TSA Pats Down 3-Year-Old 1135
3-year-old Mandy Simon started crying when her teddy bear had to go through the X-ray machine at airport security in Chattanooga, Tenn. She was so upset that she refused to go calmly through the metal detector, setting it off twice. Agents then informed her parents that she "must be hand-searched." The subsequent TSA employee pat down of the screaming child was captured by her father, who happens to be a reporter, on his cell phone. The video have left some questioning why better procedures for children aren't in place. I, for one, feel much safer knowing the TSA is protecting us from impressionable minds warped by too much Dora the Explorer.
I wonder... (Score:5, Interesting)
My First Cavity Search (Score:5, Interesting)
Obligatory link to My First Cavity Search: A Children's Guide to Understanding Why He May Be a Threat to National Security.
http://gizmodo.com/5688087/the-tsas-sense-of-humor-makes-me-nervous [gizmodo.com]
(But seriously, TSA? Child molestation is cool now?)
Lots of pilots and flight attendants... (Score:5, Interesting)
...report being creeped out by these new procedures.
And lots more buxom younger women are apparently being subjected to thorough full body searches than guys.
MEK
TSA applying pressure to submit to AIT (Score:5, Interesting)
The policy has recently shifted from "mild frisking" to more invasive frisking for those that opt not to succumb to AIT (Advanced Imaging Technologies).
Genitals and breasts are vigorously groped instead of the older method of using the backs of the hands only.
Even the TSA has stated that the recent methods are likely to be uncomfortable for many, especially those who have been victimized by molestation.
Is this because somebody, somewhere thought these frisking methods would be more effective, or is it a means of discouraging people from "opting out" of AIT?
I don't know, but I suspect the latter.
I don't get it (Score:5, Interesting)
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/11/tsa-boss-our-patdowns-turn-up-artfully-concealed-objects.ars [arstechnica.com]
I can't wait for required body cavity searches (Score:4, Interesting)
It's my last hope that the people in this country will have any sense and stand up to this kind of asinine "security."
If the American people accept cavity searches every time they fly, and they just shrug and say "Well, what are you going to do?" Well, then this country has lost everything that made it special.
This will happen as long as people let it happen. By shrugged their shoulders and going along with it, they're letting the government and the TSA know that we will give them absolute free reign in this. It doesn't matter how many angry articles there are decrying the new procedures -- if people continue to fly, then the procedures will stay. And eventually they'll get worse. Again.
Re:TSA applying pressure to submit to AIT (Score:4, Interesting)
I don't know, but I suspect the latter.
Of course it's purpose is to get people to go through the AIT.
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:5, Interesting)
And there is something wrong with the whole security theatre to begin with...
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/744199---israelification-high-security-little-bother [thestar.com]
Re:I don't get it (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I don't get it (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:So, my choice is... (Score:1, Interesting)
I hope the TSA people don't have dosimter. The perverts shouldn't breed.
Re:I can't wait for required body cavity searches (Score:4, Interesting)
When the full body scanners came out someone commented that sewing words into shirts using metallic thread would be a good protest because they will wind up saving the images; sew in a quote of the 4th amendment or "You enjoy this don't you? Pervert".
Combine the two and I'm sure we can find enough people who would be willing to internalize something that would show up on an Xray/Sonogram. Creep out and disturb enough TSA employees and even they might start complaining.
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Video No Longer Available! (Score:3, Interesting)
Not surprised.
Censorship is the last resort of the Tyrant (or Oligarchs) to cover-up his deeds.
A bullet is the last resort of the Patriot, in order to end the censorship.
Re:I wonder... (Score:3, Interesting)
Yeah, if we could just stop imagining insane scenarios like groups that recieve formal training on how to use mentally retarded young women to carry bombs into vegetable markets, or jihaddist crazies with PETN in their underwear or their shoes, looking to kill a few hundred people. Or insane, crazy situations like young suburbanites magically thinking that they're going to glory when they carry explosives onto trains in London or Madrid
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:3, Interesting)
Yes, exactly.
There is no new threat. This whole new procedure it to force people thru the new scanners and to shut people up about the visual invasion of privacy.
Goon squad tactics at best.
Comment removed (Score:5, Interesting)
Absolutely agree. Refuse to be terrorized! (Score:5, Interesting)
Seriously, all this security theatre stuff is basically giving in to the terrorists.
The only way to win against terrorists is to *ignore* them and go about your life as before. I do like your ideas about supporting those affected. It might not be a bad idea to look at the root causes of terrorism as well.
Re:Odds of dying in terrorist attack (Score:3, Interesting)
>>>Given the money they are spending
The guy who owns the company installing these Naked Body scanners is also the guy who used to work for Bush and ordered their installation nationwide in 2006. Can you say? Bias?
Or maybe corruption.
Eventually I expect to see them pulled from the airports, either due to public outrage or health concerns (damage passengers' skin), and then that will be another ~1 billion in Stimulus money wasted.
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:3, Interesting)
It still makes me wonder how this is not a violation of the warrant-less search and seizure clause.
I mean, innocent until proven guilty, probably cause does not exist (does it?) so searching someone in an airport would (IMO) be a warrant-less search unless there's a judge standing at the gates and the TSA agent is asked to swear by oath that the person that just walked through the door has committed a crime.
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:3, Interesting)
It still makes me wonder how this is not a violation of the warrant-less search and seizure clause.
I mean, innocent until proven guilty, probably cause does not exist (does it?) so searching someone in an airport would (IMO) be a warrant-less search unless there's a judge standing at the gates and the TSA agent is asked to swear by oath that the person that just walked through the door has committed a crime.
Because it is a place of business, and in order to gain access to that place of business you must follow their rules or leave. Of course this is a government sponsored security restriction, but that is their logic to how they can validate this type of treatment.
Oh, and I believe the TSA made these two options or else policy is to force people to use the expensive scanners because they found that people did not want to use them.
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:3, Interesting)
The risk of dying in a plane crash is tiny to start with -- about 1 in 11 million -- and the risk of being the victim of a terrorist attack is smaller still
Consider the following situation: Henry is a traveller in the United States, who is about to go on a flight to New York. Is it more likely that he would die from a plane crash, or die from a plane crash caused by a terrorist action.
The quirky thing about how humans think is that if you set up a question like this, many people [changingminds.org] will pick the second option, even though it is more specific.
Re:What's the deal with the rush of TSA stories re (Score:4, Interesting)
They're banking on the idea that by opting to fly you've "consented" to search before boarding the aircraft. Check the fine print next time you buy a ticket. It's bullshit, but they're claiming you've consented.
Re:I wonder... (Score:3, Interesting)
Then the GOP would not have a way to scare people into voting against their own interests.
Strange. The GOP hasn't been in charge in over two years, yet the worst of TSA has happened during that time. Tell me, how has the evil GOP been able to do their evil, dastardly deeds while having no "official" power? Are they Sith? Are they sacrificing kittens to Satan? Tell me, how is the all powerful GOP able to do this?
More importantly, what scenarios do you have to concoct in your head to justify your blaming of the GOP for this? How do you put aside all logic and reasoning to make yourself believe it? I really want to know.
Remember, patriotism is abandoning our liberties and principles to fight terrorism in order to preserve our... uh... profit margins?
Yeah. TSA is seriously boosting its profits. I'm sure the TSA CEO can look forward to a hefty bonus this Christmas. Who is the CEO of TSA anyway? I'm also sure the airlines are licking their chops waiting for the big profits generated by people who decide to drive or take the train rather than get molested by TSA agents.
Re:This is stupid (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Metal detector (Score:3, Interesting)
It uses two electrically balanced AC coils that become unbalanced if a conductive substance nearby is inducted by its field (likely because it is closer to one of the two coils than the other).
You might be able to unbalance them manually simply by touching one of them.
So yeah, after checking Wikipedia, this seems to make some sense, although I'm not sure why you can't insulate them. It's not as if a bare wire is required for induction to occur.
Re:Have two forms of flying, safe and unsafe. (Score:3, Interesting)
call it our point (Score:5, Interesting)
In the style of Harper's Index, if with so much less elegance...
Number of deaths in the USA due to fundamentalist Islamic terrorists in 9/2001: 2,996
Estimated number of those that were US citizens: 2,669
Number of deaths in the USA due to traffic accidents in the same month: 3,303
Number of deaths in the USA due to fundamentalist Islamic terrorists between 9/12/2001 and 12/31/2008: 0
Number of deaths in the USA due to traffic accidents in approximately the same period: 303,841
Total approved, as of 12/2009, for the three military operations initiated to combat terrorism in response to 9/11 (excluding funds for CIA, FBI, TSA, Homeland Security, etc.): $1,086,000,000,000
Estimated budget for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over the same period: $6,520,000,000
The NHTSAs budget, expressed as a percent of the amount allocated for these military operations: 00.
Estimate, in 2008, for the final total cost of the Iraq war alone: $3,000,000,000,000
Amount allocated to the military per terrorism related US citizen death in the USA since 9/11/2001: $406,893,967.78
Amount allocated to the NHTSA per traffic related death: $21,458.59
Amount allocated to the military per terrorism related US citizen death in the USA since 9/12/2001: Undefined
Percentage of causes of death in the USA that kill more people than terrorism: 100
Percentage of causes of death in the USA that receive more public money for prevention than terrorism: 0
Percent change in gross federal debt between 2001 and 2010: 232.97
Percentage of gross federal debt in 2001 that would have been eliminated by 1.086 trillion dollars: 18.8
Amount each US household would receive given 1.086 trillion dollars evenly distributed: $9443.48
Rank of defense, excluding expenditure on active military operations, among all categories of federal spending: 1
Percentage of federal spending in 2009 that went to defense: 23
Percentage of federal income in the same year that came from individual income tax: 43
Percentage that came from social security/social insurance tax: 42
Percentage that came from corporate income tax: 7
Sources: http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov [dot.gov] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_September_11_attacks [wikipedia.org] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHTSA [wikipedia.org] Global Terrorism Database, with specific query used [umd.edu] The Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Global War on Terror Operations Since 9/11, by the Congressional Research Service (pdf) [fas.org] The three trillion dollar war [timesonline.co.uk]