Paging Captain Ahab: Another spear gun was discovered in a carry-on bag at Newark (EWR). The passenger assumed spear guns were good to go. Nope.
TSA Pre✓™ News: TSA Pre✓™ rolled out at Salt Lake City International Airport on the 14th!
Trick up Your Tie: A passenger at Orlando (MCO) had a pocket knife concealed behind their tie. (See photo) The passenger stated he keeps it there so his kids can’t find it.
Conceal Carry Permits: A passenger at San Antonio (SAT) had a loaded .32 with 8 rounds in their carry-on bag. In case they don’t cover this in the conceal carry course, the permit doesn’t allow you to carry a concealed firearm on a commercial aircraft. She thought it did.
185 Rounds: We usually find a few rounds scattered in a bag, but this time, our officers at San Juan (SJU) found 185 rounds of .22 ammunition in a carry-on bag.
What Not to Say: A passenger referring to his bag at Islip airport (ISP) told our officer: “Yeah, I got a bomb in it.” Not a good way to expedite your screening…
You got Your Green Leafy Substance in my Peanut Butter: A passenger at Oakland (OAK) hollowed out the center of a peanut butter jar and attempted to conceal a baggie of marijuana. We found it.
Miscellaneous Prohibited Items: In addition to all of the other prohibited items we find weekly, our officers also found several stun guns, brass knuckles, realistic replica firearms, knives, knives, and more knives, firearm components, ammunition, and expandable batons and a throwing star.
2/10: AMA – Loaded 9mm – DAL – Loaded .32 w/ round chambered – MDW – Loaded .380 – TPA – Loaded .32 – DFW – Unloaded .38 – LAS – Loaded .380 w/ round chambered – RNO – Loaded .38
2/11: FLL – Loaded .38 – FLL – Loaded .40 w/ round chambered – LGB – Loaded 9mm w/ round chambered – SHV – Loaded .38 – SAT – Loaded .32 – ONT – Loaded .40 – ATL – Loaded .40 w/ round chambered
2/12: SFO – Loaded 9mm w/ round chambered – DFW – Loaded .38
2/13: SLC – Unloaded .40 – IND – Loaded .380 w/ round chambered – DTW – Loaded 9mm
2/14: PDX – Loaded .22 w/ two rounds chambered
2/15: CLT – Loaded .40 – ORD - Loaded .380 w/ round chambered – DFW – Unloaded .357 – ATL – Loaded .45 – LAX – Loaded .38
2/16: FLL – Loaded .380 – ANC – Unloaded .22 – LAS – Loaded .45 w/ round chambered
You can travel with your firearms in checked baggage, but they must first be declared to the airline. You can go here for more details on how to properly travel with your firearms. We also look for explosives and bomb components, but thankfully those are extremely rare and we're happy to keep it that way.
Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items in their bag. That’s why it’s important to double check your luggage before you get to the airport.
Including checkpoint and checked baggage screening, TSA has 20 layers of security both visible and invisible to the public. Each one of these layers alone is capable of stopping a terrorist attack. In combination their security value is multiplied, creating a much stronger, formidable system. A terrorist who has to overcome multiple security layers in order to carry out an attack is more likely to be pre-empted, deterred, or to fail during the attempt.
Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team
Unfortunately these sorts of occurrences are all too frequent which is why we talk about these finds. Sure, it’s great to share the things that our officers are finding, but at the same time, each time we find a dangerous item, the throughput is slowed down and a passenger that likely had no ill intent ends up with a citation or in some cases is even arrested. This is a friendly reminder to please leave these items at home. Just because we find a prohibited item on an individual does not mean they had bad intentions, that's for the law enforcement officer to decide. In many cases, people simply forgot they had these items in their bag. That’s why it’s important to double check your luggage before you get to the airport.
Including checkpoint and checked baggage screening, TSA has 20 layers of security both visible and invisible to the public. Each one of these layers alone is capable of stopping a terrorist attack. In combination their security value is multiplied, creating a much stronger, formidable system. A terrorist who has to overcome multiple security layers in order to carry out an attack is more likely to be pre-empted, deterred, or to fail during the attempt.
Blogger Bob Burns
TSA Blog Team
If you’d like to comment on an unrelated topic you can do so in our Off Topic Comments post. You can also view our blog post archives or search our blog to find a related topic to comment in. If you have a travel related issue or question that needs an immediate answer, you can contact a Customer Support Manager at the airport you traveled, or will be traveling through by using Talk to TSA.
71 comments:
Can I be 1st and get all the clichés out of the way?
1.Pot doesn't affect security and TSA shouldn't bother with drug searches.
2.Ammunition in itself is not dangerous to a flight.
3.How many arrests were made of actual terrorists this week?
4.How many of those gun owners actually intended harm?
5.How about such and such news story about someone who works somewhere at TSA doing something wrong?
6.Cupcakes
7.Insulin pumps
8.Knives should be allowed because of hardened cockpit doors (never mind that sometimes pilots have to go to the bathroom and open said door).
9.How does presenting ID at a CP enhance security?
10. Did I miss anything...?
Just as an aside; Bob, these new CAPCHAs stink! I usually have to click refresh 3 or 4 times before I can get one I can actually read!
I was not aware of the correlation between marijuana use and terrorist activity on planes. Would you elaborate on how that makes air travel safer?
You got Your Green Leafy Substance in my Peanut Butter: A passenger at Oakland (OAK) hollowed out the center of a peanut butter jar and attempted to conceal a baggie of marijuana. We found it.
Is a 'Green Leafy Substance' a threat to the plane? No.
Then you have no business looking for it, or confiscating it if you find it.
You got Your Green Leafy Substance in my Peanut Butter: A passenger at Oakland (OAK) hollowed out the center of a peanut butter jar and attempted to conceal a baggie of marijuana.
We found it.
...............
WHY? Was it exploding MJ?"
A passenger referring to his bag at Islip airport (ISP) told our officer: “Yeah, I got a bomb in it.” Not a good way to expedite your screening…
He probably thought he was being funny, but he wins The Idiot of The Week award. Jeez.
"Paging Captain Ahab: Another spear gun was discovered in a carry-on bag at Newark (EWR). The passenger assumed spear guns were good to go. Nope."
Thank goodness that the TSOs were there to keep this guy from bringing something he did not view as a potential terrorist weapon on a plane.
When everything is considdered contraband, it is not hard to find contraband.
I wonder if this post will never make it on the blog, just like my last one.
Not Scared of Terrorists
Feet. Fire. Insulin pump.
And here's the rest of the TSA Week In Review:
Bribery: A TSA instructor in Philadelphia was charged with accepting a bribe in exchange for ensuring a passing grade on a mandatory, annual certification exam.
Wrong-Way Corrigan, Part II: It took several hours for TSA to re-screen passengers in Newark's Terminal B when TSOs allowed a passenger to walk through the checkpoint exit without being screened.
How many of these items were caught with the new AIT scanners and how many were caught with the traditional metal detectors & x-ray machines?
How is marijuana a threat to aviation security?
How long is that knife found behind the tie? It doesn't look very large and should be legal to carry. I think I've been given larger knives at restaurants past the security checkpoint.
After spending year perfecting your screening methods to keep non-explosive liquids (ex. water, soda, breast milk) off of planes it's great to see that you're stepping up your efforts to detect non-explosive leafy green substances too. I feel so much safer knowing that I will not be harmed by these completely safe substances.
Keep up the great job of being worthless! Nobody does it better than you!
You moderate posts AND you have this CAPCHA crap that's IMPOSSIBLE to read. Belts and suspenders ... well done.
Every day the TSA detects and confiscates hundreds of gallons of harmful fluids like water, soda and juices. I drink these fluids; sometimes daily. I am clearly a threat to our country.
The Dept. of Homeland Security was not created to protect Americans.
It was created to be used against the American people.
Just a quick question to all of you bashing TSA - if they were to miss a gun, ammo, knives, or marijuana would you be the first in line to suggest they be fired? I mean by your own standards these people just make stupid mistakes and have no ill intent, right? Face it, you would be all up in arms and throwing a fit. Most of you people are the true definition of hypocritical. Keep on going TSA, you truly are working at a thankless job.
I agree with the first posting. Drugs should NOT be the priority of TSA. Is the TSA planning on verifying each Rx also?
I don't think the screeners were seeking out the marijuana. A hollowed out jar of peanut butter probably doesn't look the same as a normal jar of peanut butter on x-ray. How are they supposed to know whats in the hollowed out section? It could be anything. You are all too quick to cry foul.
Anonymous said...
Just a quick question to all of you bashing TSA - if they were to miss a gun, ammo, knives, or marijuana would you be the first in line to suggest they be fired? I mean by your own standards these people just make stupid mistakes and have no ill intent, right? Face it, you would be all up in arms and throwing a fit. Most of you people are the true definition of hypocritical. Keep on going TSA, you truly are working at a thankless job.
February 18, 2012 6:46 PM
.................
Like the TSA screeners did at Fayettville airport when they missed Two and One Half Pounds of C-4 Plastic explosives during the Christmas holidays?
Should the TSA Screeners get a promotion for missing Two and One Half Pounds of Plastic Explosives?
I think not. But hey, TSA captured that dangerous cupcake didn't they!
Federal prosecutors dismissed all charges on Friday against an Army Special Forces sergeant who was arrested at a Texas airport on New Year's Eve with 2.5 pounds of the military explosive C-4 in his carry-on luggage.
"Atwater told the FBI he was unaware the explosives were in his bag, which he grabbed from his North Carolina home when he prepared to fly home to Texas for the Christmas holidays. Airport screeners apparently failed to detect the C-4 on the outbound flight to his hometown of Midland."
Anonymous said...
"Just a quick question to all of you bashing TSA - if they were to miss a gun, ammo, knives, or marijuana would you be the first in line to suggest they be fired?"
No, I wouldn't. I don't expect them to catch everything because I know it's not possible.
The screening is just a big show to make people feel safer, it doesn't actually protect anyone. All they catch is people who are careless or stupid. Someone who actually knew what they were doing and made an effort could get stuff past them.
"Just a quick question to all of you bashing TSA - if they were to miss a gun, ammo, knives, or marijuana would you be the first in line to suggest they be fired?"
Depends on the mistake. Let's be serious, with 70% of contraband being missed, we'd soon have no screeners.
"I mean by your own standards these people just make stupid mistakes and have no ill intent, right?"
There's a big difference between passengers who have no professional responsibility to manage their bags and those who do, isn't there? Would you go to a doctor who is known to make stupid mistakes but has no ill intent? I wouldn't.
"Face it, you would be all up in arms and throwing a fit. Most of you people are the true definition of hypocritical."
We are up in arms and throwing a fit to replace security theater with professional security. Some may be hypocritical but most of us see the difference between the traveling public carelessly leaving something in a bag and poor professional performance.
"Keep on going TSA, you truly are working at a thankless job."
The TSA has a thankless job that it does poorly. Who is watching out for the American public? We deserve more than security theater.
"I don't think the screeners were seeking out the marijuana. A hollowed out jar of peanut butter probably doesn't look the same as a normal jar of peanut butter on x-ray. How are they supposed to know whats in the hollowed out section? It could be anything. You are all too quick to cry foul."
Perhaps but that's certainly not the narrative that Bob promotes, is it?
Anonymous said...
How long is that knife found behind the tie? It doesn't look very large and should be legal to carry. I think I've been given larger knives at restaurants past the security checkpoint.
But, but, but... according to some people here, the restaurant keeps special track of all their knives, and they would know *instantly* if you snuck one out of the restaurant, and would provide video footage of you to the TSA so they can find you and stop you.
...and they have a bridge for sale. Good view of NYC skyline.
I must say its amazing how many stupid people we have boarding aircraft.Its amazing the number of I Forgots or i thought my permit was good to carry my loaded weapon on a plane we have out there.I think TSA is doing a fine kob regardless of the potheads who disagree.
I dont want the same idiot who cant remember where he put his knife or speargun or loaded weapon sitting behind me on a plane.These people should be ticketed for stupidness.
Keep up the challenging work of looking for the stuff that shouldnt be on a plane.Including certain People!
As is the case every single week, I see nothing on this list that would not have been found by a standard metal detector and xray machine screening baggage without intrusion into privacy of the invasive patdowns and nude imaging machines.
Wouldn't it be better to comment something useful? Marijuana is illegal. Get over it.
And honestly, what idiot tries to pass his weed through the x-ray machine?
On another note, X-rays are harder to interpret than you think sometimes. And if it was so easy, a lot of you would do it to get paid too.
Brett A.Beaudette said...
"I dont want the same idiot who cant remember where he put his knife or speargun or loaded weapon sitting behind me on a plane.These people should be ticketed for stupidness."
You are around these same people for the other 99.9999% of your life. Do you really think that keeping them off the airplane for your 1 hour flight is making a significant difference in your safety?
"I dont want the same idiot who cant remember where he put his knife or speargun or loaded weapon sitting behind me on a plane.These people should be ticketed for stupidness.
Keep up the challenging work of looking for the stuff that shouldnt be on a plane.Including certain People!"
This comment speaks volumes. I can hardly make a better argument for privatization than this poster does.
The funny thing about finding the marijuana is that if it had simply been in their luggage or even in their "1 quart ziploc bag" they would have likely gotten it through security without problem.
However, you can't bring peanut butter on a plane unless it's less than 3 ounces.
"However, you can't bring peanut butter on a plane unless it's less than 3 ounces."
Which is just plain stupid, since peanut butter is not dangerous to anyone.
as stated many times before, the tsa does searches, and when they find something that could be illegal they call the police, the police then take over and from there it goes where it goes. peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there.
"I agree with the first posting. Drugs should NOT be the priority of TSA. Is the TSA planning on verifying each Rx also?"
Apparently they already are.
http://blog.chron.com/memo/2012/02/why-i-hate-the-tsa-part-mlvi/
Trying to limit participation through the new capcha format, Bob?
Screen shot.
Anonymous said...
"as stated many times before, the tsa does searches, and when they find something that could be illegal they call the police, the police then take over and from there it goes where it goes. peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there."
We understand what you do. The questions are:
Is it legal?
Is it ethical?
Anonymous said...
as stated many times before, the tsa does searches, and when they find something that could be illegal they call the police, the police then take over and from there it goes where it goes.
Then the TSA is a de facto branch of the police, and should be bound by the same rules and laws as the police. Particularly the 4th Amendment:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
No reasonable person thinks the searches the TSA puts people through are "reasonable".
peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there.
Peanut butter is not a liquid. Only the TSA classifies it as such.
"peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there."
The liquid ban has zero scientific backing. It's just another idiotic policy invented by hysterics who want to look like they're doing something.
"as stated many times before, the tsa does searches, and when they find something that could be illegal they call the police, the police then take over and from there it goes where it goes. peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there."
I'm on the jury, no conviction. Fruits of an illegal search.
You guys aren’t very tech savvy. Blogger aka Google controls the captcha area. This blog uses third party technology. The government isn’t going to develop blog software just in order to control the captcha section or to prevent comments. Preventing comments that fall within the TOS would be counterproductive to a blog administrator as it would lower the rating of blog. If you really hated the TSA, you would ignore the blog and in essence turn it into the DHS blog which is a failed blog in my humble opinion. To keep this on topic, DID YOU SAY SPEAR GUN?
So what do you need your expensive, invasive, slow and cancer-causing full body scanners for again? These items are all detected by metal scanners and luggage X-rays.
Meanwhile, thousands of people with implants, medical devices or any other non-dangerous items on their body are being exposed and harassed due to the full body scanners.
Anonymous said...
as stated many times before, the tsa does searches, and when they find something that could be illegal they call the police, the police then take over and from there it goes where it goes. peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there.
And what consistency is that? The dictionary says a liquid must be freely flowing and have the consistency of oil or water.
liq·uid/ˈlikwid/
Adjective:
Having a consistency like that of water or oil, i.e., flowing freely but of constant volume.
Does peanut butter flow like oil or water? Can you drink it? I know I sure can't! I dunno what kind of peanut butter you TSA folks are buying! Peanut Butter has no business being classified as a liquid and you KNOW THIS. Ridiculous.
Brett A.Beaudette said...
"...Keep up the challenging work of looking for the stuff that shouldnt be on a plane.Including certain People!"
You mean like the 17 known terrorists that slipped by the TSA, including the New York car bomber, who went on to deliver a bomb into the heart of New York City. The TSA is totally ineffective at security. The real mystery is that people choose not to see the overwhelming statistical, logical and real-world evidence that supports this.
Bob, please issue a response to this Orlando Local 6 report on your agency lying about explosive components being found on a passenger:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/TSA-exaggerates-claims-about-2008-incident-at-OIA/-/1637132/8820472/-/f1k71tz/-/
JoJo said...
Anonymous said...
as stated many times before, the tsa does searches, and when they find something that could be illegal they call the police, the police then take over and from there it goes where it goes. peanut butter falls under the liquid ban due to its consistancy and it went from there.
And what consistency is that? The dictionary says a liquid must be freely flowing and have the consistency of oil or water.
liq·uid/ˈlikwid/
Adjective:
Having a consistency like that of water or oil, i.e., flowing freely but of constant volume.
Does peanut butter flow like oil or water? Can you drink it? I know I sure can't! I dunno what kind of peanut butter you TSA folks are buying! Peanut Butter has no business being classified as a liquid and you KNOW THIS. Ridiculous.
February 22, 2012 10:13 AM
-----------------
I dont know when you went to school, but when I went, we were taught that there were 3 states of matter; Solid, Liquid and Gas. I guess now you could include Plasma.
Since Peanut Butter, by your standard, is not a liquid, which other category do you say it falls into?
...and silence ensues.
Bob, Fix these darn CAPCHAS!
Nine before I got one I could read!
Why in Bob's name does anyone travel with a jar of peanut butter? Personnally, I prefer to fly with bread, mayo (3 oz), mustard (3 oz), a head of lettuce, some inion and several tubs of luncheon meat.
Somethings are just unnecessary to walk around with. If you really need your harpoon gun on your trip to Sea World to finish off more endangered species, work that out with the airlines before you go through security. Carrying it on will not help you end Shamu's career any sooner. Marijuana is still illegal in the US and will be turned over to law enforcement if found by TSA. They are obligated to do so. They are not looking for it, some people are just terrible at hiding things. For instance, most commentors can't hide there stupidity. No, peanut butter does not have the consistency of liquid, it has the consistency of explosives. Let TSA work please.
Anonymous said...
"I dont know when you went to school, but when I went, we were taught that there were 3 states of matter; Solid, Liquid and Gas. I guess now you could include Plasma.
Since Peanut Butter, by your standard, is not a liquid, which other category do you say it falls into?
...and silence ensues."
Not so silent. Real physics is a little more complex than the grade-school version. There are actually many different states the classical 3.
Turn a jar a peanut butter upside down. Does it pour out? Put a glob of peanut butter on the counter top. Does it spread out to surface? the Peanut butter is more like a soft solid than a liquid. It can hold it's shape without a container.
Anonymous said...
Why in Bob's name does anyone travel with a jar of peanut butter? Personnally, I prefer to fly with bread, mayo (3 oz), mustard (3 oz), a head of lettuce, some inion and several tubs of luncheon meat.
February 23, 2012 11:59 AM
............
Why not travel with Peanut Butter or water, soda, orange juice, a jar of pickles or any other perfectly safe items?
TSA has never demonstrated a working one part liquid explosive that can be safely carried or a multi-part explosive that can be mixed and made operable after a checkpoint and in the lavatory of an airplane.
The liquid, gel, and aerosol ban foisted by TSA has no basis in science.
Even if something might be dangerous TSA has the ETD machines to test suspect items. Besides if these things are potentially dangerous why does TSA just toss them into common trash bins at the checkpoint? That action alone demonstrates that TSA knows there is no danger from these items.
Security farce theater is what TSA does.
"I dont know when you went to school, but when I went, we were taught that there were 3 states of matter; Solid, Liquid and Gas."
Yes, in elementary school we were all taught that. It's simplistic both chemically and physically.
"I guess now you could include Plasma."
And roughly a dozen other states.
"Since Peanut Butter, by your standard, is not a liquid, which other category do you say it falls into?"
Given the elementary school definitions, peanut butter would most definitely be closer to a solid in that it does not meet the definitions of a liquid. In fact, many of the items allowed through screening - such as pie fillings - come much closer to the definition.
"...and silence ensues."
And knowledge fills the silence. It's not good to be pedantic when you don't have your facts straight.
"Bob, please issue a response to this Orlando Local 6 report on your agency lying about explosive components being found on a passenger:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/TSA-exaggerates-claims-about-2008-incident-at-OIA/-/1637132/8820472/-/f1k71tz/-/"
Not only can the TSA not find a terrorist, it can't even frame an innocent person.
Nice to see that when the security theater of the TSA is replaced by security expertise (FBI), the record is set straight.
I forsee a large undisclosed settlement headed the way of the falsely accused passenger.
BDO, fail. TSA, fail.
"Why in Bob's name does anyone travel with a jar of peanut butter? Personnally, I prefer to fly with bread, mayo (3 oz), mustard (3 oz), a head of lettuce, some inion and several tubs of luncheon meat."
In a free country, you could fly with whatever cooking ingredients you cared to.
Speaking of peanut butter, why is that not allowed, but pie filling is allowed? Why is frozen water (ice) allowed, but if it's partially melted, then it's not allowed? It just doesn't make sense.
Everything I've read says there is no viable way for a passenger to use liquid explosives to attack an airplane. The explosives are so unstable that they wouldn't make it to the airport or the preparation would require lengthy prep times and laboratory conditions that just aren't present in an airport or airplane. Even if it was possible, what is stopping terrorists from combining their quart bags of liquids post security?
Anonymous said... "I dont know when you went to school, but when I went, we were taught that there were 3 states of matter; Solid, Liquid and Gas. I guess now you could include Plasma.
Since Peanut Butter, by your standard, is not a liquid, which other category do you say it falls into?
...and silence ensues.
Bob, Fix these darn CAPCHAS!
Nine before I got one I could read!"
-----
"Silence ensues" because you were so smug you thought I wouldn't come back and read this, or answer if I did. Peanut butter is CLEARLY a solid, unless you melt it, just like ice. In its natural state, it is CLEARLY not a liquid. If you want to get extremely technical about viscosity rates, we could also classify glass as a liquid and maybe put that on the TSA 3.5 oz list. Should the TSA ban ice cubes too under the principle that they are liquids, despite that being patently incorrect?
Why aren't you publishing my comment, TSA?
"Should the TSA ban ice cubes too under the principle that they are liquids, despite that being patently incorrect?"
----------------
Ok, a little defensive here much?
Uh, and by the way, TSA DOES NOT ban fully frozen objects such as ice. Take note that I said FULLY. If the ice is in a watery or slush consistency then it is banned. If the ice is frozen solid, with no surrounding liquid, then it is NOT prohibited. And Peanut Butter? Well I guess we just have to agree to disagree. And since TSA has posted for years that its not allowed, then arguing about how Peanut Butter and Glass are both liquids (you did say that, right?) really doesnt serve any purpose since its not going through anyway.
Yeah, perhaps I am a bit defensive, but the smugness in that comment really ticked me off. At least give person a chance to reply before you put silence in their mouth (lol).
I don't think pointing out the inconsistencies, loop holes, or pointlessness of some TSA protocols serves no purpose. There are some legitimate questions surrounding policies like the banning of peanut butter that people have been asking for years that are ignored. And if they want to ban peanut butter, fine. It'd still be stupid, but not as stupid as banning it because they are trying to somehow classify it as a liquid. At best, it's an amorphous solid.
i think tsa should be shut down.
"Let TSA work please."
Sure. When does the TSA plan on starting to work?
Hey Bob, can we start a whole post on "Peanut Butter"?
I mean that seems to be what everyone on here wants to discuss. Maybe we should just devote an entire Friday post to it?
"Hey Bob, can we start a whole post on "Peanut Butter"?
I mean that seems to be what everyone on here wants to discuss. Maybe we should just devote an entire Friday post to it?"
Sounds great! We can talk about how the screeners not only don't know regulations but they can't tell a liquid from a solid!
And you can also adopt an otter as the TSA mascot, "Otty the Otter, your Constitutional rights stealing rodent!"
"Well I guess we just have to agree to disagree. "
No we just have to reform the TSA and privatize the screening process. Time for professionals to displace the vote-buying process.
"Ok, a little defensive here much?"
It's not defensive as much as it is offended - we've allowed an uneducated group of functionaries to run roughshod over civil liberties. To those of us who serve - 25 years active/reserve and counting - the spectacle of a screener corps so willing to violate the Constitutional rights of its fellow citizens is obscene.
Defensive? Not at all. I take the oath I've repeatedly sworn to protect and defend the Constitution seriously.
"And since TSA has posted for years that its not allowed, then arguing about how Peanut Butter and Glass are both liquids (you did say that, right?) really doesnt serve any purpose since its not going through anyway."
I take peanut butter through every time I fly. On the rare occasion it's noticed, it's allowed through.
Looks like it *is* pointless to talk about it since it's going through anyway, doesn't it?
An Anonymous poster said...
[[Everything I've read says there is no viable way for a passenger to use liquid explosives to attack an airplane. The explosives are so unstable that they wouldn't make it to the airport or the preparation would require lengthy prep times and laboratory conditions that just aren't present in an airport or airplane.]]
You obviously need to read more and stop accepting as fact the ratings’ of the uninformed who post here.
Start here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5634591
Continue here: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1225032,00.html
And then go here to find out more on your own: http://www.google.com/
"You obviously need to read more and stop accepting as fact the ratings’ of the uninformed who post here.
Start here:
[a link to NPR and Time, neither of which have any expertise in explosives but do support various political points of view'"
Too funny, suggesting that someone uninformed refer to two uninformed sources.
The original poster is mostly correct - liquid explosives don't pose the risk suggested by the TSA a few years ago although various strategies could be dreamed up that would likely cause panic.
The better question is this: Having spent nearly $100B on "security" can the TSA not equip screeners with the technology to distinguish between explosive from water, cupcakes, contact fluid, pie filling and cupcakes?
The chemistry is easy.
If the TSA were to become a respectful, professional security force, we might allow it to continue its current task. Continue as it is and we will require privatization. The choice is the TSA's.
Not sure how marijuana would affect the safety of the plane, Transportation Safety Administration. You aren't even law enforcement.
It's good to see that the TSA is working hard to show us that it's highly capable of finding contraband items and substances. We shouldn't dismiss all these successful interdictions just because those items do not specifically indicate terrorism or pose specific direct threats to aviation.
Terrorists, as well as threats to aviation, are actually rather rare. So these periodic reports should reassure us all of the TSA's demonstrated ability to interdict a terrorist, should one happen to walk through a checkpoint. In the meantime, they'll continue to hone their interdiction skills and vigilance on other kinds of contraband.
Of course, that doesn't address the frequent concerns about whether this ability justifies the expense, intrusion, and frustrating arbitrariness for which the TSA is infamous. The TSA, which has granted itself the sole authority to address those concerns, has definitively concluded that everything they do is justified and effective, and has locked the door on any further discussion.
so you found a lot more irrelevant stuff, stole more firearms from forgetful folks (ever forget something? happened to me!), cheer for yourself about taking some poor vacationer's spear gun, and mock a CHP holder for not understanding that her permit does not allow something that by any reasonable standard, it should. bang up job, Bob.
Anonymous said...
"Terrorists, as well as threats to aviation, are actually rather rare. So these periodic reports should reassure us all of the TSA's demonstrated ability to interdict a terrorist, should one happen to walk through a checkpoint. In the meantime, they'll continue to hone their interdiction skills and vigilance on other kinds of contraband."
Sorry, but no. The number of items found is not an indication of the effectiveness of the screening. We would also need to know the number of items missed to judge their ability.
Only reporting positive results gives an unrealistic impression of their effectiveness. For all we know, they are only catching 1 in a 100 items. Still feel safe?
"Terrorists, as well as threats to aviation, are actually rather rare. So these periodic reports should reassure us all of the TSA's demonstrated ability to interdict a terrorist, should one happen to walk through a checkpoint. In the meantime, they'll continue to hone their interdiction skills and vigilance on other kinds of contraband. "
Nonsense. The recent Congressional report that the TSA has not improved its probability of detection since it hid the results as SSI. So, it's safe to assume there's about a 70% miss rate by screeners. So neither vigilance (which is entirely lacking) nor "interdiction skills" are improving in any significant way.
The TSA's ugly secret: Air piracy of the 9/11 variety has been made virtually impossible by hardened cockpit doors and procedures that do not motivate flight crews to coorperate with hijackers. The threat to aviation now is explosives and the TSA can't tell a cupcake from an inert grenade from a bomb.
Time to get professionals to take over.
"The TSA, which has granted itself the sole authority to address those concerns, has definitively concluded that everything they do is justified and effective, and has locked the door on any further discussion."
Only if you refuse to stand up for yourselves. Contact your Senators and Representative to reform the TSA. We're paying for professional security and we're entitled to it.
Anonymous said...
"And since TSA has posted for years that its not allowed, then arguing about how Peanut Butter and Glass are both liquids (you did say that, right?) really doesnt serve any purpose since its not going through anyway."
I take peanut butter through every time I fly. On the rare occasion it's noticed, it's allowed through.
Looks like it *is* pointless to talk about it since it's going through anyway, doesn't it?
February 25, 2012 10:43 AM
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So when the TSOs don't perform their job per requirements you pitch a fit.
Unless, that is, it benefits you. Then it's ok.
"So when the TSOs don't perform their job per requirements you pitch a fit."
There is a requirement to keep peanut butter off an airplane! Wow - who knew! Thanks, TSA, for keeping me safe from peanut butter!
If they're supposed to keep peanut butter off an airplane, I should be trying to get the offending screener fired. I'll consider doing that.
Incidentally, there is NO such requirement - I called and asked! And since calling ahead assures me of getting proper information, that means there is no such policy, doesn't it?
"Unless, that is, it benefits you. Then it's ok."
The screener corps NEVER benefits me.
Anonymous said...
"So when the TSOs don't perform their job per requirements you pitch a fit."
There is a requirement to keep peanut butter off an airplane! Wow - who knew! Thanks, TSA, for keeping me safe from peanut butter!
If they're supposed to keep peanut butter off an airplane, I should be trying to get the offending screener fired. I'll consider doing that.
Incidentally, there is NO such requirement - I called and asked! And since calling ahead assures me of getting proper information, that means there is no such policy, doesn't it?
"Unless, that is, it benefits you. Then it's ok."
The screener corps NEVER benefits me.
March 2, 2012 8:54 AM
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Calling TSA and asking a question is pointless. Ask the same question five times to five different TSA employees and you will likely get 5 different answers. That is the problem with TSA, policies that are being kept from the people effected.
I wonder how many lives would have been saved on 9/11 if a few persons with concealed weapons permits had made it through security that day... Law abiding citizens aren't the enemy, yet we are treated like criminals just because we want to travel.
I thought this was an interesting blog post. And I'd have to agree with the comment about the CAPCHAs, they really do stink. I've commented 3 times trying to do this. My comment isn't at all how I originally wrote it...
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