There is a likelihood of falsified tests despite the fact that the machines were "tested by a third party".
Why? Because “before [a test] gets underway, we might believe the system is on one configuration when it’s not in that configuration.”
So the "third-party" that's responsible for testing this isn't actually auditing that the revised software is running, they're relying on the vendor's configuration and asking them to show them the output.
What could possibly go wrong?
Especially with a deal where the first order was for $90,000,000 worth of these machines? And, the former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff's firm is doing "consulting work" that is vehemently written off by the vendor as "unrelated".
Give me a !@%$!@ break, as long as our government is run by fellow humans we can't expect them not to be as self-interested, greedy, and tribally protective as the rest of us.
It's pretty much a standardization of the worst testing/QA techniques ever. I have to imagine that RFP's have to meet this standard (if in fact this wasn't a no-bid contract, which I think it might have been).
I think we need to start a public education campaign that encourages everyone to bunch up their socks before entering the machine. That's a pretty powerful statement about the quality of the scanner's results ... something everyone should be able to understand.
If you want to change policy, there are two routes you can go I think. Proving false negatives is one way, since it proves them worthless, but making false positives skyrocket could be another method. If they simply become an unworkable solution people will call for change just as well.
I wonder how many more times the TSA will be proven worthless and pointless before something changes. But in reality they will just get more tax money thrown at them. 2015? 2020? 2025? By 2030 they will be their entire own industrial complex bigger than McDonalds.
The annual incidents should be hitting the opening minutes of TV news in just a few days with the man-on-the-street responses "Oh well, groping our genitals, what can you do - we need to feel safe!"
* The more intrusive security theater is, the better a CYA effect it provides. Up until the next terrorist attack is conducted by some sufficiently determined group.
At one point I was wondering it the TSA might be a sort of 'sand bag' for the administration, if they felt they needed more altitude in their approval ratings they could cut the thing free, which would lower the deficit and make people's lives better. Voila, instant boost in the polls.
Ok, so that is pretty cynical. But I've had my run-ins with them and frankly they add no value at all. I made the mistake of pointing out that they spent all this time and energy looking for concealed explosives, but if they found one they had no plan whatsoever except "clear the terminal." WTF couldn't they just put a re-inforced concrete drop well with a vent to the roof next to the check point? It would be cheaper than one of those Xray scanners and if they actually did find something they could just chuck it into the well and continue on as usual. Needless to say they didn't appreciate any practical advice.
Probably because they - or their bosses - might actually know how probable is finding any explosive there. 99.99999% of what they confiscate is water bottles and nail clippers. Who needs wells for that?
Actually, last time I flew (last month) I forgot a bottle of water in my carry-on luggage twice (I always have some water with me, so unless I remember to take it out it's usually there) and unlike previous times, nobody cared. I think most of the TSA workers know exactly what they are doing.
One time I forgot a hiking knife in my backpack (pic for reference: http://i.imgur.com/WnmFm.jpg - yes, you could probably screw someone up badly with it), and did the roundtrip with it without getting intercepted.
Yea... I willingly and purposefully gave up a Victorox knife to a TSA agent, giving her my address even, because she promised to mail it to me, as it had sentimental value to me. I carried it in my pocket every day, and just threw it in without thinking. Needless to say, never saw or heard of it again. (I at least imagine that some family member of hers is enjoying it as a consolation to myself.) I would have been better off just trying to sneak it through; worst case scenario would have had the same results.
How's this. Afghanistan field with issue hand blade in luggage. Four US airports later, pulled over. Phone calls, forgot it was there explanation. Says take it, standard issue, don't care. Waits till all clear. Whispers of spook as person leaves, thinking WT. Three scans and inspections missed it.
Reduce the deficit? In what world are you living? Even completely dismantling the TSA (which is just unrealistic) would merely save 8 billion Dollar per year, that's about 0,2 percent of the annual budget of the US.
Clearly you aren't a politician, if I can cut a program that saves $8B a year then I'll announce it as saving $80B over 10 years. :-)
That said I realize its not one of the heavy hitters in the budget, my cynical point of view was that the Government would keep around egregious programs just so that they could cancel them to distract people from real issues without losing any of their pet projects.
You're correct in that it wouldn't help the deficit, but it sure would reduce the cost of airplane tickets (the TSA is funded through a $5 per segment "September 11 Security Fee" added to each ticket.)
What degree that might that be anyway? Master of Arts of Genital Touching? Bachelor of Beeping Stick Sciences? I don't think there's any degree that adds anything to what TSA is doing.
Maybe some form of degree involving psychology? If your job is to find certain types of people, understanding how and why we do what we do might be of some help.
But their job is not to profile. Their job is to not let the nail clippers pass. Profiling in not PC, and would lead their superiors in trouble with the press. If they were allowed to profile, we won't hear any stories about five year old girls being groped and ninety year old grandmas given strip searches because their dentures looked suspicious. Judging from their actions, they have very little leeway in deciding what is dangerous and what is not. They never talk to people, never make contact with them for more than a split second, and mostly rely purely on either technology or good old groping. You do not need psychology degree for that.
I observed them in act many times and read multiple articles on the topic, including inside accounts of TSA trainees, opinions of various security professionals and other press coverage regarding TSA. Then I thought about it and arrived at some conclusions.
I do not think I have "so much" insight - it's a regular awareness of the world surrounding us. If you have more insight, you are most welcome to share and provide the missing information, more information is always better.
Business Administration, Psychology, Sociology, Organizational Management (like business), Criminal Justice (they do like this one), or even a generic AA, AS, AAS or BA in liberal arts would help.
How would any of that help? TSA workers are not allowed to administer anything and do not have power of arrest (they supposed to call law enforcement if somebody needs to be arrested). BA in liberal arts may help if they want to discuss Renaissance music on a slow shift, but in their direct responsibilities it would be completely useless.
As for psychology, you don't need major insights in human psychology to look at naked scanner pictures, and profiling is either completely taboo for political correctness reasons or in case it is still secretly allowed it is not done by rank TSA workers, for the same reasons.
The previous poster was most likely referring to the critical thinking and reasoning skills that generally come with a degree (though many possess them without going to college), not the major itself.
Correct. Additionally I was thinking of what they'd want in a promotable employee.
I am no fan of the TSA but I recognize that TSA employees, like employees of any other organization, can always do their jobs better and bring educated perspectives to the various situations they encounter.
Even a basic degree of law enforcement, military, or counterterrorist training would help. You'd hope airport security would require at least the same level of training as an ordinary beat cop, and in a lot of places they need a 2 or 4 year degree, usually in criminal justice.
What kind of college education do you need to be more rational in searching for bombs? I can't think of any.
Anyway, the airport crew's responsibility is to follow rules designed by someone above, and it is this person above who should be smarter about bombs...
I would add one more item to that list. The more intrusive and visible the TSA is, the more they remind the population that there are terrorists out there trying to kill us. Keeping the population scared of a boogeyman is useful for getting away with all sorts of things, such as domestic spying.
You can make anything sound bad if you really try hard. It's rapi as in rapid, not rapi as in rapist. Let's debate the technical merits of this device rather than devolve to the level of one of Reddit's make-fun-of-something threads.
If security was the real objective, there would be expansion of bomb-sniffing dogs, who are extremely effective at smelling any chemical they have been trained to.
But the dog trainers aren't politically connected.
There is a likelihood of falsified tests despite the fact that the machines were "tested by a third party".
Why? Because “before [a test] gets underway, we might believe the system is on one configuration when it’s not in that configuration.”
So the "third-party" that's responsible for testing this isn't actually auditing that the revised software is running, they're relying on the vendor's configuration and asking them to show them the output.
What could possibly go wrong?
Especially with a deal where the first order was for $90,000,000 worth of these machines? And, the former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff's firm is doing "consulting work" that is vehemently written off by the vendor as "unrelated".
Give me a !@%$!@ break, as long as our government is run by fellow humans we can't expect them not to be as self-interested, greedy, and tribally protective as the rest of us.