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That's what I've always loved about the "random" screenings at security lines in the airport. "We need you to turn on your laptop." and "Give us your bag so tha

That's what I've always loved about the "random" screenings at security lines in the airport. "We need you to turn on your laptop." and "Give us your bag so that we can swab it" are inane. If you think it's a bomb, everyone should be removed and no one should be allowed to touch it, at all. It's all just theater and no one gives a damn. It's sad.

fernandotakai 11y ago
my wife always asked me why i called TSA a farce. last month we were coming back to brazil from denver, when her backpack was flagged for "inspection". when i asked the TSA officer why, she was quite polite and said "the x-ray inspector said there's a water bottle on her backpack". we were 100% sure that there was nothing like that because we triple checked before getting into the line. when the 'inspector' looked at her bag and the x-ray image on the monitor, it was not the same bag. the x-ray guy marked the wrong bag for inspection and the bag with the water bottle was already gone. the inspector apologized and let us go. my wife's question after we were gone was: "if they think water bottles could be bombs, shouldn't they close the airport?" now she knows why TSA is a farce.
- PirateDave 11y ago
  This was posted on HN not too long ago, but further proof they're useless: http://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-undercover-dhs-tests-find-widespread-security-failures/story?id=31434881 http://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-undercover-dhs-tests-find...
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
KayEss 11y ago
That isn't really what that test is about. They don't think there's a 99% or even 80% chance that it's a bomb. They think there might be a 0.0001% chance that it's a bomb so they're going to test (along with hundreds, thousands and eventually millions of others that nobody thinks might be bomb) just to put off anybody thinking that this is an effective way to smuggle a bomb onto a plane.
- jimktrains2 11y ago
  My point is if it's a bomb, you shouldn't touch it, at all. If you don't think it's a bomb, you're being annoying. Which is it? Moreover, why even target a plane? A bomb in a security checkpoint is just as, if not more, scary and deadly.
  - dwild 11y ago
    Let say you are a terrorist, would you try to bring a bomb through security like that? Situation A: They mostly never check bags because they need to close the airport for it. Situation B: They mostly check bags. Just increasing the odds of being checked is a deterrent. > A bomb in a security checkpoint is just as, if not more, scary and deadly. Is it really? I'm not that good in physic but a plane that explode, or that's hijacked does at least 100 deaths, and has the potential to do even more. Could you do that at a security checkpoint?
    - jimktrains2 11y ago
      > Let say you are a terrorist, would you try to bring a bomb through security like that? Situation A: They mostly never check bags because they need to close the airport for it. Situation B: They mostly check bags. B doesn't exist though. The TSA has an abysmal record of passing tests. They mostly don't check bags, and if they did check one with a bomb, the attacker could make it go kaboom. You don't think that would make the public fearful? "Bomb at Security Checkpoint" as a headline would be terrifying to most people. > Is it really? I'm not that good in physic but a plane that explode, or that's hijacked does at least 100 deaths, and has the potential to do even more. Could you do that at a security checkpoint? Have you ever been to a security checkpoint? At a larger airport there is easily hundreds of people in line, usually in a confined space.
      - dwild 11y ago
        > The TSA has an abysmal record of passing tests. Probably but my point is all about fear of getting caught before succeeding. Does the truth matter as much as the fear? > You don't think that would make the public fearful? "Bomb at Security Checkpoint" as a headline would be terrifying to most people. Well finding a bomb doesn't mean it will actually explode and as long as the number of death is way smaller, they would have way better target than that (one that doesn't have a ton of security guards and multiple layer to stop you). > Have you ever been to a security checkpoint? At a larger airport there is easily hundreds of people in line, usually in a confined space. I haven't no but by what I see they aren't in confined space, the walls are far away, and they are one in front of the other, acting like human shield.
chrismcb 11y ago
"Please dump that liquid we think is an explosive into the trash can containing other liquids we suspect are explosives. The trash can that everyone is standing near."

fernandotakai 11y ago

my wife always asked me why i called TSA a farce. last month we were coming back to brazil from denver, when her backpack was flagged for "inspection". when i asked the TSA officer why, she was quite polite and said "the x-ray inspector said there's a water bottle on her backpack". we were 100% sure that there was nothing like that because we triple checked before getting into the line. when the 'inspector' looked at her bag and the x-ray image on the monitor, it was not the same bag. the x-ray guy marked the wrong bag for inspection and the bag with the water bottle was already gone. the inspector apologized and let us go. my wife's question after we were gone was: "if they think water bottles could be bombs, shouldn't they close the airport?" now she knows why TSA is a farce.

PirateDave 11y ago
This was posted on HN not too long ago, but further proof they're useless: http://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-undercover-dhs-tests-find-widespread-security-failures/story?id=31434881 http://abcnews.go.com/US/exclusive-undercover-dhs-tests-find...
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

KayEss 11y ago

That isn't really what that test is about. They don't think there's a 99% or even 80% chance that it's a bomb. They think there might be a 0.0001% chance that it's a bomb so they're going to test (along with hundreds, thousands and eventually millions of others that nobody thinks might be bomb) just to put off anybody thinking that this is an effective way to smuggle a bomb onto a plane.

jimktrains2 11y ago
My point is if it's a bomb, you shouldn't touch it, at all. If you don't think it's a bomb, you're being annoying. Which is it? Moreover, why even target a plane? A bomb in a security checkpoint is just as, if not more, scary and deadly.
- dwild 11y ago
  Let say you are a terrorist, would you try to bring a bomb through security like that? Situation A: They mostly never check bags because they need to close the airport for it. Situation B: They mostly check bags. Just increasing the odds of being checked is a deterrent. > A bomb in a security checkpoint is just as, if not more, scary and deadly. Is it really? I'm not that good in physic but a plane that explode, or that's hijacked does at least 100 deaths, and has the potential to do even more. Could you do that at a security checkpoint?
  - jimktrains2 11y ago
    > Let say you are a terrorist, would you try to bring a bomb through security like that? Situation A: They mostly never check bags because they need to close the airport for it. Situation B: They mostly check bags. B doesn't exist though. The TSA has an abysmal record of passing tests. They mostly don't check bags, and if they did check one with a bomb, the attacker could make it go kaboom. You don't think that would make the public fearful? "Bomb at Security Checkpoint" as a headline would be terrifying to most people. > Is it really? I'm not that good in physic but a plane that explode, or that's hijacked does at least 100 deaths, and has the potential to do even more. Could you do that at a security checkpoint? Have you ever been to a security checkpoint? At a larger airport there is easily hundreds of people in line, usually in a confined space.
    - dwild 11y ago
      > The TSA has an abysmal record of passing tests. Probably but my point is all about fear of getting caught before succeeding. Does the truth matter as much as the fear? > You don't think that would make the public fearful? "Bomb at Security Checkpoint" as a headline would be terrifying to most people. Well finding a bomb doesn't mean it will actually explode and as long as the number of death is way smaller, they would have way better target than that (one that doesn't have a ton of security guards and multiple layer to stop you). > Have you ever been to a security checkpoint? At a larger airport there is easily hundreds of people in line, usually in a confined space. I haven't no but by what I see they aren't in confined space, the walls are far away, and they are one in front of the other, acting like human shield.

chrismcb 11y ago

"Please dump that liquid we think is an explosive into the trash can containing other liquids we suspect are explosives. The trash can that everyone is standing near."