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Posted on 08/03/2011 8:52:28 AM PDT by ccj85
Passengers flying through Boston’s Logan International Airport will notice the security screeners are chattier than usual, but it’s not an improved customer service policy.
On Tuesday the Transportation Security Administration began a test-run at Logan of its SPOT program, which stands for Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques. SPOT uses trained screeners known as Behavior Detection Officers (BDOs) to determine if passengers are a threat, based on their reactions to a set of routine questions.
“The vast majority of passengers will experience a casual greeting conversation with the BDO as they go through identity verification,” a TSA spokesperson said. “A small portion of passengers may get selected for an extended, but still limited conversation.”
According to the Boston Herald, the BDOs will ask three to four questions — from “Where have you been?” to “Do you have a business card?” and “Where are you traveling?” — while looking for minute facial cues that may indicate deception or malicious intent.
Since its creation in 2007, TSA’s SPOT program has grown almost fifteen-fold. As of May 2010, about 3,000 BDOs were deployed at 161 airports nationwide at an annual cost of more than $200 million.
So far, after three years of operation and almost $1 billion spent, SPOT has never been scientifically proven effective and has never caught one actual terrorist.
Read full article at: http://thedc.com/neGK6n
(Excerpt) Read more at thedc.com ...
Great place to start. Logan was the airport used by two of the 911 planes. It still is a joke. TSA just stands around while paying customers fume in long lines.
...Holder SS, Napolitano SA...
“Where have you been?”
Somali..., er South Dakota
“Do you have a business card?”
Yes, in English and in Arabic
“Where are you traveling?”
To find a good source of ammoniu... er aspirin.
YEah, that and the fact that liberals have successfuly profiled blacks as being left wing voters only and that those who do not are some kind of collaborators of the whites...
So far, after three years of operation and almost $1 billion spent, SPOT has never been scientifically proven effective and has never caught one actual terrorist.
##
It’s purpose isn’t to catch terrorists. Like the entire agency, it’s purpose is to make the gullible feel safe. It’s theater aimed at the people who think the “employees must wash hands” signs keep flecks of pee off their cheeseburgers.
Of course, I know what this is based on. I just see it not as a solid way of identifying terrorists but just another add-on to harassing the passengers. I have no hope that this will be done well and do away with the rest of the Mickey Mouse crap that accompanies flying today.
I don't think you get it. They would ask that question after certain other responses. For instance the agent could casually say, "Ah, here on business are you?" to a suspicious foreigner. And when he answers yes but the agent suspects he is lying.... might then ask, “Do you have a business card?”
Makes sense to me.
here’s what to do:
1. Cross your arms
2. Refuse to look at them
3. Blink really fast when you are talking
4. Look at the ceiling
5. Try to sweat profusely
These ought to work well.
“I was standing in a Southwest Airlines boarding line yesterday at St. Louis airport. A TSA dude came right up to me and asked to look in my backpack (I’d already been passed through security). I guess because it’s a camo backpack, I looked like a terrorist. Good thing I wasn’t wearing my NRA cap.”
A few weeks ago I had to cut short an overnight visit to my daughter’s house to make an emergency trip to Florida because my elderly dad was in intensive care. Hurried home, threw some extra clothes in the bag and left for the airport. Going through security TSA grabbed my bag and took it for inspection. I didn’t think anything of it until the agent called a Code 2. The supervisor came ove and both were looking intently into the bag. I had no idea what was going on. The supervisor asked “Is that it?” and then pulled out a speedloader with 5 of the nastiest .44 caliber hollowpoints you ever saw. OH S***. In my rush to get to the airport I neglected to remove the reload for my ccw from my bag. TSA was remarkably cool after I showed them the carry permit (the gun was at home) and made me write a statement about what happened and sent me on my way. They returned the speedloader when I got back but kept the ammo.
Granny is more likely to fumble the interrogation because of hearing and memory loss which will make her nervous. Any infant who refuses to answer the perverts, is dead meat.
Given the sexual molestion and abuse of the handi-capped program they have carried on out of pure disrespect and insanity, TSA is way too stupid to do this kind of screening.
You have to be able to discern and think and our government employees are not capable of doing that. Your thinking must be strait and not twisted by the insanity of political correctness. To TSA agents a six year old child or infant is just as likely to bomb a plane as the swarthy guy further down the line. Homeland inSecurity is one big politically correct, diversity trained (racist) harassment machine and it needs to be axed.
Once we've passed through security, are we legally obligated to let TSA look through our bags again?
No, they don't. Arrogant ignorance seems to be the rule of the day.
Get rid of the advanced imaging nonsense and hire a bunch of "Chatty Aunt Cathy" types to talk to people.
This is actually a very reasonable approach. Documents can be faked, profiling can be messed up by using agents that don't fit profiles. But people who are good at detecting dishonest people will catch a good portion of those who can slip past the other layers.
The answers are irrelevant. It is the reactions, the hesitations and body language, etc. The Israelis use an electronic version of this and publish the questions. People who are “prepared” for them still can’t control muscle reactions. The Israelis have a computer screen that shows the questions in print and a hi-def camera that catches the reactions. I don’t think people even have to answer the questions, just read them. Questions include something like,”do you intend to bomb this airplane?” El Al has had no incidents since they started the system. El Al also does not feel the need to subject everyone to radiation and groping.
Maybe it is a little progress in the right direction. Being America, though, we are sure to combine the technique with all the other invasive and rude things they are already doing. The groping and radiating all have their recreational value for the government people, too.
I’ve been through Israeli security and got tagged by one of these in Minneapolis 3 months ago.
This is NOTHING like Israeli checks. Its a in your face, object and your arrested on the spot inspection.
Actually, if it is done right, no.Anger, even unto suppressed rage should not trigger a tag.If done Israel's way the human element in the enforcers is minimized or eliminated so an agent doesn't key on what he regards as insulting to him. Revenge and "hey let's get this guy" don't figure.
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