OMG! It's a Bomb!

Old Jul 17, 2007, 9:54 pm
  #16  
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Originally Posted by DCA TSO
Please, use your head, don't bring through the checkpoint some rigged device with wires, batteries, etc. The STSO was well within his or her right to seize the device (realistic IED replica) and not allow it through.
By this standard you are a realistic terrorist replica and should not be allowed in the airport.

Any terrorist with half a brain will make anything he's taking through security look like a common product. If something looks like a crude bomb that basically means it's not.
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Old Jul 17, 2007, 10:00 pm
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Originally Posted by DCA TSO
Please, use your head, don't bring through the checkpoint some rigged device with wires, batteries, etc. The STSO was well within his or her right to seize the device (realistic IED replica) and not allow it through.
Obviously not, since the police (you know, actually LEOs) said it was fine and sent him on his way. All the STSO did was make the TSA look stupid.
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Old Jul 17, 2007, 10:17 pm
  #18  
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Originally Posted by JakiChan
Obviously not, since the police (you know, actually LEOs) said it was fine and sent him on his way. All the STSO did was make the TSA look stupid.
Exactly. If the TSA can't do their job I'm not going to dumb down my technology choices to a level they can understand.
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 6:34 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by DCA TSO
Please, use your head, don't bring through the checkpoint some rigged device with wires, batteries, etc. The STSO was well within his or her right to seize the device (realistic IED replica) and not allow it through.
Very obvious that you failed to read the entire story.
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 7:28 am
  #20  
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Low Tech 101 Coming Up

He asks what it is. I tell him it is a battery charger for my iPod. He asks if I made it myself, to which I reply that I purchased a kit over the internet.
The US is becoming a land of the Technology Challenged. High tech is beyond the average person, and scares them. Screeners use x ray devices, puffers, ETDs, WTMD, and hand wands, all very high tech electronic machines, yet somehow are intimidated by people who know more science and chemistry than them.

This "device" looks to contain about six parts and twelve solder joints.

The "threat" from this pax is his ability to a. assemble and b. solder. OMG, that means he is walking around, with the knowledge in his head, of a portion of the skills needed to make a real bomb. That is what scared the TSA people. Why would any innocent ordinary citizen NEED to know things a tewwowist would need to know? Guilty, book him Denno.

For the safety of the children, quick, round up everyone who knows how to solder and ship them to Gitmo immediately. Help dumb down the US to the lowest common denominator of techno know nothings. Wow, I feel safer already. And we know Gitmo will soon have one heck of a ham radio station in the rec room. Oops, without those dangerous techno geeks, who is TSA going to call when their WTMD needs fixing? Electronics Repair Outsource of India-R-Us?
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 8:46 am
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But these are the times we live in. A handful of people with no knowledge of physics, engineering, or pyrotechnics are responsible for determining what is and what is not safe to bring on a plane. They're paid minimum wage and told to panic if they see something they don't recognize. Does this make me feel safer? It doesn't really matter. Implementing real security would bring the cost of flying up, which would likely cause a collapse of the airborne transportation network this country has worked so hard to build up.
Ain't that the truth.
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 8:49 am
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I = Improvised
E = Explosive
D = Devise

It is obvious that we have 2 out of 3 here, but the idiot TSO chose to overlook the fact that the most important ingredient (EXPLOSIVE) was nowhere to be found.
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 10:28 am
  #23  
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Originally Posted by birdstrike
Exactly. If the TSA can't do their job I'm not going to dumb down my technology choices to a level they can understand.
the tsa is so waaaaaaay behind the technology & learning curves it's laughable and it is next to impossible for them to think outside the box. don't dumb down your technology chocies-it's not fair to them but if you did decide to try and "dumb it down", you'd fail as there is no level low enough .
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 4:23 pm
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Originally Posted by Wally Bird
Quote:
But these are the times we live in. A handful of people with no knowledge of physics, engineering, or pyrotechnics are responsible for determining what is and what is not safe to bring on a plane. They're paid minimum wage and told to panic if they see something they don't recognize. Does this make me feel safer? It doesn't really matter. Implementing real security would bring the cost of flying up, which would likely cause a collapse of the airborne transportation network this country has worked so hard to build up.

Ain't that the truth.
Are you talking about TSO's? The rules and procedures are set by the security experts at TSA HQ. I and every screener are required to follow these rules and procedures. I don't always get the rationale behind the SOP but I realize that it is safe to assume that the people behind it have years and years of experience with this stuff.

And btw, while I understand the above comment was meant only to demean TSA screeners, I do have a 4-yr. degree and have coursework in G,O, and P-Chem, 3 sem. calc-based phys., stat/dyn, calc. & diff. eq., et al. among 130 hours of course work, and I can safely say it does not make any difference in working ETD and the rest.

Last edited by DCA TSO; Jul 18, 2007 at 4:33 pm
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 4:30 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by DCA TSO
Are you talking about TSO's? The rules and procedures are set by the security experts at TSA HQ. I and every screener are required to follow these rules and procedures. I don't always get the rationale behind the SOP but I realize that it is safe to assume that the people behind it have years and years of experience with this stuff.

And btw, while I don't recall a damn thing, I do have a 4-yr. degree and have coursework in G,O, and P-Chem, 3 sem. calc-based phys., stat/dyn, calc. & diff. eq., and even music appreciation and I can safely say it does not make any difference in working ETD, et al.
I see. So your position is that the screener was actually following a procedure which told him that if it looks soldered, it's a bomb; and that he wasn't following his own discretion.

Why does this not inspire confidence in the people you say have "years and years of experience with this stuff"?
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 4:45 pm
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A couple of things here.

First, Mods need to change the title.

Second, I went to the website and based on what I saw would not even dream of trying to take this thing on a plane.
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 4:47 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by rebadc

Second, I went to the website and based on what I saw would not even dream of trying to take this thing on a plane.
Why not?
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 4:52 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by rebadc
A couple of things here.

First, Mods need to change the title.

Second, I went to the website and based on what I saw would not even dream of trying to take this thing on a plane.
Yeah, why not? What's wrong with it? A plastic case which fits a couple batteries connected to a USB port...what's the big deal?
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 5:09 pm
  #29  
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Originally Posted by Loren Pechtel
Any terrorist with half a brain will make anything he's taking through security look like a common product.
Actually, two brain cells to rub together is plenty enough. :-:
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Old Jul 18, 2007, 5:11 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by rebadc
First, Mods need to change the title.
To what?

And btw, you're welcome to notify us mods by PM or via the report post icon.

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