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$1B of TSA Nude Body Scanners Made Worthless By Blog — How Anyone Can Get Anything Past The Scanners

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This video is here to demonstrate that the TSA’s insistence that the nude body scanner program is effective and necessary is nothing but a fraud, just like their claims that the program is safe (radiation what?) and non-invasive (nude pictures who?). The scanners are now effectively worthless, as anyone can beat them with virtually no effort. (tsaoutofourpants.wordpress.com) Más...

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wyomnc1
wyomnc1 13
I worked for TSA for 3 months. Quit because of the inconvenience and embarrasment i had to put children and disabled folks thru. A child with a plastic replica of a revolver in an OPEN For Inspection toy bag caused a supervisor and a cop to panic. Older or any disabled persons in a wheel chair having to put up with groping under and next to them. Actualy having a supervisor tell a person to stand up so she could look under the persons body at the seat.
rick737
richard weiss 4
Thanks for taking a stand Phil.
gdurning
George Durning 2
Phil, although I worked in the same building that TSA trained their early managers and supervisors, in Oklahoma City, I was led to believe that "random searches" was their aim! Not true, since my wife, a 'stroke victim', unable to stand or speak was selected 100% of the time for "A random search". Her last flight from Phoenix back home, netted an untrained TSA Agent yanking her out of the metal wheel chair by the wrists, which my wife could not raise due to surgery and pain! When I tried to intervene, the TSA Agent signaled another and I was held back... She was not allowed, for me to hand her the walker while she tried to stand and fell backward into the metallic chair for more searches while people watched!
devsfan
ken young 4
Bastards!
It is my opinion that these low rent uneducated knuckle heads the federal government gave so much power are drunk on it.
They have virtual authority.
And as we all know, absolute power corrupts absolutely.
rick737
richard weiss 0
Gdurning, your wife and you have endured far more than should have been allowed. Until the public is willing to call this government generated gistopo what it is, we will continue to experience this type of demeaning abuse.
demoore
Dale Moore 0
Nice A/C pic George.
gdurning
George Durning 1
You the Dale Moore I worked with in FAA/OKC?
Yankee1
Robert West 1
Thanks for that bit of news Phil. I know I don't care if a female TSA happens to grab my junk. (At my age that's a good thing) but they better be d**** careful about my wife whom they single out because of her first name. (which she is not of that ethnicity). Her mother was an actress and played the role with that name and iked it) When I go through they want to know what the metal is that I have. (It's medical clips holding me together inside.)
jackz
Jack Zzzz 2
Robert, you're right that first names don't always reflect ethnicity. But I know a few women you would not like fondling your privates. And not all TSA agents are women. How would you feel about a few guys fondling them? I was patted down in Tokyo by a very pretty young woman with white gloves. Before she touched me she asked my permission, bowed, and afterwords apologized with a sweet smile. What a difference it would make if TSA agents acted that civilized.
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
Good for you Phil. You're probably worth a lot more than you were getting paid. Move on and keep,the faith!
LtRav3nw00d
Glenn Andrews 19
If the Israelis can accomplish airport security w/o BILLIONS in tech. Why can't we ?
If you look or act suspiciously or your documents do not match you or your story, you dont get on and are detained and searched. Sounds reasonable and secure to me. Lets put our retired veterans to work and dissolve the TSA.
egnilk66
egnilk66 5
Because that doesn't make anyone rich or earn campaign contributions.
21voyageur
21voyageur 2
Mr. Klinge, I believe u have nailed it. I can't count the number of times the word "billions" was used in the video but the majority of those dollars are floating into companies such as GE, AS&E and other multinationals. Who are we kidding here? Fear sells. Full stop. The unscrupulous business practices of large corporations indicate that they are basically heartless and will do anything to generate profits. Personally, I am glad I do not live in the USA where, unfortunately for the average American, the fear card is being played to this day.
JamieBabcock
Jamie Babcock 2
The simple answer is Profiling. The Isrealies use an extremely effective system of profiling potential threats coming in and going out of their airports, based on known statistics and yes, racial factors. We can't do that because that would OFFEND the PC crowd, fueled by the very people who wish to do us harm. The ACLU, who used to be a valid checks and balance group has now turned the tables on us and by our very nature as Americans, we have turned into our own worst enemy. So, back to groping 2 year olds and Grandmothers to assuage the PC crowd, while leaving the borders completely defenseless.
Squigish
Squigish 3
The Israelis practice BEHAVIOR profiling, not racial profiling. They pull you out based on how you act, looking for subconscious signs that it takes an expert to spot. This type of profiling is 100% constitutional and non-discriminatory, because it's not based on something you have no choice about, like race, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, etc. If an 80-year-old white lady acts like she's hiding something (or whatever cues they look for), she'll get the same treatment as a 25-year-old Arab man who exhibits the same telltale signs.

The problem is that the TSA has only very recently started actually giving a few agents the necessary training. It's a "too little, too late" approach, and it's a supplement to the security theatre, rather than the other way around.
robertl30
Robert Larson 2
How would behavioral profiling stopped any of the 9/11 hijackers?
seahawker01
seahawker01 2
Working for the airline that flew two of them to BOS that day. Everyone involved said they were not acting normal that day.
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
It should be a US Passport for every US traveler regardless of destination. If you don't have a US Passport, then get in another line and we will let you know when you can put your stuff through the scanner!
rick737
richard weiss 1
Robert, I'm assuming you've taken the necessary profile training, reviewed the tapes of all 19 islamist terrorists as they walked through the airport and drawn the conclusion there's was not indications to alert a trained profiler. Is that the case, robert?
Squigish
Squigish 1
Agents would have pulled them out of line for subconscious cues, subjected them to additional screening, and found the box cutters. The cues are not really something you can control, it's involuntary and subconscious.
silas1898
kevin warns 1
Except the boxcutters were not banned at the time.
AviatorLEO
AviatorLEO 0
Kinesics
Larrythai
Yes, Israel does practice behavior profiling, but quite sensibly pays extra attention to members of groups more likely to commit acts of terrorism. There is nothing wrong with combining these two varieties of profiling. The people asking questions on line are usually young soldiers or kids just past army age who have been trained in psychology,and recognizing cues and body language. They know a lot about you before they even meet you. Buy a ticket for cash a day or two before, and I can guaranty you a fairly long interrogation, especially if there are any holes and inconsistencies in your story. In other words, intelligent scrutiny. In the US, we have TSA agents who appear to be HS dropouts, and are rude and overbearing. The whole system is reactive rather than proactive, and this lends to its inefficiency. Is there a potential terrorist who would put explosives or a weapon in his shoes any more? I strong doubt it.
Finally, the waste of funds and time is horrendous...especially at a time of recession and exploding national debt. The TSA is the final revenge of Bin Laden. In fact, I think TSA stands for Tha Smiles of Alqueida.
rick737
richard weiss 1
All true, but do not expect our government to have a revelation. They will continue in the failure mode.
tomkennedy
Tom Kennedy 0
OK, so you get rid of all the people you have decided 'look like' terrorists (HA!) and then the terror organisations will just find people who look like the ones you currently let through free. Nice going, you should work for the TSA!
murray07
Murray Wilson 5
Profiling looks at EVERYONE to start, then selects targets based on past associations. Unfortunately, terrorists have historically been dark-skinned men of Middle Eastern descent travelilng alone or with other similar men. It's a bummer for the Arabic doctor travelling to a convention, but the alternative is to willfully ignore past fact patterns. There are no easy answers - just a set a bad trade-offs that are the price of flying in the 21st century.
ASUHornet
Erik Hatcher 1
Historical looks does not necessarily mean they still look the same. Jihad Jane was blonde and blue-eyed. Adam Gadahn is American. Daniel Boyd and his sons were from the Carolinas. Profiling might work for Israel because they have one airport and less than 50 international flights. America has ovre 400 airports and only the FAA knows how many international flights. To operate American security using the Israeli model would take hundreds of thousands of security agents. People complain about TSA now, and there's probably only about 50k screeners, what do you think people would say if there were about 300k screeners?
rick737
richard weiss 1
You assume all profiling is racial. How niave'.
ASUHornet
Erik Hatcher 1
You obviously did not read the post I responded to. Mr. Wilson stated: "Unfortunately, terrorists have historically been dark-skinned men of Middle Eastern descent travelilng alone or with other similar men."

I simply responded to what he said. I know profiling is not all racial. I've worked in security for almost 8 years, and I have studied the US AND Israel models. You would be much better off asking me for clarification before making the leap that I'm assuming anything.
rick737
richard weiss 1
then state your clarification
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
Simple fix. If you are a citizen of the United States you are required by law to obtain a passport. All others get in another line and we will let you know when you put stuff through the scanner and you, my friend, still get the full inspection!
fbuttrey2000
Frank Buttrey 1
Thanks for the insightful eval of the situation. There is an absolute trade-off or trade-offs that the flying public must expect especially when utilizing air travel in this day and time. It's neither fun nor fancy, but we might as well expect it. Now, the real issue is whether we privatize it or not. Good arguements on each side. I can't see a private firm charging Uncle Sam (us)any more than the TSA joke is costing now.
rick737
richard weiss 0
very good points, Murray
tomkennedy
Tom Kennedy -3
All right Murray, you've shown your hand. Good. So I have an even better idea. We go to all people of 'Arabic' appearance and 'dark skin' colour who have decided to travel in the US. We find out where they live and put a small structure in their front yard in the shape of a lower-case 't' (for travel). Then we set the structure on fire at night to warn them off travelling at that time!?!?! Perfect, and entirely in tune with your pitch!! We could even enhance the message by driving around in pick-up trucks and firing rifles and hoolerin'!! You'd love that Murray.
rick737
richard weiss 1
Anyone who disagrees with you or the overreaching government brown shirts is compared to the KKK. Typical of the left. Everything bad is caused by racism or "W". When the left is losing the argument they always revert to calling the opponent a racist. Can we get a collective yawn here.
Yankee1
Robert West 1
Good call Richard: You see my name right? Good old English/Irish ancestry, and I was questioned if my real name was not Weiss and if I was Jewish. Proabaly because of my wife's first name. And she is English/Welsh.
But that's OK I've passed for Dutch/German to and I'm not blonde haired blue eyed.
edstewart
Ed Stewart 1
Stop the madness; start profiling.
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
Bravo! Not only should we put our vets to work, we should start profiling just like the European countries do. We are way too nice to far too many factions!
davysims
David Sims 9
Congress could have put a stop to this TSA nonsense years ago. Why haven't they, because homeland security is an easy ruse to distribute government contracts and billions of dollars to campaign contributers. The public doesn't want or need TSA, but the big money that owns our politicians does.
rhscott
Rich Heiland 4
I have had a hip replacement. If I go through the old scanners, I get groped every time. With the naked scanners I do not. If they are going to do away with these it means hundreds of thousands of travelers with implants will get groped. I don't give a damn what they see in some back room - the image are sci-fi quality not Playboy. And going through them a few times a month I don't think radiation is an issue. I am hardly a fan of TSA. I think it's a bloated, inefficient agency that is inconsistent airport to airport. But I also think a scanner is just one of many pieces in the security pie. I would have been more impressed if this guy had not started off with a plea to send money to him through PayPal. I wonder how much he actually flies....
perpetualv
Russ Lowenthal 1
"Going through them a couple of times a month" - I average two or three cities a week every week. That's between five and six trips through the scanners each week, over 250 exposures per year! Even if we postulate that the radiation dosage is a fraction of that received during an x-ray the number of trips through means the cumulative effect is high.
21voyageur
21voyageur 1
You can bet that third eye growing out of your neck that that much exposure is not a good thing. Working in healthcare, there is a growing interest on the cumulative dosage issue. The "inside term" we use in the DI space is "are we frying our citizens?"
AgentX
The mag would have picked up the metal case. Yes the mag would not pick up explosives but they can be designed to pick up the detonator... and that includes Nonel Detonators. The mags would have still picked up all of the metal that is shown in the body image as well. Of course that is if TSA did not play with the false alarm rates. Yes multiple layers of security is a good thing but the body scanners are a waste of money. By the way, Bob Burns is full of himself. How many security professionals does TSA need to continue to pound them before they get the picture?

Nothing has changed with TSA. We went through this crap with Mike Jackson when TSA was first established and they are still all full of themselves.....

Of course there is no one in congress to call their cards...
jetdctr
Alex Stern 4
Travel by private jet and avoid all this crap!!! Its the only way to fly....
PVUpilot
PVUpilot 9
Whats sad is the government won't acknowledge any of these and will make counter comments about how safe and secure we are with the TSA. Like stated in the video, we need to privatize airport security. We need to profile passengers! TSA... what a joke. I'm glad this video came out, now hopefully more than just us in aviation will become aware of the flawed TSA.
elden1911
Dennis Brown 3
The straight on shot only is the problem, it seems to me. Two angles or a different angle making it all but impossible to get anything on the side to blend into the black. I travel a lot. TSA employees have always been professional with me. I am rather suspicious of "privatizers" who want to get in there and make money. Did anyone mention just how long it takes to get through Israeli security at Ben Gurion? At best a long long time. You think there are complaints here now. Just try that.
zennermd
zennermd 5
I have been trying to think of something to say about this, but it has left me speechless. More people proving the TSA is worthless.
nnickn
nnickn 8
Haha! I am completely stunned by the utter stupidity of the entire TSA. Why are we paying all of those goons any money? They certainly don't deserve it.
abc123ucm
Just wait now instead of doing away with the body scanners travelers will be forced to submit to front and side scans.
bovineone
Jeff Lawson 1
And then there will be raised concerns about now receiving double the amount of originally planned radiation (for both front and side scans)
devsfan
ken young 2
Regardless of the ACLU or political correctness, basic police techniques always begin with a profile.
Like it or not, the "term "profile" is now an anti-PC buzzword used to scrutinize every act by law enforcement. It has weakened us as a nation.
powerboatr
Robert Sloane 2
TSA imo is filled with not as many smart people as it should, and with common sense.
When I was about to retire from the Navy, I applied for a job with them, and was told I did not have the experience or skill sets. I had to laugh, I spent 20 years protecting our land, have security details for special "items". Traveling through airports armed, and extensive bad guy training. But i was just not qualified to screen travelers. I firmly beleive if we use our grey matter, we can make traveling safe and secure without undo embarrassment or harassment to the traveling public.

I have a hard time with TSA dumping out my 6 year old grand daughters fresh cut cucumbers from a bag while searching her carry one bag.
Yankee1
Robert West 1
Don't feel bad Bob, I was working for a certain aerospace company and wanted to visit the cockpit. The female "supervisor" screamed that I could not because there were ejection seats up there. Not only did I have an "O My Ass" card from Williams AFB (with live cartridge) but as a crew chief I was also trained in the arm-dearm procedures of said seat types..
Some peoples EGOs are just unbelievable
rick737
richard weiss 1
Makes one wonder if that supervisor retired, and with the perfect skill sets, went to work for the TSA.
Yankee1
Robert West 1
No she went to work work in a hospital as as nurse. I think her name was Ratchet ?
rick737
richard weiss 1
Sawing off limbs while the patient bites a bullet, I assume.
Yankee1
Robert West 3
You mean they supposed to give a bullet to bite ?
Yankee1
Robert West 2
Let me make a point here concerning the actions of the TSA. They are there to deter terrorism, however they lack tact and intelligent decision making. The Gestapo tactics are a detriment to travel and unnecesary animosity. But then there are some people wired that way.
They ALL should be given Special High Intensity Training (****) Pardon the pun but it fits.
They obviously are hiring some people who lack common sense and might not even be capable of comprehending the lesson plan IE: Common courtesy and good decision making in the face of tension.
Therefore, the pay will have to made better and as I mentioned, ...the training
cmp5n
cmp5n 2
Good video and demonstration. The presence of the TSA is been so frustrating over the past 10 years, but particularly more so in more recent years.

I hoped Obama would solve this TSA fiasco long ago, but I am now just saddened by the lack of change. How and/or when will this actually get solved? Does anyone know?
JCCasebeer
John Casebeer 2
It seems obvious too me that they need use "profiling". I know it is not politically correct but would be more efficient and cheaper. The last time I was in Hong Kong Singapore Airlines was doing it. If the people selected are not guilty of anything and decent Americans they should accept it. But....no way will this ever happen.
Yankee1
Robert West 1
Oh they do profiling John, they just don't make it known.
MattU470
Matthew Unger 2
Gotta love the TSA! As an Active Duty Army Soldier, I find it both insulting and laughable that our own Military members are subjected to the ridiculous TSA inspections, searches, and general buffoonery. Last I checked WE (the Military) are the ones fighting the "bad guys" and are the ones going out to do mortal combat with them.

Prior to entering the Military, I was a Corrections Officer with the State of North Carolina. Lying out of RDU, I was waved through after displaying my credentials and badge. At JFK, after displaying my crednetials and badge, I was subjected to the whole nine yards of scrutiny. Last I checked, the badge means "good guy." Freakin' TSA!
perpetualv
Russ Lowenthal 2
Matthew - I understand your frustration, but surely you realize that there are bad people, disturbed people, off-the-deep-end people, etc. wearing the uniform too? Doesn't matter if you're a Police Officer, Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Airman, etc. - for security to be effective it needs to apply to everyone.

Of course, we need "effective" security, not what we currently have.
rick737
richard weiss 1
Can I assume that you are saying there is no perfect security system? That is not a revelation. A some point we have to draw a line and say enough. To accomplish a no risk system, we will have to park all the jets, trucks, trains, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and free air balloons. If we all stay home and cower in the corner.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
Richard, I agree and have been saying what is the fascination with aviation. Any true terrorist worth his salt can pick an easier target with better results. Since sealed cockpits and armed pilots, hijacking is over. For godsake disneyworld is a better target. Time to know there is risk, citizens be vigilant, and get on with life in a free country.
alpineglobalprivate
Most think the TSA is a complete waste, underscored with very little common sense.
Rather than complaining, how do we band together and see that the TSA is dissolved?

It is like Daylight Savings time; most find it a huge irritation, but how to you change it nationwide to make it go away? (Arizona did)

How can we take action?
cuthbert31
allan howell 1
10 years ago this implied apathy would be considered almost treasonous to some writing here- I support the TSA and any other airport security bureaucracy across the world that helps bring me home from Europe, Asia or anywhere I travel- eternal vigilance is not just anecdotal
Yankee1
Robert West 1
BUT,.... Would you not support it MORE if they used common sense ? And did not act like Gestapo or Stads Geheim Polizie ? THAT is the point...
iflyfsx
iflyfsx 1
Correction: This video did not make the scanners worthless. They have ALWAYS been worthless. At least, in terms of "security." Not so worthless for the companies making a fortune off them.

Yet, people keep putting up with all this bull, pulling their pants down and letting the TSA have a good look. It's because of these cowards the TSA exists and continues to operate in the first place. In a nation of truly free people, these violations would not be tolerated for one day.
blueterrain5
Braden Joe 1
Wow. Whats next for TSA body scanners?
sparkie624
sparkie624 3
Please don't ask that.... Next will be a room set aside for Body Cavity Searches.
devsfan
ken young 1
That's next....If a suicidal bomber will strap a bomb to themselves, what's the difference if the bomb is implanted or placed in a body orifice.
What's next? Women who use tampons cannot fly during their period?
Colostomy or urine bags? Nope, you cannot fly?
This sh...Stuff is out of control.
motz
martina motz 1
You're all so scared of culmulative dosage....most of yo cannot wait until the plane was stopped to slap your cell phones to your ears.....microwaves, rays, supposedly cancer causing. Iobject to you switching on your ray emitting cell phones so close to me, insuch a confined space. I say we start a ban cell phones movement....after all, they can also be used as detonating devices
williamrogers
william rogers 1
Blocked
ad8916
Aaron Donnelly 1
Interesting.
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
We have former friends with TSA and they are definitely talking unionization. Can you imagine the budget for that? If that's the plan then let every city hire more "real police officers". Most of them are already unionized and their salary and benefits would be the responsibility of the municipality in which they work. That would remove the burden, somewhat from the Federal Government.
jjm361
James McClung 1
Why anyone goes by air these days is beyond belief. TSA is a joke. They employ $10 dollar an hour mental migets who are trained to abuse and insult the traveling public.
papaya0301
papaya0301 1
The Israeli security (ie boarding an El Al aircraft) is actually more stringent (from my experience) flying into Israel than out of Israel. They do this by an interview process where they are looking for variations in your answers and suspicious body lanugage. Considering that they do this screening in the US, it is completely legal and constiutional. The challenge of actually accomplishing it for all airlines in the US is having people trained well enough to care/recognize the unusual behavior. The current TSA personnel have minimal training whereas the Israelis have all previously served in security forces in the military.

As to actual non airline-specific security in Israel, it's just a metal detector and xray for your bag exactly like the old days of TSA. To make airline travel safe, we don't need to focus on technology but rather personnel training, and historically this will be accomplished better by making security either private or military. Since I don't see the public as being okay with military screening every time they fly, then private it is.
petersgordon
Peter Gordon 1
As Blogger Bob says it it is only one layer. No single layer can be infallable (I've forgotton to take my bag of liquids out and its not been picked up). Luckily there are multiple layers.

I certainly would't want highly intrusive Israeli security with check in 3 hrs beforehand.

As far as profiling is concerned - then the hijacker tries to find a wiling person with the right profile - or in the case of a thrawted attempt to place a bomb on an El Al jet at LHR a few years ago a girlfriend with the right profile.

Not strictly security, but closely related, the has been a fus in the UK about full checks not being done for all arrivals at immigrations. Also certainly it would have been whites from low risk countries (Australia, Canada, US etc) who were "waved through" which is effectively profiling. Well if that causes a fuss what would security profiling cause?
keith1517
keith ellis 2
The operative word in your argument against Israeli style security is thwarted, as in the attempted bombing was thwarted. I'll agree their security can be a bit of a hassle, but I'd argue that it really is no more of a hassle than TSA, and Israeli security is effective and consistent.
rhinoboy82
Terry Coates 1
Why is it that my pants with a zippered side pocket are always flagged at these machines? It wasn't flagged at first, but within the last 6 months, a little yellow square shows on the monitor exactly where the pocket is--EVERY time.
cm5299
Chuck Me 1
That's a pretty good one. Usually these things are a bunch of crap. This one seems to make a lot of sense.
gjrockhound2000
KC Hoover 1
George Soros, a major contributor to Obama via backdoor and frontdoor, just happened to be a major stock holder in the company that manufactured these scanning machines. When the company got the order to supply these machines it's stock soared. Soros made a huge hunk of change as usual. Then right before all the complaints started Soros sold his stock. The truth came out about how poorly these scanners preformed and the company stock tumbled. But Georgie boy was just fine as he was already gone and thanking Obama for lining his pockets again.
Jcmahaffey
JC Mahaffey 2
George Soros is probably a major stockholder in EVERY company! LOL
Jcmahaffey
JC Mahaffey 2
George Soros is probably a major stockholder in every company. LOL
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
Common sense will not prevail. It is not PC correct anymore.
deAAn
Dean Seward 1
People who dislike the TSA always have one answer, "Privatize!"

What exactly is so great about private security? I remember "the good old days." They were minimum wage, slovenly bullies I wouldn't trust to take out the garbage correctly.

I travel daily; I have never had an unprofessional experience with TSA, or seen one who is oblivious to their duties. Given the crush of passengers and the unwillingness of said customers to pay attention and take their laptops out of their bags, etc, which is what creates ALL of the backups, not the TSA, they do a great job of remaining composed and polite.

As for them missing half of the "test weapons," that is pure nonsense. They are tested all day long, by various computer generated false images on their screens, tracked by worker number, and if they are missing many at all, they are pulled off for evaluation. I watch their eyes and facial expressions while they watch that xray screen; they are concentrating and focused, because they fear getting getting fired, or worse, allowing a tragedy, which WILL be traced right back to them the individual.

So I ask, if you were running the show, other than a few bromides like "privitize and profile," what would YOU do differently? This is usually where this discussion fizzles out.

Is TSA perfect? Hardly, but 11 years without a single terrorist getting through, which having confiscated tens of thousands of weapons, is about as close to perfect as we can get. If the public would remeber to take out their liquids and laptops, and leave the sequins, cowboy belt buckles, and piles of spare change in their suitcases for later, the lines would never stop flowing.

The naked scanner images have been redone to a generic body outline, so that should salve those like the prim youtubist worried someone might see his privates.
rick737
richard weiss 3
Don't take my word on the failure rate at TSA, Google TSA Failure Rate and read it for your self. If a terrorist wants to get through, they'll get through. The real deterence is aboard the aircraft now. Harden doors, proceedures, armed pilots, Federal Air Marshalls and a group of very angry passengers who will fight to the death if a bad guy pops up. A lot of weapons get by the check point. Guess what, nothing happens. Why, because the islamic terrorists have been killed, captured or detered and the rest are carried in by accident.

Dean, you have stated your case very well. The majority of writers on this thread don't agree with you. If your side doesn't mind seeing the Bill of Rights shredded in the name of safety, we will not safety or rights very soon.

The last eight years of my career, I cleared security a minimum of 5 times per week. I saw some of the rudest treatment of passengers possible. Glad you've had a better experience.
seahawker01
seahawker01 1
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
Agree totally. How many layers do we need? I know how the government got into the airport guard duty. I just don't know how they will get out. Nowhere else can I think of that the government guards with such a huge force of rent a cops. They must think terrorists have a one track mind.
devsfan
ken young 2
It is not BECAUSE of TSA it is in spite of TSA...BTW, two major incursions of US aircraft have taken place under TSA's watch and if successful those two people would have been responsible for the deaths of nearly 500 souls on board two airliners.
Why is it that some of you people believe government has all the answers.
BTW, when security was in the hands of the individual carriers, we lived in a different world.
N21078
Dan Douglas 1
Darn, the bad guys would have never figured this out if some blogger hadn't published it.

Isn't the title "made worthless by blog" a shoot-the-messenger attitude.
cubbie90
Scott Donaldson 1
I would rather spend billions on well trained and well educated personnel who can think than on people with a GED or high school diploma with just enough training on how to push the on button. Metal detectors and dogs have been proven time and time again to be the best defense without having to compromise someones civil liberties and dignity.
WayneCAnderson
Wayne Anderson 1
We need some "Like" buttons here for a lot of these comments. I think the head of TSA needs to be fired and perhaps even prosecuted.
Squigish
Squigish 2
There's a thumbs up and thumbs down button to the right of each post.
edstewart
Ed Stewart 0
Not enough. TSA should be disbanded if favor of a healthy dose of RACIAL PROFILING, along with ARMED SECURITY on every flight. And by armed, I don't mean a holstered and hidden 9mm; I mean a shoulder-slung mini 14 or similiar right out where God and everybody can see it.
21voyageur
21voyageur 0
Sir, my regrets, but you are one frightened and paranoid individual. Best that you take the bus.
edstewart
Ed Stewart 1
If we're going to have security, let's have some. This TSA nonsense is bullshit.
21voyageur
21voyageur 1
Ed I agree with you that TSA is a frigging hoax but I do not believe arming everyone to the teeth is the way to go. That spiral only goes one way, and it is not ina a good direction.
lbhorton
Larry Horton 1
I see many here complaining about this person has to be searched or that person has to be searched. Or I have an ID that should get me through or I am in the military. I am not defending the TSA or attacking individual working for them. It is a system that could be much better. As for you folks looking for special treatment let me remind you that with a few dollars and a local flea market one can buy any ID they wish as well as badges and such. A terrorist knowing that kids and old folks get a free pass at security would merely use kids and old folks to smuggle arms on board. They have no morals against that and if you follow the news you know it. The first time someone uses one of these tricks to get onto a plane and hijack it you will be the people yelling loudest about more stringent searches. The Israelis do have one of the best systems but imagine trying to do that kind of interrogation on a world wide basis instead of a few flights a day. Think people!
rick737
richard weiss 2
Last I checked, Larry, my retinas are not for sale on the black market. We spend billions on useless x-ray machines, yet retinal scan proceedures is all that is necessary to establish a fast lane for documented safe customers. The Army is using this technology to track the bad guys and we can't figure out how to use it to track the good guys. Or maybe the wrong company holds the patent and kickbacks wouldn't make it to the correct bureaucrat.
mvpgold
mvpgold 1
Rather than privatize, the TSA should be a military posting. We pay taxes to support both the military and the TSA. Why not use our own military men and women to assure the security of our airports. Our government could surely find, within the ranks of the military enough professional, well educated active duty soldiers to get the job done. In a time when the TSA is talking about unionizing, whom better to protect our country than the men and women of our armed forces.
Squigish
Squigish 4
There's a reason you separate military and the police. One fights the enemies of the state, the other serves and protects the people. When the military becomes both, then the enemies of the state tend to become the people.

-from Battlestar Galactica, but totally applicable today.
robertl30
Robert Larson 2
Luckily, that would be illegal. Posse Comitatus.
devsfan
ken young 0
Not quite. Posse Comitatus prohibits military personnel from acting AS civilian police except in times of national crisis,martial law or to put down armed insurrection.
Poss Comitatus would allow military personnel to "hold" suspects until the civilian police can arrest.
In any event, the point is moot. The safety of air carriers and passengers is a matter of national security. Posse Comitatus would not apply. IMO
devsfan
ken young 0
If TSA is permitted to unionize it would be a disaster.
Those people are pricks now. Imagine them under the protection of union thugs.
mattdavis
mattdavis 0
From Blogger Bob at the TSA:

A video is making its way around the interwebs this morning from some guy claiming he figured out a way to beat our body scanners (imaging technology).

I watched the video and it is a crude attempt to allegedly show how to circumvent TSA screening procedures.

For obvious security reasons, we can’t discuss our technology's detection capability in detail, however TSA conducts extensive testing of all screening technologies in the laboratory and at airports prior rolling them out the field. Imaging technology has been extremely effective in the field and has found things artfully concealed on passengers as large as a gun or nonmetallic weapons, on down to a tiny pill or tiny baggies of drugs. It’s one of the best tools available to detect metallic and non-metallic items, such as… you know… things that go BOOM.

With all that said, it is one layer of our 20 layers of security (Behavior Detection, Explosives Detection Canines, Federal Air Marshals, , etc.) and is not a machine that has all the tools we need in one handy device. We’ve never claimed it’s the end all be all.

However, our nation's aviation system is much safer now with the deployment of 600 imaging technology units at 140 airports. It is completely safe and the vast majority use a generic image that completely addresses privacy concerns. Also, keep in mind that is optional. Anybody can opt out of the body scanner for a pat-down.

Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team

http://blog.tsa.gov/search/label/Blogger%20Bob
kea001
Tom Kearney 2
Except now if a terrorist wants to blow up a plane full of people, all they have to do is detonate in the lineup to the screener.
bovineone
Jeff Lawson 3
An easy workaround would be simply have people walk through both the traditional magnetometer and the millimeter wave scanners. In retrospect, I'm a little surprised that the new scanners weren't designed to also include magenetometer capabilities.
rick737
richard weiss 0
The enhanced scanners, with magnetic sensing ability will soon be on the market. Of course, They will be used to replace the units we just paid for that are now obsolete. Thank you Mr. Chernof and Mr. Pistole for using your political clout to stick it to the taxpayer, while making yourselves wealthy.
ChicagoBrain
ChicagoBrain 2
20 Layers of security and they still need to see us naked? Doesn't that tell you that something is seriously flawed with your system?
devsfan
ken young 1
TSA conducts extensive testing....That is frightening.
Any time a bureaucratic agency tells the American people it is here to help, it is time to run
sheltonrl
Ron Shelton 1
In your dreams Bob. The TSA has never caught even one person trying to sneak anything on board a plane. Why? Because you can't profile the people most likely to commit an act of terrorism, muslim males between 17 and 40 who have been brainwashed by the cult of death since they were born. Until you do you are nothing but a collossal waste of our tax money. And there is no law, federal, state or local that gives you the authority to grope disabled nuns in wheel chairs or 4 year old girls while avoiding eye contact with muslim women in burqas because it might offend them. Well Bob; I am offended. Most law abidibg American citizens who have to allow this crap are offended. So Bob let's hope our next president has the balls to put all of you in the unemployment line. Somewhere Bob there is a special hell for TSA screeners.
99NY
99NY 4
Good point Ron, lets profile them a-rabs since they were the most recent group to set off bombs in this country and give everybody else who isnt Arab a pass. I'm sure people of Tim McVeigh, Eric Rudolph, Ted Kaczynski or Richard Reid's stripe would be more than thankful.

Nothing like Gov't sponsored racism to solve all your problems! Unless, of course, you are on the receiving end.
rick737
richard weiss 0
99ny, profiling is racial. Only east coast leftist snobs make that argument. It is one component of a mulitude of traits a suspect displays. Behavior, facial movement, eye contact, nervousness, on and on. A trained profiler doesn't have to be a race baitor to be effective. Of course, my argument doesn't fit your political agenda, so I suspect you'll reject it.
99NY
99NY 1
Sure pal! East coast leftist snob here, just pointing out that someone who posts that " muslim males between 17 and 40 who have been brainwashed by the cult of death since they were born" may have a touch of racism in his opinion, since he's doing a fine job of tarring everyone with the same brush.

I'm not surprised you didnt bother to read his comment and just went straight ahead to assuming that since I'm from the East coast I'm automatically a "leftist snob". Go and troll policital sites where people will have the same opinions as you and wont frighten you by expressing anything other than the party line.

Scumbag.
rick737
richard weiss 1
It is a FACT that muslim males between the age of 17 and 40 of age most likely to be involved in terrorist activity than any other group IN THE WORLD. A FACT is not racist, it's just a fact.

By the way, I don't attach labels to people while hiding behind a screen name. I state my real name at the beginning of each post. That is unlike leftist snobs who hide in the shadows, showing courage when they can remain anonymous.

If speaking facts makes me a scumbag, I'll tattoo the label on my forhead
THRUSTT
THRUSTT 0
The next president is going to be the current president, so what do you think of his balls???
rick737
richard weiss 0
Remember when Jesse Jackson threaten to "cut off" the current president's?
As to the rest of your statement, we'll see in November.
WALLACE24
WALLACE24 1
The government has so many people sucking off its teets that the man that signs the checks is probably a shoe in. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.
rick737
richard weiss 1
with the TSA missing +- 50% of the test weapons during their own training program, blogger Bob has the nerve to say we are safer because of them. Reminds me of Kevin Bacon's part in Animal House. As chaos was happening all around him, he stood in the middle of the street and said "REMAIN CALM!!!!". We're done remaining calm while the TSA performs Kabuki Theatre at an airport near you. One doesn't have to do extension historical research to find TSA failures. A quick review of the past 2 weeks news articles provide all the proof needed to confirm their enepititude.

Bob Burns have been successful in stopping weapons left in carry-on bags by accident. If a terrorist wants to get a weapon through a checkpoint, he won't do it by making look like an accident.
Hollywoode135
Robert Truesdale 0
Score! thats why I trust my 9mm. It never lies.
RobSJC
Lets clarify .. The Israelis, use their military for airport security as does Germany (or was, last time I was there) and both are armed with sub machine guns, while another security person would do a physical search .. or pat down .. So, in the end, you run, it's shoot first ask questions later .. Ok, flash forward ...Why not use US military in our airports and for non stops originating outside of the USA for a US airport ? Airport security could be back filled with, Military Police, US Customs, FBI, ATF, Secret Service, CIA and call in "Red Jacket" to supply the weapons. Afew military veterans groups could volunteer their expertice, as well.
jdriskell
James Driskell 3
Something called the Posse Comitatus Act prohibits this.
edstewart
Ed Stewart 1
Wrong!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_Act
diven
flight aware 1
Awesome idea, lets introduce *more* low paid government bureaucrats into the system. And give them automatic weapons!
rick737
richard weiss 2
I saw soldiers in airports, with automatic weapons all over Europe. It's been that way since the 1970's. Not many hijackings over there.
klimaz
George Klima 0
Is there anybody outside of the TSA who thinks they are providing an effective service?
21voyageur
21voyageur 0
This chap has opened a can of worms that he will never be able to put back together. Next time he goes through security it will be "bend over buddy , , , , ," I do appreciate his bravery, commitment to cause, and willingness to be at the tip of the spear though. Good luck my brave young man!
rick737
richard weiss 1
I think the author better drive for a while.

[This comment has been downvoted. Show anyway.]

jcarey805
Jeff Carey -2
video has been blocked by...?
davidaldrich
David Aldrich 4
still works for me
nessman
Les Wilson -2
Forget about the terrorists... let's focus on the two morons in the cockpit who are to blame for the majority of all airline disasters.

http://airlinesafety.com/editorials/HumanErrorVsTerrorism.htm
21voyageur
21voyageur 1
Is it not amazing how statistics can scream out when emotion is held at bay?
rick737
richard weiss 1
Well Les, if it was an easy job, YOU would be doing it.
fredwe
Frank Weir 0
A front, back, left side, right side scan solves the problem.
rick737
richard weiss 1
How much radiation are you willing to take to walk through a public building Frank. No terrorist will be found, but everyone will have a brain tumor the size of a baseball
21voyageur
21voyageur 2
Radiation is not a good thing, trust me I work in that market. As science moves forward the diagnostic imaging world has strong concerns about cumulative dosages. Ask your physician or your radiologist. We are "frying" people.
Yankee1
Robert West 1
Or Esophageal Cancer, which is no fun either

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