Wow, journalism these days is awful
 

http://www.wltz.com/story/16771514/c...ity-checkpoint

Just like many other TSA-related stories, there was no independent research at all, just a TSA press release.

What gets me is that if my memory serves me correctly, the Columbus airport is tiny. The old 'airport, hair care and tire center' (thanks Ron White). Never flew out of there (only 90 miles to ATL), but drove past on several occasions. Airport looks so small the TSA agent doubles as the skycap, gate attendant and pushback driver.

Yep - just a press release posted online. No one could be bothered to do any research.

It gets worse.

http://www2.newsvirginian.com/news/2...sa-ar-1674337/

What?!

It says that the author is an "employee of Virginia and a News Virginian Columnist". Assuming that means he is an employee of the State, it's no wonder that he takes a government-can-do-no-wrong approach.

Instead of questioning the TSA's arbitrary rules, he takes issue with the the fact that someone is complaining about the rules (and the folks at the checkpoint).

No surprise at the attitude. At all.

Wow, that could very well be the worst piece of "opinion" I have ever read. His "facts" are totally incorrect.

Calling that "journalism" is like calling what the TSA does "security."

Per the The News Virginia "Contact Us" Page, the editor is:

Jonathan Hunley
[email protected]
(540) 932-3556

Please be polite and professional when contacting him!

When writing, you might want to point out that not only did the TSA not discover the bomb in Reid's shoe, it wasn't even theoretically possible for it to have done so, as he boarded the flight in France.

Nor was the TSA responsible for security until February 2002.

Dear Mr. Hunley,

May I ask if your newspaper employs a fact checker?

From: http://www2.newsvirginian.com/news/2...sa-ar-1674337/

"If that’s the case, Paul should be reminded that Richard Reid, a.k.a. the Shoe Bomber, didn’t fit our preconceived profile of a terrorist, either. If the TSA hadn’t discovered a bomb in his shoe, he and the other passengers on the American Airline flight may have been blown out of the air."

Richard Reid's "shoe bomb attempt took place in December 2001, the TSA was not formed until 2002.

Richard Reid's boarded a flight from Paris, France to Miami,FL. Last time I checked France was an independent county that has its own airport security and does not utilize the TSA.

Richard Reid's shoe bomb attempt was discovered on the plane by a passenger and an airline attendant, not the TSA.

About the only accurate statement is that that had Richard Reid been able to ignite the C4 it could have damaged the aircraft enough, causing it to crash.

And for the record the TSA has never discovered a terrorist in its10 year plus of self aggrandizing existence.

Perhaps Mr. Graves could be employed else where until he learns to get his facts correct. I hear the TSA is hiring and they like to make things up.

FUTR

absolutely +1

Not even that. The shoe contained stabilized triacetonetriperoxide (TATP), a highly volatile and explosive compound made from easily attainable chemicals, and pentaerthritol tetranitrate (PETN), an explosive component used in military-grade plastic explosive. The explosive material in C-4 is cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine more commonly known as RDX.

And there was about 100 grams, not 10 ounces as originally reported by some/most media.

100 grams, versus the 4+ pounds that apparently made it through a checkpoint in a bag that was pulled for inspection in Fayetteville.

Still in clearly-marked block wrappers, too. Easily identifiable, unless one wears a blue shirt and tin badge.

If it had been 'artfully concealed', they would have caught it. You know, like maybe...disguised as a cupcake or something...