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Heads up: TSA now testing water at the gates in SLC

Heads up: TSA now testing water at the gates in SLC

Old Sep 22, 2009, 9:31 pm
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by GoingAway
Geez, it sounds like you drink the kool aid and think this is intelligent.
Not quite. I just say what it is, not whether or not it makes any sense, or whether or not it should be done.

Originally Posted by MikeMpls
So how to they handle the sample?
You open the lid, the test strip is held over the lid without touching the bottle's mouth, or being inserted into the bottle, and some distilled water is dropped onto the test strip. Results are instantaneous.

We do the same test at the checkpoint, for exempted liquids over 3.4. Or, at least, they should be doing the same test, anyway.
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 9:47 pm
  #17  
 
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watch out!!

I just hope they never find and di-hydrogen monoxide in any of those bottles. That stuff is dangerous!!
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 10:05 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by T-the-B
I just hope they never find and di-hydrogen monoxide in any of those bottles. That stuff is dangerous!!
That was a good laugh I had once, watching some people at a college campus rally punk some folks into signing a petition to ban di-hydrogen monoxide.
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 10:14 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by HSVTSO Dean
Sounds like they're doing what they're supposed to be doing. It's been getting done for over a year now, at least, though the exact date it started escapes me at the moment.

Another part of The Playbook.
Of stupidity?

You know, it would be awful if someone whose liquids you were attempting to test accidentally spilled the liquid all over the TSO doing the testing. Absolutely awful.

Last edited by JSmith1969; Sep 22, 2009 at 10:19 pm
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 10:46 pm
  #20  
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Originally Posted by GoingAway
...????? What playbook and WHERE has it been happening? Geez, it sounds like you drink the kool aid and think this is intelligent.

Screen this crap at the source or upon arrival - hey its in a secure zone, shouldn't it be secure - and be done with it .... Do NOT touch the water once I buy it. It's mine, keep your hands off it was purchased by TSAs BS rules - just stay the F away!! (we're talking multiple bottles of inflated priced water - not opened and I don't expect TSOs EVER to open it for me)
Please, you're not thinking about the children. What if little Timmy's sippy bottle explodes?
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 10:48 pm
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by goalie
so let me see if i have this right....

  • tsa says only liquids, gels and aerosols 3.40z or less are permitted thru the checkpoint in carry on luggage
  • pax buys a $4.00 (i'm being kind ) bottle of water inside the terminal's secure area and said water according to the tsa, is supposed to be safe and secure
  • tsa wants to test the same aforementioned already declared safe water.

what brilliant government dikhead weasel thought up that stragety
I see this as a positive. By getting the TSA staff used to testing water, they are getting prepared to open up to allowing water through the checkpoint (as long as they test it).

OK, I am an optimist but I think this could be a good thing.
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 11:02 pm
  #22  
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 11:10 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by HSVTSO Dean
Not quite. I just say what it is, not whether or not it makes any sense, or whether or not it should be done.



You open the lid, the test strip is held over the lid without touching the bottle's mouth, or being inserted into the bottle, and some distilled water is dropped onto the test strip. Results are instantaneous.

We do the same test at the checkpoint, for exempted liquids over 3.4. Or, at least, they should be doing the same test, anyway.
I'm assuming this is a test for liquid explosives. Can you tell me what types of liquid explosives it tests for? I'm assuming the results are some kind of color change which correspond to the type of liquid explosive, kind of like a litmus paper test except that no physical contact is made with the test medium.
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 11:12 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by HSVTSO Dean
You open the lid, the test strip is held over the lid without touching the bottle's mouth, or being inserted into the bottle, and some distilled water is dropped onto the test strip. Results are instantaneous.
Several questions:
  1. Under what regulatory/statutory authority does TSA have to demand to check my lawfully purchased and previously TSA-approved LGA beyond the checkpoint? (sorry, AFAIK TSA Playbook is neither Regulation nor Statute)
  2. Is the dropper of distilled water a one-time use device? If not, the TSO is contaminating the passenger's LGA (since your description implies that the test strip is wet while being held over the open LGA container). Want to test my LGA beyond the C/P, produce the funds to replace it and TSOs can circle-jerk the damn bottle all they want. Don't produce the funds, TSOs aren't checking the remnants in my colon, much less my purchased property.

IMO, this is yet another BULLS... response from TSA. I agree with others -
  1. TSA prohibits us taking LGA of preferred sizes through the checkpoint
  2. Now, TSOs test, under questionable color of authority, our post-C/P PURCHASED LGA (supposedly "cleared" by the "authorized" TSA processes)
  3. TSA, presumably, reserves the "right" to make us "voluntary surrender" our now questionable, lawfully-PURCHASED LGA

More make-busywork lipstick on a fat, anal-penetrating pig.
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 11:19 pm
  #25  
 
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"Why do you need to test this bottle of water?? Didn't you test everything that comes past the checkpoint?? Are you saying this water could be dangerous?? What about all the other water at the store over there?? *pointing* Gee, there's a lot of it over there!! *pointing* Do you think it could ALL be dangerous?? Aren't you guys supposed to protect the airport?"

At some point in there they've got to decide to leave you alone.
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Old Sep 22, 2009, 11:53 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by T-the-B
I just hope they never find and di-hydrogen monoxide in any of those bottles. That stuff is dangerous!!
Nice link ROTFLU
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Old Sep 23, 2009, 12:02 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by DevilDog438
Under what regulatory/statutory authority does TSA have to demand to check my lawfully purchased and previously TSA-approved LGA beyond the checkpoint? (sorry, AFAIK TSA Playbook is neither Regulation nor Statute)
Well, I can give it a good shot, at least.

49CFR 1540.5 defines screening locations as each site at which individuals or property are inspected for the presence of weapons, explosives, or incendiaries.

PL 107.71, also known as the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001, creates the role of the Administrator, and empowers said Administrator to develop and establish screening procedures and functions, further defined in scope by 49 CFR definitions of screening procedures, functions: the inspection of individuals and property for weapons, explosives, and incendiaries.

Somewhere or another, an Administrator determined that gate areas are a screening location subject to randomized screening functions. The current acting-Administrator has not rescinded that (though, at one point, one of the Administrators did, but it was brought back later. This was some years ago, mind you).

Ergo: The Administrator designated the gate area to be a screening location, and the search is for WEI.

Originally Posted by DevilDog438
Is the dropper of distilled water a one-time use device? If not, the TSO is contaminating the passenger's LGA (since your description implies that the test strip is wet while being held over the open LGA container). Want to test my LGA beyond the C/P, produce the funds to replace it and TSOs can circle-jerk the damn bottle all they want. Don't produce the funds, TSOs aren't checking the remnants in my colon, much less my purchased property.
You misunderstood me. Let me put it out in every little step:

The passenger opens the bottle.

The test strip is held over the mouth of the bottle, upside-down, for it to get the sample it needs.

It's then moved away from the bottle, turned right-side-up, and a drop of distilled water is dropped down onto it.

Like I said before, there's no actual contact made with anything. Nothing is contaminated, except perhaps by air. But then you'd never open the thing at all if you were concerned about that, and then your nice, refreshing beverage is reduced to being a paperweight.

Originally Posted by QUERY
I'm assuming this is a test for liquid explosives.
Yes.

Originally Posted by QUERY
Can you tell me what types of liquid explosives it tests for?
No.

Well, maybe, but I'd just as soon not take that risk on the off-chance it's something I shouldn't say.
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Old Sep 23, 2009, 12:05 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by RadioGirl
At some point in there they've got to decide to leave you alone.
No, they don't. Not until we all say enough and flat out refuse to cooperate. Past the checkpoint, demand a warrant. No warrant, no water. You want to rescreen, then declare yourselves incompetent clear everyone out of the terminal and rescreen everybody.

We need a boycott, on a business traveling day, or perhaps we should take some lessons from the French: a national strike day where no one goes to work.
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Old Sep 23, 2009, 12:07 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by straygaijin
I see this as a positive. By getting the TSA staff used to testing water, they are getting prepared to open up to allowing water through the checkpoint (as long as they test it).

OK, I am an optimist but I think this could be a good thing.
I hate to sound pessimistic, but I don't see this as a positive or a step forward.

As long as all LGA's in excess of 100 ml are considered "dangerous" by the TSA, it is going to take another method of screening before they'll be allowed back through. There are other technologies available, but the TSA does not appear to be in any hurry to deploy them; they're more interested in purchasing nude-o-scope machines.

It would never be practical for a TSO to go through every liquid/gel item with a test strip.

Personally, I don't see liquids as a threat. This liquid farce is a huge over-reaction by the TSA, just as 100% shoe screening is.
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Old Sep 23, 2009, 12:38 am
  #30  
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Originally Posted by straygaijin
I see this as a positive. By getting the TSA staff used to testing water, they are getting prepared to open up to allowing water through the checkpoint (as long as they test it).

OK, I am an optimist but I think this could be a good thing.
The only optimism I see in this is that it will one more nail in TSA's coffin when people start missing their connecting flights because our nation's highly-trained Water Detection Officers (WDOs) are verifying that water is indeed water.
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