Is that a police badge or just TSA?

by Jamie Rhein on

If you want to look official,–like you shouldn’t be pushed around, you need an important looking badge that looks like a police officer’s. That’s the latest idea of TSA. Soon screeners at major national airport checkpoints will have them.

Evidently, without a badge that looks official, some passengers haven’t been minding their manners while going through screening. A badge that looks like a police officer’s says, “I’m an important person. Trifle with me, and you’re toast.”

Well, maybe not that extreme, but at least quit arguing with us or hitting us–whatever it is that drives TSA employees nuts when people are making their way through a screening line.

TSA employees are pleased as punch with their shiny new badges, but police officers are put off by them. The worry is that if TSA officers looks like police officers, people may think TSA employees can do more than screen people and luggage. People may start shouting out, “Arrest that man,” when displeased.

Also, if TSA folks get to wear badges too, than what makes a police badge all that special? There’s one thing I thought of. It says, “Police.”

But perhaps the police do have a point, and the TSA badge does lessen the clout and status of police officers. I’m on the fence. The badge in the picture, by the way, is just a toy.

SkyMall: shopping for about anything is a fingertip away

by Jamie Rhein on

I admit, I took the SkyMall catalog with me when I left the Southwest Airlines plane after my last flight. I had grand plans to find something useful or something unusual to write about by pouring through its pages. I got busy.

Then, today, Grant tossed out this link to “The 5 Most Ridiculous SkyMall Products Money Can Buy” at Cracked.com, and after I finished laughing, I unpacked the catalog from my daypack. I looked through it before, but I became curious once again. Cracked.com found some winners. I could use the Hula Chair myself–maybe.

What has caught my attention with this page turning session is the Motion Sickness Relief Wrist Band found in the left-hand column on page 41. On Tuesday I went to Kings Island with my daughter, eight of her friends, my husband, son and another family. I took one too many roller coaster rides and felt woozy all day yesterday. Could this wrist band have helped?

There is a dizzying array of organizers and storage options as well. From the Closet Organizer Trouser Rack on page 45 to the Wicker and Wood Rack on page 55, I’m not sure what my family’s excuse would be for having a house where objects are out of place. The thing about the Sky Mall catalog is that almost any item can sound like a must have.

Here’s one that TSA might add to their gadget repertoire that already includes the body scan device. The Orbitor Electronic Listening Device on page 67 is “powerful enough to capture distant sounds from 300 feet away.” As the rest of the description states, “This secret surveillance device is perfect for when you really need to know what’s going on.” Of course, parents of teenagers might also find the device handy. It only costs $59.95.

Superman eyes: TSA’s device to see through clothes in an airport near you

by Jamie Rhein on

When Catherine first posted about TSA’s body scan device, I thought that the term “Big Brother is watching ” had reached a new level of meaning. The machine is one that a passenger steps though so that millimeter waves can be bounced off his or her body, thus capturing a fairly perfect image of the person’s exact shape sans clothes.

This isn’t the naked-as-a-jay bird, in your birthday suit image, but this grainy, fuzzy image that you see here. Still and all, do you see what I see? I think the person has an “inny” navel. Or is it an “outy?”

The machines must be doing some good where they are being used already, one would hope, since TSA is springing for more of them.

Engadget picked up on the story that machines are being installed in Dallas, Detroit, Miami and Las Vegas towards the end of June. The machine was used for the first time at the Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. yesterday. Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Baltimore, Denver, and JFK in New York have had Superman eyes capabilities for a few months now. If you have a plastic or ceramic gun and think you’re going to take it on an airplane, think again. TSA is on to you.

Personally, I’m going for a pat down if given a choice. There’s something about this machine creeps me out a bit. However, in this USA Today article, one official said that the body imaging capabilities are just being tapped.

Hmmm. Here’s an idea. Come up with a machine that also does health screening. While it’s searching out weapons it can search out cancer. People who pass through the machines would then get a free health report printout. Just think, eventually you might be able to take a flight a year and do without that colonoscopy, mammogram or prostate exam. It’s just a thought.

More crazy airline news:

TSA Screener caught sneaking gun through x-ray, isn’t fired

by Justin Glow on

I’m a little surprised we never reported on the original story of a TSA screener in Denver who was caught smuggling a weapon past security, but Boing Boing nonetheless provided us an update to the story today. Turns out the employee, Alvin Crabtree (pictured), received a 30-day suspension after the incident, but was allowed to return to his position.

So just to clarify: a TSA employee can sneak a firearm around security and not be fired for it, and TSA officials don’t have to tell us whether or not he was even disciplined for the incident. But really, if he got away with a temporary, 30-day suspension — even without pay — he’s pretty lucky.

The TSA knows you’re naked under your clothes

by Catherine Bodry on

New “whole body imaging” (or millimeter wave machines) to be set up at JFK and LAX can tell what’s under your clothes. Talk about motivation for clean underpants.

The Transportation Security Administration has been testing the machines in Phoenix and is all set to expand to other airports. But don’t worry — travelers at JFK who wore their grannies and don’t want anyone to know have the option of a pat-down instead. Travelers at LAX will pass through regular security and then be randomly chosen for the body scan.

A survey conducted by the TSA in Phoenix revealed that 90% of passengers preferred the whole body imaging over a pat-down.

Which would you prefer?