quade 4 #1 March 14, 2003 No, this isn't 1984 at all! http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/03/14/screening.privacy.reut/index.html Did anyone here ever see the movie "The Hunt for Red October"? In the movie there's a great scene where the boat's Captain is talking to his First Officer. The First Officer asks the Captain what he thinks will happen to them once they defect. The Captain says he imagines the U.S. will let them live their lives how ever they want. Incredulously, the First Officer asks if he'll be able to live where ever he wants. The Captain says yes and he'll be able to move from state to state with no background checks and no papers. The First Officer says he will buy a pick-up truck, drive to and live in Montana (clearly this is about as far removed from a Soviet sub setting as possible -- Big Sky Country). The point of this little reminiscence is that we frequently forget what a really cool thing it is to be able to travel freely in this country. The TSA is trying to make that a whole lot more difficult and scares the crap out of me. I only hope that one day my rantings and postings on some obscure little web site doesn't prevent me from living what I had considered to be a "normal" life. Still, with that in mind -- THE TSA SUCKS.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildblue 7 #2 March 14, 2003 They say it'll be erased, but anyone who knows even a little about computers knows it takes a lot for something to actually be gone. And I'm assuming no backups will ever be run of this system/data?it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #3 March 14, 2003 I think it's a long way from the internal passport system the Soviets used to have, but I do agree it's horribly intrusive. I'm driving unless I have to fly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,583 #4 March 14, 2003 Nope, no backups, and of course security will be such that snoopy people with some system privileges will never go data-mining. You know -- a guy whose girlfriend is going on a mysterious trip; someone wondering where that guy gets the money to travel so much, etc. Information developed illegally can't be used in a court of law. But it for damn sure can be used to trash someone's reputation, and if you can find a legitimate way you might/would have gone that path anyway, it can lead to interesting new ways to associate data. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #5 March 14, 2003 QuoteI think it's a long way from the internal passport system the Soviets used to have, but I do agree it's horribly intrusive. The problem with all invention is that you never really know where it's going to ultimately lead. For instance, I remember visiting The U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. a few years back and I remember that the very first exhibit was some fairly innocuous looking data collection by some scientists. They were going around the German country-side taking measurements of people's heads, hair and eye colors and writing them down on little 3x5 cards. This ultimately became the first database for tracking down the Jews. When I look at the TSA, I think to myself how freekin' easy it would be to corrupt the entire process and what would we citizens be able to do about it? Absolutely nothing. Like I said, it scares the crap out of me.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #6 March 14, 2003 Well, Q, like I said I agree with you. I'm essentially a libertarian, I guess. Look, I know it's a tired argument here, and I will not change anybody's mind, and I'll probably have to abandon the thread, but this is why the founding fathers wanted us armed. When the government becomes tyrannical, we overthrow it. In the meantime, your vote counts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #7 March 14, 2003 QuoteIn the meantime, your vote counts. Unfortunately, it didn't count as much as I wanted it to. Same goes for the majority of the U.S. in the last election.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deuce 1 #8 March 14, 2003 Quote Unfortunately, it didn't count as much as I wanted it to. Same goes for the majority of the U.S. in the last election. DAMN! Your good! Internal passports to Algore "Hail to the Thief" rant! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #9 March 14, 2003 If only I could use my super powers for good -- eh?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryskydives 0 #10 March 14, 2003 we frequently forget ... able to travel freely in this country. The TSA is trying to make that a whole lot more difficult and scares the crap out of me. ____________________________________________ So much of the TSAs screening seems to be for show. Espically Parachute rigs. At Ontario airport. Many girls from the record jump were told they had to go check their rigs. I walked through, with two who were returning from checking their rigs, and the screener just wanted to look at my wrist altimiter. He did not care that i had a parachute. Then, another rig goes through without an additional look. Right behind her they had a 8 person 20 min debate, but then let they rig through. The paradox is: do you screen my grandmother or a person that fits 23 of 25 terrorist profiles categories. Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #11 March 14, 2003 QuoteSo much of the TSAs screening seems to be for show. I maintain that it's MOSTLY for show -- they just won't admit that. The fact is that if a terrorist wanted to take over an airplane today, there are more than enough objects already on the plane that could be used as weapons that he'd have very little need to smuggle one on-board and if he simply wanted to blow a plane up, there are more than enough loopholes in the system to let stuff slip by. I do not feel any more safe because of the TSA. I feel a lot -LESS- safe because of the TSA and its' false sense of security.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryskydives 0 #12 March 14, 2003 if a terrorist wanted to take over an airplane today, .. pleanty of objects to use as weapons. _________________________________________ so right: eye glases, bic pen, (remember the commercal where they shot the pen through a board), neck tie, belt, shoe laces, rings, the list goes on. Yet they took the little bitty finger nail clipers from pilots. Perhaps this is a trick, to make the terrorist think we are very stupid, so they will be overconfident and show their hand. Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
