TSA = Idiots

[t4e]

Too bad they didn't hire Bernie Madoff, or get a job with Enron!! I'm by no means a fan of TSA but you're going to have bad people in every occupation, most of these people are just trying to make an honest living. And there definitely aren't any American terrorist (Timothy McVeigh , Eric Rudolph)!!!

you're not really calling drug trafficking an "honest living", or am i reading your post the wrong way?

afaic there is no "in their defense" excuse for doing anything illegal, even more so from the very people that are supposedly responsible for our security
we pay through the nose for this so called "security" in part of the taxes they add to our airfare...airfare $150 taxes $450...something's wrong with this picture
yes, they are paid crap minimum wage, but so are thousands of other people and they don't resort to criminal behavior, they got get a second job to make ends meet, or just plain and simple live on what they have

 

[John A Lewis]

this showed this afternoon in my email... I get the DEA newsletter..

DEA NEWS: T.S.A. Screeners at LAX Arrested on

Federal Drug Trafficking and Corruption Charges

LOS ANGELES –

“This case underscores the unique nature of 21st century drug smuggling,”
according to Briane M. Grey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA in Los
Angeles. “Here, the defendants traded on their positions at one the world’s most crucial
airport security checkpoints, used their special access for criminal ends, and
compromised the safety and security of their fellow citizens for their own profit.”

Interesting. Exactly how was the safety and security compromised?

In fact, has there EVER been a documented occurrence of an aircraft being hijacked or brought down by someone smuggling drugs on board?

Last--is it the TSA's responsibility to screen for drugs, or the DEA's?

 

[OkiMike]

Coming back from our ITC in Korea, Japanese TSA agents pulled me aside after the initial x-raying was completed and were interested in two items: my old primary light battery (aka, the "dynamite stick") and the Gillette shaving cream canister that classmate Ali (from Dubai) had left with me. It was written in Arabic, you see, and nothing upset them more than a terrorist alphabet!

I offered to shave in front of them to legitimize the product, but they'd seen one too many Mission Impossible movies involving weopons-concealing shaving cream bottles. After letting three different agents try to unscrew the bottom of the supposed fake canister to no avail, they finally let it through.

The light battery wasn't so lucky. Being old, there were no manufacturer stickers on the shrinkwrap proclaiming "Yes, this is an NiMH battery", so they asked if I wouldn't mind them cutting it open. Well, yes, I minded since I didn't own a shrinkwrapping machine at home and I kind of like my gear the way it is thank you, but yes, if it would mean making my flight then fine, sure, go ahead.

Upon inspecting the contents of the shrinkwrap, however, seeing the cells and the plates connecting them, they were not convinced. "It doesn't say 'NIMH' anywhere on these batteries, so we can't verify that these are safe for travel." I reminded them that I was on a return flight, having passed through this very airport (and many others through the years) without incident. I asked them to consider the thousands of dollars of other dive gear surrounding the light and what kind of plot they think I was hatching involving drysuits and deco regs, but once you start suggesting these sorts of things and using keywords they're trained to flag even if it's to call attention to the absurdity of the situation, their retard antennas start tingling and they get stubborn.

In the end, the only option left to me was to ship them via a land-based shipper to my in-laws up on the mainland (I've never been happier to call my in-laws than I was that day). Then I turned to the TSA agent and said, "You realize that I will turn around and ask my in-laws to ship them down to me by air freight the day after they arrive, right?" to which the agent replied, "Well sir, at least it won't be our airport."

 

[DandyDon]

Interesting. Exactly how was the safety and security compromised?

In fact, has there EVER been a documented occurrence of an aircraft being hijacked or brought down by someone smuggling drugs on board?

Last--is it the TSA's responsibility to screen for drugs, or the DEA's?

It is not their responsibility, but when felonies like that are involved, no rules are important to them. Only a few steps needed to smuggle a bomb in a drug package...

Criminals are criminals you know...?

 

[billgraham]

I travel with the CCR, lights, camera gear, etc. pretty frequently and have come up with a few strageties. First off, anything delicate or expensive should stay with you at all times. For me, that means the rebreather head, electronics, inchonel sphere (it looks like a bomb) and the camera (which I usually just put in the housing and carry it on like that. I bring the manual for the rebreather so I can explain it. I warn the agents when I put the bag on the conveyer that there's dive gear in there that they will want to have a look at. I also leave about an extra 40 minutes because I know they will unpack everything and swab it and ask a bazillian questions. Most times I put the cannister light and back up lights in checked luggage and I have not had a problem, but I guess I'll rethink that one now. Good luck!

 

[agilis]

Very early on in the TSA existence, I experienced, in a small way, the consequences of the nexus of drooling stupidity and almost unrestricted power that this organization exemplifies. I was passing through their security charade before boarding a flight to Florida to visit friends. Because it was mid-winter and my destination was Sarasota I was not planning to dive. I did have hopes of doing a little bit of fishing, so in my carry on I had an old Fenwick fresh water rod that broke down into four 18 inch sections. A typical light weight fiberglass rod, with an equally old Mitchell 408. The TSA inspector examined the rod carefully and decided that it was too dangerous to allow on the plane. The reel was fine.

This was long before the whole shoe farce was imposed, and the rules were still a little vague. Inspector's discretion was the rule (still is). This drooling lunatic was adamant. It would have to be confiscated. I appealed to a supervisor who agreed with the inspector. I asked how it could possibly be dangerous. The supervisor put the four sections together and waved it around like a sword. Now I realized that it was a lost cause. The swine took my faithful old traveling rod, and I've never seen it again. Sometimes it reappears in dreams, but when I awaken my heart is broken again.

These turds may just be trying to make a living, but it is a huge mistake to give a badge and substantial authority to people who use their fingers for both counting and reading.

 

[irishsquid]

agilis, would you please tell us how you really feel?

I think agilis's description was too kind and flattering of The StupidA-holes.

 

[kathydee]

Oh, that's awful, RJP. Good luck with the claim.

 

[koozemani]

It is not their responsibility, but when felonies like that are involved, no rules are important to them. Only a few steps needed to smuggle a bomb in a drug package...

Criminals are criminals you know...?

Whos to say the drug weren't booby trapped against detection?

 

[oreocookie]

I think I've been pretty lucky so far. On three dive trips, I've encountered TSA screeners who appeared to be somewhat intelligent. Twice I've been asked if I was going diving, and i sorta wonder what would have happened if I'd said no to one of them while I could see my reg on his x-ray screen. In Houston they wanted to open up my backpack cause all they could see was a big blob (yeah, my bag was that stuffed) and as soon as the guy pulled my mask box out, he said "oh, your dive mask was blocking the x-ray" and his demeanor changed to "i'm not going to find anything here, but I have to look anyway", but at least he put it all back when he was done. ... On the other hand, I did walk into the x-ray machine with a microfiber cloth for cleaning my glasses in my pocket. They asked me to take it out then insisted i dangle it in my hand during the scan instead of letting me put it back in my pocket after they saw what it was.

Maybe I'm just lucky that "early-20's caucasian female" isn't very high on their list of terrorist stereotypes.

I've noticed that customs agents aren't always very smart either, but that's for another thread entirely.