Enhanced Screening (no, not the hobby...TSA)

Lots of travelers on here. Any opinions about the new enhanced screening going on at airports???

I just heard there was a pretty bad incident at CVG with regards to the TSA. Apparently a fairly famous model was accosted by them--felt up and semi-nude photos were taken with personal cell phones.

Eric Deters, a pretty famous attorney in these parts, is her attorney. Look for a news story soon--apparently it just happened this afternoon.

I think he said he will be posting more details on his blog:

http://www.ericdeters.com/

Fucking "security theater". If TSA had caught one terrorist in 9 years, this might have more credibility. This latest farce may just be the last straw. These assholes need to start looking for terrorists and not weapons.

I imagine OBL and his gang are laughing their ass off at what we are doing to ourselves.

Hear, hear absolute bullshit. Guilty until proven innocent should be the TSA motto

I imagine OBL and his gang are laughing their ass off at what we are doing to ourselves. Originally Posted by pjorourke

http://youtu.be/TBL3ux1o0tM

http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/...e-1010419.html

TSA acts like *we* are the terrorists. A theater of the absurd. And we just go along -- are we all sheep?

Not being judgemental about sheep -- I have very recently participated in being one of the sheep. Just wondering how long I/we are all going to put up with this government 'service'.

Just wondering, do politicians get enhanced pat downs? Anyone groping Nancy Pelosi? How about Harry Reid? Do they even get the body scanners? Perhaps the laws don't apply to them, perhaps they are exempt somehow, a typical accomodation when laws and regulations are passed. Perhaps Nancy's military planes don't require enhanced pat downs. If Nancy and Harry are groped perhaps the TSA procedures would be modified more quickly. Or maybe grope Bill and Hillary Clinton -- that should lead to some quick changes in TSA procedures. Clearly if Michelle were ever groped by TSA goons we would see a different side of our President. Currently he sends his regrets for the necessity but doesn't change the procedures....

Underwear bomber. "The system worked." Right, Janet. When a plane goes down despite all this TSA b.s., will you stop the theater, or will you double down? Any punters taking bets? I'm hitting the double down.

What more can TSA ask? Maybe we all walk naked through security? We all get body cavity inspections? Those with enhancements and prostheses get 'special' screening? These last seem to be the areas of concern, terrorists with exploding prostheses or exploding enhancements, but we are treated to a screening theater that both goes too far politically but in practice is not specific enough and does not go far enough to deal with the real threats.

Maybe another approach? Maybe profile the terrorists? Then TSA will not have to terrorize young boys and old men with colostomy bags.

TSA groping. If I must be groped, can I at least choose male or female groper? After all, if it is inevitable, as TSA insists, maybe I can at least enjoy it.

And, just wondering, who exactly is applying for, and taking, these TSA jobs? "The successful applicant will be able to repeatedly grope their fellow Americans." Is there a youth group? I know, I know, just following orders....

Just wondering, do politicians get enhanced pat downs? Anyone groping Nancy Pelosi? How about Harry Reid? Do they even get the body scanners? Perhaps the laws don't apply to them, perhaps they are exempt somehow, a typical accomodation when laws and regulations are passed. Perhaps Nancy's military planes don't require enhanced pat downs. If Nancy and Harry are groped perhaps the TSA procedures would be modified more quickly. Originally Posted by davidsmith0123

Here is your answer (warning it mentions a Republican, I assume you can handle that lol)

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/us...reening&st=cse

My thought is if a wannabe bomber is able to make it to screening check at the airport, then the entire security system has already failed. The TSA isn't going to stop a potential threat by groping them. And on the slim chance they would stop someone who poses a danger, who is to say that the suspect wouldn't harm people right then and there?

With that said, the groping doesn't bother me personally. I'm comfortable with the thought of someone, whom I have given permission, touching me even if they are a stranger. But I know women who have been sexually assaulted who have now declared that they will no longer fly, because they wouldn't be able to handle being touched by a stranger.

Enhanced screening, while developed with good intentions, is a terrible idea. I would rather that the money spent on training TSA agents on how to properly search someone be used on gaining intelligence, as that is what's going to stop a potential terrorist.

I don't see what the big deal is. I've been in airports with the new screeners a couple of times this month without incident to myself or anyone near me in line.

That said I feel bad for people treated poorly. However in the case of someone with a medical condition, etc. that needs accomodation they need to proactively say something to TSA so they can be accomodated in a dignified way. That has always been the case. I have had a metal rod in my leg for years. Sometimes it sets off the detector, sometimes not (which is troublesome in & of itself, but that is a whole other story); but I tell the agent so he or she doesn't need to go on a fishing expidition...

Finally, as I've pointed out in other threads about TSA, you get what you pay for. The TSA is competing with entry level retail jobs for its workers. Have you ever been in the grocery store and encountered a cashier or bagger that didn't have superior customer service skills? Go figure...

I'm going to the Texas vs. Texas A&M game on Thanksgiving Day. If everyone is patted down that is around 110 thousand people. That is not practical within an hour of gametime. You either screen or you change a whole culture and the terrorists win.

I'd rather trust an Aggie or Longhorn fan to do a better job of pointing out a threat than a federal employee patting down a little girl at this rivalry. At some point we have to accept personal responsibility and risk to enjoy our freedom, and recognize that diverse people can congregate without fear.

That said, a person that seemingly poses a threat should be quickly screened and passed through as there are probably no more diverse student bodies around than at a game like this one.

Besides, if they confiscated all the flasks from the Aggies, they'd be all sitting down by halftime.

Finally, as I've pointed out in other threads about TSA, you get what you pay for. The TSA is competing with entry level retail jobs for its workers. Have you ever been in the grocery store and encountered a cashier or bagger that didn't have superior customer service skills? Go figure... Originally Posted by atlcomedy

So your point is we need smarter, more skilled and higher paid government dweebs carrying out stupid and useless searches?

Lots of travelers on here. Any opinions about the new enhanced screening going on at airports??? Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

I hear the stories but I've yet to actually see it in place anywhere...let alone fall victim to it.

Newark last Friday....nada. LAX the Sunday before that....nope. The Continental Terminal in Houston the Tuesday before that....it looked like the new body scanners were there but not operational yet.

I don't travel by air the week of Thanksgiving if I can possibly help it. Been there, done that, never again. That's just an insane proposition.

But, I'll be back in the airports following Monday. We'll see...

As I was waiting in a "normal" Friday line at Newark (read, holiday-level volume anyplace else), I was trying to figure out how it would work on that kind of regular volume. I just don't see it. If they try to do this & any significant percentage of the flying public opts out of the scans....nobody is going anyplace.

It just takes too long...

A couple of weeks ago I went out of LGA to a smaller mid Atlantic regional airport via Atlanta. Due to medical issues, I always trigger the metal scanners so I know the drill. I've even called out "male assist" as the scanner goes off. I tell the person on the other side I am going to set it off. They almost always get it and off I go to do the wanding dance.

But with the new procedures there was no wanding. The pat down was as shown on TV. They got close to my "junk" but no happy ending. As I talked to the guys doing it I was relaxed and said okay to each time they specified what and where they where they were going. On the pat down at the regional on the way home, I sensed that the agent was as uncomfortable about it as the next person, but he had a job to do. And you know that's the truth.

So I'm thinking next time I fly (January), maybe I should just drop trou. I still won't get a happy ending but it might speed things along. Who knows maybe one of my fellow females passengers might like the "goods" I am packing.

So I'm thinking next time I fly (January), maybe I should just drop trou. I still won't get a happy ending but it might speed things along. Who knows maybe one of my fellow females passengers might like the "goods" I am packing. Originally Posted by SR Only

SR Only's motto: Looking for Sugar Babies wherever I go.