TSA still fucking worthless

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Thu Nov 14, 2013 1:35 pm

But TSA Administrator John S. Pistole strongly defended the program and urged its expansion for another three years, even though more than $900 million has already been spent and it failed to stop the LAX gunman before he opened fire in Terminal 3. Paul Anthony Ciancia has been charged with murder in the attack that left a TSA agent dead.

Pistole said another three years would help iron out problems with the program. “I don’t want to take away a layer of security that may identify the next attack,” he said.

Wish I had three years to use the public to shake the bugs out of my logic. Especially when fucking up means people could die.

Post by **TPRJones** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 11:50 am

7 Reasons the TSA Sucks (A Security Expert's Perspective)

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 12:08 pm

Do you know what would happen if I made a fake bomb out of Play-Doh and wires and hid it in my checked bags? In America or Canada, they'd shut down the terminal. So you don't need to explode anything -- take these bags into 20 airports around the country and you'll close them all for days. Air traffic in the United States would grind to a halt, all with materials terrorists could raid from a preschool.

That'll just start the war on Play-Doh.

Post by **thibodeaux** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 12:53 pm

While I agree that TSA is a Totally Stupid Agency, and that we could probably learn a lot from the Israelis here, there's something people gotta realize:

Ben Gurion airport: 13M passengers

compared with:
Raleigh-Durham Podunk airport: 9M passengers

O'Hare airport: 66M passengers

The USA has more than a quarter of the top 50 busiest airports. Ben Gurion doesn't make the top 50.

TL;DR: there's sort of a scaling problem here.

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:12 pm

While I agree scaling plays a part in laying out an airport security plan, I think its irrelevant to his points. (Although, you could make an argument for #4.)

I'd be curious to see what would happen if one city about to build a new airport decided to build it with security in mind. Lower the amount of glass, make people start in security, create a series of smaller rooms intended to avoid to grouping people up, opt out of the TSA, hire permanent and qualified security, etc.

Then sit back and compare their stats with other airports after two years.

Who has happier travelers? How soon do travelers have to arrive prior to flights? # of incidents? Etc.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:17 pm

... opt out of the TSA ...

Will never, ever happen.

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:24 pm

16 airports have opted out.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:01 pm

Leisher wrote:16 airports have opted out.

Who sets security standards for airports that have transitioned to SPP?

TSA sets the security protocols and standards for all commercial airports nationwide, to include airports participating in SPP.

So they're worthless by proxy now.

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Jan 13, 2014 2:28 pm

That was one of the guys' complaints in the Cracked article.