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Comment by shazow | Hacker News Reader

The next logical step is to expand the scope of the TSA's security—put full body scanners at the airport entrances rather than boarding gates. In the distant future, we can look forward to having periodic security checkpoints when we go out to get some lunch.

Not what the OP is talking about, but I hope the conversation doesn't veer in this direction.

Is this the first TSA casualty? Perhaps these odds aren't so bad after all. Maybe we don't need to overreact and restructure all security just yet.

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The next logical step is to expand the scope of the TSA's security

Your sarcasm is spot on. The first time I flew after 9/11 and had to stand in a 4 hour line to try to get through security I thought to myself, "If the terrorists want to get us, why don't they just kill people waiting in the security line?" Which obviously means we need a checkpoint before the checkpoint. Which makes that first checkpoint a target, so we'll need a checkpoint before that one and then it's checkpoints all the way down.

Beyond that, the fact that a crazed lunatic armed to the teeth could only kill 1 person in a crowded airport before being shot by police kind of says that there was adequate security in place already. What does the TSA want - the ability to stun everyone in a 300 meter radius anytime someone looks at them funny?

Don't give them any ideas.

This scenario was discussed on Bruce Schneier's blog many times. He's also held a competition for unlikely terrorism scenarios that would warrant banning more everyday objects.

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/07/sixth_movie-p...

Agreed. Your checkpoint after checkpoint statements reminded me of recursion :) Recursive Checkpoints check you all the way to home!

Why not this: You book a flight. Then when the day of your departure comes, an armoured van with 3 paramedics, 15 SWAT officers, a dog unit and a team of anaesthesiologists come to your house, put you to sleep, load you in a crate, then you spend the entire trip to the airport asleep, along with your entire flight and you only wake up at your destination. Hopefully your luggage wasn't misplaced and neither were you. You're required to fast for at least 2 days before a long flight, since bedpans aren't provided. For short trips, only chloroform is administered. Waking up in the middle of flight is a federal crime.

I think I'd actually like that... I've always found travelling to be the worst part of going on vacation. :)

Stunning won't cut it, they should be able to shoot at sight.

Someone may be pulling out a pack of skittles while making a lunging movement.

The next step for the Transportation Security Administration is to be at every transportation checkpoint. They've already experimented with that, but I assume the only reason they haven't moved faster with that is because they haven't received the necessary budget, and there may have been some local outrage where it happened.

But don't for a minute think they haven't thought about expanding themselves like that, and that they won't keep trying.

Look up 'VIPR teams'. They have already started doing operations at bus and train stations. If you live in the US you might want to talk to your government representatives if you feel uncomfortable with living in a police state, as it's damn close to being in one if not already there.

the tsa has never been about security - it staffs its checkpoints with rude incompetent dimwits. the actual agenda is and has always been smuggling.

some crazy person can pull out a gun _anywhere_ you go. that does not mean that there needs to be armed guards everywhere. "why do we have an armed guard at this coffee shop?" "oh, some dude got shot here 6 months back."

You haven't heard that they're already collecting data on anyone who books a flight? Supposedly so they can clear them in advance. At least metaphorically, what you're worrying about here has already come to pass.

why stop there and not have security checkpoints outside every home,apartment and office building? better yet- let's have every man woman and child followed by a security officer 24/7. this will solve not only security but also unemployment. and if we still are not safe and we still have large unemployment let's have security officers assigned to security officers.

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