San Bernardino Shooting

[allegro]

However, it was another set of examples that show just how disjointed the entire TSA operation is. Everyone is just there to collect a paycheck. Nobody gives a shit.

They CLAIM they give a shit. Any time I feel like I've been treated like shit by the TSA, they tell me "DON'T YOU REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 11TH?!??!" Why, yes, I DO. I WAS ON THE PHONE WITH MY HUSBAND, THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER, WHO HAD TO SUDDENLY GET OFF THE PHONE TO HELP SAFELY BRING THOUSANDS OF PLANES OUT OF THE SKY. But what the fuck does that have to do with you putting me over HERE and my carry-on is somewhere over THERE possibly being STOLEN, just because I am wearing a fucking SWEATSHIRT, because that POWER-TRIPPING MACHO DILDO OVER THERE WITH THE I.Q. OF A TENNIS SHOE wanted to SEE MY TITS and I wouldn't comply?" Look, bottom line is, people will TAKE IT UP THE ASS just to get on a plane.

Me, I avoid flying like the PLAGUE. I'd rather take a fucking CAR to South Lake Tahoe (or, I pay extra to fly first class) and, really, NO FUCKING FLIGHT is worth Andy and Opie treating me like shit for some BULLSHIT "security." Israel has highly-trained and educated people from the military who are the equivalent of the SECRET SERVICE. Us, they're like fucking MCDONALD'S EMPLOYEES WITH A BADGE.

Even flight attendants, now, use that "it's MY plane, you either BLOW me or I'll have you ARRESTED" shit, and, frankly, that plus crammed seats, no room, and stupid people makes flying just suck way too much unless I can fly first class and they're handing me free drinks, food, and kissing my ass. (Read: No thanks, I'll take the train even though that sucks, too.)

Edit: I have met some really nice very friendly TSA people. Whether or not that made the planes safer is questionable, but I have to add that they aren't ALL abusive power-trippin' dicks.

[DigitalChaos]

Andy and Opie treating me like shit

See, I look forward to it. I love trying to stir shit up. But I'm a white male, and sometimes even with a kid with me... it makes it hard. Either that or they can tell I like it. The power tripping TSA agents have been spares. It doesn't stop me from trying though, and my wife wants to kick my ass for it. You don't even have to wait for the security line to start. When you are checking your bags, you can actually get a legit lock on your luggage that no TSA agent can legally open unless you are there to watch-- just pack a gun (flare guns and starter guns qualify) and declare it. I've got a whole list of fun shit, none of which I recommend, but there is a special joy in knowing their own rules better than they do and flipping the tables a bit.

Spoiler: yes, i know. i never grew up.

[allegro]

See, I look forward to it.
Spoiler: yes, i know. i never grew up.

Okay, I would actually like to fly with you sometime, LOL. Just to watch you make them eat it. I would like to carry around a rule book and point to it, "NO, HERE, LOOK, YOU CAN'T DO THAT." Actually, the time Mr. Asshole pulled that shit on me at Vegas McCarran, his supervisor was VERY apologetic. When she asked, "do you know where your carry-on is?" and I said, "no, actually, it's GONE" and she got pretty scared there for a second until we realized that my husband had taken it, and that nobody on her staff knew that he was my husband which means that pretty much anybody could have walked off with it because while they were patting me down in another area and wouldn't let me take my carry-on, nobody had let me "maintain care and control of my personal belongings" which everybody is supposed to do at the airport, so somebody could have taken my carry-on and PLANTED A BOMB IN IT or whatever. Yeah, "security" my ass. People forget that the 9-11 guys got through metal detectors with box cutters, too. "Random" screening is completely useless. It's supposed to be like "random" drug testing, to make people scared that maybe they could be tested but it does shit. Ultimately, the best screening is screening that happens before we even get to the fucking airport, and then like Israel has: military-trained "profilers" who know psychological profiling, etc. We have adopted a few of these methods, including more scrutiny for one-way tickets or people checking in less than 30 minutes of a flight, etc.

[DigitalChaos]

Vegas McCarran

You'll take great joy in knowing that every year McCarran get a few thousand anti-authoritarian shitheads tormenting them when the DEFCON conference is happening. The agents are usually completely worn down, yet fairly knowledgable on edge-cases, by the last few days when everyone is flying home.

The "maintain control of personal belongings" bit is another on my list. I usually shove my shit into the scanner and THEN announce that I'm opting out of a scan and require a rubdown. I feel like a vindictive cat knocking shit off a shelf. It'll set the knowledgeable ones on edge being that they have to completely focus on trying to solve the process that just broke down. For those that don't know, well, you now have a the fun of telling them that they need to go play fetch with your luggage (which is kinda hard being that the only person who can identify it is you... who hasn't been cleared to go to the other side).

A pseudo-acquaintance has taken the "psychological warfare" route with fake health risk conspiracy stuff to spread fear across the agents. I don't have the acting chops to pull that off though.

[DigitalChaos]

And just so people reading this don't think im an insufferable asshole... Most of my TSA interactions with the agents end with them laughing and smiling. I'm only laying down bait for power-trippers and people who don't give a shit about your rights -- not crushing everyone I cross paths with. It's like fishing for the people at a bar who are always looking for a fist fight when drunk, but bringing them something unexpected.

[allegro]

And just so people reading this don't think im an insufferable asshole... Most of my TSA interactions with the agents end with them laughing and smiling. I'm only laying down bait for power-trippers and people who don't give a shit about your rights -- not crushing everyone I cross paths with. It's like fishing for the people at a bar who are always looking for a fist fight when drunk, but bringing them something unexpected.

Yeah, that's why I did a caveat, too; I've met a lot of really nice, courteous TSA people. One time, I was at Detroit Metro with my mom, on our way to Chicago O'Hare, and she had forgotten that she had a rusty long deck nail in her wallet so that she could buy some more at the hardware store; the TSA agent found it, and my mom was, like, "that's it, you caught me, I have a rusty deck nail!" and I held my breath, thinking, "MOM, SHUT THE FUCK UP, THEY CAN SEND YOU OVER TO THAT ROOM WHERE THEY'LL DO A CAVITY SEARCH AND WE'LL MISS OUR FUCKING PLANE!" But the TSA guy thought she was hilarious and he laughed and said, "now, ma'am, you do realize that I'm going to have to confiscate this nail, right?" and sent us on our way.

edit: for the record: no, it wasn't a nine inch nail

[DigitalChaos]

rusty deck nail CAVITY SEARCH

ok ok last one (maybe) but I'm having way too much fun right now to stop. (i'll carve the last page out to a "TSA sucks dongs" thread later if there is any future posting for the SB shooting)

You reminded me of the bomb joke I made in the security line. ~4 years ago, traveling with a 1.5 year old and with a small tupperwear tub of applesauce. Agent says he needs to shove his gloved fingers into the applesauce because he cant visually inspect it for bombs. While he does this, I tell him "you know, it's not explosive... yet." Dude looks at me with this "dude.. are you ... the FUCK!?" face... To which I respond "First he has to eat it. I'll save the diaper if you don't believe me!" He cracked a small smile and let me go through... no doubt due to all the demographics involved... but hey, if you aren't going to push the boundaries you are given, whats the point?

There are actually a ton of super subjective rules surrounding the "loopholes" they grant passengers have when flying with children. One of which is that they don't define things like the cuttoff age for "small child" or things like "medically necessary."



and i'll close this post with an experience from a few days ago from a badass in your neck of the woods.

[Jinsai]

Me, I avoid flying like the PLAGUE. I'd rather take a fucking CAR to South Lake Tahoe

flying is my least favorite thing. I've always hated it. So many of my friends, especially the ones who are constantly on planes because that's "part of the job" think I'm insane. I'd rather stay home and dick around making music on my computer like I do when I've got a long stretch of free time rather than hop on a plane to [insert your ideal version of paradise here]. I fucking hate flying so much

[allegro]

A pseudo-acquaintance has taken the "psychological warfare" route with fake health risk conspiracy stuff to spread fear across the agents. I don't have the acting chops to pull that off though.

That made me immediately Google "Boston TSA cancer."

@Jinsai , I used to like flying. Post-Sept 11 hurt the industry economically, then the economy crashed, airlines have merged many times or died and made steep cuts, seating is squashed, no more meals or amenities for the mere mortals, huge fees for checked bags means way too many carry-ons, less pay and bennies for airline staff means they hate their jobs, and they probably hate you, too. We go all the way to Midway to fly Southwest, now, even though O'Hare is WAY closer to us, because the staff on Southwest are so much nicer, and if we ever have to check our luggage again (ski trip), we'll use a "lugguge concierge" and SHIP it so our luggage won't get lost. I like vacations (although they're rare now with our blind dog) but we dread flying; it's just so unpleasant. After G's mandatory retirement in less than 2 years, we will be doing a lot of road trips.

[Dr Channard]

...

[allegro]

　
Some thought provoking points.

So hypothetically, if someone lived in a not too nice neighborhood, along with wannabe thugs, guns and drugs. And they’ve experienced several car thefts, as well as break-ins. In general, fights and even shots aren’t too uncommon in the area. They live alone and really don’t always feel safe, and moving away isn’t financially possible. And the local police kind of aren’t worth a damn. Based on what you said, would arming oneself be the only real semisolution?

Not to get off topic, but kind of curious.

That is actually the reality for people in some areas of Chicago, yes. Unless the police force improves due to this Justice Department investigation, and that results in greatly improving the neighborhood, many residents feel that it's up to them to protect their homes and families. It's been that way for a long time, unfortunately. In this case, it's the Municipal government that is expected to provide a basic level of safety; instead, the City has paid out over $500 million in police brutality and abuse settlements in the last decade, while the City's school district is broke and the teacher's pension hasn't been funded since 2007.

[elevenism]

Meanwhile, NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Ted Cruz Takes the Lead in Iowa

edit: oops! wrong thread! sorry guys.