New TSA screening, you will now be questioned about your travel plans, where you have been

[Anti Federalist]

In Boston, of course, I swear that's not a mistake, that tyranny is trotted out where rebellion first started.

And of course, there is the obligatory bleating quote of the subservient sheeple.

We're fucked...:mad:


TSA to put Hub fliers on the spot

By Natalie Sherman and Joe Dwinell
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 - Updated 6 minutes ago

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1355725

Boston’s TSA screeners — part of a security force whose competency has come under fire nationwide — soon will be carrying out sophisticated behavioral inspections under a first-in-the-nation program that’s already raising concerns of racial profiling, harassment of innocent travelers and longer lines.

The training for the Israeli-style screening — a projected $1 billion national program dubbed Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques — kicks off today at Logan International Airport and will be put to use in Terminal A on Aug. 15. It requires screeners to make quick reads of whether passengers pose a danger or a terror threat based on their reactions to a set of routine questions.

But security experts wonder whether Transportation Safety Administration agents are up to the challenge after an embarrassing string of blunders — including patting down a 95-year-old grandmother in Florida and making her remove her adult diaper and frisking a 3-year-old girl who screamed “stop touching me” at a checkpoint in Tennessee.

“I’m not convinced that the TSA has good enough people to make the Israeli approach work on a large scale,” said Glenn Reynolds, a University of Tennessee law professor who has followed the TSA at his blog, Instapundit.com.

But he noted, “Almost anything would be an improvement over the clown show we’ve got now.”

A leading proponent of Israel’s detection techniques agreed the TSA will be severely tested.

“The question is obviously, what is the quality of the verbal interaction that is going to be implemented?” asked Rafi Ron, a former Logan consultant and CEO of New-Age Security Solutions. “If it will have a poor quality, then obviously it will be another way to waste taxpayer money and increase the hassle to passengers. If not, then this will be great.”

Civil libertarians argue the screening is TSA showmanship — coming just weeks before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks — and could quickly devolve into profiling.

“It’s an ineffective waste of taxpayer dollars that has the potential and the reality of leading to profiling based on race and ethnicity,” said Massachusetts ACLU executive director Carol Rose, who dismissed SPOT as “security theater.”

Logan’s TSA Federal Security Director George Naccara said he doesn’t expect to see longer lines, just better security in the long run. “I’m trying to refocus the screening effort,” he said. “We have finite resources, so we have to figure out a way to use them more efficiently.”

Under the SPOT program, as passengers hand over their boarding passes and identification, specially trained agents 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 “micro expressions,” such as lack of eye contact, that might hint at nefarious intent.

Suspicious individuals will be pulled aside for more questioning, full-body scans and pat-downs. If the encounter escalates, agents will call in state police.

At Logan, about 70 agents — all with college degrees — are undergoing training by an international consulting firm that includes a four-day classroom course and 24 hours of on-the-job experience, said TSA spokeswoman Ann Davis.

Logan passenger Lina Texeira, 41, of Clearwater, Fla., a nurse who has done psychiatric training, said yesterday she backs the SPOT program — to a point.

“You’re telling me someone with a three-week training course is going to be able to do that?” she said. “It’s not against the TSA. I just don’t think the training they’re getting is enough.”

[V3n]

Suspicious individuals will be pulled aside for more questioning, full-body scans and pat-downs. If the encounter escalates, agents will call in state police.

Isn't this better than "all individuals will be pulled aside for more questioning, full-body scans and pat-downs"..that we have today?

[Danke]

" CEO of New-Age Security Solutions." wtf?

[Anti Federalist]

Take the Poll, center right of page:



Do you think TSA screeners will catch anyone by looking for micro-expressions?

Yes, they should have done this long ago

No, it will result in more TSA groping

Doubtful, killers and drug runners know the game

Doesn’t matter. 9-11 taught we have to try all

[Watch]

Wow.

I flew from STL to LAX yesterday. When I approached the TSA agent to hand him my ID and boarding pass he asked me one question: "Are you flying first class?" I was immediately taken back. I said, after a hesitation: "No, regular" Why hesitate? I was flying Southwest. Southwest doesn't have a first-class option. So, is this the Israeli born but TSA enforced tactic? To ask questions that are completely irrelevant to confuse people? It was only after I was putting my shoes and belt on did it occur to me that Southwest doesn't have a first-class. I was still wondering...WTF???

Now it all makes sense. I bet the SPOT program is going nation-wide already.

[Anti Federalist]

Where haff you been mien herr?

Porno Convention.

[eduardo89]

Whenever I travel and get asked by customs/immigration agents where I've been, what I do for work, etc, I tell them it's none of their business. So far (somehow) I haven't gotten into that much trouble.

[aGameOfThrones]

Under the SPOT program, as passengers hand over their boarding passes and identification, specially trained agents 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 “micro expressions,” such as lack of eye contact, that might hint at nefarious intent.

1, where have you been? At a Ron Paul party. Red flag domestic terrorist.

2, do you have a business card? No. I thought all you domestic terrorist own businesses.

3, where are you traveling? To a meet-up group. I knew it, domestic terrorist.

TSA officer: if you don't look at me you're a terrorist, but if you look at me too much you're still a terrorist.

[Anti Federalist]

1, where have you been? At a Ron Paul party. Red flag domestic terrorist.

2, do you have a business card? No. I thought all you domestic terrorist own businesses.

3, where are you traveling? To a meet-up group. I knew it, domestic terrorist.

TSA officer: if you don't look at me you're a terrorist, but if you look at me too much you're still a terrorist.

And while you're hopping from one foot to the other, sweating, trying to jump through their hoops, they are laughing at you.

That's what this is all about, public humiliation and breaking your will.

Soon, the tyrant's laughter will fade and be replaced with contempt and then disgust.

And when that happens, watch out.

The killing fields, the gulags, the death camps are not far behind, once you've trained the enforcer class to view us all as a bunch of insignificant bugs.

[Krugerrand]

1, where have you been? At a Ron Paul party. Red flag domestic terrorist.

2, do you have a business card? No. I thought all you domestic terrorist own businesses.

3, where are you traveling? To a meet-up group. I knew it, domestic terrorist.

4. look like somebody I want to grope? - terrorist.

TSA officer: if you don't look at me you're a terrorist, but if you look at me too much you're still a terrorist.

You left off number 4. I added it for you.

[ronpaulfollower999]

People are waking up to it though IMO. When I was standing in the long line to go through TSA a few weeks ago, the guy behind me said it looks like Nazi Germany or some authoritarian country. I then had a water (16 oz) in my bag that I had forgotten to take out confiscated and my bag searched. Stupid rule. Whats to stop me from bring five or six 3 oz bottles of whatever I need to make a bomb?

[ghengis86]

I wonder how long you'd be detained and how deep you'd be probed if you answered: go fuck yourself? Or any other lewd/disrespecting iteration (where are you going? to find your parents and slap the shit out of them for raising you to be such a pliable, statist shithead who cant get a real job and gets off wearing a costume and plastic badge harassing/molesting people. where have you been? so far up your mom she used my *^%# for a toothbrush)

Then you could ask the judge at your detainment hearing, "would a real terrorist say something like that?". I bet they'll all be laughing (at least on the inside) as you're clubbed on your way to the gulag (assuming you get in front of a judge before your unknown, undiagnosed 'heart condition' blows out your aorta in your holding cell).

[Standing Like A Rock]

So they decide to ease up on the fourth amendment violations and violate our first and fifth amendment rights instead? Morons.

[aGameOfThrones]

So they decide to ease up on the fourth amendment violations and violate our first and fifth amendment rights instead? Morons.


Or genius?

[unklejman]

“Where have you been?” In line.

“Where are you traveling?” To the other side of security. Do you need to know where I am as well? :)

[Anti Federalist]

So, TSA are federal officers.

Therefore, anything you say to them could be used against you in a court.

Also, any "misstatement" to them in response to these questions, whether done deliberately or because of a simple mistake, could leave you open to a felony charge of "lying to a federal official".

Therefore I intend to exercise my 5th Amendment rights and remain silent.

[Danke]

So, TSA are federal officers.

Therefore, anything you say to them could be used against you in a court.

Also, any "misstatement" to them in response to these questions, whether done deliberately or because of a simple mistake, could leave you open to a felony charge of "lying to a federal official".

Therefore I intend to exercise my 5th Amendment rights and remain silent.

I don't remain silent. I ask questions. TSA: "Where have you been?" ME: "Why do you ask?" etc.

[jmdrake]

Why is anybody surprised by this? The mantra from "connedservatives" (including some here at RPF) is that instead of porn scans and groping we should be doing "Israeli style profiling". :rolleyes: Until we deal with the fact that the who GWOT is a sham there will be more of the same all to our shame.[1] Our mantra should be "If the government couldn't keep the underwear bomber off the plane after his father told us beforehand he was a terrorist, then why would we trust them with more power?"

[1] Sorry for the play on words. I've been watching too much Electric Company (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgQ6QRY2cuw).

[danda]

So, who wants to start boycott-tsa.org?

Although we can't literally boycott the tsa, we can boycott the airlines and raise public awareness. And they can lobby to get TSA reduced or removed.

I myself have reduced my flying to an absolute minimum, simply because I can't stand the way these jerks treat people.

Indeed, I believe there are already many people who may be feeling the same and flying less. But its hard for airlines or anyone else to identify that. So a site like boycott-tsa.org could provide some evidence of these people, perhaps even going so far as to conduct telephone surveys, etc. We've already seen how cost-effective the robo-polling can be.

We can suggest people teleconference, take staycations instead of vacations, ride the railroad instead of airplanes, take a road trip, use airplane ticket cost to rent an RV, etc, etc.

Sorry -- I don't have time or energy at present to spearhead this... just throwing the idea out in case someone feels passionate and wants to run with it.

[Kelly.]

are you required to answer the questions to travel?

i think ill just continue to drive.

i vote with my wallet.

[jmdrake]

So, who wants to start boycott-tsa.org?

Although we can't literally boycott the tsa, we can boycott the airlines and raise public awareness. And they can lobby to get TSA reduced or removed.

I myself have reduced my flying to an absolute minimum, simply because I can't stand the way these jerks treat people.

We can suggest people teleconference, take staycations instead of vacations, ride the railroad instead of airplanes, take a road trip, use airplane ticket cost to rent an RV, etc, etc.

I may have stumbled on a slightly different approach. We can go for a more targeted boycott. Not all of the airlines have the scanners in yet. In fact I believe that most don't have them in. There is some disinformation out there about which airlines have the scanners and which do not. And Orlando kicked the TSA out altogether. So here's the idea. We need to target the worst offending airports. Those are the ones with the scanners and where the TSA behavior has been the most egregious. That way the PTB will see a difference in how the public reacts. They might blow of "staycations" as simply people reacting to a bad economy. Imagine if city A which was a major hub and had scanners lost business to city B which was smaller and didn't have scanners? Of course there would still be TSA agents at city B and they could pull this Israeli crap, but follow along with me here. If city B's airport authority was made aware that the scanners were causing them significant lost revenue then they might consider dumping the TSA so they could get rid of the scanners, especially if this targeted boycott was coupled with a petition campaign. We also have to educate the public and the city councils and airport authorities about what the TSA Act's opt out provision really says. You don't have to have the same security as the TSA, only the same level of security. Bomb sniffing dogs and/or electronic sniffers offer more security than the scanners.

Now the TSA might react by trying to push through more scanners. That's why we must insist on cuts to the TSA budget. And we have to be ready for another false flag attack like the underwear bomber. In fact we need to be getting the world out now to everybody that the underwear bomber was let on the plane on purpose to inoculate the public to the next false flag. If/when there is another attack the first thought in people's minds should be "Did you know about this guy ahead of time also? If yes why did you let him on the plane?"

[Danke]

Orlando Sanford airport does not use TSA. But the main airport in Orlando still does.

[danda]

Do I smell an android/iphone app? TSAfinder? TSAwatch? Could also display TSA abuse of the day, etc.

[Invi]

... I don't like to make eye contact with strangers.
/terrorist

[DamianTV]

Wow.

I flew from STL to LAX yesterday. When I approached the TSA agent to hand him my ID and boarding pass he asked me one question: "Are you flying first class?" I was immediately taken back. I said, after a hesitation: "No, regular" Why hesitate? I was flying Southwest. Southwest doesn't have a first-class option. So, is this the Israeli born but TSA enforced tactic? To ask questions that are completely irrelevant to confuse people? It was only after I was putting my shoes and belt on did it occur to me that Southwest doesn't have a first-class. I was still wondering...WTF???

Now it all makes sense. I bet the SPOT program is going nation-wide already.

Let us not forget that the person asking the questions probably has a Sub Room Temperature IQ, more like in the range of a Speed Limit, like that in a School Zone. Average IQ is 100, and "Mentally Challenged" is about 85, just for comparison of how stupid this guy probably is.

[affa]

Wow.

I flew from STL to LAX yesterday. When I approached the TSA agent to hand him my ID and boarding pass he asked me one question: "Are you flying first class?" I was immediately taken back. I said, after a hesitation: "No, regular" Why hesitate? I was flying Southwest. Southwest doesn't have a first-class option. So, is this the Israeli born but TSA enforced tactic? To ask questions that are completely irrelevant to confuse people? It was only after I was putting my shoes and belt on did it occur to me that Southwest doesn't have a first-class. I was still wondering...WTF???

Now it all makes sense. I bet the SPOT program is going nation-wide already.

Asking questions oddly is a common technique for this sort of thing.
"Is everything in your bag not on our list of contraband?"

(as opposed to the more commonly worded 'is anything in your bag on our list of contraband')

That sort of thing -- double negatives, or a negative where it doesn't quite fit, but twists the question a bit. This causes a sort of cognitive dissonance, and often as a result you'll see semi-exaggerated expressions as people try to sort out what is being asked. Makes for easier reading of faces, overall.

Another variant is a leading question like this:

"Are you carrying any electronic devices (slight pause) that you didn't pack yourself". Again, here, as you're listening to the question, you think you're about to answer yes... and then the question changes in an odd way. Same general effect, and it's far easier to read responses from people when they're off guard.

[LibForestPaul]

And the mundanes will applaud ... good go get those dark-skinned muzzies. keeping us safe from islamo-fascists.
srsly, I have met far too many mundanes who bend over and enjoy the dick up the @ss they get now, and salivate and the future fisting they have been promised...

[dean.engelhardt]

Hasn't this effected the number of airline passengers? I haven't taken a flight since they adopted enhanced searches. I'm surprised if I am alone. I prefer spending an extra 3-4 in my car than have a stranger touch my groin.

Why hasn't the market fixed this yet?

[Anti Federalist]

And the mundanes will applaud ... good go get those dark-skinned muzzies. keeping us safe from islamo-fascists.
srsly, I have met far too many mundanes who bend over and enjoy the dick up the @ss they get now, and salivate and the future fisting they have been promised...

Yeah, that.

I have yet to see more than one person, me, refusing the porno scan while at the airport, at least while I'm there.

I studied and looked closely at the lines today while flying, (probably a "terrorist" trait by itself) and saw people completely cowed, quiet, docile and compliant. They don't even look around, just sort of stare, blankly, straight ahead.

And if one of the enforcers standing around, just decided, for any reason or no reason at all, to snatch one them out of the line and start to beat them to death, the rest would just dully watch, dimly glad it wasn't them and go on their way.

If anybody is waiting to turn this around because of some "mass awakening" of the people, well, based on what I've seen, you'd better not hold your breath.

[flightlesskiwi]

Yeah, that.

I have yet to see more than one person, me, refusing the porno scan while at the airport, at least while I'm there.

I studied and looked closely at the lines today while flying, (probably a "terrorist" trait by itself) and saw people completely cowed, quiet, docile and compliant. They don't even look around, just sort of stare, blankly, straight ahead.

And if one of the enforcers standing around, just decided, for any reason or no reason at all, to snatch one them out of the line and start to beat them to death, the rest would just dully watch, dimly glad it wasn't them and go on their way.

If anybody is waiting to turn this around because of some "mass awakening" of the people, well, based on what I've seen, you'd better not hold your breath.

you are depressing. *holds breath* ;)

[DamianTV]

you are depressing. *holds breath* ;)

So, that one move about that, you know, Waiting to Exhale, wasnt that the Prequel to The Smurfs?

[GunnyFreedom]

Yeah, that.

I have yet to see more than one person, me, refusing the porno scan while at the airport, at least while I'm there.

I studied and looked closely at the lines today while flying, (probably a "terrorist" trait by itself) and saw people completely cowed, quiet, docile and compliant. They don't even look around, just sort of stare, blankly, straight ahead.

And if one of the enforcers standing around, just decided, for any reason or no reason at all, to snatch one them out of the line and start to beat them to death, the rest would just dully watch, dimly glad it wasn't them and go on their way.

If anybody is waiting to turn this around because of some "mass awakening" of the people, well, based on what I've seen, you'd better not hold your breath.

That's because most of the rational people (like me) just don't fly anymore. ;)

[YumYum]

Go Greyhound!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE7RMhoywN8

[GunnyFreedom]

Go Greyhound! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE7RMhoywN8

Sorry, TSA is starting to move on Greyhound and Amtrack also. :(

[YumYum]

Sorry, TSA is starting to move on Greyhound and Amtrack also. :(

hmmm...I'll be riding my bike!

http://sevsone.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/miss-gulch.jpg

[jmdrake]

Orlando Sanford airport does not use TSA. But the main airport in Orlando still does.

Thank you for that clarification. And that gives me yet another idea! If we can convince smaller airports in the same area to ditch the TSA and then give them planeloads of business it will further drive home our point. Orlando main should be starved for business.


Do I smell an android/iphone app? TSAfinder? TSAwatch? Could also display TSA abuse of the day, etc.

Yeah. That and/or a website that had a "mobile friendly" page. That way it could run on any phone without recoding. Of course apps seem "sexier". :D The key is that we need an information network that accurately lists who uses scanners, where the worst patdown abuses are and where the TSA has been kicked out. Here's what I know so far from my personal experience:

Nashville: Early adopter of the scanners. During launch of the http://wewontfly.com campaign they backed off and claimed the scanners were "optional". Now they're forcing everyone to be scanned or patted down. If you choose to leave instead you will receive a threatening letter from our local Homeland inSecurity gestapo chief.

Louisville: No scanners

Chicago: According to the TSA it has scanners, but I only saw metal detectors when I went through. Agents are decent there. I didn't get patted down even though I failed the metal detector. (I didn't have on any metal and didn't trip detectors at other airports so they must be on super sensitive or something). Instead they swabbed my hands and put that through a machine. (Presumably checking for explosive traces).

That's all of my post TSA nightmare experience. We really need to build and keep an accurate database. Those who aren't flying at all can help. Go to your local airport and look. Or ask your friends who fly. I've seen online lists but they aren't being kept up to date.

[MelissaWV]

Except the bigger airports are, well, bigger. Small airports are great but it costs money to go to them, then catch a flight to a bigger airport, etc..

* * *

"Where have you been?"
"Man, funny question; I have a few MRSA infected cysts that burst on the way in, and I'm getting treated for several different kinds of VD. I didn't even know you could HAVE seven at a time!" *coughs*

[jmdrake]

I'm willing to pay extra to fly from smaller airports. Hell I just recently drove 3 hours to get to an airport that didn't use the scanners. If there was a smaller airport that was closer that didn't use the TSA the savings on gas would have more than made up for the excess cost. And the more people who use the scanner free airports the bigger they will become. It's just like how the organic food market has fueled an entire supermarket chain.

Oh, and for the record Chicago's airport is much bigger than Nashville's. ;)


Except the bigger airports are, well, bigger. Small airports are great but it costs money to go to them, then catch a flight to a bigger airport, etc..

* * *

"Where have you been?"
"Man, funny question; I have a few MRSA infected cysts that burst on the way in, and I'm getting treated for several different kinds of VD. I didn't even know you could HAVE seven at a time!" *coughs*

[nobody's_hero]

Lol, because a terrorist would never lie about where they're going or where they've been.

[jmdrake]

Sorry, TSA is starting to move on Greyhound and Amtrack also. :(

Yeah, the VIPER teams. (I'll post this on behalf of "teh Collins").


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUY-32kurI8

That said, I believe this is more of a scare tactic than anything else. The TSA isn't big enough (yet) to handle that job. So they want to scare people away from the idea that they can be avoided by not flying. Eventually you'll probably see them do some random searches at toll road checkpoints to introduce the idea that you can't get away from them even if you drive your own car. That said, Amtrack is an abomination that should be shut down. And if Greyhound is going to give into the TSA then they need some competition.

[Working Poor]

I wish Americans would stop flying for long enough for the airlines themselves to get off their asses and change this.

[Krugerrand]

I wish Americans would stop flying for long enough for the airlines themselves to get off their asses and change this.

I don't think that will ever happen. Consider the number of people that fly for business. Right now is a rough time to ask somebody to give up their paycheck so that they can fight the TSA. Some drive time alternatives can be counted in days instead of hours. That's not going to happen.

Personally, I think the answer is public humiliation and lawsuits.

If they touch your junk you should file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the individual TSA agent and the TSA. Once these start going through the court system, it will get exceptionally expensive and time consuming. Plus, the workers will not appreciate it either - which will cause people to quit.

Any time a child is molested, in addition to the lawsuits, the TSA agents face should be on a billboard in the agents home town announcing that this person touched you son/daughter's private parts. That agent should be humiliated in front of friends, family and neighbors.

Not flying won't accomplish anything. (A double negative to make you think!)

[jmdrake]

I don't think that will ever happen. Consider the number of people that fly for business. Right now is a rough time to ask somebody to give up their paycheck so that they can fight the TSA. Some drive time alternatives can be counted in days instead of hours. That's not going to happen.


Correct.



Personally, I think the answer is public humiliation and lawsuits.

There isn't "one answer". There have to be multiple answers. Targeted boycotts like the one I described are better than general boycotts for the reason you described. By shifting the market instead of closing it down you get your message across without having 100% participation or even 50% participation. The message needs to be clear. People are still willing to fly, just not at airports with scanners. (And better yet not at airports with the TSA at all). Lawsuits have their place as does public humiliation. But we need public education. How many times have you talked to someone about the TSA only to have them say "Yes I think it's bad. But what else can they do? They need to keep us safe". If we don't expose this as the lie that it is we lose. Honestly I don't know why nobody has come up with a DVD yet concentrating only on the TSA.



If they touch your junk you should file a sexual harassment lawsuit against the individual TSA agent and the TSA. Once these start going through the court system, it will get exceptionally expensive and time consuming. Plus, the workers will not appreciate it either - which will cause people to quit.


I'd like to see that. But I suspect most, if not all, such suits will be summarily dismissed.



Any time a child is molested, in addition to the lawsuits, the TSA agents face should be on a billboard in the agents home town announcing that this person touched you son/daughter's private parts. That agent should be humiliated in front of friends, family and neighbors.


Good idea.



Not flying won't accomplish anything. (A double negative to make you think!)

Targeted boycotts will.