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TSA lets every passenger board with potential lethal weapons

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TSA lets every passenger board with potential lethal weapons

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Old Feb 13, 2011 | 1:25 pm
  #31  
 
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Originally Posted by Cartoon Peril
Anything for security, of course.
Of course. Nothing is too intrusive, ridiculous or humiliating if it keeps even a single passenger from rescuing himself and fellow passengers from a potential undershorts bomber.
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Old Feb 13, 2011 | 1:58 pm
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by chugger1
In 10 years of law enforcement, I saw more injuries and terror inflicted upon one human to another by hands/fists/feet than any other weapon. I'm surprised TSA doesn't have us all sitting handcuffed, leg shackled and belly chained on our flights like ConAir.
^^+1 you ain't kidding.
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Old Feb 13, 2011 | 4:28 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by IslandBased
The simple solution would be to make passengers stow their arms and legs in the overhead bins for the duration of the flight.
Maybe we could be carried by four TSA screeners from our homes, through the airport and onto the plane in an egg.
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 12:02 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by IslandBased
The "canary in a coal mine" test can be used for a couple of the dangerous items listed. If one of eyecue's fellow TSOs keels over, eyecue could have seconds left to make his peace with the world, call for a supervisor, or pat down another suspect.

What would you do in this situation?
In all seriousness, TSA agents are truly canaries in regards to bombs etc.

If the day comes that a TSO actually discovers a bomb carried by true terrorist, they'll live in the glory of the big catch for about 5 seconds before the bomber hits the detonate button, wiping out the checkpoint and anyone around them.

TSA will not stop a motivated and smart bomber. They just offer up a chance to move the detonation point from a crowded tube in the sky, to a crowded government checkpoint at an airport.
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 2:08 am
  #35  
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I gave the secuirty theater high marks for absurdity when they banned metal butter knives after 9/11. Of course, the bad guys still had access to forks. Or better yet, breaking a drinking glass or a bottle of duty-free vodka wouldn't result in an edge sharp enough to cut someone's throat, now would it?

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating banning any of these things. Just pointing out the absurdity of security theater.
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 2:43 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by chugger1
In 10 years of law enforcement, I saw more injuries and terror inflicted upon one human to another by hands/fists/feet than any other weapon. I'm surprised TSA doesn't have us all sitting handcuffed, leg shackled and belly chained on our flights like ConAir.
give them time, they are slowly but surely working towards that...
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 9:33 am
  #37  
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Originally Posted by STBCypriot
I gave the secuirty theater high marks for absurdity when they banned metal butter knives after 9/11. Of course, the bad guys still had access to forks. Or better yet, breaking a drinking glass or a bottle of duty-free vodka wouldn't result in an edge sharp enough to cut someone's throat, now would it?

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating banning any of these things. Just pointing out the absurdity of security theater.
As another FTer mentioned, snapping a CD in half, would be sharper than a butter knife.. Of course, TSA has not discovered this lethal threat, yet
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 10:14 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by STBCypriot
I gave the secuirty theater high marks for absurdity when they banned metal butter knives after 9/11. Of course, the bad guys still had access to forks. Or better yet, breaking a drinking glass or a bottle of duty-free vodka wouldn't result in an edge sharp enough to cut someone's throat, now would it?

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating banning any of these things. Just pointing out the absurdity of security theater.
Originally Posted by FriendlySkies
As another FTer mentioned, snapping a CD in half, would be sharper than a butter knife.. Of course, TSA has not discovered this lethal threat, yet
There are a myriad of things airside that can be converted to a weapon.

Next time you are airside, pop into the news stand or souvenir shop and see how many things could be just as effective as a box cutter or knife.
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 10:16 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by PhoenixRev
Next time you are airside, pop into the news stand or souvenir shop and see how many things could be just as effective as a box cutter or knife.
+1

Which makes all of these "rules" completely absurd.
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Old Feb 14, 2011 | 10:17 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by Cartoon Peril
I keep reading about how TSA needs to do a variety of offensive things to people all in the name of security.

Yet every passenger is permitted to board with at least three items that could be used as lethal weapons:

1. A leather belt and buckle.
2. Keys on a key ring.
3. A laptop computer.

I don't intend to give a tutorial on how these items could be used as weapons, but the methods should be obvious to anyone who thinks about them. Any terrorist who wanted to harm people on an aircraft would be knowledgeable about these, and I would assume that TSA must know this.

I should point out that in some of the secure areas to which I have been admitted over the years, it is common for keys NOT to be allowed into the facility.

Given the obvious potential use of permitted items as weapons, I cannot see how the alacrity with which TSA lays its hands upon the passengers bodies, or leers at their naked images from a private booth (my God, does anyone at the government realize how creepy that is!) is anywhere close to justified.
If someone is going to hijack the plane I am on with a key, I will take my chances...

Look at the shoe bomber and underwear bomber. Passengers were the ones that put their lives in danger to stop the threat. I am sure a key wont stop 200 passengers from stopping that threat.
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Old Feb 15, 2011 | 5:50 am
  #41  
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Originally Posted by TheRoadie
I don't believe you have the technology to detect ricin, sarin, or biological agents. What equipment can you point to that does?
That'll be SSI, I assume
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