Safeguard your junk while asserting your rights in this fetching line of underwear featuring the 4th amendment – the one about unreasonable search and seizure – emblazoned in metallic ink. The maker claims the words are readable on TSA scanners. “Let them know they’re spying at the privates of a private citizen,” reads one of their slogans. [More]
airports
Opt-Out Protest Field Reports, With Bikinis
By 11.24.10
An opt-out protestor wore a bikini through security. [NBC Los Angeles]
A male college student did the same in a Speedo with “SCREW BIG SIS” markered on his back. TSA said he wasn’t detained as he was not a threat. [JonAndEric]
Two protestors at the Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix AZ held up signs mentioning “pornoscans,” drawing both “sidelong glances” and “words of support.” [AP]
Half a dozen protestors at Tampa airport talk about tyranny. [TBO]
Overall, checkpoints are running smoothly with no major delays. “Most travelers seemed more interested in getting to their destinations than in making a political statement.” [NYT]
Are You Participating In "Opt-Out" Day?
By 11.24.10
The day is finally here. No, not the day before Thanksgiving. Something far more important than spending time with your family, National Opt-Out Day. People who are doing it plan to, when asked to step through the body imaging machine, opt-out and get the enhanced pat-down instead. Are you gonna do it, or do you think it’s stupid – or worse? Take our poll! [More]
Your Morning Cup Of TSA Backwash
By 11.23.10
American citizen with free time declines both backscatter scan and patdown upon re-entering country, ends up being able to walk through security without doing either even after cops are called. [NO BLASTERS!]
TSA head makes ad explaining why there’s nothing to fear. Message belied by ominous grey background. [YouTube]
Reporter goes through pat-down to show us how easy it is. “He uses the back of his hand to check the front of my groin area.” [KDAF]
An “I’ll be groped for Christmas” holiday jingle. [YouTube]
Man opts for third choice: stripping down to his skivvies. Is then arrested and walked through two terminals in his underwear. [NBC San Diego]
SNL reimagines TSA as a sexy 80’s hookup company. [Hulu]
Your Morning Cup Of TSA Horror
By 11.22.10
Man with a bladder bag says a TSA patdown left him humiliated and soaked in urine. [MSNBC]
Video of frustrated father ripping shirt off shy son so TSA can complete search. [YouTube]
Video of 3-year old girl screaming and writhing during TSA patdown. Her teddy being taken away and going through the x-ray seemed to have set her off. [KGTV]
Airport opt-out day is imbecilic. [Slate]
TSA bumper stickers. “It’s not a grope, it’s a freedom pat.” [Althouse]
Catch Up On All The TSA Story Madness
By 11.19.10
There has been quite the cubic ton of stories this past week or so written about the TSA security procedures, the backlash to them, and the backlash-backlash. It’s hard to keep up with them all. So, to keep you sounding smart and making up-to-the-minute references, security guru Bruce Schneier has a massive, yet accessible, link roundup. Keep those wingtips up! [More]
You Might Be In Serious $%#@ For Refusing To Be TSA Screened
By 11.15.10
Did you assume that once you got to the airport, if the TSA was doing something you didn’t like, you could just opt-out and decide not to fly? The answer is — nope. According to CNN and the TSA, a ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals compels all passengers to be screened, whether they fly or not. Refusing screening will result in being denied access to secure airport areas and may result in civil penalties. [More]
Interview With Meg McLain, Ejected From Airport After Questioning Body Scanners
By 11.15.10
Last week Meg McLain’s story lit up the internet. She says she was cuffed, her ticket was ripped up, and she was kicked out of the airport after she refused the body scanner and tried to ask questions about the pat-down. The TSA took it seriously enough to quickly post security footage of the incident on their blog. I reached Meg by phone to find out more about what happened, and, especially, why she refused the body scanner in the first place. Here is the interview, which has been condensed and edited. [More]
To Get Booted From Flight, Tell Security Guard 'You Touch My Junk And I'm Going To Have You Arrested'
By 11.15.10
A California man was surprised to see full-body scanners at the San Diego airport after checking the TSA’s website to make sure he wouldn’t be subjected to them. Suspecting there might be trouble if he refused the scanner, the man turned his cellphone’s video recorder on and put it on top of his luggage. What happened next was all caught on video… well… audio… [More]
Woman Says She Was Cuffed And Booted From Airport For Questioning Body Scanners
By 11.11.10
Meg McLain claims that the TSA ripped up her US Airways plane ticket and called police who restrained her in a chair, cuffed her, and escorted her out of the airport after she opted out of the backscatter can. Her radio interview describing the incident is at 390,000 hits and growing, and the TSA has posted CCTV of the incident on their blog. [More]
Updated List Of Airports With Full-Body Scanners
By 9.17.10
Just in case you had thought/hoped/prayed that the use of full-body scanners at airports was going to be a passing fad, you should know that the devices continue to sprout up at security checkpoints everywhere. In just the last few months, seven more airports have joined the roster. [More]
Guy Hassled For Refusing To Answer Custom Cops' Questions Responds To 700 Of Yours
By 9.13.10
The American traveler who wouldn’t answer the questions of the passport control officer upon re-entry to these shores beyond the legally required minimum has posted a 10-point response to the over seven-hundred comments his story received. Long-story short: “The only absolute and unqualified right of citizenship is to residence within the territorial boundaries of the United States; a citizen cannot be either deported or denied reentry.” U.S. v. Valentine. [More]
Guy Won't Answer Customs Cops' Questions Because He Doesn't Have To. Hilarity Ensues.
By 9.10.10
If you love our recurring posts about people who won’t comply with stores demanding to see their receipts, you’ll go Lady GaGa over the American citizen who refuses to answer customs cops’ questions beyond the legally required bare minimum. [More]
Airport Body Scanners May Replace Your Naked Body With A Generic Avatar, Eventually
By 9.8.10
Bloomberg reports that one of the big companies behind airport full-body scanners has released a software update that replaces your misshapen nakedness with a generically proportioned, nondescript avatar. The software then indicates on the avatar where you should be searched. [More]
Airport Installs 40-Foot-Tall Twister Slide
By 9.2.10
To distract travelers from delayed and canceled flights, Singapore’s Changi Airport installed a 40-foot-tall super twister slide that they can zip down at 19 feet per second. [More]
United Hates U.S. Diplomatic Relations With Pakistan
By 9.1.10
United has already mastered guitar bashing, so now the airline is moving on to more ambitious projects: screwing up diplomatic relations with other countries. [More]
Be Sure To Confirm Age Requirements Before Buying Airline Tickets For Kids
By 8.30.10
A man in California ended up fighting with Expedia over compensation after his kids, ages 12 and 16, were left stranded overnight in a Virginia airport, because the airline wouldn’t let them board the connecting flight without being accompanied by someone 18 or older. The man told Expedia the kids’ ages before buying the tickets but the company’s system didn’t send up any red flags, so he thought the trip would be fine. [More]
Man Passes Self Through Airport X-Ray
By 8.27.10
Fed up with being forced to repeatedly walk through a metal detector even though he wasn’t carrying any bombs, a man decided to find an alternate way to get through airport security. [More]
