Oops, steve-b beat me to the W.A.S.P. comment about Muslims earlier. Here is yet another W.A.S.P. example who likely aren't Muslim jihadists:
Posted on 08/11/2006 5:43:27 AM PDT by jjm2111
CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tighter restrictions on carry-on luggage, including bans on liquids, will disrupt air travel for at least several days and make it even more of a headache for passengers already sick of crowded planes and long lines, experts said.
U.S. security officials banned passengers from carrying any liquids onto planes after British officials said they foiled a plot to bomb flights to the United States on Thursday.
The new restrictions were sure to cause major disruptions for at least two or three days at airport security checkpoints as screeners scour carry-on bags for drinks, hair gels and lotions, experts said.
"They've got to search everything extremely carefully right now," said Joe Schwieterman, transportation expert at DePaul University. "Any time you impose a new rule there's instant chaos, but things settle down in a few weeks."
He said the increased security will be especially taxing for passengers already fed up with long lines and crowded planes during the peak summer travel season.
The heightened concern about travel safety triggered renewed calls for improved security, which can be laxly enforced by airlines and airports loathe to inconvenience passengers.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
Actually, I'll be travelling alone with my kids on Monday. Dad will be picking us up at the airport.
No, I am not a Muslim.
the added security, is better than being propelled out the side of a B747, and falling 30000 feet to the ocean below...
"...I'm flying September 5th and I can tell you I feel much safer with these new restrictions. There is nothing on the new banned list of items I really need to take on carry-on..."
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, if you're happy and you know it, rattle your chains!
~ Blue Jays ~
"...While WASP Muslim terrorists are likely rare, it only takes one to blow up an airplane..."
Just as an aside, Muslim jihadists aren't WASPs and WASPs certainly aren't Muslim jihadists. One can't simultaneously be both.
~ Blue Jays ~
My feelings are the same as you regarding things like expensive Swiss watches. My previous technique was to bury it deep in my carry-on so the security goons wouldn't drop it on a tiled floor while shuffling things past the X-ray machine. If carry-ons get eliminated it sure would make that technique problematic.
I'd suspect one of those nitwits would drop the watch out of spite if he/she learned that it was worth $7000.
~ Blue Jays ~
Oops, steve-b beat me to the W.A.S.P. comment about Muslims earlier. Here is yet another W.A.S.P. example who likely aren't Muslim jihadists:
I've many dozens of flights I've taken since TSA took over security, I've yet to meet these greedy goons that I've heard all these horrible stories about.
I've carried equipment, and our company's products in my carry on luggage worth 10s of thousands of dollars. I've never had any problems.
I've dealt with some TSA employees that were not having the best day, and were not overly friendly, but that's a log way from having any problems.
I treat them with respect. I don't screw around. I've never had any problems.
I don't travel nearly as much as our sales force, but I do travel with them from time to time. I've heard a lot of strange travel stories, but haven't heard any stories of these goonish TSA agents who try and steal watches and jewelery, or who go out of their way to make people miserable.
I got a good feeling up last time I wore a big Swiss watch. Worth more than the screener earns in 3 months.
I used to represent our company at standards meetings where I'd spend a lot of time talking to vice presidents and CEOs of tech companies that make 20 times my annual salary.
Lots of time spent socializing and networking. Lots of stories about traveling to different meetings. Even a lot of discussions about the stupid TSA regulations at the time (which made far less sense that the current ones do now).
However, I didn't hear any of them complaining about problems with TSA employees trying to take their watches or jewelery, or even having problems with overly rude TSA agents. Just complaints about stupid regulations.
Not going to put it through to be swiped.
Put it in a basket on the belt just before you go through the metal detector. You're right next to the machine the entire time.
If they stop you at the detector, they don't make you go through until you don't set it off. They allow you to get your things, and then they take you aside and use a wand to find out what set off the metal detector.
Your possessions never needs to be more than a few feet from you.
Believe me. When I go through security with 20 or 30k worth of equipment or electronics in my carry-on, I make sure I watch it go into the scanner, and I make sure I'm there to watch it come out.
It's easy to make sure I'm there to watch it come out, because I know the things I wear when flying won't set off the metal detector.
I also keep an eye on the people who went through in front of me.
However, it's not too likely anyone would get far if they took something. There are cameras recording what happens there, and it's not like they can simply disappear.
People send valuable things through security all day, every day.
Well, I would have to say it might be better than shouted at very disrespectfully by a TSA agent for doing nothing wrong, but the scenery along the way would be rather boring.
It seems to be clear that whatever chemical sniffers we got, aren't working for the nefarious liquids that were planned by the British bombers. I ask, why not. Pretty soon passengers will be forbidden to bring clothes on board, including on their person, once a scheme has been cooked up to make bombs out of garments.
I did miss it, and can't seem to find it by searching. Were instances where charges were filed? Or complaints?
Blue cities tend to be full of people who have a low sense of personal responsibility.
More people who are likely to be inconsiderate, unreasonably demanding, and less honest. Both on the part of TSA employees and passengers.
On average the TSA deals with around a million people daily.
(rough estimate based on 660 million passengers on commercial flights in 2005.)
That's a lot of people.
They have a huge number of employees.
They've also had to deal with expanding quickly (which tends to increase chances of getting bad employees). They have to deal with constantly changing regulations.
They are a favorite target of liberals and the media that likes to spin them as an example of how the Administration isn't fighting the war on terror as well as the armchair quarterbacks think they should.
The are a favorite target of conservatives who were justifiably upset that airport screening was taken over by government employees rather than addressing the root of the problem which was poor oversight by government employees over private contractors.
Since they are the ones that get to implement the regulations that everyone loves to complain about, they one of the prime targets for everyone having a bad air travel day, which many days seems like the majority of people, and when you pack them all together, the bad mood spreads.
There are a lot of TSA employees that are far from perfect, and there are some regulations, such as those regarding traveling with firearms, that there are a lot of stories of them not handling properly.
However, despite them being a favorite target of the left and the right, and saddled by bureaucratic regulations and restrictions, the number of complaints and problems are tiny compared to how many people they deal with on a regular basis.
You seem to have had a couple bad experiences with them.
However, the problem with your wife's purse sounds like it was more an issue of your impression of how they handled it, not that anything was stolen.
You suggested that they tried to steal your ring by having you send it through the scanner, but it doesn't sound like there was really a problem, just that you didn't trust them.
Placing a label on a checked bag indicating that it contained a firearm is a serious problem, and one that really should be addressed immediately.
However, it sounds like you have a very combative attitude which likely aggravates situations rather than helping situations get resolved quickly and smoothly.
And before 9-11, one nice screener admonished me never to remove my jewelry when going through security, lest it get "lost". I was recently married, and put my gold wedding band into the bin. I will continue to follow her advice.
Well, you were there, and I wasn't. However, was she simply just telling you that things like wedding bands don't set off the metal detector, and that it's easy to drop jewelry when taking it off and putting it back on.
Can you imagine how many times they have likely had to stop the line while a bunch of people get down on their hands and knees looking for where someone's ring rolled off to?
I'd honestly feel safer if the only security measure were the second amendment.
A firearm doesn't protect you from someone who is willing to carry explosives on a plane and blow themselves up along with everyone else.
A tightly packed airplane is also a very bad place for even well trained people to have to use a firearm to defend themselves or others. (Which reminds me that I haven't been to the range in many months and need more practice).
I'd be happy with being able to carry a good knife on the plane and being able to get my gun out of my checked baggage when I land.
Unfortunately, the government doesn't trust civilians with knives on planes, and my employer doesn't allow me to carry while I'm working (or on company property either).
However, it sounds like you have a very combative attitude which likely aggravates situations rather than helping situations get resolved quickly and smoothly.
A firearm doesn't protect you from someone who is willing to carry explosives on a plane and blow themselves up along with everyone else.
It seems that there a large number of business travelers saying "enough is enough".
The way things are right now it has made me totally not willing to brave the massive intrusion upon my privacy like not having a portable DVD player for that really long flying time from Anchorage to Orlando for our annual family Disney vacation. There is another possibility though a bit more expensive and thats chartering a plane and pilot, I read somewhere awhile back that chartering a small Learjet is the way to go, besides its the novelty of it. There is no way I am going to fly on a potential suicide passenger jet in the future,not all jets have inflight movies. There is no way the authorities can 100% effectively prevent terrorists from attacking.
I flew on Monday with my three kids. It was a breeze. Instead of taking a carry on with my toiletries, I checked the bag. My kids put more of their toys into their bags and took limited stuff in their backpacks (I was happy about that). I cleaned out my purse so it would be easy to look through.
We got to D/FW airport about 1 hour 45 minutes early, and we had plenty of time.
There was no line at security.
We easily took off our shoes, and then afterwards stepped away from the security area to put our shoes back on.
My kids and I ate just before we got on the plane, and we took snack food with us. None of us got thirsty on the plane because they had plenty of drinks for us.
We were on time. It was extremely smooth.
I don't know why people are complaining. It's not a big deal. My kids didn't even complain when we initially thought they wouldn't get to take their gameboys on the plane.
I don't like the idea of federal employees pawing through my stuff and my person, and making me play "Simon Says" just to get from one place to another.
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