just got back from florida. what i learned about the tsa.

[chad]

alex jones, et al are full of it.

- the tsa doesn't care if you don't want to go through back scatter machines. and we didn't get pat down for refusing. a simple, "okay," and you got to go through the regular, old, 1985 metal detector machine. LOTS of people were doing it.

- didn't have to take our shoes off.

- tsa didn't even check my kids ids.

- tsa did not give a shit when i asked to leave the secure area to go back in to the regular terminal. just told me to keep my boarding pass/id and i would have to go through the machines again. which i then refused the back scatter a second time (i thought for sure i would get it now, since i left the secure area, then came back in, then refused the machine twice). they did not care. "okay, sir" and i went through the metal detector.

- not the tsa, but my plane flew for at least 1/4 with the cockpit door open. it was night, and i was in the front row. could clearly see the lit up dial/controls of the plane and the pilots. spirit airlines in case anyone cares. this was what surprised me the most. apparently my flight crew was not worried about "terrorists."

it was highly an anti-doom vacation.

caught a 12 pound snook, so that was cool.

[sirgonzo420]

alex jones, et al are full of it.

- the tsa doesn't care if you don't want to go through back scatter machines. and we didn't get pat down for refusing. a simple, "okay," and you got to go through the regular, old, 1985 metal detector machine. LOTS of people were doing it.

- didn't have to take our shoes off.

- tsa didn't even check my kids ids.

- tsa did not give a shit when i asked to leave the secure area to go back in to the regular terminal. just told me to keep my boarding pass/id and i would have to go through the machines again. which i then refused the back scatter a second time (i thought for sure i would get it now, since i left the secure area, then came back in, then refused the machine twice). they did not care. "okay, sir" and i went through the metal detector.

- not the tsa, but my plane flew for at least 1/4 with the cockpit door open. it was night, and i was in the front row. could clearly see the lit up dial/controls of the plane and the pilots. spirit airlines in case anyone cares. this was what surprised me the most. apparently my flight crew was not worried about "terrorists."

it was highly an anti-doom vacation.

caught a 12 pound snook, so that was cool.


The cockpit door was probably open because the pilot was airing out a fart.

[Twisted Titan]

Caught them on a off day.

Kinda like a Cop after he makes his quota...

[collector]

Either that or setting up for a false flag to PROVE without a doubt that tighter controls are needed

[chad]

i'v flown probably a dozen times since 9/11, and it was by far the most lax i've ever seen it. what that means, i don't know?

[mamboni]

i'v flown probably a dozen times since 9/11, and it was by far the most lax i've ever seen it. what that means, i don't know?

Maybe the local TSA people are also tired of the bullshit. How many thousands of grandmas with colostomy bags do they have to frisk only to always come up empty before they too realize that it's a stupid exercise in control and nothing more and they are getting played too. The government has us all running around sticking our fingers up eachother's asses looking for scary moozlems and they're sitting in their boardrooms sipping lates and laughing their asses off at how gullible we are.

[Horn]

Terrorists do not fly with Spirit, everyone knows this.

[PatColo]

without doing any searching for now, didn't I recently hear that either airports or TSA overall were going to lose the Chertoff backscatter naked body cancer machines due to "safety concerns" ? I know either EU or individual countries had rejected the backscatters last year sometime due to safety.

what's chertoff, Carlyle group etc going to profiteer from next?

[horseshoe3]

Are you sure it was TSA? Some airports use private security which are much more polite and courteous. With them, you ALMOST get the idea that they are interested in your safety instead of harassing you.

[chad]

no, it was full blown tsa. i only saw one guy that looked like he might be judge dredd, but he was too busy reading a magazine to care about anything. like mamboni said, i did kind of get the impression that they knew it was all a big show.

[Heimdhal]

I just flew to NY out of WPB just after christmas. My results were very different.

-They weernt militant but the fat lady running the line wasnt in the mood for anything and it was pretty slow
-MUST take shoes off
-Old people can have alight jacket, must still take shoes off, even if they are flip flops.
-CANNOT refuse the milimeter wave machine

Yep, thats right, NO REFUSAL ALLOWED. Thats what the lady looked right in my face and said when i told her i'd rather go through the metal detector, like the lady with the baby did. I got a lecture and shown a little placard all about how the MM Wave machine didnt use radiation like the back scatter and it was perfectly safe. I said "nah, thats ok, I want the metal detector, even if i get a pat down".

"no, you arent allowed to refuse because it isnt the back scatter machine"

I said "It says 'you may opt out of this device and use traditional screening methods and a pat down if you wish' right on the bottom of the very placard you showed me and we are still standing in front of"
"nope, no refusal allowed"

I know the MM wave isnt like the backscatter so I gave up and went on my way because if I was late for my cousins funeral (died of breast cancer in her early 40's that morning, the day AFTER christmas) my mother would have kicked my ass. I let the government win so a bunch of noisy new york italians wouldnt bitch me out for a week.

[chad]

i saw that exact card you are talking about, and they had it on little sign stands in the line. i guess my people were in a good mood. fort meyers to minneapolis.

[Santa]

i'v flown probably a dozen times since 9/11, and it was by far the most lax i've ever seen it. what that means, i don't know?

Hey, come to think of it, how do we know if you're even the same chad that went on vacation? Maybe the real chad is still hanging out in Florida being groped by a fat black tsa agent. :)

[Ponce]

Chad? thank you buddy, I now won't feel safe flying...next time I'll drive my car instead of flying....danm it, whith my luck the little old lady with her kid on her lap is a terr.

V

First scary post of the day.......good morning to one and all.

[iOWNme]

Im not trying to be rude Chad, but what is the differrence between being FORCED to go through an X-Ray machine, or being FORCED to go through a metal detector?

Either way you are submitting to being treated like a CRIMINAL without any evidence whatsoever. Yet, one was perfectly ok to you, but the other was not. Im just wondering why? They are the EXACT same thing in philosophy and principle.

[vacuum]

I went through the tsa 3 times on a recent trip:



mm wave machines were present everywhere, I don't think any were xray
had to take shoes off every time, laptop had to be in a bin by itself every time
only one time did I get to walk by without being asked to go through the scanner
two other times I opted out and got a pat down. The procedure was done professionally each time
no one told me I couldn't opt out, however one of the times the lady informed me there was no picture taken and no xrays were present, but I politely refused

[chad]

Im not trying to be rude Chad, but what is the differrence between being FORCED to go through an X-Ray machine, or being FORCED to go through a metal detector?

Either way you are submitting to being treated like a CRIMINAL without any evidence whatsoever. Yet, one was perfectly ok to you, but the other was not. Im just wondering why? They are the EXACT same thing in philosophy and principle.



metal detector has been around at air ports since 1972. i was born in 1972. familiarity & tradition , i suppose.

[Hitch]

Chad, glad to hear you didn't get molested.

If the tsa agent looked like this, I'd be a bit disappointed if I didn't get groped.

4491

[mamboni]

Chad, glad to hear you didn't get molested.

If the tsa agent looked like this, I'd be a bit disappointed if I didn't get groped.

4491

Yeah she's hot; but what's she pointing at you with, a night stick or a dildo or both? I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

[Ponce]

metal detector has been around at air ports since 1972. i was born in 1972. familiarity & tradition , i suppose.

You are right Chad, I was working for " Wakenhut" at the LA airport back in 73 we did have the metal detector, found a gun one time.

V

[madfranks]

chad, your thread makes me want to share my recent story too. I visited some family in Texas a few weekends ago, and this was the first time I've flown since the introduction of the naked body scanner machines. My experience was pretty easy too, I told them I would like to opt out, and without a blink the lady had me walk right past the scanning machines to a little table where there was an obviously bored looking asian dude who made small chat, gave me a weak pat down (didn't touch my crotch or even get close), wished me the best and I moved on. The best part of this was the stares of amazement from the other people going through the scanner machine as I simply walked by it, as if they were asking themselves "you can do that?".

I'd like to address Sui Juris' post above too, because he's right in that being forced to submit to this treatment is morally unjustifiable. I have to view it through the lens of marginal utility. I don't want to be patted down and treated like a criminal, but I don't want to miss this opportunity to visit my brother even more. Therefore I submitted because to me it was preferable to my other choice.

[JohnQPublic]

I have gone through TSA many times, and have asked to bypass the backscatter machines everytime I encountere4 them (at least 5-6 times). In all cases, I got pat down. The guy always said 'do you want to say anything'? To which my reply is always "just be very careful'. It is not a nightmare, just BS. I see it as Obama's version of Roosevelt's jobs program.

[gunDriller]

I see it as Obama's version of Roosevelt's jobs program.

i have the impression that Roosevelt's jobs programs actually created useful infrastructure, e.g. dams roads etc.

whereas Obama's ... being groped in the name of 'national security'. basically a way to control people. give them a low-wage job - if they have the requisite "Yes we must fight the War of/on Terror" mindset.

though actually, some of those TSA jobs are medium & high wage - $95K for K9 handlers, $150K for DHS project managers.


make-work jobs seem more inflationary than create-genuine-useful-infrastructure type jobs.

[joboo]

Depending on the length of the flight, the radiation you get from the body scanners is less than what you're getting en route. Just the same, why opt for extra.

[Dogman]

whereas Obama's ... being groped in the name of 'national security'. basically a way to control people. give them a low-wage job - if they have the requisite "Yes we must fight the War of/on Terror" mindset.

though actually, some of those TSA jobs are medium & high wage - $95K for K9 handlers, $150K for DHS project managers.


make-work jobs seem more inflationary than create-genuine-useful-infrastructure type jobs.

And all as "useless" as tits on boar hogs!

[madfranks]

Obama didn't create the TSA, Bush did.

[Dogman]

Obama didn't create the TSA, Bush did. But is more fun ragging Obammer! He inherited it so he owns it!