Originally Posted by
LessO2
Then why is the TSA wasting taxpayer dollars for something that even you say is not proven?
Two reasons - it provides employment for thousands of TSA'ers and their suppliers, and when it comes to the federal government and security, the culture of fear still controls. I attend several security-related meetings every month - and have since 9/11 - and unless someone has the guts to stand up and say "this is a really stupid idea," no one wants to take ownership of a decision that may result in being scapegoated should something "bad" happens.
Oh, in case you are wondering, I have stood up to DHS - successfully - to cast a disinfecting light on their stupid idea of the day.
Originally Posted by
LessO2
Updating the x-ray system would be of more benefit to the TSA than it realizes. As it is right now, one of the largest reasons there's a big line at the checkpoints is because us passengers need to accommodate for the many TSA shortcomings. We need to take the liquids out, because the TSA doesn't have the technology to tell what's in that bottle of Aquafina, we need to take the laptop out because the x-ray can't see it in a bag properly, we need to take our shoes off because the TSA can't figure out what's in them. We need to take out CPAP machines because some moron at Long Beach decided a Wii was a bomb.
This is where greed and the government procurement system comes in. Why improve an existing technology when we can divert taxpayer money to fund unproven technology that still brings jobs home to the district?
Originally Posted by
LessO2
And last but not least (for the TSA), it would give them some positive PR. Not to mention something other than lowering itself to to brag about catching some college kid with fake ID.
We're into year number eight of the TSA. Three changes to the uniforms, no changes to x-ray technology. That's pathetic, and it's time the TSA start protecting the traveling public instead of talking about it.
TSA is caught in a web of their own making. They have been provided with - and rejected - a thorough report detailing the greatest threats to aviation safety, and continue to ignore it, because if they accepted it, we wouldn't need most of the 45,000 TSO's that do virtually nothing more than their predecessors did.