security theater

FBI Failed to Track Boston Terrorist Suspect’s Flight to Russia: Misspelled Name

"It turns out that the FBI failed to register the fact that the Boston bomber flew to Russia in 2011. Someone misspelled his name when he got on the plane. You mean that the nation’s suspected-terrorist monitoring system is dependent on correctly spelled names? Yes. You mean that billions of dollars in sophisticated equipment can be tripped up by people with peculiar last names? So it seems. You mean that the TSA’s screening system, with X-ray machines, latex gloves, and long lines doesn’t work for bombers with odd last names. Sadly, yes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFBI Failed to Track Boston Terrorist Suspect’s Flight to Russia: Misspelled Name

Government Should Stop Its Own Violence First

"Since 9/11, law-abiding Americans have been subjected to intrusive 'security' measures and civil-liberties infringements. We have been forced to pay billions of dollars for the Department of Homeland Security and increasingly militarized police departments. What have we to show for it? Two men were able to detonate bombs at the most prominent point in a major city on its biggest day of the year. Intended or not, the bombing was a thumb in the eye of our so-called protectors. Bruce Schneier has aptly described the post-9/11 measures as 'security theater.' Clearly, the emperor has no clothes. Here’s another thing we know: This was a crime, not an act of war." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingGovernment Should Stop Its Own Violence First

JFK passenger detained by TSA after talking about ‘bomb’ sandwich

"Airport officials detained a traveler who mentioned an explosive device at JFK — only to discover he was actually talking about food referred to as The Bomb, TSA sources said. Jason Michael Cruz, 29, was on an escalator in Terminal 7 Thursday when a TSA officer overheard him tell a friend he 'had the wrong kind of bomb' just after 1 p.m. Officials ushered Cruz and his friend, Matthew Okumoto, to a holding area, where they learned the pair was talking about a sandwich called The Bomb, airport officials said. TSA officers held the pair until airport cops arrived, causing Cruz to miss his Los Angeles-bound flight." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJFK passenger detained by TSA after talking about ‘bomb’ sandwich

Shocking the Gate-Rapists

"Three engineers in India have come up with something that ought to wallop the TSA's deviants into better behavior: they've 'invented a set of electrified underwear to help prevent rape.' No doubt they meant the unofficial sort, but heck, this should work on federal gate-rapists, too. 'The underwear, called Society Harnessing Equipment (SHE), deploys a 3,800kV charge to anyone touching the outside of the underwear while protecting the wearer with a polymer lining. A person trying to molest a girl will get the shock of his life the moment pressure sensors get activated...,'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingShocking the Gate-Rapists

Twice-fired TSA manager gets his job back AGAIN after judge rules he was unfairly sacked

"A Transportation Security Authority baggage-checking manager has got his job back a second time after he was unfairly fired twice. Raymond Ware and 35 other TSA employees were let go from Honolulu International Airport in 2011 after an investigation revealed that for several months, some officers failed to hand-screen checked baggage for explosives. But Ware challenged the dismissal, and has become the fourth TSA manager to win a settlement or successfully challenge his firing after the baggage-checking scandal." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTwice-fired TSA manager gets his job back AGAIN after judge rules he was unfairly sacked

TSA officer hits six colleagues after mistaking pepper spray for laser pointer

"Six security officers at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport landed in hospital after being hit by pepper spray — fired by one of their own. According to a report in the New York Post, quoting an unnamed source, an agent was 'playing around' with what he and other agents thought was just a laser pointer when it suddenly emitted spray. The TSA has suffered a series of embarrassing recent news reports, ranging from failure at Newark International Airport to detect a fake bomb carried by an undercover government agent, to complaints of overzealous searches." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTSA officer hits six colleagues after mistaking pepper spray for laser pointer

Beware Of All Enterprises That Require New Clothes

"Despite sequestration and Big Sister's threats that the reduced growth of the TSA's budget -- not its actual operating one -- will delay passengers in hours'-long lines, the agency signed a $50-million contract with VF Imagewear for uniforms. Yes, those ugly, neon brown-sorry, blue polyester shirts that the thugs at the checkpoint wear cost a pretty penny. But this is old news. I'm bothering you with it because VF Imagewear is 'better known for its Lee and Wrangler brand jeans.' Additional lines include 'Vanity Fair®, ... The North Face®, and JanSport®.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingBeware Of All Enterprises That Require New Clothes

‘Poet climber’ sidesteps security and scales U.S. embassy in Paris

"A self-styled 'poet climber' on Thursday managed to sidestep security and climb on to the roof of the US Embassy building in Paris. Herve Couasnon, whose previous stunts have included sneaking into France’s National Assembly and a nuclear power station, told AFP by phone from the roof that he wanted to meet Barack Obama, give the president his CV and talk peace — a reference to Obama’s ongoing Middle East trip." Continue reading →

Continue Reading‘Poet climber’ sidesteps security and scales U.S. embassy in Paris

Airport security set for boom despite budget cuts

"The airport security sector is still expected to soar despite US budget cutbacks as air traffic grows and the threat of terrorism persists, analysts say. Screening passengers and baggage as well as surveillance at airports is a business that has boomed as countries radically tightened security in the wake of the September 11 attacks. In addition to new types of screening equipment, the drive to better target screening by use of information on travellers available to border control agencies will rely heavily on technology and data gathering." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAirport security set for boom despite budget cuts