More craziness at the TSA

[quade 4]

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Airport screeners scrutinizing remote-controlled toys

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Airport screeners are giving additional scrutiny to remote-controlled toys because terrorists could use them to trigger explosive devices, the Transportation Security Administration said Monday.

Uh, excuse me, but if a device is going to be used on an airplane, shouldn't the presumtion be that will destroy the entire aircraft? Why would it need to be remotely triggered? It's going to also kill the triggerman as well anyhow.

Further, if you wanted to remotely trigger something, why would you stop at being concerned over toys? Why not anything that can transmit or receive a signal; cell phones, laptops, pagers?

Oh wait, what was I thinking?!? This is yet another attempt to "SHOW" that the TSA is doing something rather than actually doing something.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[AWL71 0]

TSA: Please focus on finding the explosives. Once those are eliminated the triggering devices become irrelavant.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

[billvon 3,119]

>This is yet another attempt to "SHOW" that the TSA is doing
>something rather than actually doing something.

Coming back from Nationals I checked into O'Hare with two bags - a regular rolly type bag and a pelican case with my rig in it. The counter person told us to take our luggage to the big scanner to be scanned.

So we walked over. Put both my bags in line. Baggage handler said "hey, what's that black case? Are those tools or something?"

"No, it's a parachute," I said.

"Any CO2 containers or anything like that?" he asked.

"Nope, just a sport parachute," I said. "Do you want me to . . ."

"No, no, that's fine, you can leave now," he said, and put it in a separate line.

Well, we had plenty of time, so I sat a few yards away to see if they were going to open it. It's not hard to figure out how to open a pelican case, but it's not just pulling a zipper.

They x-rayed all our regular bags, and put them on the conveyor going to the baggage area. Then a guy with a cart came by to pick up the pelican case and all the other 'unusual' looking cases. He went to two other scan areas. Then he came back and loaded all the cases directly onto the belt heading into the baggage area.

[kallend 2,150]

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>This is yet another attempt to "SHOW" that the TSA is doing
>something rather than actually doing something.

Coming back from Nationals I checked into O'Hare with two bags - a regular rolly type bag and a pelican case with my rig in it. The counter person told us to take our luggage to the big scanner to be scanned.

So we walked over. Put both my bags in line. Baggage handler said "hey, what's that black case? Are those tools or something?"

"No, it's a parachute," I said.

"Any CO2 containers or anything like that?" he asked.

"Nope, just a sport parachute," I said. "Do you want me to . . ."

"No, no, that's fine, you can leave now," he said, and put it in a separate line.

Well, we had plenty of time, so I sat a few yards away to see if they were going to open it. It's not hard to figure out how to open a pelican case, but it's not just pulling a zipper.

They x-rayed all our regular bags, and put them on the conveyor going to the baggage area. Then a guy with a cart came by to pick up the pelican case and all the other 'unusual' looking cases. He went to two other scan areas. Then he came back and loaded all the cases directly onto the belt heading into the baggage area.

Yeah, but if it had been a remote controlled rig you'd have been in trouble.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kelpdiver 2]

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Oh wait, what was I thinking?!? This is yet another attempt to "SHOW" that the TSA is doing something rather than actually doing something.

In a country where a movie like Snakes on a Plane might seem remotely plausible to viewers (I'm referring to Samuel Jackson's final solution), the TSA can say just about anything and be believed.

[rehmwa 2]

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In a country where a movie like Snakes on a Plane might seem remotely plausible to viewers

I'd like to see the list of those countries that's in your head.

I can't think of a single one at this point.

Maybe some very backward 3rd world countries that aren't familiar with planes bigger than 20 passengers?

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[kelpdiver 2]

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In a country where a movie like Snakes on a Plane might seem remotely plausible to viewers

I'd like to see the list of those countries that's in your head.

I can't think of a single one at this point.

Maybe some very backward 3rd world countries that aren't familiar with planes bigger than 20 passengers?

I think you'll find a majority of Americans believe that if you shoot a gun in a plane, there will be 'explosive decompression,' a piece of the fuselage will be ripped out, and at least a few seats and passengers will be sucked out. Just look at the stupid discussion over arming pilots.

They also believe you can just open the door at 35000, and us skydivers are able and willing to jump out at 400mph.

[JohnRich 4]

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Why would it need to be remotely triggered?

The bomb might be in the luggage hold, while the person with the detonator is in the passenger compartment.

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It's going to also kill the triggerman as well anyhow.

That's all well and good. But what about all the other innocent passengers - don't they count for something?

[kallend 2,150]

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Why would it need to be remotely triggered?

The bomb might be in the luggage hold, while the person with the detonator is in the passenger compartment.

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It's going to also kill the triggerman as well anyhow.

That's all well and good. But what about all the other innocent passengers - don't they count for something?

Maybe his point is that it is rather a complex way of dubious reliability to achieve an explosion when simpler alternatives exist.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rehmwa 2]

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I think you'll find a majority of Americans believe that if you shoot a gun in a plane, there will be 'explosive decompression,' a piece of the fuselage will be ripped out, and at least a few seats and passengers will be sucked out. Just look at the stupid discussion over arming pilots.

They also believe you can just open the door at 35000, and us skydivers are able and willing to jump out at 400mph.

well, as long as it's only Americans, then that's ok

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[tbrown 26]

Further, if you wanted to remotely trigger something, why would you stop at being concerned over toys? Why not anything that can transmit or receive a signal; cell phones, laptops, pagers?

[normiss 897]

shhhh!
If they figure that one out then they'll also discover other blunders in the new security plans...

I love how the hard drive in a laptop just shows up as a "blob" - they cannot see inside it...gee...how much explosive can I pack in there???

The last trip we made, we were in the security line on the return trip when Mary realized she had a rather large glass bottle of cough syrup. I told her to ignore it and play dumb if they caught it...seeing they had missed it on the trip out, I doubted they would find it this time. They didn't.

My personal favorite, most airports have had the perimeter security area moved farther out...just far enough for shoulder launched rockets to actually work - they had the perimeter fences close enough before that the damn things couldn't have armed.

they're giving us a false sense of security at best.

[kallend 2,150]

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Further, if you wanted to remotely trigger something, why would you stop at being concerned over toys? Why not anything that can transmit or receive a signal; cell phones, laptops, pagers?

Aren't cell phones the preferred trigger for IEDs ?

[yjumpinoz 0]

The last time I traveled with my rig, I carried it on and forgot about my weight vest. They pulled me aside and suggested that I check it in the future. It did look a bit suspicous..

[JohnRich 4]

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I love how the hard drive in a laptop just shows up as a "blob" - they cannot see inside it...gee...how much explosive can I pack in there???

Maybe that's why they ask people to turn them on to prove that they are functional, instead of a replica being used to disguise something else.

[billvon 3,119]

>Maybe that's why they ask people to turn them on to prove that they are functional . . .

I've taken my laptop on perhaps 50 trips since 9/11. Never been asked to turn it on.

[normiss 897]

it has been a long time since they required to show us the boot up screen...and who needed a hard drive in them to prove them "functional"???

[DSE 5]

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>Maybe that's why they ask people to turn them on to prove that they are functional . . .

I've taken my laptop on perhaps 50 trips since 9/11. Never been asked to turn it on.

You're either fortunate, blessed, or both. Probably one in 20 flights, my business partner and I are asked. Last time was flying out of ONT I was asked to turn it on.

[pop 0]

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Further, if you wanted to remotely trigger something, why would you stop at being concerned over toys? Why not anything that can transmit or receive a signal; cell phones, laptops, pagers?

Aren't cell phones the preferred trigger for IEDs ?

[itllclear 1]

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This is yet another attempt to "SHOW" that the TSA is doing something rather than actually doing something.

That said it all. Might as well end the thread here.

"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."

"Your statement answered your question."