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TSA questions passenger who has fake head in his bag

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TSA questions passenger who has fake head in his bag

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Old Aug 12, 2011, 8:44 am
  #16  
 
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We have a laser-etched image of my mother's face on her grave marker, but the 3D face sculpture is a bit much!

To be fair, I'm sure it's not every day they see a smiling face staring back at them on the x-ray, lol...
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 8:57 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer
Exactly. Most likely they were on a fishing expedition for something "illegal" as opposed to something that impacts flight security.
A while back, didn't they hassle someone who was carrying a human cadaver skull?
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 9:36 am
  #18  
 
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I am glad everyone was able to come to a satisfactory conclusion.

If the TSA had taken it from the traveler, he would have lost a lot of face.
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 11:17 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Wilbur
I am glad everyone was able to come to a satisfactory conclusion.

If the TSA had taken it from the traveler, he would have lost a lot of face.
If they'd confisca... uh, "accepted the voluntary surrender of" the face, they could have put it to work as a SPOTnik.

Maybe that's why they were so interested in it in the first place - a face with nothing useful behind it seems to have a lot in common with the average employee at the checkpoint.
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 11:52 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by Wilbur
If the TSA had taken it from the traveler, he would have lost a lot of face.
*headdesk*
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 12:14 pm
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer
Exactly. Most likely they were on a fishing expedition for something "illegal" as opposed to something that impacts flight security.
That was my first thought, until I saw the following:

After consulting among themselves, they decided the head was not a prohibited item, and Shulman continued on his way.
Clearly they were worried about, well, I don't have the faintest idea. But somebody decided that the head might be a prohibited item.

Mike
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 12:15 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by cordelli

Not something I would want on my gravestone, and think they would have a way more profitable business if they did other body parts for less money, but that's another story.
"For only a few dollars more, our manufacturers will provide an enhanced version."

Mike
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 12:19 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by mikeef
"For only a few dollars more, our manufacturers will provide an enhanced version."

Mike
And let's face it. This fellow got some great free publicity for his company, right up in the third paragraph of the piece.
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 12:45 pm
  #24  
 
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So this pax was "giving head" to the TSA? I dunno, I smell a joke thread here.
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 12:52 pm
  #25  
 
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......After consulting among themselves, they decided the head was not a prohibited item
Here-in lies the crux of the matter... screeners consulting among themselves and deciding whether something they have never seen before might be in fact "prohibited". If it is not an IED or real weapon (nevermind the bottle of water or a sharp sticky thing) then why should it be "prohibited"?

The real risk here is in getting a screener so confused that it might make it's little head explode. Still... I doubt that would be much of a risk to aviation.


Last edited by loops; Aug 12, 2011 at 12:59 pm
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 1:12 pm
  #26  
 
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So, it took 3 TSA employees putting their heads together to think this through and outsmart a fake head, and then decide it wasn't WEI? Really? Is it any wonder the TSA is a failure?! The TSA should hire the fake head to "head" it's research division. That would be a huge step up over what they have now.
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 1:43 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by Fredd
And let's face it. This fellow got some great free publicity for his company, right up in the third paragraph of the piece.
Well, considering this was way more of press release than it was a news story, I would have to assume they actually were hoping they would get stopped along the way so they could run to the press.

Now they can advertise "so real it has trouble getting through security"
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 6:10 pm
  #28  
 
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Another example that TSA is full of wannabees who don't qualify for a real position of authority.

Virtually every blueshirt is an angry and disappointed sap whom true security organizations rejected.

Things like plastic heads give them a chance to play Sheriff.
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Old Aug 15, 2011, 10:27 am
  #29  
 
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Years ago it was common for me and a coworker to travel with either a skull or hand phantom in our luggage.

When you teach digital x-ray equipment we're not allowed to x-ray ourselves or other x-ray techs if there weren't any patients so we would carry these x-ray phantoms to train with.

We both used to get a good laugh when you'd see the expression on the TSO manning the x-ray scanner in the airports. Only twice did I ever have to retrieve it from my luggage for them to "inspect".


I wanted to break off the fingers on the hand phantom leaving only the middle finger but my boss would have had "my head" for that.
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Old Aug 15, 2011, 10:41 am
  #30  
 
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Nothing surprises me with these fools anymore. How much time and attention did it take for them to conclude it wasn't a prohibited item? Run an explosive detection on it and let the guy be on his way. Sheesh.
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