Then the TSO in this case who claimed she was looking at the pictures to verify they weren't explosive was not following policy/procedure?

That people continuously point to 3rd World dictatorships as justification for what TSA and law enforcement does makes me want to vomit.

We are not (at least in theory) a 3rd World dictatorship, and that as a nation we are tripping over ourselves to justify these behaviors because we want to do same only points out that such procedures are, indeed, wrong.

Your idea of "many" is not representative of 'most".

What were you buying in Argentina with local currency when they recorded the ID info, drugs or something else? Or were you trying to use large denomination bills, perhaps foreign currency?

From all my years of being in Argentina, it's not standard to ask for ID when using local currency to pay for most retail transactions. Same goes for most retail transactions in most countries.

Even retail enterprises located in Third World dictatorships don't ordinarily demand ID be recorded for most retail purchases using cash. The insinuation that it is rather standard in many country to record ID when using cash for retail purchases is suspicious -- some may say it's more suspicious than cash.

Leaving the fine points of law aside, the TSA clerk who explained why the cops were called doesn't sound credible to me. It really sounds like the kind of cockamamie story that crooks make up for the police. The "dark mass" might have been the envelope with pictures, but that doesn't really explain the emptying of the envelope. "Sheet explosives" could be used as a cover of examining anything. By the way, was the xray image preserved and presented at trial?

There is no sterile side. Hundreds if not thousands of people -- TSA staff (and, as reported here, their friends and family), airport workers, and many others -- move in and out of airports all across the country all day long without any security or inspection.

In Argentina it was at a chain pharmacy where I paid cash and was asked for ID, but I was not buying any pharmaceutical items. At restaurants (even fast food) I paid with plastic and they always asked for ID.


In Venezuela, every time, plastic or cash. Even grocery stores. I got pretty used to reciting my ID number, and in some cases they just typed it into the register without actually checking it. But most chains demanded to see the ID.

There is no such thing as a "Third World" since the dissolution of the Soviet Union two decades ago. We now have the "developed" world and the "developing" world. No third world.

The point I was trying to make is that many of the "injustices" that the ACLU goes around screaming about in this country would be considered pretty mundane facts of life in many countries around the world. Showing your ID frequently throughout the day in the course of carrying out daily life is one example that came to mind. I'm not defending the Patriot Act or anything like that, but I am saying that sometimes people in this country can be too sensitive.

Also, neither Argentina nor Venezuela is a dictatorship in the titular sense. Both countries define themselves as democratic republics, and both have leaders ostensibly elected by the people. Let's be careful and not throw terminology around haphazardly.

There was a brief moment when that was true. Unfortunately, there now needs to be a new term, "bankrupted developed", or similar, indicating a downward rather than an upward trajectory away to lower and lower standards of living. Greece, most certainly in this group, followed by Ireland, Portugal, Spain, the UK, the United States...

Or did you miss S&P's downgrade of US bonds from AAA to AA, which is only the first of many downgrades....

Possibly true. But how many Americans are eager to change residences to the parts of the world you're talking about. The fact that ACLU makes the complaint and are seconded by lots of citizens is why so much of the world wants to come HERE. Too bad they can't just change their country so the government is less oppressive. Too bad we can't.

I've eaten at restaurants in Argentina several thousand times where I've paid with credit cards, and I'm certain that your last sentence above is not representative of even 1% of my transactions. So much for your posts claim about "many" and "always".

... and "third world" is still used. The dissolution of the Soviet Union and much of the rest of the Warsaw Pact did nothing to change that.

No, I believe that TSO doesn't really understand the detailed nuances of their job. To explain, I know both I and Bart have stated in this site that all "alarms" mean is "look a little closer". And thats honestly it. Alarms do NOT mean there is an explosive or even prohibited item; alarms do not even mean there is a percentage of a chance of explosives. But be careful to note that this does not mean it is NOT an explosive. CTXs, L3s, x-rays, ETDs have limitations, and all they can really tell someone is to check it out further. To some people, even to some on this site who are pretty intelligent, this is a hard concept to grasp - and some people simply can not get their hands around this concept.

But consider this: would it be wise to have a policy that said "We think there is a small chance there may be an explosive in this bag, lets open it up and check it out." No; at that point you would get those capable of opening the bag more safely, with protective gear, and verifying what exactly is in the luggage. To do otherwise is a certain way to eventually get people killed.

Yawn :o

What occurs to me to wonder is, what serves to set off these alarms. Shouldn't TSA be using something like that at the screening stations? Maybe with the programming that causes alerts to the baggage inspectors, TSO's will do a better job of focusing on probable threats and stop pawing old ladies and babies.

What "alarms" are you talking about, exactly?

Without knowing what your saying, I will state that newer technology is being developed for x-rays that will more accurately pin-point actual explosives, guns and knives, and such, but the last I heard from those who actually work in that industry, it is not that accurate, yet, as it misses too many of those items. And when it comes, it will be very expensive to be deployed. Oh, it will save money, as the workforce will be reduced, which is a good thing.