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Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

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Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#131

Post by Ancapistani »

the_common_man wrote: post #9

I don't understand the hate for TSA. Sure, it can be better. But does anyone dare board a plane when none of the passengers have been screened?

> But does anyone dare board a plane when none of the passengers have been screened?

Yes. Without hesitation, yes.

Americans learned a lesson on 9/11/01. Prior to that, almost all hijackings resulted in the eventual release of the passengers. No one had ever hijacked a plane in the US and flown it into a building before. There was no real reason to fight back if doing so put you at risk.

After 9/11/01, the default assumption to the hijacking of an American airliner can only be that everyone on board is going to die, along with an unknown number of people on the ground. That change in perspective significantly alters the likely outcome.

If someone tried to hijack an airliner in 2024 with a knife - or even a gun - I would be highly surprised if, at the end of the day, more injuries were caused by the attacker than from the scramble of people jumping on top of them to subdue them.

The problems TSA was nominally created to solve simply no longer exist. Screen luggage for explosive, maybe walk people through an x-ray if the airline wants that, and move on with life.

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#132

Post by nullc »

kyboren wrote: post #64

This is bullshit. It's a ploy to further under-staff the screening area and even further discourage people from exercising their right to a manual screening procedure that does not involve a full-body scan. I insist on a manual opt-out every time I fly, and I've noticed particularly in LAS that TSA seems intentionally to delay that screening process as an extrajudicial punishment and disincentive. It's outrageous and…

> I insist on a manual opt-out every time I fly, and I've noticed particularly in LAS that TSA seems intentionally to delay that screening process as an extrajudicial punishment and disincentive.

Make sure you put your bags through first before opting out.

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#133

Post by saagarjha »

olliej wrote: post #123
saagarjha wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t get it. This country gives me the right to bare arms and yet asks me to show me feet?

If I ever need bear arms I know I can go to the Castro, and if I want, I can probably get bear feet there as well :D :D Good to [figuratively] see you again :D

You know if you are around we can grab lunch and not have it be figurative anymore ;)

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#134

Post by karmakurtisaani »

toddmorey wrote: post #52
feoren wrote: post #26

If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system:…

question: is there another country now doing airport security better? I did a bunch of international travel a few years ago and found the process to be fairly standard. Didn’t feel as if other countries are quite so obsessed with removing shoes, but they seemed a bit more obsessed with additional carryon screening.

Helsinki airport was recently redone, and now the security doesn't require you to remove laptops from your bags. It's not perfect, but very welcome change for someone in charge of carrying electronics for the whole family.

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#135

Post by insane_dreamer »

toddmorey wrote: post #59
insane_dreamer wrote: post #20

Just stop with the stupid/useless take off your shoes, and take your laptops/ipads out of your bags, and I'm fine with the rest.

It seems most airports have stopped asking for devices and toiletries to be removed from your bag. That’s been a nice upgrade.

Toiletries maybe, but devices still come out from what I've seen unless you're PreCheck (which is well worth the $ just for that and to not have to take off your shoes; went precheck last year and never going back).

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#137

Post by crotchfire »

J_Shelby_J wrote: post #48
feoren wrote: post #26

If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system:…

Good comment. I'll add that one solution is to simply not fly through TSA airports. I flew JSX last weekend and security was a swab for explosives and a metal detector. It took 30 seconds. Ticket says to arrive to the airport 15 minutes before departure. I'm not sure how scalable flying out of regional airports is, but the extra $200 was worth the price for a) not burning an hour arriving and b) having a large enough…

How do I search for non-TSA flights between city A and city B on date X?

I don't live anywhere near Dallas.

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#138

Post by BrandoElFollito »

toddmorey wrote: post #52
feoren wrote: post #26

If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system:…

question: is there another country now doing airport security better? I did a bunch of international travel a few years ago and found the process to be fairly standard. Didn’t feel as if other countries are quite so obsessed with removing shoes, but they seemed a bit more obsessed with additional carryon screening.

The Paris airports did not change. I have not removed my shoes for quite a ling time, though (but the laptop in its own tray is still there)

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#139

Post by BrandoElFollito »

feoren wrote: post #26

If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system:…

In France the employer manages your income taxes, and then for the vast, vast majority of people (I would guess 90%) the tax filing is a 2 minutes work.

I think that since last year if you do not file them, they are automatically filed for you according to the info the govt has

EDIT: typos

Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?

#140

Post by Ekaros »

BrandoElFollito wrote: post #139
feoren wrote: post #26

If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system:…

In France the employer manages your income taxes, and then for the vast, vast majority of people (I would guess 90%) the tax filing is a 2 minutes work. I think that since last year if you do not file them, they are automatically filed for you according to the info the govt has EDIT: typos

Same for Finland... Takes me 5 minutes to go and add deduction for using home office and half of the internet bill. And any peripherals I got for work...

And if I didn't have any of those, well I wouldn't even need to touch whole thing.

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