Randomn my foot!
 

As some people may know I went on vacation to visit my nephew (Mother and son doing fine thankyou very much) but this is not about my new nephew. On my trip over I was pulled out of line and told I had been randomnly chosen to be tested for explosives in my baggage and on my person. Never happened before so it was a slightly interesting process to go through. Anyhow I spent my 2 weeks away and then came home this afternoon. I go through the metal detector and while getting my stuff I am told I have been randomnly chosen to be tested for explosives. Randomn my foot. I have a slight suspicion they keep picking me because of my beard http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif. I'll sue, sue I tell ya.

Official security Memo:

All men with beards (especially if they look like they havn't trimmed them for 2 weeks) are to be assumed as terrorists and chosen for bomb tests.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I was going into Finland also slightly bearded, but with a recent very short haircut. Carrying a big green bag.

I was also pulled over for a "random" check of my bag and passport. Still I suppose you can't say "Sir you look shifty and we think you could be a terrorist." http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I probably would.

I also tend to occasionally give my *honest opinion when asked for it.

* complete and unabridged...

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

Actually, random checks aren't truely 100% random. There are certain signs that increase your chances of being screened. Things like bying one way tickets, paying in cash, not providing contact information, etc along the same lines.

Also there is a big list of names, if your name matches or is similar enough to a name on the list, expect to get screened.

And then of course, they do select random names......

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

If it's any consolation, I once saw a five-year old girl getting "wanded" at a security checkpoint at National Airport. I'd love to hear the rationale behind *that* "random check"...

P.S. *I'm* bearded and I haven't been unduly harrassed - but then I'm very Anglo-Saxon in appearance and not likely to be mistaken for a Mid-easterner.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

That is the mysterious thing. I am roughly as middle-eastern as democracy or womens rights. My only thought is that anyone with a dicey haircut and beard carrying a big green bag of any race are considered shifty.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

That's the new phrase for 'racial profiling' - random selection. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

women with children are frequently recruited to smuggle all sorts of things. i wouldnt expect any of them to show up on a metal detector.

i would guess the person running the checkpoint just thought it would be "fun". which it probably was, and im sure it added an interesting experience to the girls trip. a good chance to broaden horizons, and all that.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

Perhaps you should recall the stories of terrorists strapping bombs to little kids, then? They have the kids walk up to a checkpoint, the soldiers go "how cute", let the kid get close, and the adult watching from a bush pushes a button.

Wouldn't take much to do the same in an airport. Or use the kid to carry a weapon for someone else on the plane.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

This was a five-year old kid, with no backpacks and no way of concealing a weapon or any object on her person. Neither was she of a Middle-eastern family. There was no logical reason for her to be searched.

Peggy Noonan wrote a piece awhile back saying that our "non-discriminatory" policies in this regard would get people killed. Kids and grannies get "randomly searched" while young Arab men get a pass because we don't want to look like we're "discriminating".

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

i dont think its as dire as you make it sound. and really, i wouldnt be worried about terrorists. id be worried about the nice white people bringing in cocaine, heroine, diamons, or tax-free bundles of cash.

of course, the most obvious thing that you can use children to smuggle, is the child its self. they generally average about $10,000 - at least for the white ones.

again, you wont pick up any of those things with a metal detector. airport security is 99% decorative.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I think it hit the news once a while back, they found a 9mm in some little girls teddy bear on the x-ray conveyor. No one had any clue as to how it happened. So psuedo-random searches of kids can make some sense, i 'spose.

Last two times I flew post 9-11, I checked no luggage, just carryon carefully packed, and I wasn't stopped for extra attention. Pre-9-11, I did all sorts of stupid stuff, like packing a massive gyroscope powered razor form Sharper Image in my carryon. Or trying to go through a metal detector with my camera under my jacket. Dumb. People manning the detector were firm, and not cordial, just not rude. We've changed. And it just makes sense to be cautious. Would have made even more sense to have been more cautious in the past.

I remember when we had Tylenol and other drug tampering in the '80's. Afterward, everything had a tamper evident seal -- from medicine, to baby-food, to soda. Question: Why wasn't it always like that? Maybe in the past the food was opened, got some dirt in it, then resealed, totally by accident. Why was that the status quo until some tampering occurred?

Is being cautious at the expense of convenience such an anathema to the human animal?

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I think we just don't want to be paranoid, which is a disease in and of itself.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

You need the random aspect, otherwise people will figure out who can get past security, and exploit it.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

Phoenix D said:
The mistake here is raising the adult in the bushes to the exalted level of terrorist. He is nothing more than a psychopathic killer! A criminal... as are most we call terrorists. A terrorist has an agenda, usually political, a criminal has only his self-interest and one above just likes blowing up people.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I was told because of my size I would need to pay for two seats on the plane. (Back when I was thinking about going on vacation and pricing things out.) That discouraged me horribly. (Pre-911)

Airport security is a joke. It only serves to scrutinize the inocent while costing us all money. If they want to protect air planes, then require all pilots to take a breath test before take off.

"The terrorist took over the plane with a one inch toe clipper and a black hair comb!"
"He what?"
"The pilot was so drunk he thought the clipper was at least two inches long and the hair comb was a gun!"
"Oh my God! What happened?"
"Well everyone was terrified, I mean he had a comb and a once inch toe clipper for crying out loud, but this one guy, a fat man from coach, who was already upset over having to pay for two seats, even though the one next to him had some old lady in it, risked all of our lives and took on the terrorist."
"Oh my, what happened?"
"The fat guy beat the poor would be mass murdering terrorist senseless then demanded a refund for the extra seat that the old lady was sitting in."
"Damn vigilanties!"
"Ya, they arrested him when we landed and let the terrorist guy go so long as he promised not to sue the airline."
[insert]Mug Shot of me[/insert]
Crazed fat man beats inocent terrorist in fit of rage. Story at ll.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

Atrocities said:
"Crazed fat man beats inocent terrorist in fit of rage. Story at ll."

Magnificent. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif I should make that my new sig.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

ROFL /me tries to catch breath/ more laughing

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I had to take a random drug test in the navy. The first day they tested anyone whose SS Number ended in a 1,2,3,4, or 5. The next day, you guessed it, they tested everyone with numbers ending in 6,7,8,9, and 0. Yes, random.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

If the social security number was random, then of course the drug test was random. Duh.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

I was once picked for a random UA at work. Ironically if happened shortly after I pissed off my Group Lead, Lori, by calling her a skinny crack *women of the night* with the IQ of a 20 year hard core pot smoker!

Random my ***. Also I was also once UA'ed because some dumb, nosie, self rightous, medelling, *female dog* reported that she had seen me "shooting up" in the mens locker room. She evidently "accidently" happened to have looked in to see what she could see when a couple of the maitenance men left the locker room. She waited outside until I left then followed me to my department, I thought she was just weird, but it turned out that she was looking to turn me in.

The not so funny thing was, I was pulled out of the department, UA'ed, and sent home on unpaid suspension. I was then called at home the following day and terminated by my supervisor for having used drugs at work.

Image my surprise. You know the funny part was when I went in for my exit interview and was told exactly why I was being terminated, I laughed. The lady, Rose, just looked at me like I was stupid mad or something. She told me that loosing my job over drug use is nothing to laugh at. I told her that I was not laughing because it was funny, albeit it was, I was laughing because I was terminated for taking insilin.

Needless to say I got my job back. I was not compensated for what happened, but they did pay me for the two weeks I was off work, and the supervisors that were involved were educated as to proper methods of investigating drug use alligations.

Now I wonder what will happen if I hever have to fly a long distance and try to take my needels and insilin on board a plane..... oh boy.

Re: Randomn my foot!
 

If an ex-girlfriend of mine ever has to fly that'll be fun. With a massive allergy to rubber she has to carry a huge needle full of adrenlin in case she goes into anaphalctic shock after accidental contact. Great fun going into clubs as well...

That was a strange couple of months.