I mean I'm not saying that TSA doesn't hire a few bad apples, but what exactly is it that automatically makes an Israeli automatically better than an American who both have equal experience, age, etc. The way the professor states it (TSA doesn't have good enough people) makes it sound like no single TSA agent is on par with your average or below average Israeli who takes this job.

Not to mention that the people hired and trained for this program specifically have college degrees, so there's hope that they're a little smarter than your average Wal-Mart fan type hire. Finally, a way for all of our Psychology majors in this country to get a useful job

Quote :

"Every single one of them is trained military who live in a perpetual warzone. Not hard to imagine that they get better threat-assessment training than the TSA."

I doubt you have to have military training to see if someone is acting sketchy. Yes, right now the Israelis have better threat-assessment agents, but the US works closely with Israel in many aspects of our military (Obama not withstanding), and the fact that it is an international consulting firm that is heading up the three-week training course leads one to believe that we are working with Israel and other experts for this program.

[Edited on August 2, 2011 at 9:25 AM. Reason : lkj]

8/2/2011 9:22:27 AM

I'm saying that I did an ocular assessment of the situation, garnered that he was not a security risk and I cleared him for passage

8/2/2011 9:26:19 AM

of course we do sumfoo1.

i never meant to imply we didn't

8/2/2011 9:48:54 AM

From the comments, looks like most people agree with you people . Should be interesting to see what types get hired for these positions. I agree the average TSA grunt couldn't handle this, but degree holding and/or experienced professionals should be a vast improvement over the existing circus.

Quote :

"Most of these TSA workers can barely walk and chew gum at the same time. Some dope making $12/hr standing at the metal detector is now going to be qualified to read people's expressions? God help us."

Quote :

"The fact that this "behavioral analysis" has been shown to be a con job, there's also the issue that the people the TSA hires are mall cop caliber. The "analysis" is based on non-peer reviewed "research" by Paul Ekman, who makes a ton of money selling it to law enforcement. Yet the TSA's own statistics show that more than 99% of passengers singled out by the technique end up being false positives. The National Academy of Sciences did a study of the technique and labeled it bunk."

Quote :

"If behavorial analysis is so "bunk" then why does Israel have such a great airline safety record despite being probably a bigger terrorist target then the US? Now, as far as the TSA hacks actually carrying this out, I totally agree. They need to hire body language specialists who already HAVE some experience. Ultimately that would be cheaper than all of these scanning machines that aren't all that useful since we scan grandma and let 20 something men from foriegn countries on one way tickets waltz right through. I know, I know...we cannot possibly profile since it's not "fair" (did I see that somewhere in the Constitution?)Instead they'll feel up my family on the way to Disney World in the interest of national security! Utimately this is a step in the right direction. Technology can be gotten around, good old fashioned detective work and LOOKING at who is getting onto airplanes would be a much smarter solution."

8/2/2011 9:49:00 AM

yeah i was thinking more along

Quote :

"I wouldn't say it's that they're any better than us so much as TSA has about the same standards for hiring as Wal Mart."

8/2/2011 9:51:09 AM

we're starting to have random "tsa" people be homeland security officers...

i know this because i know one.


so its not as bad as it was.

8/2/2011 11:03:17 AM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/federal-eye/post/tsa-to-fire-get-your-freak-on-girl-screener/2011/10/28/gIQA9HblPM_blog.html?hpid=z2

not about the body scanners, but it looks like they're going to fire the TSA employee that put a "get your freak on..." note in a woman's luggage after finding a sex toy in there.

10/28/2011 3:22:05 PM

3/7/2012 1:23:31 PM

^^ People need to get a sense of humor. I would have gotten a chuckle out of that if it was in my luggage.

3/7/2012 1:24:50 PM

^^ Wow...Guy made some excellent points.

3/7/2012 1:58:28 PM

TSA holds its personnel to the highest professional and ethical standards,

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/TSA-Officer-Charged-in-Manassas-Sex-Assault-134257998.html

3/30/2012 12:08:26 AM

I'm an opt out for the body scanner. Yesterday I opted out (there was a 5person line for the scanner & they were hardly sending anyone through the metal detector). I told the agent while I was in line "I'm an opt out, might as well just send me through now so I can wait on the other side"

She says ok and I go through the metal detector. She never called out "female opt out" so after clearing metal detector I got my shit & beat feet.

Part of me thinks they were too busy for an opt out screening & just let it slide. Whatever, I'll take it.

3/30/2012 10:22:11 AM

portland dude who stripped in front of TSA out of protest found not guilty!

http://news.yahoo.com/judge-man-stripped-nude-airport-not-guilty-224222940.html

7/19/2012 1:08:29 PM

I have never heard someone say "beat feet," I am stealing that terminology.

7/19/2012 1:39:56 PM