Lighters (NOT) Terrorist Items
07-25-2007, 07:10 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 657
Lighters (NOT) Terrorist Items
Update:
July 23, 2007
It's a stunning breakthrough in the War on Terror.
As of 12:01AM August 4, 2007, cigarette lighters will suddenly be transformed from terrorist weapons into benign items passengers can now carry through TSA security check points. Every Zippo and Bic in America will be safe. But not until then, mind you.
Yet another chapter in the saga of the Gang That Can't Think Straight, a.k.a. the Transportation Security Administration. But this silly bit of Political Theatre is valuable in that it illuminates all of the core incompetentcies of the TSA. Let's count them:
A Total Vacuum of Security Planning. The ciggie-lighters ban was not the idea of the TSA. It was a mandate that some bozo play-security-at-home congressman slipped into some legislation. So, for the past year, the TSA has been snarfing thousands of lighters from passengers, and not really having any idea why, or what good it would do, especially in light (no pun intended) of the fact that passengers and wannabe terrorists could obtain matches in stores inside the secure area. Despite no hard evidence that lighters were viable as terror weapons, beyond being able to get stuff lit up - which matches can do, too, the TSA went along with Congressman Dingdong's legislation. So, who's really doing the long term strategic thinking at the TSA?
Zero Professional Security Leadership. Just because some congressional inhabitant thought lighters were bad, the TSA went though the efforts to stop them from getting into secure areas.
No rhyme, reason, or analysis. No response regarding how the TSA, in its comprehensive security planning, had already analyzed such threats (which, of course, they had not). Instead of professional, anticipative security direction, we have a TSA that's so weak Congress has to make up the rules for them.
It's a wonderful thought to consider that our aviation security is so poorly managed and poorly thought-out that any itinerant member of congress can make up screening rules and the TSA will apply them blindly, without a whimper in protest. This is particularly telling in that now, the TSA is saying the lifting of the lighter ban will allow screeners to better focus on other things. (What, we don't know.) So, that means that this item-prohibition has been a distraction to better security, and since the TSA is lifting it, it never was a security enhancement.
Nevertheless, Kip Hawley and his team put up with it. He didn't stand up and let congress know, that, a) the ban was stupid, in that people could obtain matches throughout the terminal, b) there was no evidence that such items were viable as weapons, and c) it was supposedly distracting his screeners from properly doing their jobs. The message is clear: The TSA has no anticipative plan, and no professional leadership. Senator Snort says ban lighters, and they jump, not knowing why.
The System Is Woefully Cumbersome. Okay, if the lighter prohibition is now determined to not be necessary, how come the TSA has to give a two-week warning of the end of the ban? The message is that it takes this ponderous bureaucratic mass weeks to implement a simple change. Weeks to communicate it to their thousands of screeners.
The mess last August with Hawley's sudden liquid ban - not having any real idea what to do, except ban liquids and gels - didn't do squat to make us any safer. But it was a giant circus at airports. Formulating workable plans quickly and within the context of the TSA's real mission - to protect the viability of air transportation (which includes security) - is beyond the TSA's vision.
Fighting Terror With PR, Not Professionalism. Reports over the past few weeks indicate that there is increased terrorist chatter being picked up by intelligence agencies. Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff noted that he had an "gut feel' that an attack was possible.
The bad guys want to kill us. Meanwhile, our TSA is banning and un-banning lighters. Screeners are failing screening tests. TSA cannot account for thousands of missing ID cards and uniforms. They've even lost the personnel records for 100,000 current and past employees. It has been discovered that the TSA did not even take basic security measures such as encryption, to protect those now-lost employee records.
Yessir, this really is what we need to protect America.
Before 9/11 we were warned of bad airport security, but the FAA ignored it. Today, it is obvious to the world that the TSA's security is about as effective as trying to take down a grizzly bear with a squirt gun.
Excuse time is over. This bunch has got to go.
July 23, 2007
TSA: Still Flicking Its Incompetent Bic
Wait 2 Weeks. Then Cigarette Lighters Will Be Safe
Wait 2 Weeks. Then Cigarette Lighters Will Be Safe
It's a stunning breakthrough in the War on Terror.
As of 12:01AM August 4, 2007, cigarette lighters will suddenly be transformed from terrorist weapons into benign items passengers can now carry through TSA security check points. Every Zippo and Bic in America will be safe. But not until then, mind you.
Yet another chapter in the saga of the Gang That Can't Think Straight, a.k.a. the Transportation Security Administration. But this silly bit of Political Theatre is valuable in that it illuminates all of the core incompetentcies of the TSA. Let's count them:
A Total Vacuum of Security Planning. The ciggie-lighters ban was not the idea of the TSA. It was a mandate that some bozo play-security-at-home congressman slipped into some legislation. So, for the past year, the TSA has been snarfing thousands of lighters from passengers, and not really having any idea why, or what good it would do, especially in light (no pun intended) of the fact that passengers and wannabe terrorists could obtain matches in stores inside the secure area. Despite no hard evidence that lighters were viable as terror weapons, beyond being able to get stuff lit up - which matches can do, too, the TSA went along with Congressman Dingdong's legislation. So, who's really doing the long term strategic thinking at the TSA?
Zero Professional Security Leadership. Just because some congressional inhabitant thought lighters were bad, the TSA went though the efforts to stop them from getting into secure areas.
No rhyme, reason, or analysis. No response regarding how the TSA, in its comprehensive security planning, had already analyzed such threats (which, of course, they had not). Instead of professional, anticipative security direction, we have a TSA that's so weak Congress has to make up the rules for them.
It's a wonderful thought to consider that our aviation security is so poorly managed and poorly thought-out that any itinerant member of congress can make up screening rules and the TSA will apply them blindly, without a whimper in protest. This is particularly telling in that now, the TSA is saying the lifting of the lighter ban will allow screeners to better focus on other things. (What, we don't know.) So, that means that this item-prohibition has been a distraction to better security, and since the TSA is lifting it, it never was a security enhancement.
Nevertheless, Kip Hawley and his team put up with it. He didn't stand up and let congress know, that, a) the ban was stupid, in that people could obtain matches throughout the terminal, b) there was no evidence that such items were viable as weapons, and c) it was supposedly distracting his screeners from properly doing their jobs. The message is clear: The TSA has no anticipative plan, and no professional leadership. Senator Snort says ban lighters, and they jump, not knowing why.
The System Is Woefully Cumbersome. Okay, if the lighter prohibition is now determined to not be necessary, how come the TSA has to give a two-week warning of the end of the ban? The message is that it takes this ponderous bureaucratic mass weeks to implement a simple change. Weeks to communicate it to their thousands of screeners.
The mess last August with Hawley's sudden liquid ban - not having any real idea what to do, except ban liquids and gels - didn't do squat to make us any safer. But it was a giant circus at airports. Formulating workable plans quickly and within the context of the TSA's real mission - to protect the viability of air transportation (which includes security) - is beyond the TSA's vision.
Fighting Terror With PR, Not Professionalism. Reports over the past few weeks indicate that there is increased terrorist chatter being picked up by intelligence agencies. Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff noted that he had an "gut feel' that an attack was possible.
The bad guys want to kill us. Meanwhile, our TSA is banning and un-banning lighters. Screeners are failing screening tests. TSA cannot account for thousands of missing ID cards and uniforms. They've even lost the personnel records for 100,000 current and past employees. It has been discovered that the TSA did not even take basic security measures such as encryption, to protect those now-lost employee records.
Yessir, this really is what we need to protect America.
Before 9/11 we were warned of bad airport security, but the FAA ignored it. Today, it is obvious to the world that the TSA's security is about as effective as trying to take down a grizzly bear with a squirt gun.
Excuse time is over. This bunch has got to go.
07-25-2007, 07:22 PM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 348
Very well put. I'm not sure the rediculous rules put in place fooled anybody except TSA.
The thing that confuses me is the fact that we have the technology available to detect combustible materials with sniffers, dogs do a tremendous job at this as well, and yet the only thing truly being done by our current system is a boost in the sale of one-quart ziploc bags. Oh, and they have to be clear. I had my toothpaste taken because it was in a blue tinted bag. Clearly a threat. I can carry as much lexplosive iquid as I want, as long as it's all separated into 3.5 oz containers and put in baggies? Oh, that's far too much effort, I guess my jihad is foiled. Please.
The thing that confuses me is the fact that we have the technology available to detect combustible materials with sniffers, dogs do a tremendous job at this as well, and yet the only thing truly being done by our current system is a boost in the sale of one-quart ziploc bags. Oh, and they have to be clear. I had my toothpaste taken because it was in a blue tinted bag. Clearly a threat. I can carry as much lexplosive iquid as I want, as long as it's all separated into 3.5 oz containers and put in baggies? Oh, that's far too much effort, I guess my jihad is foiled. Please.
07-25-2007, 09:07 PM
#4
Freightmama!
Joined APC: Dec 2005
Position: 757/767 FO
Posts: 2,880
Don't get me started.
I fly for UPS - A PART 121 COMMERCIAL AIRLINE. My id says FLIGHT CREW, yet these bafoons have repeatedly told me "you are not 'commercial'" and/or "you are not 'flight crew'" and made me go get a security document from a gate. So, 2 minutes later, I come back, still in uniform, with the same ID badge and my wittle paper (we all know how easy they are to get) and now it's ok for me to come through, yet rampers in Florida are smuggling guns. I can only imagine what Osama and his gang are planning. Hello???? McFly???????
STOP THE MADNESS!!!!
I fly for UPS - A PART 121 COMMERCIAL AIRLINE. My id says FLIGHT CREW, yet these bafoons have repeatedly told me "you are not 'commercial'" and/or "you are not 'flight crew'" and made me go get a security document from a gate. So, 2 minutes later, I come back, still in uniform, with the same ID badge and my wittle paper (we all know how easy they are to get) and now it's ok for me to come through, yet rampers in Florida are smuggling guns. I can only imagine what Osama and his gang are planning. Hello???? McFly???????
STOP THE MADNESS!!!!
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