Front page story in the Palm Beach Post this morning about the more than 40,000 items "intercepted" by the TSA in S.Florida airports within the past year. Reads like a DHS press release: ""We know for a fact that people are testing the system," said Sari Koshetz, a Miami-based TSA spokeswoman.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localne...ity.html?imw=Y

As much as the TSA likes to tout the guns they find this quote was what got my attention.

Almost all of the knives are someones pocket knife, most likely they forgot to take it off their key chain or out of their purse. When they provide the statistics on "Red Team" tests then we'll know how effective they actually are.

So 41% of all items siezed in South Florida are knives. That seems unusually high, although, I have no idea what proportion of knives are siezed elsewhere.

It just seems really high.

"and the secret service wrestled the python to the ground"* and held it at bay with a 2 1/2 inch pocket knife until the department of animal control arrived.



*it's a 70's thing....

Yep, that's the phrase du jour for the TSA. Didn't we read the same comment on PV just recently or was it in another article on all the stuff they find?

So much is wrong with that article, but I will just elaborate on one aspect:

First, the TSA could truthfully say that any passenger hiding a 3.5 bottle of liquid in his pocket is testing the system. But that person is not testing the system in order to effect a terrorist act - he just wants to avoid being hampered by an idiotic rule. So while the TSA can make this a truthful statement, I doubt that very many interpret this as other than bad guys are constantly probing our layers of security.

Second, one should be very concerned if arrests have been made for these probing activities, yet the TSA is utilizing security reasons for not disclosing them. We do not have a Star Chamber in this country, so why isn't disclosure forthcoming - perhaps because these arrests are not what she portrays them to be? After all, the TSA is out in front in publicizing the incidents that have resulted in arrests at its screening checkpoints (even if it later turns out to be incorrect).

And if officials are detecting persons testing the system for nefarious reasons, then those officials should be able to come up with some charge to arrest those persons.

Once again, all hat and no cattle.


I didn't know a rule existed that alligator heads are okay to be checked, but not for carry-on. Must be those sharp teeth.

I think that the TSA would say that they do not arrest anyone and only turn offenders over to law enforcement and that actual arrest statistics would be known to law enforcement only.

Also I think that it is important to note that TSA does not turn every offender over to law enforcement and more often than not simply allows you to ensure that the object does not enter the sterile area. If you wish to mail it or surrender it the choice is yours. Now the TSA's venturing into searching for other things, Drugs and Money, I have no idea how they justify that.

Finally, we all know that people are "testing" the TSA. Half of you on this board are testing the TSA. Two weeks ago the DHS show showed a college student trying to outsmart the rules and test the TSA. The Red Team tests are ongoing and I am not sure how the realeas of the details of their reports would help our security. I think that it is embarrasing enough for the TSA that the red team is as successful as they are.

There can of course be innocent explanations

http://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content..._feature.shtml

This is vaguely aviation related since:
the animal in question can fly
the lady in question works at Holiday Inn at Norwich International Airport

But that is not what the TSA spokesperson said. She said that for security reasons she could not disclose arrests and that is greatly troubling. I realize that the TSA does not effect arrests, but don't you think the TSA would know if an arrest results in a conviction for terrorist activity?

If more people knew about the TSA faults, then perhaps action would be demanded to remedy the ineffectiveness. It can be done, but the TSA demands to hide behind the cloak of secrecy when it appears the primary reason is due to its inability to meet its mission requirements.

On the one hand:
On the other hand:
40 a day at a single airport, but 3 in a (typical) week for the whole country. Having trouble with numbers again, are we???

(TSA hasn't been screwing with the banking sector, have they? That would explain a lot! )

"Artfully concealed" would be the terminology wherein it makes the difference. I've personally stopped an untold number of knives of every size from going through the security checkpoint over the past six and a half years. Only one of them has ever been artfully concealed.

She wears a 34FF bra, I amazed she even figured out that there was something in there besides her.

That makes for a really small proportion that are considered "artfully concealed", whereas the media coverage (presumably based on TSA statements) gives the impression that people are going to great lengths to sneak things past:

And especially everyone's favourite line:
Not much of a "test" if someone just forgets their keyring penknife. Or maybe it is.

Aww, it's so cute, she thinks she's important!

If I had to bet on the TSA or a terrorist, I know which one I'd put my money on to outsmart the other.

Mike