First, let’s start with a quick test. You don’t need to have any training in airline screening procedures or FBI terrorist knowledge. Simply rank the following objects, all of which I had with me in my carry-on or about my person, in order of potential danger to the flight and the people on board.
A - Cavity-destroying but harmless-to-humans Colgate toothpaste
B - The dangerously sexy JBL On Tour speaker system
C - The flesh-tearing, bone-chopping pocket knife
If you put the knife as the main threat, you’d be wrong. Dead wrong (ironic turn of phrase). Here’s what happened.
First, my toothpaste was taken from me and thrown in the trash. The reason – it was larger than 3oz. I didn’t really care, I had forgotten about the new rule and I could buy another tube when I arrived. So, that seriously potential danger is ranked number 1 by the TSA. After all, it could be minty-smelling C4 explosive. I didn't argue, the screener looked at me like I was a moron for even attempting to bring it on board.
Next, my JBL portable speaker system for my iPod. This caused incredible confusion. It was in my carry-on bag, and as it went through the x-ray machine I heard a flurry of activity from the TSA screeners. They all rushed to the screen, making strange faces and pointing fingers. I was asked to accompany my luggage to a screening station, where they dusted for explosive traces and asked me to identify the object. When I explained it was a speaker system, they pondered and then let me through the gate.
Finally, my super-sharp and very handy lock-knife keychain. I had put my keys in my coat pocket and completely forgot about the dangerous weapon attached. I was surprised then that this object was never considered a threat. My coat went through the x-ray machine with no issues, and I left the screening area to board the plane carrying a deadly weapon. Make no mistake, this knife could gut a deer carcass (which I would never do, but you get the point).
After my few days in New York, I made a decision. I would keep the knife on my keychain and see if the New York screeners would catch it. Once again, my JBL speaker system caused more commotion than I ever expected. I was once again asked to go to a screening station and identify this alien object. I even had to open the battery compartment.
In my coat, the deadly weapon. It once again passed through the x-ray machines without incident and I boarded my flight home carrying a seriously sharp knife in my pocket. Remember, this is during a time when nail clippers and nail files are looked upon as threats to national security.
What are we to make of all this? First, the TSA screeners really don’t know how to identify threats at all. If a knife can pass through and a tube of toothpaste can’t, what on Earth is going on? The mind boggles.
Second, and more importantly, the TSA is a façade. It’s there purely to give you the illusion of safety and security. In actuality, if a terrorist wanted to get something on a plane, he/she could very easily do it. And this whole toothpaste tube rule is crazy. What’s to stop someone putting several smaller tubes of C4 together? What a joke. And as I said earlier, not a funny one. Feel safe when you fly? I know I don’t!
81 comments:
On a recent flight from Boston to Nashville, I forgot to remove a CRKT knife from a front pocket on my backpack. It was wedged at the bottom of the pocket and I had completely overlooked it when packing that morning. For reference, it was a CRKT
Hammond in a sheath. Not a small, unnoticeable blade by any means. How they missed it? I have no clue.
Your toothpaste contains fluoride. Fluoride is a known poison, and will kill you quickly if you ingest enough. (Note the warning on the side of the toothpaste tube.)
On the other hand, the TSA is manned by total fucking morons.
I have been able to bring box cutter retractable blades on the plane at least 3 consecutive times now. I first brought it by accident. They are real handy to have around and was shocked they let it go through. Then the next 2 times they just missed them all together again.
Terrorist BS the Government made up anyways. The US government is the terrorist.
How interesting. And to think on a recent flight, I got taken into a corner, interrogated, ID scanned, and a report filed and threatened about being in trouble by the "U.S. Government" for a stupid kubaton on my keychain.
I got a 9" buck knife a gerber and a pair of pliers through the TSA once by accident cause I forgot to clean out my carry on before packing it. When I re-boarded in Italy to head back to the states they asked why I had them. I told them i had packed them by accident and didnt want to buy new ones cause they were expensive, and they were cool with me bringing them back on the plane.
You are the worst terrorist since Judas!!!1!!
I'm sure some authoritarian loving asshat will be along shortly to remind you that it's all in the name of safety and security...so STOP BEING AN ASSHAT.
Gotta love this country, it's a mental asylum with 300 million inmates.
my dad once had scissors in his bag that TSA NY let through, but the security guards on a connecting flight to india in the middle east (dubai) stopped him and took it out before reboarding. i thought we were supposed to have the best security.
I accidentally left pepper spray in my purse no fewer than six times on flights between Buffalo and NYC. (BUF <> JFK). One of the trips, my contact solution was confiscated. Another, they took my favorite lip gloss. Pepper spray? Still comfortably resting in it's home in a pocket in my purse.
don't get your panties in a bunch, you baby.
BTW, Al Qaeda was responsible for a bomb attack using a liquid bomb disguised as a bottle of contact lens fluid. It blew a 2 foot hole in a 747 jet. If it had blown up just 1 foot closer to the fuel tanks the plane would have gone done.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Airlines_Flight_434
Cut some slack to the TSA, whiny crybaby.
I've yet to be stopped by TSA since "9/11", but it scares the holy hell out of me every time I go flying. I check all my bags to avoid "the looks" and the possibility that I might be trying to kill everyone in the airport.
I still get that feeling, when I come out of security relieved that I made it, I run straight for the nearest bar (even at 8am) down 2 beers, and try to relax before I have to get in line to get on a cramped plane, hoping that someone doesn't stop me again for one last pat down.
I never want to fly, if I can avoid it, but even flying from SFO to LA (a 6 hour drive) saves me a few hours, even with all that goes on in airports, I still risk it.
I don't know if I like that you were able to take a knife on a flight, or that you did it on purpose the second time.
I don't like that TSA can treat people the way they do, and I don't like that if I don't like it, I must be up to no good only making the situation that much worse.
I don't like that if I paint on the nicest face I can muster, I can get away with just about anything in those situations. Being White and Male helps too.
I don't like that makeup can make anyone look like anyone else.
This is what happens when you have low paid, un accountable gov employess working secuirty. Also I question your description of the pocket knife as kinda over the top.
A coworker accidentally brought a tube of toothpaste too large, and they had to pull him aside and give him this long speech how it is a threat to American security blah blah. Meanwhile our flight got bumped up early and was about to leave. The security people didn't seem to care. The only thing they cared about was the threat of this f'ing toothpaste.
It must really suck living in fear of literally everything.
How many terrorists have been caught by the TSA?
This is awesome I couldn't get a grenade shell belt buckle through almost getting kick off my flight for the problems I caused, it was A: hollow and B: NOT A FRICKING GRENADE! Is there a school for these people or do they get applications in the unemployment line? I am glad to see there are americans out there keeping our skys safe through the use of blogs. Looks like it's the bus for me.
I regularly ship sample product to my destination on work trips. I got tired of opening multiple boxes with my keys. So, I took a knife. I've now taken a small pocket knife through TSA security repeatedly. If they find it, oh well. It's cheap and I only use it to open boxes. However, they've taken my toothpaste a couple times, even my clear deodorant once because "technically" it's a gel. Just not my knife.
Forget the sharp stuff now they are banning adults holding hands in airports to help identify drunk passengers!
http://www.globalvillageidiots.com/2008/03/30/tsa-nixes-holding-hands-in-airports/
its all good, When i am a Active Duty Airman coming home on leave. and being told that my military ID looks fake and would have to produce another. Then, gee go figure some of my clothes test positive for GSR, shortly enough im standing half naked rounding second base with a rather large guy, behind a wall im pretty sure anyone could see over. never caught that lads name tho... So pretty much i have lost a general respect for them. BUT i will say that their alternative searching techniques are quite up to par :P
When I was flying from Vermont to Houston i found a 9 inch slat head screwdriver in my carryon that i had for working on computer systems. I was even aloud to use this on the plane to open a laptop. I was never spoken to about it. My mother though was stopped and sent to secondary areas to be searched every chance they got. Apparently a 56 year old woman is a very serious threat and a 25 year old man not even a second look.
Before Y2K, my brother in law arrived with Christmas gifts from Chinatown in San Fran---throwing stars (illegal in California, btw) and a 12" cleaver.
In his carryon.
I've carried a Camillus CUDA folding tanto into the Statehouse, completely forgetting it was there.
I once got shaken down at a club for my kubotan and flashlight, but left with my steel toed boots. My wife walked in with her purse untouched, with a .357, two speedloaders, teargas, a kubotan and a 6" fixed blade knife.
It's all a joke.
Apart from flying, I know hold the position that if they feel a need to search me, it's obviously the kind of dump a civilized person shouldn't be in.
I tolerate it when flying because I have to. It's all stupid.
Does anyone here remember that before 1974, you could fly with a firearm? Remember how many hijackings there were?
Last March I got pulled out of line at ATL... My crime? Oh, I forgot to take my hairspray out of my bag. It wasn't aerosol or anything, it was the dove spray kind. Did I mention I was only 15 at the time? Yes, us teenage girls are plotting to blow up your planes with HAIRSPRAY! :o beware!
Let me guess, you're white. :)
This sums things things up...
http://www.infosecnews.org/hypermail/0504/9784.html
I want to see all of you work one day at a busy to semi-busy airport, and see if you spot 100% of all possible hazards that _could_ go onto a plane. Although I don't work for the TSA, nor do I feel completely safe, I never have, and most likely never will. To be an a**hole and assume that you and only you could possibly find every hazard that could be boarded is to say the least dangerously retarded.
Without actually seeing you at work, thats about all I could say, but you give people absolutely NO credit. Most likely, you make more money, don't do half the job, or at least not half the job thats expected, just like the ones you bitch about, and still continue on this.
Suck it up, fly or don't fly, if you don't like whats going on drive to the fucking place you want to, but quit bitching about what you don't do, I'm fucking tired of hearing about it.
I work on computers for a living, I make mistakes, so do you, quit playing like you are infallible.
your wife carries a .357 with speedloaders, tear gas, kubotan and knfe in her purse to the club? why? where do you freaking live? If I missed sarcasm, my bad, but seriously...
Oh, gee "Anonymous" (protecting yourself from terrorists, are we?) someone 15 years ago blew a hole in the deck of a plane, into the cargo hold, causing no major structural damage, halfway around the world, killing one man. Therefore, the SUDDEN DECISION TO BAN WATER BOTTLES 13 years later is a careful and rational idea, and forcing people to abandon nipple rings, plastic combs (My mother, who is SENIOR AIR CREW, and by DEFINITION WOULD HAVE 'CONTROL OF THE PLANE'),toothpaste, are all FOR OUR OWN GOOD!
I see one of them is ready with a gloved, sized 12 fist and a bottle of lube. You go first, mister patriot.
And before you invoke "national defense" or "keeping America safe," I'm a 23 year veteran. Care to match your record to mine?
Well said Mike. The more rules and laws there are, the more enslaved we are. If anyone feels safer with this sort of 'security' then take a look at the statistics. We're worse of now!
and to think, all you need to get the 3rd degree from TSA is to hit the 3 b's: boy, beard, brown.
I've never flown without my swiss army pocket knife on my keychain in my purse, but I've had to open the back of my camera to show there was no device in it, and I've had a fork confiscated.
What stops me from driving....?
.....THE OCEAN. I'm sorry that some of us are cultured and we don't go to Red-Neck Tractor Week in the next county for holiday. Some of us are nationals.
So yes, and so I can pretend to be a "patriot" like the rest of you who think the TSA treats us right.
"I wanna use mah good ole' 'Merican toofpaste, none of that overseas garbage."
To the genius who had the hand grenade belt buckle:
If you were the rocket scientist who pulled this stunt in PHL last April, I hope they gave you the violent orifice probing you certainly deserved.
You caused TSA and the police to clear an entire terminal on a busy Monday morning, so they could bring in a bomb sniffing dog to check out your cool piece of bling.
You delayed 20+ flights, and pissed of hundreds of people. To make it worse, the delay you caused was compounded by the fact every plane was then pushed out from the gate at the same time. Plus, there was a spring snowstorm that day, which required every plane to be de-iced. All at once.
My trip to Minneapolis took FOUR HOURS longer than planned because of your reckless sartorial choice.
Please don't even try to defend bringing something resembling a hand grenade through airport security. Don't blame TSA -- that crap wouldn't work before 9/11, either.
There were people literally begging the police to bring you out in front of everyone so that they could express their appreciation for your wardrobe choice.
I hope they put you on the no-fly list, just for being stupid.
Yeah airports are plain ridiculous nowadays. One time I was flying to california from arkansas and in both airports I got stopped for carrying DUN DUN DUN! - a book. That's right a book, not the toothpaste, or the lighter i forgot i had on me, but the freaking book in my backpack.
Is it possible that your "toothpaste" may not actually be what you say it is? Why would TSA believe you if you simply state it's toothpaste when you admit to concealing a weapon on the plane? Do you think a person with terroristic intentions is going to tell anyone what prohibited items they have?
As far as not catching your knife, scissors, etc. but catching your liquids goes, unfortunately with current technology, it's much easier to see liquids in your rediculously overpacked bags than knives sometimes. it's easy to complain about something when you don't have all the information. I also wonder how many people at you job or in your line of work are perfect.
As for the military members out there, your service is greatly appreciated. In regard to your ID, in the past and even as recent as a few weeks ago, military IDs have been stolen. It's also not hard to "dress up" like a soldier. So, unfortunately, if something looks amiss, TSA has to check it. It would be great to assume all military personnel are upstanding and fine citizens, but history has proven otherwise. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were both Army veterans.
I was detained at the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport and nearly missed my flight because of an unidentified cylinder of 'biological material' in my backback.
The bag was dusted for explosives, and sent back through. Still there. More TSA agents. They opened up the bag and looked through it, taking out the power supplies, ipod, headphones, etc - and sent it through again.
I asked what the problem was, and was told to not interrupt.
The manager was called over - and they ran the bag through AGAIN - and I could just make out the green signature on the screeners display.
The manager finally asked me what I was trying to get on board the plane, since they were detecting an unknown biological agent in a large mass. I had NO idea what they were talking about - but was not allowed near the bag.
Until I remembered that I had purchased a small box of Oreo's in San Francisco, and had shoved them in to my laptop bag.
So - the super dangerous blob of unknown biological material that caused the commotion was... Oreos.
*headdesk*
If you're fucking tired of hearing about it, why do you hang out here?;-)
They don't have to catch them all. However, not shitting their panties over nipple rings, toothpaste, Medals of Honor, baby formula, flashlights, et al, would be a good start.
Why do we carry guns and knives? Same reason we carry flashlights, field dressings, fire extinguishers in the car, cell phones, reflectors and E tools. Disasters do happen, and the zombies ain't gonna kill themselves.
TSA flipped on me once because I attempted to board a plane while carrying an external hard drive. I explained to them what it was (worse, it was surrounded with several wires, ac adapter, ethernet cable, etc...) and told them it was for my laptop, which TSA didn't seem to mind. They let me through, but for a moment they were almost positive they had found some type of homemade nuclear device.
The TSA is the new post office. They use intimidation to stiffle negative comments and provide slow, inadequate, andinconsistent service. A union will be next--with lifetime civil service protection. TYhey talk abo;u;t all kindsof electronicd marvels but they still cannot get their Passport name recogntion program to function accurratly after over five years of trial. I just want every congressman to have to go through the process every time they travel--let them suffer from their own laws and maybe thing will change.
WCA
To the dumbass complaining about the belt buckle:
youre just whinging because you got fucked around. if nobody stopped the guy you wouldnt have been delayed.
the thing is, if you have a "grenade" belt buckle, its obvious that its not a real grenade. they dont tend to be small, so unless youre walking around with a big buldge under your top, im pretty sure it wont be to scale, probably only half profile anyway. not to mention, if you made an explosive device, you wouldnt fashion it to look like a grenade. you conceal it behind something less obvious. or are the only bulky buckles these days are grenades...? thought not.
if all this doesnt make sense, the most obvious thing to do would be check the weight or back of the buckle, most belt buckles are flat, not bulky, and lightweight. grenades, are large, bulky, and heavy in comparison.
just because you happen to be as stupid as the people making these rules doesnt mean youre right. a majority of stupid people, is still stupid.
to sum up: shutup dumbass.
Some of the things that can get through are amazing. Some metal things they're not concerned about so long as it's NOT in your carry-on and is going in your baggage. Found that out with fishing lures that have metal hooks.
I think I can understand the whole tube thing, minimal size requirement for suitably dangerous explosive etc... Yet I completely agree with you about the general incompetence of TSA.
You know, if they were simply incompetent it would still be understandable. I mean, TSA always had a reputation for being incapable, even before the whole 9/11 event. What seem to be causing the real problem is how much authority they are given without proper training/education. I travel a lot, and most of the time I feel like I'm dealing with spoiled kids with guns and badges... Of course, there are many decent people in TSA, but still the quality of average field employee is simply atrocious.
If you aren’t happy with airport security, good news....TSA is going away and so is airport security. One of these days you may just screen yourself. I know that’s what you want but so does al-Qaeda. How about you?
Well at least technology is getting better and human error can be a thing of the past
I very highly doubt that the author is stating that he could asses every single threat.
Rather, his point was that the toothpaste and the speaker system are the lesser threat.
Honestly? I'm not sure about you, but if someone attacked me with a pair of friggin nail clippers. As a college student, let me assure you that my microbio book is capable of just as much damage to a person as a pair of nail clippers.
The stupidity of the measures is the point. Can the terrorists and other people get through with dangerous things? Yes. But that has been and will always be true. So why, exactly, do the rest of us have to give up shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, and nail clippers?
Holding hands in the airport? Looks like an April Fool's joke, but it would serve you right. I can remember when two men holding hands might be arrested for lewd conduct.
Okay, wise guys who think that the TSA is worthless, lets do away with it. Let's go back to the days where anyone can get onboard a plane with anything. Will you still get on a plane and not be concerned about the guy in the next seat playing with a tube of toothpaste? A crappy TSA in my opinion is better than no TSA. Everything, especially governmental units, can be improved. Recommend meaningful improvements to TSA and quit whining about losing your toothpaste that you were stupid enough to bring with you. Next time I recommend that you do your part and review each item you pack. Otherwise shut your yap because the rest of us like the feeling of being safe although it may not be 100%.
OK... 1) If you bring anything that looks like a gun, grenade, or knife, even if it is fake, you cannot bring it on a plane. It could cause mass hysteria. Bringing something that looks like a grenade to an airport is absolutely ridiculous. Anyone hear of the MIT student who went to Boston Logan wearing a shirt that was "art" but had all the makings of a bomb? DO YOU HAVE A BRAIN.
2) The holding hands thing was a joke!
3) I am sorry that you can't bring your huge toothpaste that you wont use until you get to your destination anyway. The security regulations change with emerging intelligence. Blame those jerks that attempted to use explosives in drink bottles to blow up planes in London.
TSA is just trying to keep us save and I think they do the best that they can. Tell the government to pay them more, staff the airports better, and have higher standards for hiring.
Fuck, they should eliminate the whole safety process.
Hey! Let's shoot someone on a plane!
What's that? They banned firearms?
Let's club/stab/mace someone on the plane!
What's that? They banned club-like objects, pointy objects, and pepper spray/mace?
Let's put explosives in a drink can and bring it on the plane!
What's that? They've banned liquids over 3oz?
Let's take multiple packs of 3oz fluid on the plane!
What's that? They've banned all liquids?
Let's make our clothes out of bomb materials!
What's that? They've got bomb-sniffing dogs?
Let's make each of our clothes separate bomb components and combine them on the plane!
What's that? They've banned clothes?
Let's all swallow individual bomb components, then puke it all together!
Honestly, if they're going to bomb a plane, they've got f*cking methods. What really matters is whether or not we'll be able to defend ourselves if somebody decides to actually do it.
Al Queida's a fucking joke. I'm quite willing to bet that it's actually made up entirely by the US Government to instill a sense of fear and have an enemy, to hide the fact that their economy's going down the drain and they've got a shit president.
The stupid thing really is that anyone with any know ho win chemistry can make a small explosive device in duty free...
I am surprised at the number of people who miss the point of the article. Especially the one who said that the author shouldn't whine about his toothpaste having been taken. The point of the article is that a KNIFE was allowed on an airplane. If ordinary Americans can get away with bringing knives on airplanes, then so can terrorists. If a terrorist can bring a knife on an airplane, then he can threaten the pilot, hijack the plane, and pull a second 9/11.
The point of the article is that, while the TSA continually narrows the list of items that are allowed on airplanes, they fail to stop terrorists from accomplishing their goals.
I agree that a crappy TSA is better than no TSA at all. But there is a third alternative - a sane, competent, effective TSA. And our government needs to understand that.
Hi,
I found your website while stumbling and just thought I'd leave a comment.
I work for T.S.A.
The liquid ban was originally put in place after a terrorist attack was spoiled by U.S. and British forces found that a sleeper cell (in London I believe) was planning to use liquid explosives hidden in ordinary containers to blow up several planes.
Because of this threat D.H.S. and T.S.A. had to retrain every one of it's employees OVERNIGHT.(I am speaking of course of time when absolutely no liquids were allowed to the gate). After some time and more research was done it was found that liquid explosives are relatively weak and it would take a lager amount to actually take down a plane.
T.S.A. also found that people didn't like us take thier super expensive perfume (this is where the 3.4oz rule came from, it's the standard size of most bottle of perfume).
So yes we take toothpaste and water bottles. The thing is we have a valid reasons.
Now for your ipod docking station.
Personally I see hundreds of them every day in all shapes and sizes but your model is possibly the WORST one to see in a cluttered bag. basically because of the way it constructed it looks like a big bad boom. My only advice for you is to take it out of the bag and put it in a separate bin.
Now about that knife.
I COMPLETELY understand your outrage at T.S.A. for missing that knife (TWICE!) it's really disheartening.
The thing is half the people who work their don't want to and the other half can't keep up with the other halves slack. The whole organization in understaffed and overwhelmed. My supervisor told me that back when TSA first started there were 7 tso on every lane AND every lane was open.
To me(I am fairly new) that inconceivable. I don't think I've EVER seen more then four tso on a lane.
That's the first half of the knife problem;incompetence. The second half? Knifes are EXTREMELY hard to see on the XRAy. I can't really go on about that but just trust me.
ANd now i'm going tell you something a bit shocking.
Knives are the least of our worries. we live in a a post 9-11 world. Do you really think ANYBODY is going to take down a plane with a knife? THeink about it for a second, you're sitting on a nice jetblue flight to sunny Florida, visions of Disney land bouncing in your head, then all of a sudden 1 guy stands up with a single knife and says he's gonna take over the plane? There's 349 of you 1 of him.
Were looking for guns and bombs. knives are a priority but not the first.
They're doing their job. Just as I'm sure you do YOUR job based on the information and guidelines given to you.
Now to the anonymous person who said "What stops me from driving....?
.....THE OCEAN. I'm sorry that some of us are cultured and we don't go to Red-Neck Tractor Week in the next county for holiday. Some of us are nationals."
If you really were cultured, you would understand that the colgate toothpaste sold everywhere is the same as it is sold here(Totally made in China) And that if you're really that cultured and well traveled, the hotel you're staying in will have exactly what you want on concierge service.
15 years old, going on vacation with my family. Treated like a criminal because they couldn't figure out that it was a FLASHLIGHT... which looks exactly like the image below.
http://bigpicture.typepad.com/writing/images/fortune_pro_flashlight.jpg
I got on a plain with a swiss army knife on my key chain. I also didn't have ANY form of ID and they still let me on. With a knife.
My purse was scanned and they actually confiscated my mascara because it had gel in it.
I'm a 62 year old grandmother and I have no idea how I would use mascara to make a bomb even it I was inclined to do so.
Be a patriot.
If you accidentally get on a plane with a banned object or substance ask to see the TSA supervisor and point it out. In that way we will get two things accomplished: we will have one more stupid person in jail and one less stupid TSA employee checking for dangerous materials.
I once held a family of illegals in my anus and still made it through security. The TSA is about as thorough as Detective Helen Keller.
Anybody who's saying TSA is doing their job either missed the related news the last few years or doesn't care.
TSA is partnered with government surplus dealers and private businesses throughout the US that sell what few banned items don't get missed outright for public profit without compensation in violation of the 5th amendment and eminent domain laws. Some of these are storefronts, some sell on eBay. None of it's secret, no cover up or denial, right out in the public eye.
These stores sell everything from toys and tools to bladed weapons and firearms to books (hundreds of which are banned by title) that were confiscated by TSA screeners. No screening process, you can walk in and buy terrorists weapons like screwdrivers or golf clubs at amazing discount rates.
Think about that while several items are added to the ban list every month.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23277627/
yeah, because I'm going to kill somebody by forcing a tube of toothpaste down their throat...
I do think it's pretty damn far-fetched that people are getting away with knives and shit, and then EVERYBODY seems to get caught with their toothpaste. Pretty damn retarded that some people can get away with bringing something that may actually do some damage, and then Mr. Familyman gets his toothpaste taken away on his yearly family vacation with his Wife and Kids. Obviously people are going to make mistakes and miss the odd thing, but wouldn't knives and ACTUAL weapons be the thing they would be avidly searching for? But here we have numerous stories of people making it on the plane (several times) with box cutters and other knives. Enough protecting these airport employees by saying they make mistakes like everybody else. These mistakes could cost a plane full of people their lives, and make the security even more secured and then we would have more people bitching that they can't take their long old man socks on the plane because they might strangle someone with them.
Yeah I always wondered why there wasn't "test-bugs" for airport security, like have some random undercover person try to pass through security with weapons or enough to hi-jack a plane, because I'm sure if I really wanted to cause trouble on a plane, I could find a way, and I am only 16. I would never do something like that but that doesn't mean someone else wouldn't.
I had a friend get on a plane coming back from an anime convention with a katana and a wakizashi strapped to the outside of his bag.
Way to go, security detail!
In 2004 I went through security for 3 months with a .45 Calibre hydro-shock bullet in my laptop bag. I had put it in there after showing my father the cool features of this deadly round.
I then boarded my typical 2 to 6 flights a week.. for a solid 3 months before cleaning out my bag and realizing I had it in there.
In that period of time TSA claimed: 1 brand new bottle of Cool Water after shave, 6 bic lighters, two tubes of toothpaste, an under the limit deodarant stick, and 3 airplane bottles of Absolute Vodka.
i agree with most of you.
some things are pretty ridiculous.
i have a story.
i once brought 1:1 scale grenade
shaped lighter in my carry on.
now for any who are gonna say "wow
your stupid i hoped you got raped
by a body builders hand while they
looked for anything else"
well i didnt mean to put it in there
it was supposed to be in the cargo
baggage, and then my girlfriend
had to speak to the supervisor
about her contacts liquid.
i have an idea for people who want to prove the tooth paste is real
take out your toothbrush put some on it and brush your teeth.
no one is going to brush their teeth with c4, and im pretty sure c4 doesnt foam up.
You complain about the ineptitude of the internal flights. You want to be British on the way to the states to take advantage of your piss-poor economy.
Not a smile nor barely a grunt from US immigration and security staff. A friend of mine visited in February to bring you some much needed revenue on his holidays, and spent 6 hours getting into and out of the US of A.
He flew on to New Zealand after the US of A where he was greeted warmly and with refreshment provided by the airport for weary travellers.
You probably never get to see the TV shows the rest of the world get to see showing how dumb the US are. But all that has been said above gives what we see much credibility.
I will expect a steak dinner with a good selection of wines when I land at Heathrow the next time.
How many travelers come to the US each year? Who do you think will pay for that refreshment?
How many people fly into New Zealand each year? 20? New Zealand's economy probably depends on tourism and it is smart of them to be nice to travelers. The US economy does not depend on British travelers although we love and welcome all Brits just because we do and not because they bring their money.
Our movie industry is controlled by people who hate this country and do all they can to portray life in this country in the worst light possible and it is a shame that is all people in the rest of the world see. It really isn't that bad place. And it isn't just our movies. The media in the rest of world also constantly beats up on the US. I have watched French and German TV. Hint: you will know that the US is a bad place to live when Mexicans and others quit trying to sneak into the country.
The ban on liquids was a direct result of the August 10, 2006 arrest of eight individuals in the UK who were planning on using liquid explosives on eight flights to the U.S. and Canada.
http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/terror_plot_hearing.shtm
The UK also immediately banned liquids. After some research, the ban was relaxed to allow a small amount of liquids on board - what they considered to be a safe amount.
It seems to me that we have a short memory when it comes to tragedy, and place our own convenience ahead of safety. When something happens though, I'm sure that the TSA will be the first to get the blame for not having enough restrictions on travelers.
Just as a side note - have you ever gone through another country's security inspections? I have, and let me tell you, if you are offended with the TSA, you are in for quite a surprise.
dani said...
I accidentally left pepper spray in my purse no fewer than six times on flights between Buffalo and NYC. (BUF <> JFK). One of the trips, my contact solution was confiscated. Another, they took my favorite lip gloss. Pepper spray? Still comfortably resting in it's home in a pocket in my purse.
JUST SO YOU KNOW PEPPER SPRAY IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT ITEMS TO IDENTIFY. I MEAN BY FAR NUMBER ONE. ITS ALMOST LIKE AN ASTHMA INHALER SO I CAN SEE HOW THAT MADE IT THROUGH
Well, for the people who wonder what the problem with knives are, I don't believe one person would try to take a plane by himself. That person would obviously work with others. So it wouldn't be just 1 vs. 300. Besides, terrorists aren't stupid, they wouldn't try the same thing twice. The TSA are just there for the sense of security. And with x-ray machines, metal is pretty much the easiest thing to find. Even if a bag is really stuffed full, an x-ray would be able to penetrate all of that. Metal would show up as bright white since an x-ray wouldn't really be able to pass through. And for the person with a grenade belt buckle, if he was an actual terrorist and was about to be caught I would think he would just set off the grenade. Why would you just stand there and let the police take you? Besides, if terrorists really wanted to do damage to America, all they would have to do is cause a massive forest fire.
Same as anon above, serving active duty army soldier, in uniform -- tested positive for GSR.. No shit? Makes sense having punped a few thousand rounds through a .50 cal slightly over 24 hours prior.
Note to self: use clean uniform for air travel.
Its so funny how fast people forget about 9/11. Yes TSA sometimes can be a pain and their are people in their workforce who don't know what their doing. But if you think about it, in EVERY FUCKING JOB you have to deal with that same problem. You don't hear about a lot of things that TSA are stopping getting threw the checkpoint. They don't wont you to know so that you will still fly. For all the people who are bitching about the liquid, aerosal, cream and jell ban (which I migh add has been in place for a couple of years now) must have forgot about the liquid explosives that they found in England, which was another plot for an terrorist organization to take over a plan and cause more harm to us Americans. And for the guy who brought a GRANADE lighter threw, YOUR A FUCKING IDIOT. of course their going to question you and your dumbass deserved every bit of it you fuck retard. Military people, yeah i know it sucks when they have to go threw your things and something alarms but since this country is so damn touchy feely about certain things they have to screen everyone the same. Yes their are people who can make your tsa experience a living hell. But im sure that your not the nicest people to deal with either. If you dont like it then dont fucking fly. You people are the reason why America is the way it is. always bitching and whinning about something. get a fucking life.
Id love to see you guys do their job. since you make it seem so easy and their all complete idiots
It would be easy as hell to do their job. If a seventy year old lady is going through the check point, let her through. However, if it is a middle aged middle-eastern looking man, stop his ass strip search him and then thank him for visiting the US of A or thank him for moving here. Sounds pretty simple to me, I think I could probably even teach a monkey to do it.
I have worked as a screener and YES! most of the people that work for TSA at the security check points are absolutely useless at their jobs. Most are barely able to pass the GED that they needed to qualify for the job. Since quitting the job I have witnessed numerous infractions on the part of TSA personnel. One of the major infractions to look for while you are waiting in line is when a screener leaves the secure area to lord it over, direct the minions where to go, because the passengers are too stupid to find the belt for the X-ray on their own, and then moves back into the secure area with out first going through the same security screening that you have to go through. Chicago O'Hare is the worst offender of this that I have noticed. I am also a veteran and have specific anti-terrorist experience so maybe I am just a little over sensitive to the breaches. I do believe that we need well trained security personnel at airports, unfortunately the TSA is not up to the job with the quality of it's workforce. You don't even want to get me started on their "Behavioral Detection Officers" that get a whopping 7 days of training into how to detect "nervous" people at an airport. Just remember that the suicide marter guy is not nervous but is at most anxious to go collect the virgins he is about to be rewarded with. Oh and by the way, the job really is an easy one. The X-ray even breaks things down into different colors according to the chemical makeup of an item. Blue for metalic etc. To go back to the original thread, Yes the TSA is a joke, but at least they are looking into their itchy shirt problem.....
I fly twice a week every week and have for many years, I totally agree TSA is a total joke and yes they are basically a façade for the flying public. I really dread the day a terrorist packs his ass with C4 because from that day on it will be cavity searches for everyone!
It's amazing that there are shitweasels here who actually support the TSA. If it weren't for jobs play acting at security they would barely be qualified to be wal-mart greeters.
Dude.....get over the toothpaste, its what $1.00???? A knife is a knife, grandma's knitting needles will do damage as well. Wake up, we should be greatful we have Agencies like TSA. Take a boat if you don't like it.
What is so ridiculous about the TSA screeners is that there is no grey area with them.
You could stand in front of them, drink a half bottle of Aquafina, and still have to throw it away, because according to regulations, it could be a bomb.
For lack of a better term...are they mentally retarded?
American citizens: the USA is your country, if you hate the TSA work for change. Work to disband the TSA.
Write your elected officials, get them to start thinking about the issue. They need your vote, and if enough people make some noise they will get worried and may actually take a position against TSA. Learn something about security protocols and tell your elected official why the TSA cost benefit is too costly with too little benefit. Then sane security that actually works may make it's way to the forefront.
Thanks.
Excuse me for prying, but how much damage could you do with a knife? Kill sombody? sure. Hijack a plane, or worse, blow it up? no way buddy. You could have hidden major explosives in that stereo and used the electrical systems to hide the detonator. So no they are not stupid.
The opposite thing happened to me. I had a giant tube of toothpaste, and they didn't catch it, but there was this teensy tiny knife in the bottom of my bag, the blade was probably only half of an inch long, and they made me give it to them.
While I think most of TSAs procedures are ludicrous.. the threat of an act of terror is real. and of course if a plane is attacked... you all will blame TSA regardless.
Can a plane be taken down with a tube of toothpaste?? If its packed with explosives it will...I dont know why TSA believes that anything smaller then 3.4 oz locked in a quart zip locked bag wont explode...however it may deter someone from trying.. you make fun of TSA removing liquids and IPOD docks..some officer are trained to detect anomalies within a scan... obviously yours had the anomaly...
The bottom line is you all dont like to be inconvinced in travel... If TSA was reconized as a true goverment agency such as border patrol and customs or Immigration....you wouldn't think the searches and removal of "seemingly" harmless items we for nought.
Im pretty sure TSA officers would prefer not having searching your dirty disgusting bags filled with your soiled clothing, bugs, rotten food and larve... thats right..... living disgusting bugs...one bag next to the other...you the traveling public instead of critizing TSA you all should clean up your junk.before leaving your homes....
Bo, I think Border Patrol and Customs are a bunch of worthless dorks, too. And that comes from encountering them professionally.
Customs has repeatedly seized torsion knives and balisongs as "switchblades" and had to be taken to court to release shipments.
Border patrol has given me no end of hassle when returning from Canada, and pretty obviously gets kickbacks from the bonding agencies.
Two examples of many.
Post a Comment