
If the TSA Were Running New York - MaysonL
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/05/if-the-tsa-were-running-new-york/39839/
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kgermino
I have to agree, the TSA has become nothing more than a political tool that
does little to prevent future terrorist attacks. I believe they serve a
purpose, but that purpose is not to prevent organized terrorist attacks, it is
to keep a single crazy guy from bringing a gun or knife on board and attacking
people, or hijacking the plane and holding the passengers for ransom. (Keep in
mind that this is what hijackings were before 9-11, which is why they were
able to crash three planes)

Nowadays they have become more of a "feel-good" terrorist defense. Passengers
and pilots are screened for everything and have their bottles of water and
toenail clippers taken in the "search for bombs" while cleaning crew and other
employees are not screened at all. The TSA does not, and cannot effectively,
defend against terrorist attacks. That falls to the FBI and CIA, if an
individual intending to attack America makes it to the airport than we have
already failed and if the TSA stops them it is nothing but dumb luck. Yet
Americans accept all of these intrusions and expenses for a false sense of
safety. The T-Shirt vendor had it right "See Something, Say Something" is the
single most effective last line of defense.

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zackattack
Solutions perpetuate the problems they are set up to solve.

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stcredzero
What does that say about programming languages?

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zackattack
Ah, I think the pithy one liner perhaps applies more to institutions.

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stcredzero
Programming languages _are_ institutions.

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Silhouette
It is sad that this article is so true.

For me, the terrorists have now won: I won't fly to most places any more.

I won't fly because the security theatre now makes it so unpleasant, time-
consuming and indirectly expensive that I would rather forego my holiday to
those destinations I can't reach by other modes of transport that actually
make me feel comfortable on the journey and welcome when I arrive.

That's a shame, because I would have really liked to visit places like the US
and Japan some time in my life (I live in the UK). But how am I supposed to
enjoy a holiday when my journey starts with my other half and me being
virtual-strip-searched by sometimes dubious characters we can't even see and
ends with having biometric scans taken to go into a database as if I were a
criminal?

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foldr
>But how am I supposed to enjoy a holiday when my journey starts with my other
half and me being virtual-strip-searched by sometimes dubious characters we
can't even see and ends with having biometric scans taken to go into a
database as if I were a criminal?

Just enjoy the bit in the middle.

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Silhouette
Is that the part where I have to take off half my clothes for real so they can
put the belt and jacket outside the metal detector and the shoes through
whatever that other machines does, the bit where they throw away the bottle of
soda I was enjoying and make me buy a new one, the bit where someone glares at
me over the top of my passport while heavily armed guards look on, the bit
where the staff on the way onto the plane mess several passengers around
because they don't like their tone and have a "zero tolerance" policy, the bit
at the other end where I queue up for ages only to again have someone glare at
me over the top of my passport in the presence of armed guards, or something
else?

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foldr
Really, don't be such a drama queen. Airport security isn't fun, but you're
being silly about it.

(And no, by "the bit in the middle", I meant the holiday.)

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logic
This is the conversational equivalent of "your feelings on the matter are
irrelevant; suck it up, because I don't think it's so bad". Your opinion is
duly noted.

For what it's worth, I haven't flown in over a year and a half, and have no
intention of doing so until airport security returns to some semblance of
sanity. I'm not being a "drama queen" about it; I simply won't pay an
exorbitant rate for the privilege of being treated as a criminal because I'd
like to board an airplane.

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wtn
You can call air travel lots of things, but it's not exorbitantly expensive.

NY to LA is $325 by train. It's 175 to 350 flying on Virgin America.

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dagw
Yea, last time I flew to Glasgow I literally paid more for the taxi to and
from the airport than I did for my flight to and from Scotland.

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ryanjmo
This is a great article. In my personal opinion they should decrease
security/airplane safety inspections until flying becomes as dangerous as
driving in a bus.

I really don't see any mathematical or logical reason why flying in a plane
should be safer than driving in a car (but if you do I am interested in what
they are). The benefit of doing this would be huge savings in the cost of
flying and the cost of the TSA. Additionally there would be a huge increase in
the connivence of flying.

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loiuygthyujik
Presumably they will ban bicycles

[http://www.thisisfyf.com/2010/04/happy-fucking-earth-day-
hun...](http://www.thisisfyf.com/2010/04/happy-fucking-earth-day-hundreds-of-
bikes-trashed-for-obama-visit-.html)

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pavel_lishin
No. They'll just search every one they see by cutting it in half, and finding
nothing, returning it to you so you can continue on your way.

~~~
logic
So you've traveled across the border by car then, I take it? :)

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bshep
Love the last line: "Next step in the thought experiment: after wondering what
NY would look like this weekend if run by the TSA, imagining what the TSA
might be like if run in the spirit of this weekend's NY."

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keltecp11
Best. Article. Ever... amen.

