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27 Dec 2010 08:03

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U.S.: Will the TSA’s body scans and pat-downs continue after the holidays?

  • YES because it’s “objectively safer” or something source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

26 Dec 2010 11:01

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U.S.: San Francisco airport: That pilot’s video? That was a lunchroom

  • The video shows a door with a card swipe and suggests that access is gained to the airfield area through this door. In fact, the door shown in the video provides access only to an employee lunchroom.
  • A statement from SFO’s airport • Suggesting that the anonymous pilot who taped some videos showing the airport’s lack of security was being dishonest. The airport defends its security, saying it’s “an innovator and a trendsetter in aviation security.” So, wait … question. Why would a lunch room need security? And why, rather than simply releasing a statement, doesn’t the airport shoot video proving this? Because they could be lying, too. Some people are “truthers,” others are “birthers,” but we’re “lunchers.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

24 Dec 2010 17:22

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U.S.: TSA issues fake warning, treats real whistleblower like terrorist

  • fake The TSA is warning travelers to be careful when bringing thermoses or coffee cups onto planes because they might be used for transporting bombs. While they have no specific threat, they admit it could possibly be a danger. Uh, okay … thanks for telling us on Christmas Eve!
  • real A pilot recorded, using his camera phone, an *ACTUAL* security hole at one of California’s largest airports. The TSA then went to his home and confiscated his gun, which he has to protect himself in the cockpit. Wait, wait, how will that help solve the real problem? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2010 23:33

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U.S.: Man takes loaded gun onto aircraft, TSA doesn’t notice

  • in theory, we like the tsa. Unpleasant as “enhanced” pat downs are, it’s a small price to pay for the assurance of safety. And if that were actually how things worked, we’d have no complaints. But as soon as someone is able to successfully take a loaded gun onto an aircraft, we have to call BS. Because at that point, why even have a TSA? What’s worse, this apparently happens all the time; ABC News reports that some airports have a failure rate of 70% (!). Granted, this time it was an accident. But what about when it’s not? It’s about time to seriously re-think airport security.  source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

09 Dec 2010 21:33

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U.S., World: Smart idea: TSA pats down India’s American ambassador

  • We are going to take it up with the government of United States, and I hope that things could be resolved so that such unpleasant incidents do not recur.
  • Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna • Reacting to the shoddy treatment that the Indian ambassador to the U.S., Meera Shankar, got recently. That’s right, an ambassador got chosen for a pat down. But here’s the thing. Foreign leaders have the clout to make them stop. Regular people? They don’t. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Dec 2010 12:36

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Offbeat: Posted without comment: Woman in undies, wheelchair at airport

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Nov 2010 10:35

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U.S.: Obama announcing federal employee pay freeze

  • This is gonna hurt federal workers en masse. Obama will offer details in a press conference in a little while, but expect DC residents to feel the hurt, as 600,000 federal workers reside in this little out-of-the-way villa. Hey, Obama, could we make a suggestion for you, as outside observers? Cut the pay of the highest-paid federal workers – the bureaucrats with random non-public-facing jobs, but raise it for TSA staffers, because they’re not getting paid enough to take their arguably more important job seriously. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

23 Nov 2010 21:27

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U.S.: TSA topic du jour: How much we pay the terror-stopping workers

  • $14/hour the amount newly hired TSA employees make to do their high-pressure front-line jobs that involve feeling up people’s junk and ensuring that no bombs get on planes
  • 37% the percentage of TSA workers that work part-time at Chicago O’Hare Airport; the job would pay the equivalent of $29,000 a year if they worked full-time source
  • » Let’s give them raises! You know what’s really sad? These TSA jobs are treated like working at retail (complete with turnover), even at a time when government workers are getting paid more than they’ve ever been. And that’s even considering that they arguably have a more important job than many bureaucrats. Fun fact: If you took the $168 million that the government has planned to, or used for, these full-body scanners and divided it amongst the 56,000 workers on staff as of 2009, it would be the same as giving each worker $2,988 of extra income, or $28 more each week over the next two years. That’s money which we’re sure they’d appreciate, considering they’re attempting to stop bombs and terrorists from getting on planes.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Nov 2010 21:01

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U.S.: TSA topic du jour: How much we pay for the body scanners

  • $130k+ the cost of buying a new TSA scanner – they sell for as much as $170,000
  • 500 number of new scanners that Obama wants to buy next year alone
  • $88M the amount set aside in his budget for such invasive things source
  • » A big business: A lot of money is going towards these devices – $80 million has been paid already for the ones already in use, most of that coming out of the stimulus. The effect has been that many firms are trying to get on what’s proving to be very fruitful business.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

23 Nov 2010 09:03

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U.S.: With the TSA, huge fines threatened, but not forthcoming

  • $11,000 the fine passengers could face by walking away from the enhanced security checkpoints
  • $0 the amount people have been fined so far for refusing the controversial procedures source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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