+1. got the chatty TSO working the line this morning while waiting for a checkpoint where NoS was roped off. all in all, that's a good morning. i think they should be using this tactic, and in the event congress / courts manage to relegate NoS to secondary use only, i would expect to see a lot more of it.

BDO's doing their best to keep us safe :rolleyes:

No, you do not have to answer any questions and when I have been "asked" both by TSO's in uniform and plainclothes (the ear piece kinda gave it away ;)), I simply told them to "please use their BDO training to "spot" someone else". Took them a few seconds to pick their jaw up off the floor ;) but that was it and they went away.

Do you believe that a dog will scare a determined terrorist? If you believe that, I invite you to see how some folks are able to beat polygraphs.

"Know your enemy" is very important. I don't think there are very many "determined terrorists". People who are getting mentally prepared to kill themselves aren't exactly in a great mental state and I don't think that comparing them to people who have learned to beat polygraphs is realistic. It won't take much to disrupt the delicate mental balance suicide bombers have formed.

I don't think there are very many "terrorists" period, but the few that actually exist I think are quite determined. There are plenty of people who are quite prepared to kill themselves. Even eager. A dog isn't going to stop them. And they certainly aren't going to be afraid of one no matter how large and ferocious. If you have no fear of death I think it's pretty reasonable to assume that you won't be too afraid of dogs either. I don't think a suicidal person has any sort of "delicate mental balance". It is a stable condition. They have committed to dying for a cause that they believe in. What they consider a noble cause. If they are discovered by a dog they can just blow themselves up, preferably in the most crowded area possible. A busy checkpoint could be even better in terms of casualties, fear, and potential political change than an airplane. I can just imagine that they would love to see the effect of that on security procedures. Pre-checkpoints would surely be the result. And then pre-pre-checkpoints ad infinitum. It would almost be funny if it weren't so ridiculous.

Lol, I second this. I need to get a small bible and carry it in my hand the next time I'm in line.

You would think so, but, there is nothing in the TSA PIA that makes this distinction. It's certainly not in their best interests. For that matter, nearly EVERYTHING the TSA does is problematic.

Better yet, carry a copy of the Principia Discordia and ask if they've accepted the Holy Chao as the guiding truth of existence.

Pshaw. More importantly: Are they prepared to be thrown into the mouth of the Great Cthulhu like a piece of movie popcorn?

A Koran or Hebrew prayer book (doesn't matter -- the strange letters are all the same to virtually all screeners and SPOTNiks) would send them into low earth orbit.

If by 'you', you mean me personally then it wasn't my hypothesis in the first place.

The quote seemed to imply that scaring off terrorists was something to be avoided. Struck me as a remarkable disconnect, which prompted the second of my comments.

I am proud of you. ^^

I am also proud of your girlfriend ^^

And the TSA shall not giveth retaliatory screening. Yeah, right :rolleyes: :td: :mad: