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January 17, 2007
TSA Experience: January 2, 2007
What would a trip be without a TSA encounter? Probably more pleasant.
As fate would have it, not only did I forget to remove my plastic zip-top bag of liquid, gel, paste, and wax toiletries from my carry-on bag, but the x-ray screener decided that my portable printer looked threatening enough to have it manually examined. So, both of my carry-on items were brought over for Linda 08484 to paw through. She enlisted the help of Eddie, whose badge number I didn't have a chance to memorize.
Horrors. I attempted bringing a 4.5 ounce tube of Biotene toothpaste onto an airplane, along with an ostensibly oversized container of Gillette gel antiperspirant.
Linda 08484 was not happy with this. She pulled out the toothpaste and antiperspirant and said they were too big. In reality I hadn't paid that much attention to the container sizes of my toiletries, noting that they were mostly used up. The toothpaste most clearly had less than an ounce left, and the deodorant was half full. Linda 08484 was unpersuaded by these points, so I asked for a supervisor. Amazingly, one came over promptly and was unsympathetic with my need to take these personal care products onto the plane with me. Eddie, who had been in the background swabbing my printer for explosive residue, pointed out the signs explaining the limitations and told me I should check the TSA web site while packing if I had questions.
The last time I checked the TSA web site, it told me I didn't need to remove my shoes to pass through the metal detector, yet when I passed through a metal detector ten hours later, I was forced to remove my shoes if I wanted to pass through the checkpoint. Eddie was unsympathetic to the frustration I experienced with the TSA's web site not accurately reflecting its policies.
Eddie explained to me that Logan needs to hold to higher standards because that's where the 9/11 hijackers flew from. I told Eddie the only standards he has to hold to are the ones required by the TSA. In telling me what he did, Eddie unwittingly implied that a lesser degree of screening zealotry is in place at other airports. Because the TSA would have Americans believe that the more thorough the screening, the more secure we are, Eddie also unwittingly implied that travelers at other airports aren't as safe. This is not the message the TSA should be sending to anybody.
The net result is that my toothpaste and deodorant were confiscated and I got on my plane, throughly disgruntled.
I later went to the TSA web site and reviewed their policies in detail. Of course, Linda 08484 and Eddie were correct enforcing them by confiscating my necessary toiletries.
One other interesting thing I learned is that the TSA does not restrict the quantity of medically necessary substances carried aboard, and they list some specific items...saline solution, saline spray, KY jelly, medic.... wait, KY Jelly? In whose world is this substance medically necessary? In whose world is there a greater medical imperative to have sex than there is to keep one's teeth clean and free of disease?
I have another flight next week. I am going to pack several 1 oz tubes of toothpaste to see what reaction this provokes, and I am going to bring the monster size of KY Jelly, also to see the screeners' reactions. This ought to be interesting.
Posted by Pat at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
We Don't Want No Stinkin' Checks and Balances
Q: Hey Mr. President, if you like the Terrorist Surveillance Program so much, why are you not going to seek to renew it?
A: Because I don't want it subject to judicial review.
That's the message we've gotten, loud and clear, from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, as he explains that the TSP is now subject to FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) review. AG Gonzales added, "Accordingly, under these circumstances, the President has determined not to reauthorize the Terrorist Surveillance Program when the current authorization expires."
Just so it's clear. The president is going to kill a program that he has argued benefits the USA, for the sole reason that it's now subject to FISA.
Given FISA's longstanding reputation as a rubber stamp, I find it very telling of Mr. Bush's bad intent that he feels he can no longer operate his Terrorist Surveillance Program.
The degree of secrecy and unchecked surveillance this administration seeks is downright frightening. This is not the way a healthy democracy runs, and Mr. Bush has damaged this nation's health by demanding to undertake actions and operate programs such as this absent any checks and balances whatsoever.
Media reference: AP Story posted at CNN
(link updated 2/24/07)
Posted by Pat at 03:23 PM | Comments (0)
January 18, 2007
FISA Review Maybe Not Such A Rosy Development?
The Boston Globe published an article with more detail about the FISA court oversight of the president's Terrorist Surveillance Program today. The experts and congressional leaders are questioning the nature of this oversight, and whether the court has provided any type of blanket authorization for wiretaps and such, or if it will continue reviewing requests on an individual basis. The Globe article also makes no mention of the president stating he will not renew the program in light of the new oversight. Gotta love developing news, and I can't wait to see what happens next on this.
Media reference: The Boston Globe
Posted by Pat at 10:39 AM | Comments (0)