# TSA Detains Woman Over "Attitude"



## MJS (Sep 10, 2012)

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...ause-attitude-130613985--abc-news-travel.html



> A woman who claims the Transportation Security Administration detained her from her flight because the agent didn't like her attitude has posted a video of the confrontation on YouTube.The 22-second video has 45,000 views as of Monday morning. It is posted under the name AirportVideoofTSA. The person who uploaded the video writes, "I was not allowed to board a plane (even though I had already been through airport security) because I drank my water instead of letting the TSA "test" it. The TSA agent finally admitted that it wasn't because they thought I was a security risk-it was because the TSA agent, Louis Godeaux, was mad at me!"
> Though the audio is garbled, the exchange goes like this:
> Woman: Do you think I'm honestly a threat? Do you think that?
> TSA agent: No, no, no but with your attitude . . .
> ...



Sigh...what a bunch of square badge, wanna be *******s!  I dread dealing with these jokers the next time I fly.


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## granfire (Sep 10, 2012)

MJS said:


> http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blog...ause-attitude-130613985--abc-news-travel.html
> 
> 
> 
> Sigh...what a bunch of square badge, wanna be *******s!  I dread dealing with these jokers the next time I fly.




Storm Troopers...the bad kind...


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## WC_lun (Sep 10, 2012)

While I am not disagreeing with your guys assessment of the TSA, it still wasn't very smart to antagonize the TSA when they are doing thier job.  I mean the woman knew full well she was getting an attitude with people that could make her life more difficult.  Both sides of this deserve some blame, in my book.


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## granfire (Sep 10, 2012)

WC_lun said:


> While I am not disagreeing with your guys assessment of the TSA, it still wasn't very smart to antagonize the TSA when they are doing thier job.  I mean the woman knew full well she was getting an attitude with people that could make her life more difficult.  Both sides of this deserve some blame, in my book.



They are not there to like attitude....
Seems more like they behave like little napoleons, first antagonize people then keep them off their planes.
By the time I am reaching the airport I have already had a full day's worth of trouble to deal with and a good leg of the journey behind me. (but I am a bit surprised...here you can't take water past the check points. had to dump quiet a number of bottles there...)

I am so glad I don't fly for a living...When I do it's international. I have not yet seen any of that crap there...


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## WC_lun (Sep 11, 2012)

Certainly the TSA should not be acting like douchebags.  They should be professional and deal with people who are less than polite in a professional manner.  If they can't do that, they need a career change.

How smart is it though to atagonize and get attitude with someone who can make your life more difficult?  Sometimes the better part of valor is just to keep your dang mouth closed.  Don't want problems, cooperate with them.  If they do something that warrant attitude or uncooperativeness, you still must realize if you take those actions, right or wrong, you're probably gonna miss that plane.


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## granfire (Sep 11, 2012)

WC_lun said:


> Certainly the TSA should not be acting like douchebags.  They should be professional and deal with people who are less than polite in a professional manner.  If they can't do that, they need a career change.
> 
> How smart is it though to atagonize and get attitude with someone who can make your life more difficult?  Sometimes the better part of valor is just to keep your dang mouth closed.  Don't want problems, cooperate with them.  If they do something that warrant attitude or uncooperativeness, you still must realize if you take those actions, right or wrong, you're probably gonna miss that plane.



But you know, PMS is supposedly a valid defense in a murder trial!


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 11, 2012)

My wife almost missed a flight because they had to play with her hair.  It's rather thick, and they had to run their fingers through it to make sure it wasn't a wig or that she'd concealed an MX in there.

When I pick her up next time I'll be wearing my "The TSA, giving failed mall cops and work release candidates jobs" shirt.


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## Master Dan (Sep 11, 2012)

WC_lun said:


> While I am not disagreeing with your guys assessment of the TSA, it still wasn't very smart to antagonize the TSA when they are doing thier job.  I mean the woman knew full well she was getting an attitude with people that could make her life more difficult.  Both sides of this deserve some blame, in my book.



I agree with you and while I agree that TSA is a prime example of why the last resort should be to start a new Federal agency and that most of those people would be working at Macdonalds or greeters at Walmart ( don't start the crap about degrading thier jobs its an employment and education issue) they would not know a turd from knife half the time many abuses and the job lends itself to mental stress as well. 

However if your wise and want to reach your destination smile treat them with respect and be kind thank God you did not have every orface of your body probed after getting through. Complain from other locations not at the airport or the plane.


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## Master Dan (Sep 11, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> My wife almost missed a flight because they had to play with her hair.  It's rather thick, and they had to run their fingers through it to make sure it wasn't a wig or that she'd concealed an MX in there.
> 
> When I pick her up next time I'll be wearing my "The TSA, giving failed mall cops and work release candidates jobs" shirt.



I know I watched them pratically strip search a pregnant Eskimo Woman holding a baby in Nome Alaska of all places there is no sense or common sense to thier operation. The poor people who have breast issues after surgery or implants and my personal favorite piercings in unusual places. 
We should privatize the enitre system to the Israelie's They have the safetest airlines in the world and do not piss everybody off except the bad guy's  who in general they know who to look for and its not grandma or you?


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## Tames D (Sep 11, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> My wife almost missed a flight because they had to play with her hair. It's rather thick, and they had to run their fingers through it to make sure it wasn't a wig or that she'd concealed an MX in there.
> 
> When I pick her up next time I'll be wearing my "The TSA, giving failed mall cops and work release candidates jobs" shirt.



Just curious... Have you ever worn that shirt while boarding a flight?


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 11, 2012)

Tames D said:


> Just curious... Have you ever worn that shirt while boarding a flight?



I do my best not to fly.  If I ever have to again, I'll be wearing a trenchcoat and a speedo.


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## Dirty Dog (Sep 11, 2012)

Since we live in landlocked Colorado, our dive addiction requires us to fly. The TSA is consistently a pain.
Sue has had a pair of tweezers confiscated. And an eyelash curler. Seriously? Like she's going to pluck someone to death?

And I have an unbroken record of getting pulled aside for "random" special attention on every flight, yes, EVERY flight in the last 10 years.


Bob... speedos????
I don't know why, but one of the things I've noticed is that European men, no matter how large, seem to think that a speedo is the appropriate thing to wear under their wetsuit.
:barf:


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 11, 2012)

I just like the stupidity of them running my coat through the super xray machine, then telling me I have to put it on so they can pat me down. (happened to a gal who went through in bra and panties.)

The TSA are worst than KeyStone Cops, because at least the KSC were funny.  20% are convicted sex offenders. Half never had back ground checks done.  Several hundred have been fired and/or arrested for security breaches, as well as theft. 

There are legitimate reasons why, like rapists and child molesters, the TSA is not welcome on this site.


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## Dirty Dog (Sep 11, 2012)

One of our more entertaining flights took place 2 days after one of my octreoscans. OK, so I was actually emitting gamma rays. Is that any reason for all the fuss?
Try explaining to the TSA guy with a room temperature IQ what an octreoscan is...


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## granfire (Sep 11, 2012)

Dirty Dog said:


> Bob... speedos????
> I don't know why, but one of the things I've noticed is that European men, no matter how large, seem to think that a speedo is the appropriate thing to wear under their wetsuit.
> :barf:



be glad they wear something....

But seriously, in Bob's attire that is the major point.


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## Takai (Sep 11, 2012)

Dirty Dog said:


> Try explaining to the TSA guy with a room temperature IQ what an octreoscan is...



That word has way to many syllables  for the typical TSA agent.


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## Master Dan (Sep 11, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> I do my best not to fly.  If I ever have to again, I'll be wearing a trenchcoat and a speedo.


Dosn't count if you don't have a sock and pipe shuved down in your crotch


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## jks9199 (Sep 11, 2012)

Master Dan said:


> I know I watched them pratically strip search a pregnant Eskimo Woman holding a baby in Nome Alaska of all places there is no sense or common sense to thier operation. The poor people who have breast issues after surgery or implants and my personal favorite piercings in unusual places.
> We should privatize the enitre system to the Israelie's They have the safetest airlines in the world and do not piss everybody off except the bad guy's  who in general they know who to look for and its not grandma or you?



El Al handles a tiny fraction of the air traffic of most of our airports in the US.  I was acquainted with the now retired chief of police for the airport police at one of the largest airports in the country and the world.  He had tons of good things to say about El Al and the Israelis in general.  But they're methods aren't something adaptable to the US air travel system as a whole.  They can do it on their flights (and they do...) but not for our air transit system.

(According to statistics I found on the Research and Innovative Technology Administration Bureau of Transportation Statistics website -- there were nearly 10 million passenger flights in the US in 2011.  Numbers for this year appear to be consistent.)


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## Master Dan (Sep 11, 2012)

jks9199 said:


> El Al handles a tiny fraction of the air traffic of most of our airports in the US.  I was acquainted with the now retired chief of police for the airport police at one of the largest airports in the country and the world.  He had tons of good things to say about El Al and the Israelis in general.  But they're methods aren't something adaptable to the US air travel system as a whole.  They can do it on their flights (and they do...) but not for our air transit system.
> 
> (According to statistics I found on the Research and Innovative Technology Administration Bureau of Transportation Statistics website -- there were nearly 10 million passenger flights in the US in 2011.  Numbers for this year appear to be consistent.)



I do understand this but we should be able to do something short of our current huge expense and obviously failed non-profiling policy which is non reality


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## CanuckMA (Sep 11, 2012)

You can scale the Israeli system with personnel. What you will have a hard time with is having enough trained personnel. Amd you will never duplicate the Israeli mindset. Remember that everyone working airport security is military trained. And that they know the threat they face is real and is a threat to their very existence.  Some of their techniques are very good. They don't just question the people fitting the profile. It is not ubusual for them to pull grandma out of the line, so that hidden observers can analyse the response of the people around her. 

The most important part of their model is that security is all encompassing in the airport. Not just at a chokepoint. You are being observed and questioned while waitng to check in, at passport control, and observed after you have entered the sterile zone. 

It's great, but would cost a fortune.


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## granfire (Sep 11, 2012)

CanuckMA said:


> You can scale the Israeli system with personnel. What you will have a hard time with is having enough trained personnel. Amd you will never duplicate the Israeli mindset. Remember that everyone working airport security is military trained. And that they know the threat they face is real and is a threat to their very existence.  Some of their techniques are very good. They don't just question the people fitting the profile. It is not ubusual for them to pull grandma out of the line, so that hidden observers can analyse the response of the people around her.
> 
> The most important part of their model is that security is all encompassing in the airport. Not just at a chokepoint. You are being observed and questioned while waitng to check in, at passport control, and observed after you have entered the sterile zone.
> 
> It's great, but would cost a fortune.



well, they don't hire clowns either... or mall cops, or wannabe mall cops...


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## arnisador (Sep 11, 2012)

I have a pretty grumpy attitude and I honestly worry they'll give me crap because of it some day.


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## punisher73 (Sep 12, 2012)

Never had a problem with TSA. I knew the checks I would be going through and made sure my pants were snug and wouldn't need a belt to hassle with and wore shoes that could be easily slipped off.  Made sure everything was in my backpack instead of my pants pockets before getting up there.

quick, easy and painless.

Does it justify a bad attitude? Nope, but if more people took some responsibility and knew what was required of THEM before flying it would make everyone's life easier.


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## MJS (Sep 12, 2012)

Interesting...last time I few, which was about 2yrs ago, I saw people trying to pass thru the TSA checkpoint with plastic water/soda bottles, and the TSA folks made them toss it in the trash.  I saw no testing.  The only thing they busted my *** on, which IMO, was ****ing stupid anyways, was the fact that I forgot about the smaller bags for the liquids and had everything in 1 large bag.  Made my wife go back out, get smaller bags, come back thru, be rescreened, and put the stuff in 2 smaller bags, yet it was all going into the same carry on.  

As for this case....well, the public can be unprofessional, as well as the TSA.  Unfortunately, when you're in the line of work, where you're dealing with the public, you need to a) do your best to remain professional, despite the rude 'citizens' that you deal with, as well as b) have a thick skin.  I deal, as I'm sure many others on here do, with a wide variety of people every day.  LOL!  Was this woman an ***?  Yup.  I'm not familiar with the policies the TSA uses, when dealing with people like this, but IMO, from what I read, and saw on the poor quality video, the situation was out of hand.


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 12, 2012)

The TSA policy when dealing with a non-compliant is to ratchet up the retaliation until they achieve satisfaction.
This can and will include being delayed to the point that you miss your flight, public humiliation, being subjected to aggressive screening which can result in bruised testicles and violation of vagina or anus, as well as gang tactics where multiple screeners surround you and amplify the tactics

There are -thousands- of complaints, hundreds with video and audio evidence to support the above statement.

When faced with the risk of mass opposition, the TSA caves. When a National Opt-Out day was called, rather than do the hundreds of additional pat downs, the TSA put their cancer-scans on 'stand by' and used the standard metal detectors.  When a dozen photographers show up to shoot, they do nothing. They are bullies. Nothing more. 

They will cite how many packs of matches, pocket knives or lighters they have caught yet there are still no arrests of terrorists at the screening points. Handguns, knives and even swords slip through their web while they worry about your toothpaste. Billions have been wasted on this farce.  Meanwhile the security theater puts thousands of lives at risk each day as people avoid safe air travel and take to the more dangerous highways.  How many people, disgusted at the TSA, have died in car accidents as a result of their choosing liberty over tyranny?

The TSA are terrorists, and should be treated as such.


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 12, 2012)

> When it comes to the overall question of how well the TSA is doing at  its job of airport security screenings, 57% of frequent travelers said  it was doing a poor job, 34% rated it fair, 8% said it was good, and 1%  called the agency&#8217;s work as excellent.


http://consumerist.com/2012/09/mayb...-the-tsa-but-frequent-fliers-not-so-much.html


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## pgsmith (Sep 12, 2012)

> The TSA are terrorists, and should be treated as such.


  It helps immensely to stop and think about just what the job of the TSA is. The TSA was created as a way for the politicians in power to have something tangible to point to in order to make people feel better about air travel after 9/11. They are not going to catch anything like determined terrorists, but terrorists will never get another opportunity to do something like they did on 9/11 anyway. Some of the folks within the system think they are actually doing something, and so 'innovations' continue to be rolled out. However, most people that fly frequently understand the purpose of the TSA, and never really have any issues with them. I've never had any real problems with them, even when I forgot to do something I was supposed to and had to have my stuff hand searched, or the time I brought a 17 pound chunk of petrified wood in my carry-on. 

  The TSA agents aren't very smart, aren't paid very much, and have a useless job where they are frequently abused. It doesn't surprise me in the least when someone is too stupid to take that into account, and gets harrassed for making their job that much more difficult. Makes me think of the Dixie Chicks from a few years back when they were on top of the country music charts. They publicly put down the president when they were touring in England, and then got upset when their fans, country music fans tend to be rabidly patriotic, burned their CDs and refused to listen to them anymore. There are always consequences for our actions, and it's best to figure out before-hand what those consequences might be.


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## jks9199 (Sep 12, 2012)

Anybody consider that the TSA may just be a visible, attention getting drama while the real security measures go on behind the scenes, with much less notice?

Not saying that's the case -- but maybe it would explain why they can't seem to know their own policies, do things that are mind-bogglingly stupid, and everything else they've done to catch Bob's (and a lot of other people) ire?


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## punisher73 (Sep 12, 2012)

jks9199 said:


> Anybody consider that the TSA may just be a visible, attention getting drama while the real security measures go on behind the scenes, with much less notice?
> 
> Not saying that's the case -- but maybe it would explain why they can't seem to know their own policies, do things that are mind-bogglingly stupid, and everything else they've done to catch Bob's (and a lot of other people) ire?



I wish that were the case...

I wonder if we can apply the same logic to the politicians doing stupid mind boggling stuff while the real stuff goes on behind the scenes?


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 12, 2012)

jks9199 said:


> Anybody consider that the TSA may just be a visible, attention getting drama while the real security measures go on behind the scenes, with much less notice?
> 
> Not saying that's the case -- but maybe it would explain why they can't seem to know their own policies, do things that are mind-bogglingly stupid, and everything else they've done to catch Bob's (and a lot of other people) ire?



You mean like "Don't worry about the squad car and 2 uniforms in front of your house, worry about the wino down the street and that van in your neighbors driveway?" 
I dunno, when you have would be terrorists families calling to report them, yet they are not only allowed on the plane but not properly searched I start to doubt the IQ of those in charge. I think they are just poorly trained idiots with delusions of importance.


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## pgsmith (Sep 12, 2012)

> I dunno, when you have would be terrorists families calling to report them, yet they are not only allowed on the plane but not properly searched I start to doubt the IQ of those in charge.



And, being a government agency, it's ultimately the politicians who are in charge. 



> I think they are just poorly trained idiots with delusions of importance.


Absolutely. However, they are still there and have to be gotten through to get on the airplane. So I smile, be as helpful as possible, make a few jokes, and never have a hard time. It's like a road full of ruts and potholes. You can spend your effort cursing and yelling at the road for being in bad shape, or you can just watch where you're going, and avoid the worst of it, since the road can't fix itself.


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 12, 2012)

or, you do as I do and avoid that road all together.  I've driven 3 days each way to avoid dealing with the TSA gestapo and the airlines increasingly insane bag policies.  When they finish deploying their little goon squads to the highways, they better be accompanied by some real cops, else I guarantee they'll be getting a taste of their own back from some folks.


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## elder999 (Sep 12, 2012)

Dirty Dog said:


> One of our more entertaining flights took place 2 days after one of my octreoscans. OK, so I was actually emitting gamma rays. Is that any reason for all the fuss?
> Try explaining to the TSA guy with a room temperature IQ what an octreoscan is...



At the nuke plant, I had a supervisor who was getting his thyroid zapped. He loved to go up to the control point, look around the corner and set off the portal monitors-nobody was in them, but they'd all go off-drove the HP techs nuts! :lfao:


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## pgsmith (Sep 12, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> or, you do as I do and avoid that road all together. I've driven 3 days each way to avoid dealing with the TSA gestapo and the airlines increasingly insane bag policies. When they finish deploying their little goon squads to the highways, they better be accompanied by some real cops, else I guarantee they'll be getting a taste of their own back from some folks.



  Yeah, people all over seem to be getting increasingly frustrated with our fumbling government. Funny thing that I've noticed though is that most don't want them to stop putting their nose where it doesn't belong so much as they just want them to do it better with less disruption. People amaze me sometimes!


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 12, 2012)

If the government wanted to actually fix the TSA, it's surprisingly easy.

1- Train them. Consistently. 
2- Screen them. No more sex offenders in the ranks.
3- Educate them on policy, and hold them to consistency.  McDonalds can make the same burger the same way in 40+ nations.  "Dont hit people in the balls" isn't that hard.
4- Pay them appropriately, and give them reasonable shifts. The biggest complaints -from- the TSA are how badly they are treated by their own agency.
5- Get rid of the stupid rules like 8oz bad, but 2 4oz good.

Adopt some of the Israeli methods to help prescreen before they get to the screening zone. Note I said some, the ones that can scale up.  Use the non-scalable ones randomly when possible.

Stop wasting money on theater, and give us real security.


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## pgsmith (Sep 12, 2012)

> Stop wasting money on theater, and give us real security.



  Hah! Good luck with that one. Might as well say "Stop wasting money on theater, and give us real leadership.


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## Sukerkin (Sep 12, 2012)

Sad but true - it's not only America that has that problem with the appearance of a democracy without the trouble of actually having one :nods:


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## Master Dan (Sep 12, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> or, you do as I do and avoid that road all together.  I've driven 3 days each way to avoid dealing with the TSA gestapo and the airlines increasingly insane bag policies.  When they finish deploying their little goon squads to the highways, they better be accompanied by some real cops, else I guarantee they'll be getting a taste of their own back from some folks.



How nice for you to actully have roads that go somewhere and not have to spend $600 to $1300 to shop at Wallmart I envy your grass and trees


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## Master Dan (Sep 12, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> If the government wanted to actually fix the TSA, it's surprisingly easy.
> 
> 1- Train them. Consistently.
> 2- Screen them. No more sex offenders in the ranks.
> ...


You make some very good points lets require all TSA to be returning military 1st choice and 2nd choice graduating college students with minimum Bachelor's degree so they have a gauranteed job if they qualify. Am I a biggot if I want English to be thier first lanuage or at least fluent so I can understand?

Also I thought some states were taking over TSA themselves making money and doing it better?


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 12, 2012)

A number of airports tried to switch to private screeners but the TSA nixed that.


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## MJS (Sep 13, 2012)

pgsmith said:


> It helps immensely to stop and think about just what the job of the TSA is. The TSA was created as a way for the politicians in power to have something tangible to point to in order to make people feel better about air travel after 9/11. They are not going to catch anything like determined terrorists, but terrorists will never get another opportunity to do something like they did on 9/11 anyway. Some of the folks within the system think they are actually doing something, and so 'innovations' continue to be rolled out. However, most people that fly frequently understand the purpose of the TSA, and never really have any issues with them. I've never had any real problems with them, even when I forgot to do something I was supposed to and had to have my stuff hand searched, or the time I brought a 17 pound chunk of petrified wood in my carry-on.
> 
> The TSA agents aren't very smart, aren't paid very much, and have a useless job where they are frequently abused. It doesn't surprise me in the least when someone is too stupid to take that into account, and gets harrassed for making their job that much more difficult. Makes me think of the Dixie Chicks from a few years back when they were on top of the country music charts. They publicly put down the president when they were touring in England, and then got upset when their fans, country music fans tend to be rabidly patriotic, burned their CDs and refused to listen to them anymore. There are always consequences for our actions, and it's best to figure out before-hand what those consequences might be.



Yet on the other hand, one would assume (yes, I know its not good to assume ) that the TSA would/should be a step above your typical shopping mall security guard.  I mean, I say this, because if trying to reduce the risk of someone doing something stupid on the plane, ie: bring on a bomb, weapon, etc, is that important, you'd figure the people (The TSA) would be a bit more trained than they are currently, paid better, etc.


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## MJS (Sep 13, 2012)

Bob Hubbard said:


> If the government wanted to actually fix the TSA, it's surprisingly easy.
> 
> 1- Train them. Consistently.
> 2- Screen them. No more sex offenders in the ranks.
> ...



Yes! Agreed with everything here!  Regarding the underlined part...I'd be interested in knowing how much terror activity, how many, if any at all, people try to do stupid things, ie: bring "no-no list items" on the plane via carry on, etc, in coutries such as Israel.


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## Bob Hubbard (Sep 13, 2012)

Fly in Israel. Bring Moms hot apple pie and a 1l bottle of soda on board, no problem.  Unless you're going to the US.
http://www.elal.co.il/elal/english/states/hkg/importantinformation/en_importantinformation0208.html
http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/...ght/LuggageAndBaggage/DangerousSubstances.htm


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## pgsmith (Sep 13, 2012)

> I mean, I say this, because if trying to reduce the risk of someone doing something stupid on the plane, ie: bring on a bomb, weapon, etc, is that important, you'd figure the people (The TSA) would be a bit more trained than they are currently, paid better, etc.


But that's just it. Trying to keep people from bringing on a bomb, weapon, etc ... is not what is important. Having something that the politicians can point at to convince Joe average citizen that they're doing something is what's important. The fact that it isn't actually doing much of anything is irrelevant. 
  It is extremely important in today's society to make sure and remember that facts are irrelevant, and appearance is all important. It's how things appear to the average citizen that gets leaders re-elected and keeps them in power. Facts just get in the way, so they are avoided if at all possible. If you fail to remember this important bit, then you'll make yourself crazy asking "well why don't they just ..."


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## Dirty Dog (Sep 13, 2012)

pgsmith said:


> But that's just it. Trying to keep people from bringing on a bomb, weapon, etc ... is not what is important. Having something that the politicians can point at to convince Joe average citizen that they're doing something is what's important. The fact that it isn't actually doing much of anything is irrelevant.
> It is extremely important in today's society to make sure and remember that facts are irrelevant, and appearance is all important. It's how things appear to the average citizen that gets leaders re-elected and keeps them in power. Facts just get in the way, so they are avoided if at all possible. If you fail to remember this important bit, then you'll make yourself crazy asking "well why don't they just ..."



This.
Doing something effective would be more difficult and more expensive. But it's important to be able to say "Look, we did something, don't you feel safe?"
In *State of Fear* Michael Crichton makes the point that it's easier to control a people who are frightened. There must ALWAYS be an Evil Empire of some sort lurking in the wings. The Soviet Union served this purpose. So does Global Warming. So does the TSA.


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