TSA is a Joke

Discussion in 'Politics' started by Read-Only, Jan 5, 2010.

  1. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Their most recent bumble? This incident at Newark.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34682282/ns/us_news-airliner_security/

    Not only did they delay flights at Newark and around the country but across the world as well. And the following quote from the article in the link show how little concern they have for the people they affect:

    "Newark airport was a mess. Not one single announcement was made, with these thousands of people waiting for hours," Kornblet said. "We learned about it from watching CNN."

    I have a strong suspicion they hire people right off the street, pay them just above minimum wage and provide them with a bare amount of training before putting them to work. (Yesterdiddy u coundent even spel 'securty oficcer' - today u is one.)

    And I feel that goes for their managers as well as the front-line employees.
     
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  3. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    Teeth like baseballs, eyes like jellied fire

    I'm really not sure what to tell you. To the one, that TSA is a joke isn't exactly news. Anecdotally, I know someone who accidentally—yes, accidentally—carried a ten-inch kitchen knife through TSA. She found it in her suitcase well after she arrived at her destination.

    Right now, frightened and pissed off passengers are our best defense in the air.

    And I'm tempted to make a crack about unionization, but I'm not sure it would make that much of a difference.
    ____________________

    Notes:

    Hall, Mike. "DeMint: If TSA Workers Join Union, They’ll Let Terrorists In". AFL-CIO Now. January 4, 2010. Blog.AFLCI

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    rg. January 5, 2010. http://blog.aflcio.org/2010/01/04/demint-if-tsa-workers-join-union-theyll-let-terrorists-in/
     
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  5. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Oh, I'm fully aware that it isn't news. I'm just disgusted by the fact that no one with authority seems to really care. They might apply a small band-aid now and then but the "wound" is 20 feet wide! The truth is that Homeland Security is the REALLY big joke.
     
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  7. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    Gaping bureaucratic lesion, indeed

    I say scrap the whole department and try something that works.
     
  8. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    I'm in favor of that too. And perhaps it should be placed under the FBI.
     
  9. quadraphonics Bloodthirsty Barbarian Valued Senior Member

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    First we have to scrap the political efficacy of the premise that Americans desire the illusion of safety over and above the safety itself. Which will also require coming to grips with what level of safety is actually attainable in the first place. Neither of those are beyond doing, but I'm not going to hold my breath...
     
  10. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    And just what would you suggest?

    Baron Max
     
  11. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    Nope, they're all required to have Ph.D.s. The pay is equivalent to the full tenured professors of the larger universities. The training is intensive ...much like the US Army - 8 weeks basic, 8-10 weeks intensive specialty training, then at least one full year of on-the-job training. I heard last week that the TSA was thinking of adding a couple of more weeks to the training to include additional skills in artillery and bridge building.

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    Baron Max
     
  12. Tiassa Let us not launch the boat ... Valued Senior Member

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    No magic answers yet

    Don't know yet. I'm pretty sure, though, we've got some nifty toys we aren't playing with yet.

    Beyond that, although there is some sarcasm here, it occurs to me nobody's pushing the market-based solution. Split up the airport by airline, leave each to provide its own security, and let people fly according to their priorities.

    And, yes, there is a problem there insofar as airlines and capitalism are a problematic mix. But at this point, a thousand dollars for a ticket from Sea-Tac to LAX? There are people who will pay for the mere illusion of safety.
     
  13. pjdude1219 The biscuit has risen Valued Senior Member

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    you know you can get on a plane without a valid id.
     
  14. kmguru Staff Member

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    The company I worked for, suggested an AI solution that constantly checks, learns and connects the dots. But people at FBI went to sleep. That is because the AI system requirement was to integrate data from various agencies and FBI said, that can not be done. That was 3 years ago. We plan to present the same idea again and see if this time somebody will bite. I doubt it though, as there are too many little kingdoms that do not share info. The other reason nothing may happen is that the dumb criminals use the same method every 3 years - so another one may not happen for 3 to 4 years with no causalities and hence no one is willing to give up their control.
     
  15. madanthonywayne Morning in America Registered Senior Member

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    I was always dubious of the idea that federalizing the airport screeners would accomplish anything but increase the deficit. Perhaps we should put someone from Israel in charge and try to emulate the system used by El Al. They've got a damned good record.
     
  16. Read-Only Valued Senior Member

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    Yes, I would certainly support THAT idea!
     
  17. Baron Max Registered Senior Member

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    Pretty sure? And even if so, how much do they cost?

    Society pays millions for police forces, yet all they can do is clean up the mess after a crime and, hopefully, capture the perpetrator. Yet there are some people in our society who would deny a citizen the right to own a gun to protect himself ......claiming that we should rely on the cops to protect us. Sad, ain't it?

    How much are humans worth? How much is a plane load of humans worth in today's market? How much are we willing to spend to save that one planeful of humans ....while gazillions of planes fly every day without any problems.

    Just remember, for those of you who know me, I'm the one who makes claims of humans being basically worthless ...it's mostly y'all who claim that humans are so valuable and how one of 'em being killed is so horrible and terrible, etc. So, ....you tell me ....how much are humans worth?

    Baron Max
     

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