Please do not lock your luggage

Old Mar 14, 2003, 6:34 pm
  #241  
 
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The TSA has such a department: Linda Daschle.

The TSA bought Bo,b Detection equipment with a KNOWN false positive rate of 30%. That is asinine.

Also, the US has not taken on ANY type of Security Operation. It has instituted Window Dressing. The TSA has done NOTHING to make flying safer.
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Old Mar 14, 2003, 6:49 pm
  #242  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tsadude:
What other country as large as ours has taken on such a massive security operation? Rules will change with time and experience. As far as equipment goes, todays hot$hit computer is out of date next month. What equipment would you suggest. I have not heard of a TSA R&D department for this stuff.</font>
You should read the legislation that created your department then because part of it included just what you are saying you haven't heard of. Of course, much of that law has been ignored or twisted. I don't think much research went into the idea that brought CAPPS II about. It was obviously already on someone's agenda.



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Old Mar 14, 2003, 7:07 pm
  #243  
 
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tsadude:
Rules will change with time and experience.
</font>

Been saying that for months.

Nigel

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Old Mar 14, 2003, 7:08 pm
  #244  
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I will repeat the question again. What other equipment is available?
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Old Mar 14, 2003, 7:44 pm
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There was no other equipment available at the time. In fact, the machines they are using at most airports, the Egis II, made by Thermo Dynamics, is primarily used in labratory settings. Thermo Dynamics only made about 100-200 machines a year before the TSA came into being. Their machines are state of the art, but they are designed to do no more than 5-10 samples an hour. They had to boost production of the machines by 1700% to meet the need. Given that when the start-up of TSA happened, things were rushed, they did choose the Cadillac of explosive detection devices. So when you complainers jump up and down about the machines, remember, there were NO OTHER devices out there. There was NO MARKET for such a machine before 9/11.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 2:38 am
  #246  
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Funny, there are lots of carry on x-ray machines in Europe that seem to work just fine 1)With only 2 operators per checkpoint and 2)Without requiring people to remove laptops and other electronic devices from bags. This machine is the Rapiscan.

I haven't checked bags to/from Europe, but I know that I don't see an army of people opening bags due to a 30% false-positive rate. In Munich, they x-rayed people's checked luggage and allowed them to keep it locked. I didn't see anyone being asked to open their luggage after it was x-rayed. Perhaps these are machines that just don't function correctly once they have been imported into the US? Some bizzare 220/110V power conversion problem? Or, perhaps it's because Comrade Daschle's wife is not peddling this particular brand?

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Old Mar 15, 2003, 6:04 am
  #247  
 
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Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) machines are NOT x-ray machines. They are more akin to spectrographs. You don't just buy them off the shelf. As for the Rapiscan, thats the X-RAY machine thats used the most in the US. Nuff said.

edited for spelling

[This message has been edited by ACES II (edited 03-15-2003).]
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 6:33 am
  #248  
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Spiff:
Funny, there are lots of carry on x-ray machines in Europe that seem to work just fine 1)With only 2 operators per checkpoint and 2)Without requiring people to remove laptops and other electronic devices from bags. This machine is the Rapiscan.

I haven't checked bags to/from Europe, but I know that I don't see an army of people opening bags due to a 30% false-positive rate. In Munich, they x-rayed people's checked luggage and allowed them to keep it locked. I didn't see anyone being asked to open their luggage after it was x-rayed. Perhaps these are machines that just don't function correctly once they have been imported into the US? Some bizzare 220/110V power conversion problem? Or, perhaps it's because Comrade Daschle's wife is not peddling this particular brand?

</font>

How many more years have the Europeans been doing this than us? How do you figure that the TSA has the experience level as the Germans? That experience is not there yet.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 9:56 am
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Maybe we should have bought the equipment that the Germans are using?

Maybe we should have bought the equipment that does NOT have the 30% false positive rate.

Maybe we should have used some commons sense and decided that since the crap that Comrade Daschle shoved down our throats does NOT work, we should design a procedure that allows the passengers to be present when their bags are searched.

Maybe we should have come up with a better line than "Sorry if something is missing from your luggage, but we are not the only ones handling it".

Maybe we should knock the "Head Cases" down a notch by terminating screeners who abuse their authority, put disrespectful notes in luggage, STEAL from luggage, bring loaded weapons to checkpoints, FALL ASLEEP on the job, etc...

Maybe we should hire some SECURITY PROFESSIONALS to run the TSA and give them the mandate that they are free to tear the whole thing down if necessary as long as when they are finished, the agency actually makes air travel safer.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 10:18 am
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From what I have seen on my trips there, the Germans are not screening all bags for explosives in the way that we do. Remember Pan-Am 103? It was loaded in Germany, I don't see them doing anything different now. The Germans do not have ETD machines, so comparing what they do to us is apples to oranges. You guys seem to really enjoy griping so much about the machines. Invent one that is DESIGNED to do the task of running 100's of samples a day. They just do not exist yet.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 10:35 am
  #251  
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I do not see it getting any better than 1:10 alarms. To many items of density in suitcases. Things are tight on time to allow passengers to wait for luggage inspection. People arrive 35 minutes prior to departure and want to wait for the suit cases to be looked at. Maybe a special line could be set up in the future but the way people are quiting and getting injured, I doubt it will bee soon.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 11:50 am
  #252  
 
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Getting Injured????????????

BS. There is NO reason in the world a screener should be getting injured.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 11:57 am
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I thought so too, then talked to my screener friend and has says some have been hurt due to people traveling with bags that weigh more than 80 pounds. Granted, the airlines have lowered their weight limits, but still, some pay the extra fee to carry their kitchen sink.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 12:27 pm
  #254  
 
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If the bag is too heavy, ASK FOR HELP.

More and more it looks like the first requirement for TSA employment is an utter lack of common sense.
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Old Mar 15, 2003, 1:42 pm
  #255  
 
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Well, since you mentioned that, screeners are not supposed to lift more than 40 pounds at a time. Thus, 2 screeners are required to lift that 80 pound bag. So that tends to slow the process down as well, what with all those infrequent travellers who tend to check bags. So you wonder why they ask you to get to the airport 2 hours early?
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