Do you know that the TSA is one of the biggest agencies in the Govt? Do you want to save money? Get rid of them. A self service security kiosk is at least as effective, and twice as polite.

Like just about any US government agency, TSA is staffed by a large number of total morons, who could never hold a job in the private sector.

The wonders of minimum wage.

ALWAYS with stupid things these Managers " accept responsibility for"

Why are these TSA agents not trained better?

Or FIRED for incompetent actions?

The immediate supervisors need to be retrained as well.

this is what you get from your government selecting who does what and for how much. TSA is getting paid a ton for their screwups...and our government is looking the other way..why not...plenty of lobby money floating toward congress .

There's nothing in them.... They might explode!

And just who signed them into law as a Gov't agency? Yep....good 'ol DUBBYA!

Don't back down, put her in prison. That's what REAL rednecks would do.

They never cared about keeping us safe , just the opposite ! We are the enemy , they are not sorry ! Just sorry they couldn't keep it quiet . I will protect myself . NO FLY , NO TRAIN , ETC.

The TSA and the enhanced screenings are the victory of Bin Laden over the US. He won. He made us turn into jerks to each other and to stop trusting ourselves.

I'm with you! I no longer fly either!! TSA is actually an unConstitutional body and TOTALLY TROMPS on our Rights as Citizens of this country!! What would have happened if she hadn't had enough milk to fill those bottles?? seriously!?!

TSA was set up to screen for terrorists, not screen innocent people! and how many terrorists has TSA caught? um, NONE!!! that's right, exactly ZIPPO!!

I can drive everywhere in the western hemisphere, and I CAN take a boat to europe or hawaii!

@rerere - she was flying from one Island of Hawaii to another Island of Hawaii. Not from the mainland. Maybe when you "pro-government types" LEARN TO READ...we can do away with some of the more idiotic LAWS that get passed.

Removed double post due to system screw up...thanks computer geeks

With all the talk of cutting the size of government, it surprises me that I haven't heard of anyone on Capitol Hill suggesting we cut TSA. It's bloated, ineffective, and unnecessary. Yes, we need security for air travelers. So why not set up the regulations of what's required in terms of security screening, and then turn the responsibility for doing so back to the airlines? A couple hundred TSA staff to perform monitoring of airline security screenings and procedures is a lot cheaper than the thousands of TSA employees we currently have. And since the airlines get a lot of misplaced flack for botched security, they'd probably be happier too.

another reason to get rid of the tsa jobs making program using imbiciles to run and work in it.

@John S-400329

Typical anti-government idiot who probably never leaves home.

Typical nanny-state idiot who obviously doesn't remember that we had airport security BEFORE the TSA. Go back to what we had and let us get on with our lives.

It seems almost every day we are presented with still another atrocity perpetrated by the TSA goons. Many actions perpetrated by these morons would have landed ordinary people on a sexual offender list. Also, I think ordinary people would be too embarrassed to take a job with these minimum wage morons. That they get more than the minimum wage doesn't improve their IQ, that's for sure. They need to go.

If you want to fly outside of the US to another continent it is very easy to do while avoiding the Terminally Sociopathic Animals at US airports. Simply drive across the Canadian border to fly in and out of Northern America. It's awesome. Oh, and when I cross the border into Canada I always thumb my nose at the USA.

If they ever violated my constitutional RIGHTS I wouldn't want an apology. Screw an apology. I don't want no damn apology. I want 'em gone, PERIOD!!! I would sue to have them disbanned, permanently. I think every single time anyone has this happen to them, they should do the same thing.

Imagine the uproar if she had just whipped one out and started breast feeding right there. Damned if you do and damned if you don't. She was in a no win situation!!

Why is it that TSA employees can do the STUPIDEST things on earth and get away with a lame apology?

When will TSA be required to pay high enough wages that they actually employ people with a brain? There should be a minimum IQ, of say 110, to be hired by TSA. Do you think these minimum wage morons are even remotely capable of protecting us? Really???

Schoolyard, if she did "just whip one out" someone on national radio might call her a slut. OH NO A BOOBIE, AAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

There should be zero tolerance in the TSA and Airline workers for humiliation. If an employee stupidly embarrasses a passenger in public then they should be out the door IMMEDIATELY. Enough of treating these incidents as isolated. Clearly the TSA is doing a lousy job of training and they need to start setting examples that workers will think twice about before they try and parade their authority around the checkpoints when they clearly don't know what the hell they are doing.

The airlines need to start firing employees that can't handle customer complaints too. If they mess up, they need to take their medicine and be apologetic instead of threaten to arrest a paying customer!

Enough of the apologies from a higher up after the fact. Unacceptable. It doesn't cut it anymore because nothing is improving. Time to clean house of all the incompetent jack asses that they hire going forward!!!

OMG... She should have free flights worldwide courtesty of TSA for life after that. They should be ashamed.

It looks like the government is doing damage control with the publicly traded corporate entity known as today show. They are promoting the idea that the TSA "apologized" in the title with big bold letters when they should have never harassed this innocent person at any time; this pathetic uneducated drone cop wannabe wants his power trip and the woman can be prevented from going on her flight that she paid for.

The TSA should be abolished!!! They can harass, intimidate and molest innocent people including children!

TSA ... just another employment scam ... trying to help keep the county afloat in a previous administration ...

Once they are brought into existence YOU WILL NEVER GET RID OF THEM ... Show me a agency of the US that has ever been dissolved ........... none!

I have no doubt that the TSA are sorry. But to the TSA I say, if you made sure that you employed people with brains and common sense rather than a bunch of apparently semi-literate drones incapable of independent thought, perhaps you wouldn't spend so much time apologizing for their repeated acts of spectacular stupidity.

I don't fly any more simple as that. the airlines and TSA can suck it. I'll spend my money elsewhere.

I travel with empty water bottles every time I fly. As soon as I get through the security check point I fill them with water for the flight. I serously doubt this was an accident. Air is hardly a security threat, that TSA agent knew exactly what she was doing.

When I have been falsely confronted at the security point, I don't take that either. I very firmly point out their error and call the individual's performance into question. Suprisingly, they have alwasy backed down (to date anyway).

Everyone should know that if the TSA agent has no gun, they have no authority of law, and will have to call an agent who does before they can take any action against you. Don't be afriad to call their bluff if no gun is on their belt.

I hate to fly anymore. This story is just disgusting, what she had to endure. The additionally asinine thing is that 2 pilots, past neighbors, have both told us that any really intent terrorist could blow up the plane fairly easily - but not going to spell it out here.

TSA are idiots - not all, but most.

Spend your time locally so you don't use much fuel. That way our President can't get the prices for gas up to $8.00 like he and his cronies would like to.

We now know the TSA will keep us safe from persons with medical stints and bags, old people in diapers, kids in diapers AND lactating moms. WHEN are we going to stand up and say "Enough"?? Our country is drowning in debt, yet we keep this farce going?? Scoping out random American citizens is doing NOTHING other than WASTING our tax dollars. In the meantime, our children's education, our elderly and our veterans are SUFFERING so we can keep this useless program funded.

I have nothing against the TSA agents, they are doing the best they can with the screening criteria they given, BLAMING the agents of following the directives they are given is just plain stupid. ALL the confusion and rules originates in Washington DC.

I have nothing against the TSA agents, they are doing the best they can with the screening criteria they given

Yes. They are certainly trying hard towards becoming the best government drone thugs that our tax dollars can buy.

Jesus h. Christ! I'll bet over 3 million people fly every day and this ONE thing happens and we're all up in arms. Percentages people...This adds to the urban myth of government screw-ups and gets repeated and told so often that in a few days, she was forced to pour it out and re fill the full ones so a TSA agent could watch. Every DMV, US Post Office and TSA encounter can't be that bad. Quit griping or quit flying, no one cares and it will mean less time in line for me. If this is the worst thing she has to go through in her life, she'll probably be ok.

yeah, I know how to get back at the tsa- I'll never fly again!

I'll deprive myself the pleasure of seeing far-away places/ visiting my family/ having a job where I travel/ living a normal life- that'll show them!

What world do you people live on?

Should I never leave my house again since I've gotten a couple of tickets?

Yes, flying often sucks, but you not flying "out of principle" doesn't solve anything at all... it only deprives you of freedom

feel free to disagree- I'm sure you will

Yes, flying often sucks, but you not flying "out of principle" doesn't solve anything at all... it only deprives you of freedom

You can always drive to Canada and then fly from there. Foreign nations don't have the Gestapo style thugs harassing people that fly in their airports; they say "don't worry...this isn't America". The People should stand against the TSA as they will eventually be everywhere and intimidating and harassing anyone that travels. That is why they are now wearing mock uniforms and badges as if they were blue shirts. We can't stand for this.

no, people who fly for work (on someone else's dollar and schedule) such as I can not "drive to Canada and then fly from there".

and what if I want/need to fly around the US? Most employers aren't gonna give you five days to drive to California...

I agree the TSA sucks but me forfeiting my freedom to travel doesn't make them lose one wink of sleep. Do you really think they care?

"It confuses me why an ice pack and breast pump were a threat to national security."

Simple: Because we hire morons to stop terrorists.

Like it or not, we are stuck with the TSA. The terrorists on 9/11 proved that corporate security does not work. 3,000 innocent people paid for the corporate style security mistakes. Since the TSA has recovered over 1,000 guns people were attempting to bring on airplanes, it does give the appearance of some security.

In the 1970's there were several hijackings, and the FAA required airports have secuirty screening to hopefully prevent hijackers from getting on the airplanes. Obviously, the events of 9/11 proved that those activities were not successful.

There will be another major incident. You just can't put 300+ people into a flying gas can without someone who is interested in killing a lot of people thinking that an airplane is a great target. After the next incident, you will have real military style security at our airports 24/7. And our liberty will be eroded even more, step by step until we wonder why we were once called "the land of the free and the home of the brave."

Hey Doyourhomework. I'm not depriving myself of a normal life and I don't fly. I think Flying actually deprives people of a normal life. I enjoy scenery, you can't get that in an Airplane. All you get is an eye in the sky view. Last time me and my mother went across country I got the pleasure of in the early morning hours watching Deer, bears, and other such wild life in the forests surrounding the highway. In the air, you don't get that. Yeah you get to go across seas. If that's your bag yay for you, but that's not my thing. I'm perfectly free with my car and my legs. I don't need an airplane to visit my family either, because my family is old school and we live literally across the street from each other.

Why did I bring that up? Because you seem to assume that people are some how depriving themselves and being total shut ins because they refuse to fly. Could it be that they can get where they want to go by car? Also travel isn't everyone's cup of tea. My father -HATES- travel in general and he's not depriving himself of anything. And don't tell me I need to be more cultured, I've seen outside the US it looks pretty much the same as here, only either more expensive or more poor. It really doesn't interest me to deal with the 'locals' when I can just look them up on line and get the same 'breathtaking' views anywhere in this country.

I know we have to balance safety with our rights, but I am getting SO tired of TSA-related abuse stories. I am confused why they routinely use humiliation as a "security" tool, it seems unnecessary. By the way, aren't you not allowed to bring on fluids, so why would she be forced to fill the bottles?

@dirp101

Like it or not, we are stuck with the TSA. The terrorists on 9/11 proved that corporate security does not work. 3,000 innocent people paid for the corporate style security mistakes

Mistakes? What "corporate style security" mistakes? The terrorists used box cutters specifically because they were NOT forbidden. You were ALLOWED to take them on the plane. The so-called "corporate" security was following the rules laid out by the GOVERNMENT. Please don't make up BS in an attempt to blame all of the evils in the world on corporations.

The TSA response was no apology. It was just a lame attempt to justify their f__kup.

akuin-I hear you, I didn't mean to insinuate I have a fuller life because of travel. I realize a lot of people don't care about going overseas and don't have to fly for work. Driving is a great way if you can, I drove Route 66 the whole way a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, on a work schedule, flying, for me, is a must. And I love checking out other countries.

I just don't feel that not flying is some sort of protest, that's all. The tsa does not care if you don't fly. So if you like travel, don't "not fly" to make a point- that's all I'm saying.

It's just asinine to insinuate an American is a sheep (much earlier post) because we don't give up flying to the detriment of our careers and or happiness...

the tsa is the problem, not us. we shouldn't have to alter our behavior.

Now wait a minute here,These TSA people are the same ones that tell us that we are not allowed to have not more than (3) ounces of any kind of liquid Past the security(brought to the airport). The same people that made another woman drink her babies milk (Formula) because it was more than three ounces. Make up your minds, what is it? under 3 or is it no empties?

moonbeamracer wrote: "TSA ... just another employment scam ... trying to help keep the county afloat in a previous administration ... Once they are brought into existence YOU WILL NEVER GET RID OF THEM ... Show me a agency of the US that has ever been dissolved ........... none!"

Didn't President Bush dissolve the agency that was charged with tracking down Osama Bin Laden?

--mark d.

You can always drive to Canada and then fly from there. Foreign nations don't have the Gestapo style thugs harassing people that fly in their airports; they say "don't worry...this isn't America". The People should stand against the TSA as they will eventually be everywhere and intimidating and harassing anyone that travels. That is why they are now wearing mock uniforms and badges as if they were blue shirts. We can't stand for this.

Oh man, you've never heard of border checkpoint horror stories have you? Honestly some of the crap they pull at border checkpoints (yes, Canadian checkpoints) for people that have the audacity to drive makes things the TSA does pale in comparison.

Schoolyard-If Rush Limbaugh wan't in so much touble with the advertisers already he'd have a field day with a woman whipping one out to feed her baby in this situation. He probably would say a whole lot more than slut!! It would almost be worth it though just to see him completely bury himself!!!

Kilroy-Hadn't heard about this other woman. Forced to drink her breast milk or formula?? OMG where did this happen??

Oh god, one of many over time. I am not sure how long ago it was. And forced was not the right word either . given a choice, either drink it or throw it away (sorry about that) I might have seen it on Utube I think.

My point was that she was not allowed to bring more than three ounces.

I agree the TSA sucks but me forfeiting my freedom to travel doesn't make them lose one wink of sleep. Do you really think they care?

No. They don't care because they are ignorant drones. But it looks like we can't win. We can forfeit our right to travel or forfeit our fourth amendment rights.

If these imbeciles would quit doing this stupid @!$%# to people then maybe they wouldn't have to apologize every week.

My thinking is that anyone who would subject them-self to anything like the tsa, deserves whatever she/he gets. I believe that if we take a stand, sanity will prevail. If we do not, then...........

I agree.
We need to stop doing every stupid thing they tell us to do or quit complaining afterwards.

And if they arrest you for refusing to submit to their humiliation, so be it.
I'd make damned sure the media plastered it all over the country.

Realist-502574 If this that you wrote is true, "when I cross the border into Canada I always thumb my nose at the USA." WHY DO YOU KEEP COMING BACK?

TSA is rude and incompetent.

I wonder though, why this mommy didn't just buy some milk at a local restaurant add some water and pour that into the bottles?

Would have saved her at least time and embarrassment of pumping in the public bathroom with no privacy and just breast feed on the plane if need be. Sad she even had to negotiate all this anyway. No point to it at all. So glad she is making a public spectacle of TSA.

No surprise here! TSA has acted inconsistently, ignorantly, disrespectfully, and incompetently since the day they started. I sincerely think that we are not any safer with this type of extremely poor working skills with the public sector. Way more training and screening of employees is needed.

Backcountry164 - She shouldn't have to do that. The point remains that she shouldn't have to do ANYTHING with her empty bottles. You shouldn't have to take a single step out of your way when the TSA makes up rules and tries to force them on you.

Sadly , highly skilled retired military can't get jobs with the TSA. I know, I tried.

Kind of hard to do when you're in the hot seat ~

@Accipiter

No, I don't think Backcountry164 was suggesting whe throw out $200 worth of pump bottles OR give her infant regular milk. Since the TSA person wouldn't allow her to take empty bottles through the checkpoint, Backcountry164 was suggesting she purchase milk to fill the bottles simply to get them through the checkpoint. Then, when she reached her destination, she could dump the regular milk, or transfer it to a pitcher for the rest of the family, and wash the bottles for the baby. That way, she could have gotten all of the items through the checkpoint without the humiliation of having to pump in a public restroom with strangers coming and going.

It wouldn't be a permanent solution... clearly the TSA agent would need to be retrained or replaced... but it would have been a better option on that particular day.

Yeah. THAT'LL work.

Go buy milk at the concession stand that you can't bring in in ONE package, and dump it in another package that you can't bring in.

Precious stupidity.

Sheesh! What do you think would happen if they caught her doing that?

Do you vote?

Please don't.

Have a nice day.

@Accipiter

Backcountry164 - She shouldn't have to do that. The point remains that she shouldn't have to do ANYTHING with her empty bottles. You shouldn't have to take a single step out of your way when the TSA makes up rules and tries to force them on you.

I was in no way attempting to suggest that she SHOULD have to do that simply that she COULD have.

@shut yer yap

You ma'am, are a moron. YOU are the one who shouldn't vote because you don't get even half of the facts before you spout-off. Michelle knows what she's talking about here.

@shut yer yap

Yeah. THAT'LL work.

Go buy milk at the concession stand that you can't bring in in ONE package, and dump it in another package that you can't bring in.

Did you even read the article moron? They wouldn't let her bring the EMPTY bottles so she had the FILL them. How would the idiot know what sort of milk was in the bottles?

@Michelle Smith-4383418

No, I don't think Backcountry164 was suggesting whe throw out $200 worth of pump bottles OR give her infant regular milk

Thanks Michelle, I thought my comment was simple enough for everyone to comprehend. Guess I should have known better posting on NewsVine.

Maybe someone should have checked for hidden cameras.

Many of us have commented that TSA should employ more intelligent workers and/or train their employees better. Don't you find it more than ironic that as we say this, our state/local governments are working overtime to try and cut more money from our respective states' education budgets?

Here, in Florida, we have some lame politician trying to cut funding for one of our well-respected universities (USF) because he wants to divert the money to a "new" university in Lakeland. Said Lakeland university is really a part of USF, but this moron wants it to be "independent" so Florida can claim to have 12 accredited state universities. (As if that matters.)

Maybe we should have a hiring/election requirement that every person applying/running for any kind of government job/office pass an IQ test geared to the level of the position they desire. Makes you wonder how many currently in Washington DC would have a job, doesn't it? It would also guarantee that no stupid people would become our elected officials. Think about it.

@Dazed and Amazed-1

Don't you find it more than ironic that as we say this, our state/local governments are working overtime to try and cut more money from our respective states' education budgets?

What I find ironic is that we spend WAY more on education than any other country and have nothing to show for it other than a bloated bureaucracy and yet there are still people who think spending even more will somehow "fix" our education system. That is what leaves me "Dazed and amazed"

Back country. And do you also find it ironic that we spend double what other countries do for health insurance and only cover 70% or that we spend double what the next 19 countries do on defense with money we borrow from China?

@franktheprank

Back country. And do you also find it ironic that we spend double what other countries do for health insurance and only cover 70% or that we spend double what the next 19 countries do on defense with money we borrow from China?

As a libertarian I can honestly say, yes I do. Thought you had me pegged didn't you?

You are right Robert, I retired from the military in 1998, I tried to get a job with the TSA and was turned down. I really believe they only wanted people who can not think for themselves and to get dumb Azz's who can't hold a job a job. And it shows

steve- m o r o n s morons...

The passenger has contacted us with her concerns and we accept responsibility for the apparent misunderstanding and any inconvenience or embarrassment this incident may have caused her.”

"Apparent misunderstanding?" "inconvenience or embarrassment this incident may have caused her.(?)"

Seriously, who does the TSA think it is kidding? She wouldn't have contacted TSA to voice her annoyance, anger, embarrassment and duress had she not been inconvenienced and embarrassed.

Seriously, TSA people need to go... They're either willfully moronic or downright stupid, and their superiors think this kind of behavior is excusable... Which makes the head honchos at TSA even dumber and stupider.

Arrrggghhh!! Pass the antacid cocktail!!

Those pigs! What a lame apology! Boycott the TSA and their sponsors!

Already do.

Sneaky and deceptive isn't really the best answer to ill trained and unreasonable. Had she been caught doing what has been suggested she could have, at the very least, been detained, interrogated and caused to miss her flight home to her nursing baby and 3 other children. Had she pulled that deception she also could not with any real credibility, come forward in an effort to keep this from happening to others as she has stated was her reasoning for speaking up. No, I think it's safe to say that sneaking and deceiving bears no good fruit.

Oh, right, and we can go back to what we had before -- a patchwork of private security firms chasing the lowest bid for the work, and cutting corners by not checking employee' backgrounds.

You know, like the ones that let the 9/11 terrorists go through with box cutters. Remember that little incident? That's why TSA was started in the first place.

OldGaffer you so right.... How can so many people be willing to give up their basic rights..... GET RID OF THE TSA NOW.....

TSA doesn't have firearms you idiot. So if you get rid of the TSA, who will make sure the flying public is safe? Who will prevent the explosives, guns, knives, grenades and such are not allowed onto the plane? You are just more of the uneducated misinformed tools that really needs to pay more attention than just what Fox News tells you.

DRK-1183578 - History lesson: On 9/11/2001 boxcutters were not prohibited items. Those private security agents did nothing wrong.

Of course, back then the same private security agents didn't pat down children and stop breast-feeding mothers from carrying those dangerous empty bottles.

That little incident that happened over 11 years ago, and hasn't happened since, will never happen again because of one simple change that occured since then. The government stopped telling passengers to sit there like good little sheep and depend on them in the event of a hijacking.

The passengers on an airliner now will fight tooth and nail, break out the windows, deploy the chutes, and chew the wings off the plane if necessary to prevent it from being used as a guided missile. We can thank the brave heroes of Flight 93 for that.

It should also be remembered that 9/11 caused less than 1% of the number of deaths that have occurred since then in automobile accidents in this country, yet we have given up freedoms and rights that hundreds of thousands of us have died for over the centuries, and are turning our country into a police state over it.

If they were managing to get one or two of our airliners a year, then we should consider tightening our security to the point that it infringes on the rights and freedom of our citizens. Until then our money is better spent improving highway safety, or better yet, not spent at all.

I agree with you at the same time lets eliminate Immigration and Customs at the airports the smuggling is at the land borders and while we are at it who cares if I am brining in a few chicken eggs or iguanas or pork or beef. It's all a scam to control our daily movements. We do not import guns export them. Cut out all this crap and we will save billions.

All they really needed to do was arm the flight crew... Guns with rubber bullets, tasers, even nightsticks... better yet, numchucks and throwing stars!

If the airlines took their security seriously..... just sayin.... Disband TSA, IRS, and a lot of the other 3 letter government sponsored terrorist agencies!

TSA is part of Homeland Security.So is FEMA, the Coast Guard, Customs& Border Protection, US Customs & Immigration Services, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, and the US Secret Service. Other component divisions include the Office of Civil Rights & Liberties, the Office of Legislative Affairs, the National Communications System, and the National Cyber Security Center. So even if you were to disband TSA there would be plenty of other government agencies/entities to take up the national security cause.

TSA has not stopped a single alleged terrorist to date. they are unconstitutional and it was the governments partisanship that lead to 9-11. did anyone know that the world trade center was bombed in '93 (just one of the many bombings against us under clinton 42)by the very same group of islamic soldiers and yet clinton 42 did nothing but prosecute a couple islamic soldiers in american courts. clinton was offered bin laden multiple times but refused. clinton allowed cuts to the DoD along with departmental changes that made us weaker and it was all on purpose.

@dan42day,

The passengers on an airliner now will fight tooth and nail, break out the windows, deploy the chutes, and chew the wings off the plane if necessary to prevent it from being used as a guided missile. We can thank the brave heroes of Flight 93 for that.

Exactly.

DRK -

The 9/11 hijackers did not go through security with those box cutters. They went around it -- specifically, they entered through the unguarded exits. Used to be several airports in this country where the "coverage" on the exits were essentially non-existent. Have you noticed beefed up security on the exists since?

Not true Rincewind, at least not in all cases:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLEqjpHVPhM

That's the 5 hijackers going through security at Dulles... Not to mention, the boxcutters they used were ok to bring on airplanes at the time.

Now, you can't have more than 3 oz of liquid?! Or even worse, bring on EMPTY bottles?! W T F?

TSA...OUT. Hire more Sky Marshals and let them do their jobs. I'd rather have a uniformed guard with an M16 at Port Arms at the front, rear, and middle of the passenger compartment than these imbeciles oggling the scanners as we walk past.

ARCHY BUNKER said it best;''arm all the passenger at the start of the trip,collect the guns upon landing,NO HIJACKER (REMEMBER THAT WORD?)would have the guts to try anything.''

@ Swagganaut: "TSA has not stopped a single alleged terrorist to date"...

Hmmm really? Look Im no TSA fan either but that statement is, well...idiotic. How do you know they havent stopped a terrorist? Cause all the terrorists Facebook or Tweet it afterwards? I can hear them now

Dang...that TSA woman at BWI got me man...I almost had 10 lbs of C4 on that plane!....not.

Sometimes I wonder about folks...

SweetAZ - we know it because it would be headline news for weeks and weeks. Tell me, do you recall the news story?

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2002/2002-11-11-box-cutters.htm

The FAA didn't ban boxcutters, but industry rules did. Like I said; a patchwork of rules, enforced differently at every airport. I don't see how going back to that will improve anything. Here's a reminder of how wonderful things were pre-TSA

http://articles.nydailynews.com/1996-08-04/news/18009650_1_twa-flight-airport-security-airport-workers

It's hard to say if the TSA has ever stopped terrorists. It's not like terrorists go around with little cards in their socks that say"I'm a Terrorist, catch me if you dare." The TSA routinely does catch people with guns or knives. (And yes, they routinely miss some people, too). Whether those people were terrorists or just forgetful is anybody's guess.

I'm no fan of the TSA, God knows. I dread flying because of those people. So much of what they do is pure security theater. It's just that I don't see how going back to private security firms with a bunch of different rules, poorly screened minimum wage workers and even less accountability than the TSA is going to make things better.

In truth DRK, I agree with you. In the darkest recesses of my soul I at least WANT to believe the TSA has helped us in some measure, but all we see are rules that are flat out ridiculous, and target VERY specific attacks that are so unlikely to even be tried, and are even less likely to SUCCEED, that the TSA has gone hog wild with its capacity to make us jump through hoops.

I mean, you can't bring on toothpaste? No bottles of water? Have to take off my shoes?

Really, the terrorists can smuggle all sorts of stuff in a body cavity, and the TSA never sees it, and has NO way to check for it.

Security theater is painfully accurate, and the only ones who enjoy watching it are the TSA.

I agree, one set of rules is better, but they MUST be more useful than simply banning any 3oz containers of liquid, they have to be less egregious than the body scanners and sexual assault pat-downs, and they have to be less offensive than forcing the elderly to demonstrate their catheters or colostomy bags.

I agree, Fred Evil. I don't know what the solution is, but we sure are not anywhere close to it right now.

The author of the MSNBC article utilized the acronym TSA without mentioning what it stands for. Three demerits.

The photo: oooWEEE !! Scary Baby Glow Eyes !!!

I do that tooooo! Go us!

And not ONCE were we told we couldn't take an EMPTY bottle!
This moron should be FIRED...end of story.

So, we are not allowed to take empy bottles... but when I bring a bottle of water, I'm told I can't take it unless I drink or dump all of the water... What? Now the air outside the terminal is a dangerous weapon, is that what is happening?

Empty bottles are the single greatest threat to the American way of life!

Yeah, the empty bottle thing struck me as odd too. Everything I've heard about the rules say that you can't take any liquid through over a certain amount, but I've never heard anything about empty containers. There's no reason for empty bottles to be considered a threat.

I thought the same thing--that it was liquid in bottles that made them freak out. I would think that they would want them empty. Breast milk bottles (that go with pumps) are generally pretty small, not more than 4-6 ounces. I can't believe this was an issue. Poor mom. Glad she got to her destination w/ her pump intact.

flying is not a right. if you want to fly you agree to their rules. i don't fly.

My friend - you need to familiarize yourself with the law of the land.

TITLE 49 U.S.C. § 40103 : US Code - Section 40103: Sovereignty and use of airspace

(a) Sovereignty and Public Right of Transit. -
(1) The United States Government has exclusive sovereignty of airspace of the United States.
(2) A citizen of the United States has a public right of transit through the navigable airspace.

Mackie-4741671

TSA is a pure intrusion of privacy. The more we sue, the greater the chance this agency will be disintegrated. The agency is a sham-property-confiscation ring. What they can't use they sell on EBay.

Unconstitutional + no warrant = no search.

Period.

WOW you are just stupid. Sell on EBay?!?! Not only is that wrong and stupid, but not even legal. Confiscated items are turned over to law enforcement.

Administrative searches are constitutional. On top of that, every time you fly you are voluntarily agreeing to the search. How about you read the posted signed telling you this? Go away stupid troll.

Hawkeye9

Just because you don't mind losing you're constitutional rights doesn't mean we're stupid enough to allow the government to do the same to us. It's ok, I'm sure you're not intentionally stupid, just misguided and horribly at odds intellectually to the majoritiy of us.

HATR-HURTER

Clearly you didn't read the story. You CAN'T follow the rules when they make them up as they go along. Why could a passenger carry, in this woman's case, empty baby bottles on the outbound flight and then not on the inbound?

As I recall, not two weeks back, there was a news story quoting a TSA official in The District of Criminals wherein it was admitted that they do indeed plan to sell off confiscated property, by auction and/or on eBay. Much the same as all local and regional law enforcement agencies do, auctioning off guns, cars, and other property at various times during their fiscal year. Most often, when their budget coffers need replenishing, after individual officers have had the chance to pick and choose, first.

Think not? Just ask.

Flying absolutely IS a right, or this is not a free country in the slightest bit.

ray butt--- flying is not a right just like driving is not a right they are privileges don't want to follow the rules then don't fly

for truth be told you are right about the code but remember these are companies owned by groups or individuals you have to follow the rules

you don't want to follow the rules then don't fly----people keep complaining about the TSA and how it is violating their rights against searches people remember freedom IS NOT FREE freedom takes people giving their lives so that you can enjoy the freedoms that you do have.

Of course flying is a right. Although, due to the nature of it, a fairly expensive one, as in, to FULLY excercise that freedom you'd have to own your own plane, If I owned my own plane, I wouldn't be getting fondled by the tsa.

But even ordinary citizens have a right to fly. Unfortunately, with major carriers, you also have the right to get invaded before you get on the plane...

The TSA is
garbage!!! We need to get rid of them. I’m not afraid on a couple of a$$holes
getting on my flight with box cutters and trying to get control over the aircraft, the best and glorious army in the world the =USA ARMY trained me on how and what to do withe @!$%#s like them.
The TSA was George THE DUMBEST ASS BUSH idea; therefore it cannot be possibly
good for us. Let us take all that wasted money that goes to the Bull@!$%# called
the TSA and let’s put it to work for the people. The hell with those obstructionist
Neo Nazis enemies of the people and our liberties, I want my country back and I
want it back now!!!

The TSA does make up rules as it goes along, and changes those rules willy-nilly.
Now they will let you take nail clippers in your carry-on.
I guess they figured out that no plane was ever brought down by a passenger threatening to cut the pilot's nails.
If I can reach my destination in 10 hours or less by car, that is the way I will go.

(2) A citizen of the United States has a public right of transit through the navigable airspace.

this applies to your airplane. if you want on their's you have to follow their rules.

I would think full bottles would be viewed as more of a threat personally. After all, at least a full bottle could, in theory, be filled with an explosive substance. What possible danger is an empty bottle though?

Actually the bottles are fine, but full breasts could be used as a weapon...

I wonder what would have happened if a baby finished a bottle while going through screening? Would the bottle be taken away???

This TSA agent should be fired.

Empty bottles can and are a threat it is far better then the box cutter which are more preferred by hijackers. When is it that you are humiliaded by using the ladies room,drama queen award! If this is all we have to complain about we are doing better then the rest of the world!

Big Mac,

And just how are empty bottles a threat?

full breasts and empty bottles are especially dangerous after last call...

Give someone a 'badge' and they start thinking they are god and they will 'save the world' from women with breast pumps and empty milk bottles! Get some sense TSA!

Pump up the jam, pump it up

Only the biggest and the best morons work there my friend, only the biggest and the best. From the top to the bottom. Like I read above, mall cop wanna be mentality.

Why is the heading "humiliated"? It should be HUMILIATED. This mom was forced into one of the most embarrassing positions possible for a nursing mother. THANK GOD the electrical outlet was at least in the ladies restroom, could you imagine what would have happened if the only outlet was in the corridor?

Well, obviously they could contain highly explo..., no, They could contain radioactive..., no , hold on. ...They could contain absoltel ynothing, which poses an immediate threat to air safety.

(Sarcasm)

Why, invisible explosives, of course. They're everywhere.

I think they should be fired. The problem is trying to hold them accountable, they will sue the US Government and walk away with a Lotto-like pay day for false termination. Where is the absolute media outrage of the TSA's incompetence and the covering of this story in the same way that the media covers the latest star going to rehab? I was traveling myself this weekend and almost took a picture of the numerous TSA agents standing around doing nothing while I, along with 100's of others, stood waiting to get screened. When someone asked if they could open another line, the response was, we need to wait for another crew to start their shift. Luckily, I didn't snap a picture because the TSA has protected itself from this kind of scrutiny by banning cameras in security areas....based on protecting national security????? or their jobs?????

Not at all - the entire TSA should be disbanded - there is nothing to qualify their existance.

No.

If the TSA paid its officers $9.50 an hour, they would quit. They get paid at least twice that.

around $14 an hour at newark/liberty airport...

Whatever they are paid is simply TOO MUCH. What a bunch of ill mannered, unconscious, stupid idiots. They are CONSTANTLY offending people with their ignorance and lack of respect. I haven't flown in a couple of years, and I dread the thought of anyone 'searching' me or having to go through the x-ray machine. FOOLS!

also take into account the mindframe of a lot of people who look for these jobs- they want authority. mix that with low pay and little training...

but you're right about such juvenile responses, that if you point out something, they just cup your nads a little harder...

flying sucks, but it's more important to me to see the rest of the world...

Poor training and a lack of reasoning ability. If full bottles are permitted, why would you ban empty bottles? Although in the interest of national security I will not print it here, there is a relatively easy way to convert full bottles into empty bottles. Therefore, the rule against empty bottles can easily be circumvented if we allow full bottles.

I realize that we have many more airports than Israel does, which would make it expensive to do as the Israelis do, but they have more exposure than the U.S., yet they have had no incidents in many years. That is because the Israelis use trained professionals, rather than newly hired security guards. The U.S. relies on policies handed down to low level employees, who must adhere rigidly to the policies. The Israelis use trained professionals, who work in teams and use their own judgment. From the evidence in this article, judgment is not a strong point in some of our TSA employees. Perhaps we should divert the money going to Iraq and Afghanistan, and spend it domestically to benefit our own citizens, by upgrading our approach to airport security.

I really think it's funny in a sad kind of way they wanted to pat down your ankles. Sometimes I think the inmates are running the asylum.

Hey but so long as we have the illusion that we are "protected by the government it's all good right?------and yet we all know it's wrong and we let the government go right on "protecting" us. If these monkeys can't think on their feet, as they have proved time and again, then are we really protected?

Diane- Very good post, and I will send for the TSA rules! Thanks!