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Comment by snikolov | Hacker News Reader

I wonder how expensive background checks are and how much (if any) of the $100 they'd get to keep.

I very much doubt it's thorough at all and I wouldn't be surprised if that was mostly profit, ignoring government inefficiencies.

I signed up for Global Entry (the "backdoor" for this program, presumably with similar paperwork) sometime in early summer last year before this domestic flight security thing was available. My interview was a joke. I don't think they verified anything I put down in my application. The CBP officer just briefly glanced at my drivers license and papers and spent more time asking me if I wrote Angry Birds ("what is your job?" "I write iPhone apps...") while looking me up and down (it was a hot day, maybe a bad day to wear a low-cut summer dress). I walked out of there in 5 minutes with my angry birds/cleavage supported approval.

I fly domestic dozens of times a year and I consider this program to be utter bullshit on the part of TSA. I'm not really providing any more information than they can already discover by information they require you to enter for purchasing a flight. I'm exchanging a false sense of security at a cost I find stupid (even though my Global Entry app fee was free). I really don't know why people can't rise up and try to get rid of TSA security theater instead of being all excited that this kind of program exists.

Because people still largely feel that the TSA and DHS are necessary, ignoring the irony that wr're still living in a post-9/11 fear-driven society where Bin Laden still literally terrorizes us.

TSA/DHS are a joke, and if you think they're honest and/or necessary, I suggest you follow the money. I'd say start with the companies who make full body scanners (millimeter wave, which uses ionizing radiation and causes cancer (ref: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backscatter_X-ray ), but that's a whole other can of worms.)

I'd say start with the companies who make full body scanners (millimeter wave, which uses ionizing radiation and causes cancer (ref: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backscatter_X-ray ), but that's a whole other can of worms.)

Small correction: millimeter wavelengths are non-ionizing. X-rays are much smaller (0.01 to 10nm - Wikipedia).

I don't like the full body scanners either, but you take on a significantly larger dose of radiation by simply looking out the window of the plane while flying than you do walking through the scanner.

There are lots of things wrong with the scanner...radiation is a very small part of it.

that's still up for debate - since the energy doesn't penetrate through the body, it's concentrated on the skin.

Given the wonders of government efficiency, I'm sure they lose money on each one, while some private, well-lobbied company enjoys the juice. That's the worst part.

Background checks to obtain a firearm are only $5 (and that's for third parties!).

Each time you go buy a weapon you pay an extra 5 dollars (at least here in Illinois) to cover a background check (the results of which are instantly available). (You still have to wait 3 days in case other info hasn't yet entered the system, and then they check again, and give you your weapon).

They'll probably do some racial/religious profiling in regards to how extensive a background check they give to a person.

Since my guess is most that most people who apply for this will not fall into the bracket where they do extensive background checks, they'll make plenty of profit off this.

Of course, it's also possible that the check will be a sham for all.

The article was confusing on that point. Global Check is $100 (pm, pa, life?) and is a Customs and Border Protection Fee. TSA charges nothing for the service.

it's explicit there. $100 for the background check fee.

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