Swabbing hands now at the airport? The cost and hassle. I think more people are going to agree

[RB TexLa]

with me in saying that a few terrorist attacks a year are acceptable to save the money and the hassle of all this. After a few they won't have any effect on the economy. People will get used to them.

[DJ13]

1. Im not a scientist, but could DNA be sampled by the same means?

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Could DNA be sampled? Theoretically. Could it be tagged as belonging to the correct person?

Not likely, unless they added a shitload more inconvenience and crap at the security checkpoints.

And, seriously, even if they could grab your DNA and target it as being specifically yours - so what? What are they going to do with it?

Whatever gain might be had by sneakily grabbing airline passenger's DNA and linking to the correct passenger, is going to be vastly outweighed by the expense and hassle.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

17. Not likely.

For a DNA test, they swab the inside of the cheek, where there are a lot of living cells constantly sloughing off. On the surface of the skin- not so much.

[dkf]

2. Nah I want terrorist types to be sitting there sweating.

I'm cool with it.

[pnwmom]

3. I'd rather have us swab our hands than have "a few terrorist attacks a year."

Swabbing hands is very little hassle.

[alfredo]

7. It isn't just the hassles at the gate, it's the nickel and dime-ing

of us customers.

[cherokeeprogressive]

9. I'll get my hands swabbed with a smile, then take a seat and be amused by those

people who think they have some kind of constitutional right to fly on a privately owned airline with no delays and no hassles.

I'll get on the plane with a smile, and while they stew in their own juices for a few hours, getting angrier and angrier, I'll fly with a smile, have a few cocktails with a smile, read a book with a smile, watch some video on my laptop with a smile, and get off the plane with a smile.

Life is SOOO easy when you let it be.

[pnwmom]

13. Too bad everybody doesn't have your attitude, cherokeeprogressive.

Our roads would be a lot safer, too!

:)

[ashling]

14. I'm with you cherokee

I was wondering, though: do you have to swab your underwear, too? LOL

[MineralMan]

20. There ya go. I'd add a smile for the TSA folks while going through

security. They see too few of them.

[Hannah Bell]

42. Jesus h christ.

i'm getting a distinct vibe here.

smells like....

[alfredo]

5. Swab my hands? Naw, kiss my ass.

[gimama]

11. Yep! that's right!

hey-HEY ..YOU said-it!
:woohoo:

[alfredo]

15. If I never set foot on a commercial airplane again, I'd be

perfectly happy.


If I felt I was a valued customer, I could handle all the security. I can spend my money on something that's pleasurable, or I can spend it on something that irritates the crap out of me. I'd rather not be irritated.

[gimama]

19. let's be "perfectly happy"..

& keep our feet on the ground..
or maybe learn to be pilots,
become wealthy & buy our own private planes.. maybe.

commercial flights..like greyhound buses with wings..
& think about it.. they irritate You,
endanger, annoy, aggravate & upset You..
trap You in plane/on ground for hours,
with no aminities,& no information..
& over-charge YOU for the experience.

no thanks.
I miss my Horse.

[MineralMan]

22. Yeah! You tell 'em.

Meanwhile, I need to go to California next month from Saint Paul to visit my parents, who are both 85. Let's see: I could drive there. If I push it, I can do it in 2 12-hour days, but I don't like to drive that long. So, allow three days to get there. Then, three days back. Three days there, so there are 9 days used up. The problem is that I have some deadlines. I can manage three or four days, but I can't even drive there and back in that time.

So, what's the alternative? I know. I'll leave my house at 5 A.M. and catch the 7 A.M. flight on Sun Country. With the change in time zones, I'll get to LAX before 9 A.M. Pacific time. I'll have time to do some reading on the plane. Rush hour will just about be over when I arrive, so I'll grab a rental car and drive the 45 minutes to get to my parents house. Just in time to chat a while before lunch.

After my visit, I'll reverse things, and be home by 2 PM the day I leave my parents.

Yeah, that's what I'll do. The TSA security screening? Well, that'll take about five or ten minutes, depending on how long the line is at the airport. Usually, it's really short at MSP, and not bad at all at LAX in that terminal. I like to get to the airport early, so I can sit down and have a nice breakfast in one of the restaurants in the terminal. People-watching's fun, too.

It'll be a nice trip, and Mom and Dad will like it that I'm around for a few days.

Enjoy your horse.

[gimama]

32. YOU have a goood plan!

& MOST important, YOU will have PRECIOUS Family time.
EnJOY every moment.. get ALL Loved UP!
& if I don't e-talk to You between now & then.. Travel SAFE!

:hi:
ps: I *MISS* my Horse..but I do enJoy Memories of her:)

[Bill McBlueState]

33. nice post

I reeeeallly hate the TSA, but I also get tired of people who *never fly anyway* making all these bold statements about how they'll never fly again. Many of us have no practical alternative to flying.

[gimama]

40. MM is a thoughtful Guy..

& a goood Son!

ALL YOU Flying DUers..

Travel SAFE!:hi:

[alfredo]

29. Walking has merits.

[gimama]

30. yes, besides the obvious physical/health benefits..

I can see tiny details,
like the daffodils ALREADY blooming in a yard,
or funny yard ornaments, or a business going through changes..
or that THAT house still has a tarp, where the roof used to be(18 mos. after Ike)..
I talk with Spirits &/or Angels, disguised as People, that I would never meet otherwise.
I find opportunities to interact with neighbors & passersby..
and I talk to the Great Spirit, & pour out my Heart,
I release my problems to the Universe, with each step..
& remind Spirit of ALL those who are struggling or suffering..
just in case.
I walk, & I enVision perfect outcomes, needs being met, PEACE breaking out.
& I tell m'Self JOKES,
& walk along with a silly grin, with occassional outbursts of laughter.
I often just walk, & appreciate the ability to WALK, when there have been times when I was physically unable to ..just WALK.
And I say ALOT of Thank YOUs..alot of 'em.

Sometimes, I take pleasure in knowing I save LOTS o' $$ by walking &/or taking a cab or bus,
(since I haven't driven since * was guvnor of tx). No car payment, insurance, auto maintenance, registration, inspection.. NO gas or oil! :) In many ways, it makes my Life beautiful & simple.
EVERY Walk.. every Day..is an Adventure.

[alfredo]

36. And it is a quarter mile to a coffee kiosk where one can sit

outside with coffee and a book. It's not the time of year for that because the coffee cools too fast and they rarely remove snow from the tables and chairs.

I made my living by walking ten miles a day, but now I am back to walking for the pleasure of walking. I do miss the endorphins from humping the mail up and down the hills and porches.

[gimama]

37. a "1/4 mile "! to a special treat!

a goood cup o' coffee & a goood book! NICE!
People-watching, too, I bet!?
Funny YOU walked "for a living" & today You walk
"for the Pleasure of walking"..
THAT is wonder-full!
I HOPE(!) soon You'll have Love-ly weather, for Your Pleasure Walk.

For me, it's 11 blocks to the Beach..
In nearly ANY weather..it's goood Medicine.
Twice a week if I'm "disciplined"!..meaning I *don't* go EVERY day!

Today was some-cloudy, in the 50's, a strong wind..
& the Waves rolled, & sparkeled, & roared..
& I laid my Heart & troubles down, down at the Waters.
All I could do was SMILE, & Say "Thank YOU!" to the Universe.
11 blocks HOME again, renewed, restored..still smilin'.

And a goood cup of coffee. :)

[alfredo]

38. It's supposed to be above freezing Friday. It would be nice to

see the ground. Usually around the end of February we have a break in the weather. I will use that break to talk a walk downtown to take photos.

[gimama]

41. "above freezing"!? woohooo!

Hot soup/Comfort food-weather, sounds like!
Sounds like You are tolerating this long, crazy Winter pretty well, tho'..
prob'ly after Your Walking for a living, in all kinds of weather,
You enJOY the luxury of CHOOSING to stay inside, warm & cozy..
or choosing(!) to be out IN IT!

We expect another few freezing night next week, & I have Spring fever, BAD.

Do You ever post Your photos here, or enter the DU contests?
Your 'downtown' photos.. of buildings, or ??

[alfredo]

43. I even broke down and bought some house shoes, the first in my life.

House shoes are for old people. I guess I am officially old.

[Incitatus]

6. Just wait till a terrorist tries to sneak in explosives hidden in his rear.

Random body cavity searches, coming to an airport near you!

[SoCalDem]

8. There was an article about breast implants being next.. so watch out , women

they'll be giving free mammograms at the airport..

[havocmom]

12. Figured that was to give a 'perv perk' to low wage TSA screeners

Has the dual benefit of making us uppity wimmens think twice about traveling without men to protect us from leering authorities ;)

When I read that news report a week or so ago, I knew I would not be getting a visit from my curvy daughter any time soon. She got so annoyed with the wand over body attention she usually gets that she over came her natural shyness and feigned orgasm moans to embarrass the lechers abusing their authority to harass her.

[gimama]

10. I'll fly again,when I sprout wings!

all this nonsense,inconvenience,& aggravation is a DISTRACTION..
these "precautions" & "procedures" do NOT make us "safer"..
need more & BETTER 'Air Marshalls', MAINTENANCE, pilots..
a realistic & reasonable "no-fly list"..

TMI:My Son, an OIF Veteran, gets pulled out of the line, every time.
Thankfully, he flies less & less, these days, due to hassles/costs.
hmmm..wonder if mama's misbehavin'
has anything to do with HIM being on some list?
;)

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

16. Cost? Hassle?

Swabbing the hand must be one of the cheapest and easiest security checks possible.

But then again, you're the guy who thinks wearing a seat belt is a horrible inconvenience, right? Right.

[MineralMan]

23. Yabbut...how dare they check to see if I've been handling

explosives? It's my gawd-given right to handle that stuff. And what if I spent the night before catching up on my ammo handloading. I don't want to wash my damn hands so I won't have to explain the residue. I washed my damned hands a week ago. That's enough.

I ain't letting no jack-booted TSA thug touch me with no swab. I just won't fly. I flew on one a them aeroplanes once. It was awful. You shoulda seen who was sitting next to me. It was one a them filthy hippie types. Why, I could almost smell the dope he was smoking. I gave him a piece of my mind, I can tell you...

There. I've said it.

[global1]

18. Could Hand Sanitizers With Alcohol Set This Off?....

just wondering if hand sanitizers that many people use now can cause a false positive and make one suspect?

[MineralMan]

21. I can't imagine why they would. It's just alcohol.

I'd also imagine that they've thought of that, you know...

[Johonny]

24. They did this at the Vancouver airport for the Olympics

it slowed the line down some.

[mmonk]

25. How about these procedures do not stop terrorism?

Or is there proof it does?

[conscious evolution]

26. Its all terraterraterra mindfuck bullshit

Be afraid little children,uncle sam will protect you!!

It blows my mind how many people here are falling for the bullshit.

[farmout rightarm]

27. I have to agree with you there.

It seems to me, the fact they CAN do this is just as bad as the fact they DO do it.
:grr:

[Art_from_Ark]

35. I've got to agree with you

One British idiot tries to set his shoe on fire, 7 years ago, and now everyone still has to take off their shoes at US security. And yet, in other airports around the world, passengers don't have to take off their shoes to go through security, and the airplanes arrive safely anyway.

Then there was some half-baked plan by some rather dubious "terrorists", again from England, to hijack airliners using some chemical concoctions, and now no one can bring their own drinks into the plane, unless they buy them at an airport shop in the secure area for 3-4 times the regular retail price, or pay $5 for a little 5 ounce bottle of wine or 12 oz can of beer in the plane. Funny how that works.

[Jim__]

28. I try not to fly anymore.

Up to 1500 miles, I'll drive. More than 1500 miles, I have to consider how much time I have. I used to travel for a living. Long ago I came to hate airports.

[Liberal_in_LA]

34. don't blame you

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. you can't walk down the street until you have had your hands swabbed

[KonaKane]

39. Very cavalier of you when you don't have to fly all the time for business.

Maybe you should give a thought or two to those of us who must. I EXPECT to hear "it's all about me and screw everyone else" from the conservothugs, but I sure don't expect to see it on DU.

[RB TexLa]

46. I don't think I stated how often I fly or for what reasons. Doesn't look like you need me to do so,

just accept your assumptions as fact and go with it.

[LanternWaste]

44. What is the cost?

What is the cost? What is the source of that number? Is there an objective cost/benefit analysis which supports your position? Is it any less or more effective than other security methods being used? What is the total sum of increased "hassle"?

They seem to be directly relevant to your position, yet lacking in answers.

[RB TexLa]

45. the cost of all the security, some act as if our lives are worth billions upon billions.