I was watching the news just before Christmas, and they were discussing a new body-searching technique in use by some airport's security personnel. I guess in Russia some female Chechyan rebels hid plastic explosives in their bras, so now a few airports are paying extra close attention to female passengers.

It really looked like these women were literally getting felt up. The screener's fingers went under the lower part of the bra cup, around the sides, over the top, and then in between the breasts. I blushed just watching it on TV. It looked so naughty.

At least now my time at the airport can be a little more interesting. I wonder if they'll employ that same technique to a man's groin, or when we'll all have to strip, squat, turn our heads, and cough... <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

There was a news interview with the local head of the airport security service and while he didn't comment directly on the search procedures he did say that if you have a bad experience with an airline that you would find another airline. If you have a bad experience or two with security, you will stop flying. I think that the airlines would all be bankrupt before we would get to the point of flying without apparel.

My wife and I have decided that we will travel by car for out 10th anniversary. We decided that a road trip would be more fun anyway, we rally got to talk and know each other on those 250mile trips to my parents in before we were married. In my old truck with only an AM radio there was nothing to listen too we talked and really got to know each other better then. Were going to pick some destinations and hit the road like the old times. No need to be strip searched or treated like a criminal just to travel.

While getting felt up is not fun I am sure, it does serve its purpose to a point. The new see thru xray should eliminate that in the future, the sooner the better.

Treated like a criminal? I think not. You are treated like a citizen who demands safe air travel and deserves it no less.

You are doing the right thing by taking a car if not wanting subject yourself to security proceedures. Air travel is a private industry and is not a god given right. You either put up with the security measures or find another way.

It is that black and white.

flip

Here we go again....

Profile, quit picking out buxom women and old ladies .

I'm about to get kinda crude. If that sort of thing bothers anyone, hit "next" now.



The backscatter xray stuff doesn't penetrate skin. Judging from some of the pr0n out there,
a fairly decent sized cylindrical container could be smuggled aboard by either sex.
I don't want to start the TSA argument all over again. What I _am_ interested in is the following...

The vulnerability exists. No method, current or planned, screens for non-metallic items smuggled
aboard in this fashion. What would you have us do? Cavity searches?

If not, then why bother with intrusive "pat down" searches when they're so easy to defeat?
What purpose does it serve to touch someone in way that is humilating and embarassing when
the person behind them may well have 14 cubic inches of Bad Stuff hidden where no amount of
poking, patting, scanning or sniffing will detect?

(Yes, I'm aware this is right up to the line, and possibly over the line for this board. I apologize in
advance. OTOH, consider that while we hesitate to even discuss this particular possiblity,
it does exist, and probably both the TSA and our potential enemies rely on us having these
cultural blind spots. Makes both of their jobs a lot easier. )

This isn't a troll... I'm honestly interested in what the pro-security members of the board think
about this.

Amen .... I'm not sayin a word... I have grown wiser (and grayer <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />). I think Flip either despises American culture or just refuses to understand it. Or maybe... just maybe... he's the one doing the trolling (whether intentional or unintentional).) Ah crap I said I was staying quiet. Oh well, I think Confusious once said that "a wise man is the man who knows that he still has much to learn". If he didn't then he should have. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Now I'm staying quiet...for real this time! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

No troll here,

I am serious I don't want to be a ball fire in the air. Screw culture its why 911 happened in the first place or have you forgotten <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />. Funny, its much of the same people complaining about new security measures who cried blue bloody murder after 911 happened and wanted heads to role.

You can't have it both ways.

Cavity searches are done all the time now by customs as part of their profiling. Of course its unpleasant but if it saves one plane with 300 ppl on it I think its worth it. They just don't cavity search ppl for no reason, there is a whole host of profile criteria that must be met first to have cause to do so.

Its simple realy dont like the intrusion take a bus. Culture and rights have nothing zero zip to do with it. It is not in the charter of rights that you must fly with no inconveniences

Flip

Your making the same arguments as those for gun/knife/whatever control. Assuming me guilty until a pat down prooves me innocent does nothing to stop terrorists. Banning items does nothing to stop terrorists. Banning people like me who carry at least a leatherman that I would use as self defense if necessary does nothing to prevent planes from being taken over.
The next wave of terrorists will simply buy their operatives a gym membership instead of any banned weapons so they can overpower the defenseless sheep with their bare hands. The end result will still be the same except we will have wasted more tax money hiring people to steak SAK's and sell them on ebay.