Alas, if you read the article about the guy who called the TSA supervisor a Nazi, the only reason cited for censoring a post was use of profanity. They are blithering idiots if they expect us to believe that.

Yes and I responded to the author of that article to that effect.

So how come it isn't a problem for the rest of the world with the same tech?

I posted the following under the HOORAY BLOGGERS! entry regarding no longer needing to remove all electronics:

It's an embarassment that the TSA does not know what's going on it its own house without this blog. Rogue screeners have been creating their own rules since the inception of the TSA, yet this is hailed as a major victory?

Please, figure out what's going on in your own house, clean it up thoroughly, then come brag to us about it. This is nothing more than a public relations stunt in which you've allowed things to deteriorate to the point where enforcing your own policies on your employees is considered an improvement.

They're letting critical remarks through still it appears.

Saw that one. Good post. ^

As I understand it (and I admit I could be wrong, I haven't flown internationally other than military flights), the countries that are allowing the laptops to stay in the bags are using a newer brand of X-Ray. A (very) few airports within the U.S. are testing these now, and I'm seriously hoping they'll become much more widespread. Right now there are a few different brands we are using, and there are marked differences between even them. Primarily, it's a cost issue (as everything is).

This is one of the reasons we have our much-talked-about "80% failure rate", because our technology simply isn't up to par with what it could (and should) be. The more tests we fail, because we simply cannot see the items in the bag with the tech we're using, the more justification we have to spend more money on acquiring better technology.

Specifically regarding large electronics, some of you may have seen what they look like on an X-Ray, and some of you may not have. The more dense the electronics, the more batteries and other opaque items, the harder it is going to be to see the rest of the contents of the bag. While I don't agree with screeners requiring *all* electronics out of the bag, I cannot deny that it does make our job considerably easier if it is done. And laptops are, quite literally, the number two most difficult item to see through (X-Box is number one). So a simple, blanket policy of "all laptops out of the bag" makes this (in theory) consistent, and streamlines a lot of the process.

No, you are wrong. You have a serious misapprehension about how security is handled outside the US. Most countries just don't care about our paranoia, much less have superior equipment or know how to operate it.

If you actually flew commercial international you would be appalled at what is carried on to aircraft bound for the US of A. At least you would be appalled if you were a typical paranoid US citizen.

Indeed.

Compared to most other countries, the United States is the stupidest, most paranoid nation on the planet, thanks to assclowns like Chertoff and Hawley.

Don't forget Bush and his "you're either with us or against us" attitude right after Sept. 11.

Well, that's getting a little Omni, but Dear Leader did first object to federalizing airport security, but eventually caved to Comrade Daschle and the other swine who hung this disgusting albatross of an agency around our necks.

Exactly. I have emails, letters and voice mails that confirm that high-ranking TSA leadership has been aware of this since September, less than a month after the August 4, 2007 policy change.

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/sop/index.shtm

Several times at different airports I've been subjected to "everything out" made-up rules and complained each time. Either the leadership does not communicate or the TSA liars made up this "we're responsive" BS so they could proclaim that the blog "validates" their responsiveness.

Drivel from Liars.

"Jay", the moderator(?) of the "inconsistencies" section of the TSA blog seems to be getting a bit testy.

Judging from experience, I'd say he is going to crack fairly soon.

From the most recent post in the inconsistencies section:

I, too, had begun to wonder if some ringers had been recruited to post in support of TSA policies, as such posts have seemed to increase recently. However, they are not well written. One poster who claimed to be a screener makes references to the "cosmopolitan flyer".

OK - two things. Am I to understand that the X-Ray probably can't even see (up to 80%) of what goes in? And we accept this as security?

Second, if it doesn't work, why did we buy it? And why are we even thinking of buying more?? Anyone smell a no-bid contract??

Except I doubt this, I really do. We'll get the better X-ray machines and still be required to remove our laptops (or all electronics or liquids or whatever) "in an abundance of caution".

We got the sniffers, and even when they were in use, there was (presumably) an "overabundance of caution" (or another layer of security) that still required shoes off.