, a sky marshal may have been the
flight's (and any other target's) last hope of survival.

In a previous article, (Brien K. Meehan) said:
(Paul Tomblin) wrote in message
...
I just flew to Newark and back this weekend (commercial) and when packing
discovered a package of firecrackers that have been in the bag on two
commercial trips and not been discovered on either swab test. On the way
back, the screeners discovered my BuckTool (like a Leatherman, it's a
folding multi-tool with two 7-8 cm long knife blades) that I'd totally
forgotten about and which had been in my bum bag on the trip out.

Are you always unaware of the contents of your luggage?

If you spent every other weekend in a hotel room in another country,
usually travelling by car or private plane, you, like me, would probably
pack a bag with essentials (tooth brush, comb, ibuprophen, mag light,
porn) and just swap out clothes as needed. If you did so, eventually
after several years, it would accumulate things you'd forgetten were
there.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
"Man in the tower, this is the man in the bird, I'm ready to go, so give me
the word." "Man in the bird, this is the man in the tower, you sound funny,
delay's an hour." - Rod Machado

(Brien K. Meehan) wrote in message . com...
It's, umm, "cute" that the unnamed union spokesman managed to twist
some logic and blame this incident on sky marshals.

The fact is, every security system can fail. Ironcially, if the
passenger intended to do harm, a sky marshal may have been the
flight's (and any other target's) last hope of survival.

And if the Sky marshal failed then we would have to rely on armed
pilots gunslinging down the plane.

Funny this is I was alway tought was that the first priority of the
pilot was to fly the plane.

Now wit seems that being Roy Rogers is OK

(Paul Tomblin) wrote in message ...
If you did so, eventually
after several years, it would accumulate things you'd forgetten were
there.

No, as a matter of fact, it wouldn't.

As a vigilant and law-abiding citizen, concerned with my own safety
and the safety and convenience of others, I don't take items aboard
any aircraft unless I specifically intend to take them aboard.

This is true for most people. We take airport security seriously and
act accordingly. Don't project your own negligence on us.

(Brien K. Meehan) wrote in
m:

Judah wrote in message
. ..
Actually, I think I like that article A LOT...

BALPA 1 TSA 0

Gotta love it.
...
Hahahah!

Wow, that's quite a lot of joy about a potentially deadly situation.
It reminds me of footage of people dancing in the streets a while
back...

I don't understand your comparison.

First, no one died. Instead, a man was able to carry ammunition through a
TSA controlled security gate at DULLES (not some midwestern jetport, but
the airport at our Nation's Capitol!) When he arrived at Heathrow (not
generally known for it's security, and not having the "benefit" of being
controlled by the TSA) the ammunition was found and he was arrested.

So while the US walks around jumping up and down cancelling flights
because of misinformation and X-Raying the shoes of children and old
ladies, the TRUTH is that the TSA is ineffective, and the majority of the
security process at airports is a farce.

So why do I find this amusing? Well, first of all, because many of us
knew this a long time ago. The reason that another jetliner has not been
crashed into another national monument has very little to do with the
fact that I show my driver's license to the gate agent when I get on the
plane, or any of the other security bull**** that goes on now.

It is also pleasing because some of us still have a glimmer of a hope
that this country will wake up and stop abdicating civil rights in the
name of protection from "potentially deadly situations."

True, every flight is a potential deadly situation. So is every car ride,
and so is every time you cross the street. Many people die in their
sleep, so it would seem that sleeping represents a potential deadly
situation. How far does it go?

Life is a risk. There is no such thing as security. The only thing that
you can guarantee in life is death. You can choose how to live your life
- cowering in fear from every possible threat, or enjoying it like every
day is your last. I prefer something in between. But I also prefer to be
allowed to make that choice. When the government imposes upon the
people's civil rights in the name of "protecting us from potentially
deadly situations," it is disturbing to me.

It should be disturbing to you too.

But the bottom line is this: my joy comes because an innocent American
man who did not hurt anyone nor had any intention to hurt anyone was free
to get on an airplane and fly to London without being harassed or
arrested. It saddens me that our European neighbors did not allow him to
excercise those same American freedoms in their country.


So, are you advocating airport security breaches, or just a fan?

So, do you think that terrorists could never figure out a way around the
TSA, or that TSA workers will never make a mistake, or are you just
gullible or delusional?

Jeb wrote:

Funny this is I was alway tought was that the first priority of the
pilot was to fly the plane.

The first priority of the pilot has always been to get the plane to the destination
with everyone on it alive.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."

In a previous article, "Ash Wyllie" said:
Paul Tomblin opined
back, the screeners discovered my BuckTool (like a Leatherman, it's a
folding multi-tool with two 7-8 cm long knife blades) that I'd totally
forgotten about and which had been in my bum bag on the trip out.

Fortunately Newark Airport has a Staples so I bought an envelope and some
stamps and mailed it back to myself.

The TSA could buy a lot of good will, and make some money by having envelopes
at the security sites, and sending Leathermen and other tools along with the
passenger in a secure part of the airplane. Or mailing them home.

I'm not going to fault the TSA screeners at Newark. Not only did they
find the Bucktool that I'd stupidly left in my carry-on bag (I'd
remembered to put it in checked every other time I've flown commercial
except the flight out) but it was the TSA screener who suggested the
Staples store solution and who walked me over to the mail box after I
bought the envelope and stamps.

I will fault the Rochester NY screeners for not spotting the Bucktool on
the way out. *That* is why I don't think the TSA is making us much safer.

No, what is making us safer is the will of people like you and me who say
"If somebody tries to take over this plane, I'm going to kill him or die
trying." I say that to myself every time I get on a commercial plane.

--
Paul Tomblin http://xcski.com/blogs/pt/
As convenient as it is for information to come to us, libraries do have a
valuable side effect: they force all of the smart people to come together in
one place where they can interact with one another. -- Neal Stephenson

"Jeb" wrote in message
om...
(Brien K. Meehan) wrote in message
. com...
It's, umm, "cute" that the unnamed union spokesman managed to twist
some logic and blame this incident on sky marshals.

The fact is, every security system can fail. Ironcially, if the
passenger intended to do harm, a sky marshal may have been the
flight's (and any other target's) last hope of survival.

And if the Sky marshal failed then we would have to rely on armed
pilots gunslinging down the plane.

Funny this is I was alway tought was that the first priority of the
pilot was to fly the plane.

First...not ONLY.

Now wit seems that being Roy Rogers is OK

And the captain of a ship...?

Judah wrote in message . ..
I don't understand your comparison.

The rest of your post implies that you do. Regardless, it just
reminded me of a group.

So while the US walks around jumping up and down cancelling flights
because of misinformation and X-Raying the shoes of children and old
ladies, the TRUTH is that the TSA is ineffective, and the majority of the
security process at airports is a farce.

That's an interesting speculation. One could just as easily speculate
that the cancellations were based on accurate information, random
screening is effective, and the TSA has prevented thousands of
terrorist acts.

Some groups of people speculate this way, and some groups speculate
that way.

It is also pleasing because some of us still have a glimmer of a hope
that this country will wake up and stop abdicating civil rights in the
name of protection from "potentially deadly situations."

Hmm, this reminds me of footage I saw of a group of people encouraging
this country to "think" and "wake up."

The only thing that you can guarantee in life is death.

Is this a threat?

When the government imposes upon the
people's civil rights in the name of "protecting us from potentially
deadly situations," it is disturbing to me.

So change it.

It should be disturbing to you too.

I'll decide what's disturbing to me, thank you.

I find other behavior much more disturbing.

But the bottom line is this: my joy comes because an innocent American
man who did not hurt anyone nor had any intention to hurt anyone was free
to get on an airplane and fly to London without being harassed or
arrested.

That's an interesting speculation. One could just as easily speculate
that this passenger was performing reconaissance for his terrorist
cell, trying to determine the amount of ammuniton he could
successfully smuggle aboard an aircraft.

Some groups of people speculate this way, and some groups speculate
that way.

So, do you think that terrorists could never figure out a way around the
TSA, or that TSA workers will never make a mistake, or are you just
gullible or delusional?

If I were either one, I wouldn't realize it.

There are lots of people in the world, taught to blindly hate and
destroy, believing that they're actually doing good, "fighting" for
what's "right." I don't think these people realize that they're
gullible or deluded, but I don't think I'm in that group.

(Jeb) wrote in message . com...
..
It's, umm, "cute" that the unnamed union spokesman managed to twist
some logic and blame this incident on sky marshals.

Now wit seems that being Roy Rogers is OK

It's, umm, "cute" that this unnamed person managed to twist some logic
and blame this incident on Roy Rogers.