Has anyone else observed that these supposed security procedures seem less designed to find explosives and weapons, and more designed to find cash, jewelry, drugs, etc ...
This times eleventy-BILLION. Some have noticed - but those who matter most either are the ones who've implemented "administrative searches" which seem explicitly designed to get around those nasty, pesky Constitutional protections, or they SIMPLY DON'T CARE.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/22/AR2010112205514.html?hpid=topnews
and the survey says....
Nearly two-thirds of Americans support the new full-body security-screening machines at the country's airports, as most say they put higher priority on combating terrorism than protecting personal privacy, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
TSA has been claiming anywhere from 90-98%, at least until very recently. Sad to say, the poll numbers would be a SUBSTANTIAL improvement...
And the beat goes on ...
http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/tsa-airport-screeners-gone-wild-san-diego-again
...
Apparently there is a local ordinance that forbids recording of airport authority personnel.
Trivia note: Wolanyk successfully sued San Diego after he was arrested for openly carrying an unloaded firearm (which is not a crime in California). He had the same legal representation (Jason Davis) as he does in this case. Should be fun to watch the proceedings.
Yup - bike-shorts guy, I read about him on TS&S. I look forward to finding out how the charges against him will proceed, since it was *TSA* that refused to complete the required screening. He was just making it easier for them to do so, if that was what they really, ACTUALLY wanted to do.
Note that the second charge against him was for recording public servants engaged in official duties in a public location with no legitimate expectation of privacy, a charge also filed against the bystander who was caught recording the incident, and BOTH of their expensive phones were
stolen "confiscated".
Wonder how *THAT'S* going to play out, too. If one was tempted to emulate these protesters, might I recommend using the cheapest cameraphone capable of running something like Qik, which will stream video straight to the Web for storage and playback, so your evidence doesn't disappear - and have the phone set so that you need to log in manually every time you use it, so they can't get at it easily.
I'm buying a kilt.
I'm taking skivvies and trousers in my carry-on but wearing a kilt traditional style for going through security.
I plan on singing "Danny Boy" as the search begins and upping my register as the search nears the nads.
There's no regulation about singing, loudly. If they try to shut me up I'm going all 1st Amendment on them.
TSA has gone on record in the past saying that the First Amendment does not apply at the checkpoint, Matthew.
I'm reasonably sure they've "officially" reversed that position since - people go through checkpoints wearing shirts like this one:
http://trollkiller.spreadshirt.com/the-tsa-wants-to-see-me-naked-A4967364 (has copies of the web-available Nude-O-Scope male and female front and rear scans as a 4-panel pic on the front of the shirt, for those who don't want to click). However, I consider it highly likely that the screener(s) will regard either the traditionally-worn kilt or the singing as "interfering with the screening process", and threaten you with arrest. Whether an airport cop would actually DO it? Dunno - but if they don't, I predict TSA will delay you as long as they can, to try to keep you from making your flight.
Having said that - second the call for video, man! If provided, I'd like to link it to Flyertalk's Travel Safety & Security forum, with permission. Most of the folks there would *LOVE* it, and would help to make whatever happens go viral. The more we expose TSA's absurdity, pettiness, and disregard for the Constitution and the rights of their PAYING CUSTOMERS (the flying public), the better! I have no plans to fly in the near future - can't afford it right this second anyways - but will have to try and acquire a kilt before doing so for that exact purpose. Well, I probably wouldn't sing, myself...
Oh - be sure to *INSIST* on your screener changing his gloves, as is your right. Tell him you want to see them come out of the box! Also insist, prior to your frisk, that they ensure you can CLOSELY monitor your personal belongings from the x-ray machine - they have no problem ensuring you can't see them (and thus risk theft of any valuables), if you don't make a fuss about it.