'Dear America, I Saw You Naked'
Jan 31, 2014, 5:01 am
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'Dear America, I Saw You Naked'
Worth a read...
http://www.politico.com/magazine/sto...#ixzz2ryc8HQWT
And yes, we were laughing. Confessions of an ex-TSA agent.
On Jan. 4, 2010, when my boss saw my letter to the editor in the New York Times, we had a little chat.
It was rare for the federal security director at Chicago O’Hare to sit down with her floor-level Transportation Security Administration officers—it usually presaged a termination—and so I was nervous as I settled in across the desk from her. She was a woman in her forties with sharp blue eyes that seemed to size you up for placement in a spreadsheet. She held up a copy of the newspaper, open to the letters page. My contribution, under the headline “To Stop a Terrorist: No Lack of Ideas,” was circled in blue pen.
On Jan. 4, 2010, when my boss saw my letter to the editor in the New York Times, we had a little chat.
It was rare for the federal security director at Chicago O’Hare to sit down with her floor-level Transportation Security Administration officers—it usually presaged a termination—and so I was nervous as I settled in across the desk from her. She was a woman in her forties with sharp blue eyes that seemed to size you up for placement in a spreadsheet. She held up a copy of the newspaper, open to the letters page. My contribution, under the headline “To Stop a Terrorist: No Lack of Ideas,” was circled in blue pen.
Jan 31, 2014, 5:17 am
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That was interesting reading. It was full of stuff like this (that should come as no surprise to most of us):
Thank y
u for sharing!
We quickly found out the trainer was not kidding: Officers discovered that the machines were good at detecting just about everything besides cleverly hidden explosives and guns. The only thing more absurd than how poorly the full-body scanners performed was the incredible amount of time the machines wasted for everyone.
u for sharing!
Jan 31, 2014, 5:27 am
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Most of my co-workers found humor in the I.O. room on a cruder level. Just as the long-suffering American public waiting on those security lines suspected, jokes about the passengers ran rampant among my TSA colleagues: Many of the images we gawked at were of overweight people, their every fold and dimple on full awful display.
Jan 31, 2014, 5:54 am
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I hope this is a watershed moment in the TSA's existence. Don't forget to snap photos of the TSA checkpoints, particularly the agents and submit them to http://tsasecuritytheater.tumblr.com
Jan 31, 2014, 6:42 am
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Unfortunately, none of this stuff is really news to those of us who have been on FT for a while.
But I look forward to his book. I'll probably buy it and try to loan it to my friends who are not interested in aviation security because they don't fly.
But I'd really love to see a copy of this book given gratis to every senator and representative in the US Congress.
But I look forward to his book. I'll probably buy it and try to loan it to my friends who are not interested in aviation security because they don't fly.
But I'd really love to see a copy of this book given gratis to every senator and representative in the US Congress.
Jan 31, 2014, 8:13 am
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I still can't believe that they can't see how toxic the TSA is. TSA lost all credibility for me when they decided to x-ray everybody and take naked pics. Any agency that thinks it is okay to violate travelers' health and dignity in such ways is an agency that clearly lacks fundamental good judgment and common sense, and I cannot trust anything the TSA says or does because of it.
Jan 31, 2014, 8:16 am
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Jan 31, 2014, 8:17 am
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I wonder what the official TSA response from Blogger Bob will be. I thought the article was well done. I hope it goes viral and is picked up by all the major news sites.
Jan 31, 2014, 8:29 am
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If he addresses it at all, it will be 'one rogue agent does not represent the views and actions of thousands of great agents putting their lives on the line (and hands on you and your belongings) every day to keep the skies safe. TSA respects every pax's dignity while striving to bla-bla...'
Jan 31, 2014, 8:51 am
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If he addresses it at all, it will be 'one rogue agent does not represent the views and actions of thousands of great agents putting their lives on the line (and hands on you and your belongings) every day to keep the skies safe. TSA respects every pax's dignity while striving to bla-bla...'
Jan 31, 2014, 8:51 am
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If he addresses it at all, it will be 'one rogue agent does not represent the views and actions of thousands of great agents putting their lives on the line (and hands on you and your belongings) every day to keep the skies safe. TSA respects every pax's dignity while striving to bla-bla...'
Jan 31, 2014, 8:58 am
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What Those TSA Guys Are Really Saying
Definitions in “The Insider’s TSA Dictionary” taken from James Harrington’s blog, “Taking Sense Away.”
10-100: Originally, CB radio lingo for a bathroom break. This is what some TSA officers say when they’re tired of their co-workers.
Alfalfa: TSA malespeak for an attractive female passenger.
[per TOS, trimmed for respect to copyrights - mods]
Definitions in “The Insider’s TSA Dictionary” taken from James Harrington’s blog, “Taking Sense Away.”
10-100: Originally, CB radio lingo for a bathroom break. This is what some TSA officers say when they’re tired of their co-workers.
Alfalfa: TSA malespeak for an attractive female passenger.
[per TOS, trimmed for respect to copyrights - mods]
Last edited by essxjay; Feb 1, 2014 at 2:41 pm Reason: trimmed for respect to copyrights
Jan 31, 2014, 9:16 am
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Some Great Quotes From The Politico Article
Interestingly, he confirmed much of what we have suspected or even joked about: Politico:
Most TSA officers I talked to told me they felt the agency’s day-to-day operations represented an abuse of public trust and funds.
...my co-workers at the airport didn’t know Algeria from a medical condition...
I.O. room ["voyeur room"] duty quickly devolved into an unofficial break. It was the one place in the airport free of surveillance cameras, since the TSA had assured the public that no nude images of passengers would be stored on any recording device, closed circuit cameras included.
Last edited by essxjay; Feb 1, 2014 at 2:42 pm Reason: trimmed for respect to copyrights
Jan 31, 2014, 12:03 pm
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Of course they do. But fear of being blamed if something happens and jeopardizes their re-election will keep them from doing anything other than making sound bites of feigned outrage.