I have never understood how Dems/Libs assume the gov't will do things 'right' (healthcare, gun control, police work, and so on).

I mean I know a blind squirrel will find a nut every now and then but WTF!

They don't care about Bill's sexual habits, HRC's habitual lying, kids not learning in schools, this 'gate or that 'gate. They just ignore them 'cause, you know, the Repubs are just AWFUL.

Damn. I guess four cups of coffee is not enough this morning.

Related (about government):

Give a Drunk (or Anyone) a Free Ride Home on New Year's Eve, Accept a Tip, Face $500 Fine: Portsmouth, NH, not amused by Free State Project participant's plan to get around their anti-Uber regulations.

https://reason.com/blog/2015/12/30/give-a-drunk-or-anyone-a-free-ride-home

More:

UPDATED! TSA Says It Will Stop Accepting Driver's Licenses From Nine States: Come January 10, travelers from Alaska, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Washington may be stranded.

https://reason.com/blog/2015/12/29/tsa-says-it-will-stop-accepting-drivers

More on this ridiculous Real ID thing:

https://reason.com/blog/2015/12/30/update-tsa-will-give-120-days-before-imp

"Oddly, though, you can still potentially fly without bringing any ID whatsoever. Once more, from DHS/TSA:

'In the event you arrive at the airport without valid identification, because it is lost or at home, you may still be allowed to fly. The TSA officer may ask you to complete a form to include your name and current address, and may ask additional questions to confirm your identity. If your identity is confirmed, you will be allowed to enter the screening checkpoint. You may be subject to additional screening.'"

You will not be allowed to fly if your identity cannot be confirmed, you chose to not provide proper identification or you decline to cooperate with the identity verification process.

Well at least these people will still be able to vote w/no voter ID.

Now that would have been awful to ...

Give 'em a break. It's barely been ten years. How are they supposed to know that a lot of people travel at Christmas/New Year's? Or that it might snow in the Northern Hemisphere in December? They've got a hard job and we need to support our heroes; or the terrorists win, of course.

On the one hand, it shouldn't be the airlines' job to keep up with what TSA is doing. On the other hand, TSA exists because the airlines didn't want to have to deal with air security. Had the airlines and ICAO stepped up to the problem after 9/11, we would not have to be dealing with TSA. So the fact that this probably fouled up United's entire system, I have no sympathy.

That is to say, I have no sympathy for United. The airlines could fix this if they wanted to.

...repurposed mall food court workers....

You do a disservice to food court workers by comparing them to TSA workers. Food court workers at least provide a service, getting your food to you hot and fast. And, if they fail to perform their menial tasks competently or in a timely manner, they are fired.

TSA workers are more like DMV workers, apathetic and not rated on how they actually perform a job but on the fact that they fill a slot in a budget with a warm body. No failure to perform their duties competently or in a timely manner will affect their job status.

Fortunately I was inbound to Denver on New Year's Eve.

However, having just had my carry on searched three times in Beijing, I am sort of starting to appreciate the TSA clown car. They speak English.

The security theatre was even worse in both Tokyo and Beijing.
The TSA was careless, and Inept, but at least they don't consider a 60 year old woman with SOFA passport, and a military ID worth a lot of their attention.

After my experience in Beijing, I almost want to give up flying all together, and will never try to travel again, without checking everything but my phone, wallet, passport, and the clothes on my back. Even then the metal detector in Beijing went off with nothing but the hooks in my bra, and I got the complete pat down.

On my return flight on my last trip from London the screening in Heathrow was quite light...so much so that it confused me. Like as "Is this really the gate or do I have to do something more?" Land in good ole USA. Go through customs etc. Not too bad. I continue onto my connection but have to go through TSA screen that was much more through (and it appeared like everyone one was - not just me). My connection was ~45min flight in a puddle jumper.

My experience with flights in Japan is that domestics are hardly screened at all. Only coming to the US does it get crazy.

Isab, did they know you were an expert shooter?

Isab, did they know you were an expert shooter?

Posted by: Radwaste at January 1, 2016 9:35

Shit, we were running for the gate as it was. Not going to get caught up in a long term conversation with some Chinese TSA thug showing him pics of Camp Perry. 😊

And FormerBanker, the flight I was on out of Narita was headed for Beijing. Still got the third degree.

"Shit, we were running for the gate as it was. Not going to get caught up in a long term conversation with some Chinese TSA thug showing him pics of Camp Perry."

Wasn't suggesting that. I thought they had an idea, and were more suspicious of you.

I suspect it would be more effective for the TSA to open a big account at TruthFinder and search for profiles based on drivers' licenses...

Huh. One more thing:

SC driver's licenses were accepted for re-badging people at Savannah River Site. The clearance I had and the original badge I was awarded included personal interviews here in SC and in my home town.

I can enter a Federal facility now, having not had to do anything other than produce a DL, a utility bill and an SS card.

More government genius at work.