Comments on: TSA screeners in LA ran drug ring, took narco bribes http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1406946 Guest Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1406946  Well, clearly the TSA is no Secret Service  Well, clearly the TSA is no Secret Service

]]> By: That_Anonymous_Coward http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1406662 That_Anonymous_Coward Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:34:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1406662 Where is blogger bob to tell us this didn't happen or was an isolated incident that should not be reflective of the entire operation? How many TSA agents have to go down with felony convictions before we stop pretending? Where is blogger bob to tell us this didn’t happen or was an isolated incident that should not be reflective of the entire operation?
How many TSA agents have to go down with felony convictions before we stop pretending?

]]> By: strangefriend http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1406119 strangefriend Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1406119 Once again, it was Jesse, not Walter, that had to go to the john to bribe the TSA agent. Once again, it was Jesse, not Walter, that had to go to the john to bribe the TSA agent.

]]> By: Guest http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405877 Guest Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405877 Hello threadjacking subject changer! Hello threadjacking subject changer!

]]> By: msbpodcast http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405844 msbpodcast Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405844 I don't blame the people working at the TSA.  They're like <b><i>anyone</i></b> without a clearly defined mission. (An excellent analogue is the role of the French army in Algeria. [The French government eventually gave up all pretense of holding onto property held by the French Foreign Legion because they realized that holding onto Algeria would cost them more in their own cultural identity as Frenchmen than Algeria was worth to France.]) It is mainly due to a semantic anomaly. <b><i>They do not know what they are supposed to actually be doing or have any idea of applying statistical sampling to their work.</i></b> They think its their <b><i>JOB</i></b> to be complete bastards. (That's why <b>any</b> initiatives like <i>“TSA Cares”</i> is doomed to utter failure. [Its a <a href="http://www.generalsystemantics.com/Systemantics.htm" rel="nofollow">Systemantic</a> failure in that they oppose their own function. :-]) Its like not recognizing that the source of criminal behavior in the DHS and the TSA areas of expertise and operations, which is stopping criminal behavior, is  going to be the DHS and the TSA.  Should they eventually become successful, DHS and TSA will be the <b><i>only</i></b> source for illegal border crossing of contraband, for illegal border crossing of people and for theft of material crossing the border. Like inept members of volunteer fire departments who set fires in order to justify their own existence, the more successful they are at prevention, meaning the fewer fires they have to fight, the more they are the source of oppositional behavior. <b><i>There has to be a regulatory oppositional force which investigates the DHS and the TSA to catch problems as they occur and keep these as small as possible.</i></b> I don’t blame the people working at the TSA. 

They’re like anyone without a clearly defined mission. (An excellent analogue is the role of the French army in Algeria. [The French government eventually gave up all pretense of holding onto property held by the French Foreign Legion because they realized that holding onto Algeria would cost them more in their own cultural identity as Frenchmen than Algeria was worth to France.])

It is mainly due to a semantic anomaly.

They do not know what they are supposed to actually be doing or have any idea of applying statistical sampling to their work.

They think its their JOB to be complete bastards. (That’s why any initiatives like “TSA Cares” is doomed to utter failure. [Its a Systemantic failure in that they oppose their own function. :-])

Its like not recognizing that the source of criminal behavior in the DHS and the TSA areas of expertise and operations, which is stopping criminal behavior, is  going to be the DHS and the TSA. 

Should they eventually become successful, DHS and TSA will be the only source for illegal border crossing of contraband, for illegal border crossing of people and for theft of material crossing the border.

Like inept members of volunteer fire departments who set fires in order to justify their own existence, the more successful they are at prevention, meaning the fewer fires they have to fight, the more they are the source of oppositional behavior.

There has to be a regulatory oppositional force which investigates the DHS and the TSA to catch problems as they occur and keep these as small as possible.

]]> By: benher http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405824 benher Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405824 Even the TSA knows, the Spice must flow! Even the TSA knows, the Spice must flow!

]]> By: angusm http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405808 angusm Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405808 One of the many conspiracy theories surrounding the Lockerbie bombing claimed that the explosives were placed aboard the aircraft as part of a CIA-backed drug smuggling operation. There's no reason to think that there's any truth in it, but it shows that the basic pattern has been in people's minds for many years. It's almost elegantly simple: have people who have elevated security privileges (TSA guys); provide an incentive (drug money) for them to misuse those privileges; have them open a loophole for one type of contraband (drugs); use that channel for another type (bombs). Another obvious point of attack is anyone who controls runway access, or whoever has control over security screening and identification of people with access to restricted areas. In fact, if you're not in a hurry, it's probably not hard to get your own people into positions of trust. Al-Qaeda has a demonstrated willingness to play the long game, planning attacks on a timetable that's years long. I wonder how much groundwork they've already done for the next big spectacular. One of the many conspiracy theories surrounding the Lockerbie bombing claimed that the explosives were placed aboard the aircraft as part of a CIA-backed drug smuggling operation. There’s no reason to think that there’s any truth in it, but it shows that the basic pattern has been in people’s minds for many years.
It’s almost elegantly simple: have people who have elevated security privileges (TSA guys); provide an incentive (drug money) for them to misuse those privileges; have them open a loophole for one type of contraband (drugs); use that channel for another type (bombs).

Another obvious point of attack is anyone who controls runway access, or whoever has control over security screening and identification of people with access to restricted areas. In fact, if you’re not in a hurry, it’s probably not hard to get your own people into positions of trust.

Al-Qaeda has a demonstrated willingness to play the long game, planning attacks on a timetable that’s years long. I wonder how much groundwork they’ve already done for the next big spectacular.

]]> By: HubrisSonic http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405788 HubrisSonic Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405788 I have, its a thing. He is kind of a badass, regardless of the fact that the US Iraq command wanted to pretend they had no idea who he was. I have, its a thing. He is kind of a badass, regardless of the fact that the US Iraq command wanted to pretend they had no idea who he was.

]]> By: drawkward222 http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405774 drawkward222 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405774 600 bucks for letting through 8 pounds of meth?  Cheap date.  Thats 80 grand wholesale. Broken up?  Half a million.  600 bucks for letting through 8 pounds of meth?  Cheap date.  Thats 80 grand wholesale. Broken up?  Half a million. 

]]> By: loroferoz http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405628 loroferoz Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:43:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405628 Terrorists could, you know, bribe TSA officials and slip something far more dangerous under the pretense of smuggling drugs. However, we absolutely need NOT drug prohibition NOR these guys at the airports. In fact, if anything, they make these things more likely to happen, not less. In fact, one Tom Clancy-like nightmare scenario that goes round my head involves terrorists smuggling in "unconventional" weapons using drug traffickers' financing, expertise, means and networks of corruption. Just omitting to mention the fact that they are not smuggling drugs, or something besides drugs. Terrorists could, you know, bribe TSA officials and slip something far more dangerous under the pretense of smuggling drugs. However, we absolutely need NOT drug prohibition NOR these guys at the airports. In fact, if anything, they make these things more likely to happen, not less.

In fact, one Tom Clancy-like nightmare scenario that goes round my head involves terrorists smuggling in “unconventional” weapons using drug traffickers’ financing, expertise, means and networks of corruption. Just omitting to mention the fact that they are not smuggling drugs, or something besides drugs.

]]> By: Stephen Somerville http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405612 Stephen Somerville Thu, 26 Apr 2012 08:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405612 The LAX screeners in my experience are much better than Burbank. They patted down my hair in Burbank... The LAX screeners in my experience are much better than Burbank. They patted down my hair in Burbank…

]]> By: Bink Binkerson http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405530 Bink Binkerson Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405530 I'm shocked... SHOCKED, to hear of this activity by this important operational branch of the Ministry of Permanent Fear and War.   A few bad apples, nothing more. I’m shocked… SHOCKED, to hear of this activity by this important operational branch of the Ministry of Permanent Fear and War.   A few bad apples, nothing more.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405519 Antinous / Moderator Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405519 Have you always had Moqtada al-Sadr as your avatar? I just noticed. Have you always had Moqtada al-Sadr as your avatar? I just noticed.

]]> By: Marc Mielke http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405506 Marc Mielke Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:21:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405506 I could actually see the TSA agents justifying their actions. Really, they are there to stop terrorists, not drug dealers, so taking a bribe to not do what they're not there to do anyway should be all good, then.  I could actually see the TSA agents justifying their actions. Really, they are there to stop terrorists, not drug dealers, so taking a bribe to not do what they’re not there to do anyway should be all good, then. 

]]> By: Daemonworks http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405497 Daemonworks Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:13:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405497 Only four? I rather doubt that. Only four? I rather doubt that.

]]> By: HubrisSonic http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405482 HubrisSonic Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:51:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405482 Let's face facts though, no way terrorists would try bribing officials. America! Let’s face facts though, no way terrorists would try bribing officials. America!

]]> By: oasisob1 http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405475 oasisob1 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:47:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405475  But no lube.  But no lube.

]]> By: marilove http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405474 marilove Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405474 I am so shocked, y'all! I am so shocked, y’all!

]]> By: HubrisSonic http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405472 HubrisSonic Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405472 The hand of the free market is wear rubber gloves! The hand of the free market is wear rubber gloves!

]]> By: gwailo_joe http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405460 gwailo_joe Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405460 Oh, I get it: now you freedom hating hippies want to set up more roadblocks on interstate commerce: do you realize how many service jobs eight pounds of meth could create? Poor, unfortunate, scapegoated TSA..why is BB so mean to you??? Oh, I get it: now you freedom hating hippies want to set up more roadblocks on interstate commerce: do you realize how many service jobs eight pounds of meth could create?

Poor, unfortunate, scapegoated TSA..why is BB so mean to you???

]]> By: Thomas Needham http://boingboing.net/2012/04/25/tsa-security-screeners-in-la.html#comment-1405455 Thomas Needham Thu, 26 Apr 2012 03:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=156776#comment-1405455 This is a surprise why?  Sub-normal IQ cop wannabees given power and a way to leverage their position into extra cash?  Sounds like a certainty to me This is a surprise why?  Sub-normal IQ cop wannabees given power and a way to leverage their position into extra cash?  Sounds like a certainty to me

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