BUCKNACKT'S SORDID TAWDRY BLOG We should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive & well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate, bier or wein in hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WHOO-HOO, WHAT A RIDE!!!!!!"
Showing posts with label TSA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TSA. Show all posts
31 July 2018
29 October 2012
04 December 2010
TSA's Naked Power Grab, FBI and Internet Wiretapping and More from the ACLU 22NOV10
INCLUDED in this e mail newsletter from the ACLU (I am a proud member) is a piece about the new TSA security measures. I do not agree with the ACLU on this issue. I feel the scanners and alternative to being scanned, the pat-down, are the best we have to offer right now to provide air travel safety and security. At least everyone is subject to the same security measures, people are not being profiled and singled out for enhanced security screening, and if someone refuses to be screened then they do not fly, their loss, not mine. I think the ACLU is choosing the wrong battle here, I do not feel the screening or pat down is not a violation of my civil rights as long as everyone else is subject to the same. The question of civil rights violations comes into play if the TSA adopts profiling as the method to determine who is subjected to enhanced screening. FYI, I do know something about being profiled....I am white, but with long (below my shoulders) hair, full beard, wear ear rings in both ears, have 2 tats and often wear tie-dye and beads. Cops and airport security often select me as the druggie and I have had some very unpleasant experiences with cops until they find out I am clean. They are judging me by my looks, and that is wrong. So I am fine with the current TSA procedures to keep us safe in the air.
 Traveling this Holiday Season? Some Things Have Changed. FBI Wants Expanded Internet Wiretapping Capabilities Defense of Marriage Act Challenged in Lawsuit Don't Let Big Telecoms Trade Your Free Speech for Their Own Profit Civil Liberties Minute: Net Neutrality Walgreens Continues Gender Discrimination at the Pharmacy Civil Liberties Minute: Net Neutrality  Might you turn on your computer and find that the Internet as you've known it, has vanished? >> Listen to the podcast. Walgreens Continues Gender Discrimination at the Pharmacy Couples who work together to make healthy decisions about contraception should be supported. So, why is it that local Walgreens stores in Texas have repeatedly refused to sell contraception to men, despite corporate headquarters policy and federal guidelines to the contrary? That is exactly what happened to Adam Drake, who tried to purchase emergency contraception from a Walgreens in Houston. He was shocked when the pharmacy unequivocally denied him the product because he is a man. When he complained to the store manager, she stood by the pharmacist's decision. What happened to Mr. Drake is very troubling: no one should face gender discrimination at the pharmacy. But the incident is even more troubling given that the ACLU had already asked Walgreens earlier this year to ensure that its stores sell emergency contraception to men after we learned that men in Texas and Mississippi were prohibited from buying the product. In June, we received an encouraging response from Walgreens headquarters saying that it distributed a bulletin to all its stores telling them that emergency contraception can be sold to men. It further stated that a male customer who asks to purchase emergency contraception does not need to be "accompanied by a female and does not need to identify the individual for whom he is purchasing the product." Apparently, the Walgreens that Mr. Drake went to did not get that message. It's time for Walgreens to do more. The ACLU asked Walgreens last week to train its pharmacists and store managers — and send secret shoppers to its stores to ensure that corporate policy is followed. Luckily, Mr. Drake was able to purchase emergency contraception from a competitor — a pharmacy that doesn't discriminate based on gender and that knows that the Federal Drug Administration has approved emergency contraception for sale behind the pharmacy counter for men and women ages seventeen and older. Time is of the essence when accessing emergency contraception. Experts stress that emergency contraception is most effective the sooner a woman takes it, and its effectiveness decreases every 12 hours. It is therefore crucial that a customer can get access to emergency contraception as soon as it is needed. >> Sign the petition. Tell Walgreens that they must sell emergency contraception to men. back to top   Do you know somebody who would be interested in getting news about the ACLU and what we're doing to protect civil liberties? Help us spread the word about ACLU Online — forward this newsletter to a friend. | November 22, 2010 Traveling this Holiday Season? Some Things Have Changed.
In the few weeks since the policy came into effect, the ACLU has received hundreds of complaints from travelers who have been subjected to these invasive and suspicionless searches. These complaints have come from men, women and children who reported feeling humiliated and traumatized by these searches and, in some cases, compared their psychological impact to that of sexual assault. Are you — or someone you know — traveling this week? Here are some important resources for travelers: >> The ACLU compiled a list of practices that you are likely to encounter when undergoing a new TSA pat-down, based on reports we've received. Share this with your friends on Facebook. >> If you think your rights have been violated while you're traveling, please let us know about it by filling out our complaint form. >> Take action: Tell the Department of Homeland Security to respect passengers' privacy rights. back to top FBI Wants Expanded Internet Wiretapping CapabilitiesThe FBI is lobbying tech companies including Google and Facebook to win support for an Obama administration proposal to expand its Internet wiretapping capabilities, according to a report in the New York Times. The administration is urging Congress to revise the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), claiming that law enforcement needs to keep pace with technological changes. The original law, passed in 1994, compels telecommunications and broadband companies to make their services wiretap-ready. The report states that the administration is hoping to submit proposed legislation to Congress early next year to overhaul CALEA in order to ensure that telecommunications companies' networks can be wiretapped as soon as they receive a government order. According to the report, the proposal could also mandate that any communications service based overseas ensure its communications are routed through an American server so that the government is able to collect and wiretap those communications. The administration's proposal could grant the government the means for extensive surveillance and is urging Congress to reject any proposal that does not protect Americans' privacy and civil liberties. "It is important to realize that this proposal isn't simply applying the same sort of wiretap system we have for phones to the Internet; it would require reconfiguring and changing the nature of the Internet," said Laura W. Murphy, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. The ACLU remains very concerned that this proposal is a clear recipe for abuse and will make it that much easier for the government to gain access to our most personal information. Americans should not simply surrender their privacy and other fundamental values in the name of national security. We strongly encourage Congress to not rubberstamp this proposal that will grant the government the ability to conduct broad surveillance on innocent Americans. back to top Defense of Marriage Act Challenged in Lawsuit
At the heart of our lawsuit is a beautiful story of love and commitment of a couple that was together for 44 years. And there is no one who can tell that story better than Edie herself. >> Take action: Watch a video to learn more about Edie and Thea's story and the challenge to the "Defense of Marriage Act." back to top Don't Let Big Telecoms Trade Your Free Speech for Their Own Profit
If the telecommunication companies have their way, "Net Neutrality" could be a thing of the past; profits and corporate objectives could determine what you see and how you see it. Some of the strongest supporters of Net Neutrality lost their seats in the recent election; so unfortunately, telecom lobbyists will have more power than ever. >> Take action: Tell the FCC that you want them to act strongly to protect Internet freedom and Net Neutrality. >> Learn more about Net Neutrality and get the tools you need to help us fight to keep a free and open Internet. back to top Join us on...    |
American Civil Liberties Union 125 Broad Street, 18th Floor New York, New York 10004-2400 Lisa Sock and Joe McLaughlin, Editors | Privacy Statement This mail is never sent unsolicited. You, or someone on your behalf, has subscribed to receive this information from the American Civil Liberties Union. At the ACLU Web site, the ACLU gathers anonymous summary statistics on the responses to our email newsletters in order to better serve list subscribes and ACLU members. To review our Privacy Statement, click here. Click here to forward this message. |
16 November 2010
"Don't Touch Me There": Mood Music for Your Next TSA Pat-Down & TSA Chief Defends Airport Screening Procedures15NOV10 & 17NOV10
THE people who are having fits about the full body scanners or the full body pat downs are the same jerks who will be screaming after the next terrorist attack about how we should have done something. TO ALL THE MORONS WHO PLAN ON PARTICIPATING IN THE ACTION TO SLOW DOWN SECURITY CHECKS AT AIRPORTS NEXT WEDNESDAY MAY I SUGGEST YOU DO GO THROUGH THE FULL BODY SCANNER AND ASK FOR A PRINT OF YOUR SCAN SO YOU CAN SEE WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE WITH YOUR HEAD UP YOU ASS! AND TO ALL YOU WHO THINK YOU HAVE BEEN TOUCHED SOMEWHERE YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN....MOST LIKELY YOU ARE MAD BECAUSE YOU REALLY WEREN'T TOUCHED THERE OR THAT IT HAPPENED SO FAST......This from HuffPost.....followed by a piece from NPR
The Transportation Security Administration is apparently taking a very hands-on approach to airport security these days with their new and supposedly improved pat-downs. And while I enjoy a good groping under the right circumstances, I tend to prefer said touching occur once I arrive at my final destination. I also prefer that any pat-down be performed in the context of my committed, monogamous relationship with my beautiful wife rather than by a same gender officer in a public space with poor lighting and firearms nearby. Call me a romantic, but I also like a little nice music and possible candlelight -- though I recognize that lit candles at the airport might prove problematic on some level. Here then is some loosely fitting mood music for your next airport close encounter.
"DON'T TOUCH ME THERE" - The Tubes
"CAN YOU FLY" - Freedy Johnston
"EXPECTING TO FLY"- Buffalo Springfield
"SECURITY" - Etta James
"AIRPORT LOVE THEME" - Stanley Turrentine
"SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH" - Dan Hill
"FALLING OR FLYING" - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
"AIRPORT" - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
"FLYING" - The Beatles
"IF LOVE WAS A PLANE" - Brad Paisley
"TOUCH AND GO" - The Cars
"I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" - R. Kelly
"LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME" - Peter Gabriel
"STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT" - Nat King Cole Trio
"TAKE ME TO THE PILOT" - Elton John
"HOW IT FEELS TO FLY" - Alicia Keys
"LEARN TO FLY" - Foo Fighters
"DO YOU WANT TO TOUCH ME (OH YEAH)" - Gary Glitter
"SECURITY" - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
"GIVEN TO FLY" - Pearl Jam
"WATCHING AIRPLANES" - Gary Allan
"THE WAY YOU TOUCH ME" - Enrique Iglesias
"AIRPORT SONG" - Guster
"HUMAN TOUCH" - Bruce Springsteen
"SECURITY JOAN" - Donald Fagen
"EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES YOU" - The Association
"THE AIRPORT GIVETH (THE AIRPORT TAKETH AWAY)" - Rick Derringer
Remove your keys and shoes, and tell me what terminally catchy songs you'd add
The head of the Transportation Security Administration is defending controversial screening procedures at the nation's airports that have everyone from civil liberties groups to airline pilots upset.
TSA Administrator John Pistole told a Senate panel Tuesday that the measures are a balance between privacy and security.
Pistole's appearance before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee came after several days of criticism of the TSA's newly enacted screening policies. Those policies give travelers a choice of going through full-body scanners at the some 60 airports where they are installed or submit to an invasive pat-down by a TSA officer.
Civil liberties groups have likened the full-body scanners to a virtual strip search. The scanners have been going into service since the failed attempt last Christmas to bomb a Northwest jet bound for Detroit by a man with explosives hidden in his underwear.
Pistole told lawmakers most travelers want to know that the passengers on their flight are safe.
"If you have two planes getting ready to depart and one, you say, everybody has been thoroughly screened on this plane, and you can either go on that plane or another plane where we have not done a thorough screening because people did not feel comfortable with that, I think most if not all of the traveling public will say, 'I want to go on that plane that has been thoroughly screened.' "
For the most part, Pistole got a friendly reception from the Senate panel.
"I understand the privacy sensitivities," said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). "Of course it's awkward, it's unusual.
"On the other hand, the overwhelming majority of us, we get on those planes and we want to have the confidence that nobody on the plane has evaded security in a way that will allow them to blow up the plane and kill everybody else on it. So this is unfortunately the world in which we live."
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) said he was concerned by reports that some travelers could get out of the screening by citing religious objections.
"Let's just say I don't want either of them because of religious reasons," he said. "What happens to me?"
Pistole responded: "While I respect and we respect that person's beliefs, that person's not going to get on an airplane."
The hearing was originally called to discuss last month's discovery of two printer-toner cartridges that had been filled with explosives and were shipped from Yemen on cargo jets.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine noted that air-cargo manifests are handled much differently from cargo aboard ships, which have to file their manifests with the Department of Homeland Security 24 hours before the vessel is loaded at a foreign port.
Collins notes that air-cargo manifests need to be submitted only four hours before the cargo arrives in the U.S.
Pistole responded that the department is working on the issue, but has run into obstacles from shippers.
"A number of the smaller carriers around the world are not fully electronic in terms of their communications," he said. "So how do we actually implement that? So clearly the intent is there; it's how do we make it happen?"
Collins also asked why TSA was not using scanners found at some European airports that produce images in which the traveler is represented as a stick figure, with suspicious objects highlighted. Pistole says those scanners are now being tested, but often produce false positives.
He said they are probably the next generation of scanners, but that's little consolation to most flyers in the upcoming holiday travel season.
The Transportation Security Administration is apparently taking a very hands-on approach to airport security these days with their new and supposedly improved pat-downs. And while I enjoy a good groping under the right circumstances, I tend to prefer said touching occur once I arrive at my final destination. I also prefer that any pat-down be performed in the context of my committed, monogamous relationship with my beautiful wife rather than by a same gender officer in a public space with poor lighting and firearms nearby. Call me a romantic, but I also like a little nice music and possible candlelight -- though I recognize that lit candles at the airport might prove problematic on some level. Here then is some loosely fitting mood music for your next airport close encounter.
"DON'T TOUCH ME THERE" - The Tubes
"CAN YOU FLY" - Freedy Johnston
"EXPECTING TO FLY"- Buffalo Springfield
"SECURITY" - Etta James
"AIRPORT LOVE THEME" - Stanley Turrentine
"SOMETIMES WHEN WE TOUCH" - Dan Hill
"FALLING OR FLYING" - Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
"AIRPORT" - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
"FLYING" - The Beatles
"IF LOVE WAS A PLANE" - Brad Paisley
"TOUCH AND GO" - The Cars
"I BELIEVE I CAN FLY" - R. Kelly
"LAY YOUR HANDS ON ME" - Peter Gabriel
"STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT" - Nat King Cole Trio
"TAKE ME TO THE PILOT" - Elton John
"HOW IT FEELS TO FLY" - Alicia Keys
"LEARN TO FLY" - Foo Fighters
"DO YOU WANT TO TOUCH ME (OH YEAH)" - Gary Glitter
"SECURITY" - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
"GIVEN TO FLY" - Pearl Jam
"WATCHING AIRPLANES" - Gary Allan
"THE WAY YOU TOUCH ME" - Enrique Iglesias
"AIRPORT SONG" - Guster
"HUMAN TOUCH" - Bruce Springsteen
"SECURITY JOAN" - Donald Fagen
"EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES YOU" - The Association
"THE AIRPORT GIVETH (THE AIRPORT TAKETH AWAY)" - Rick Derringer
Remove your keys and shoes, and tell me what terminally catchy songs you'd add
TSA Chief Defends Airport Screening Procedures
Paul J. Richards/Getty Images A passenger at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is subjected to a full-body scan. Passengers who don't want the scan are given invasive pat-downs. The measures have drawn criticism from civil liberties groups and airline pilots, but the head of the Transportation Safety Administration defended the measures before a Senate panel on Tuesday.
TSA Administrator John Pistole told a Senate panel Tuesday that the measures are a balance between privacy and security.
Pistole's appearance before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee came after several days of criticism of the TSA's newly enacted screening policies. Those policies give travelers a choice of going through full-body scanners at the some 60 airports where they are installed or submit to an invasive pat-down by a TSA officer.
Civil liberties groups have likened the full-body scanners to a virtual strip search. The scanners have been going into service since the failed attempt last Christmas to bomb a Northwest jet bound for Detroit by a man with explosives hidden in his underwear.
Pistole told lawmakers most travelers want to know that the passengers on their flight are safe.
"If you have two planes getting ready to depart and one, you say, everybody has been thoroughly screened on this plane, and you can either go on that plane or another plane where we have not done a thorough screening because people did not feel comfortable with that, I think most if not all of the traveling public will say, 'I want to go on that plane that has been thoroughly screened.' "
More On Airport Security
Humorist Dave Barry And His TSA Pat-Down Nov. 15, 2010
"I understand the privacy sensitivities," said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT). "Of course it's awkward, it's unusual.
"On the other hand, the overwhelming majority of us, we get on those planes and we want to have the confidence that nobody on the plane has evaded security in a way that will allow them to blow up the plane and kill everybody else on it. So this is unfortunately the world in which we live."
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) said he was concerned by reports that some travelers could get out of the screening by citing religious objections.
"Let's just say I don't want either of them because of religious reasons," he said. "What happens to me?"
Pistole responded: "While I respect and we respect that person's beliefs, that person's not going to get on an airplane."
The hearing was originally called to discuss last month's discovery of two printer-toner cartridges that had been filled with explosives and were shipped from Yemen on cargo jets.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine noted that air-cargo manifests are handled much differently from cargo aboard ships, which have to file their manifests with the Department of Homeland Security 24 hours before the vessel is loaded at a foreign port.
Collins notes that air-cargo manifests need to be submitted only four hours before the cargo arrives in the U.S.
Pistole responded that the department is working on the issue, but has run into obstacles from shippers.
"A number of the smaller carriers around the world are not fully electronic in terms of their communications," he said. "So how do we actually implement that? So clearly the intent is there; it's how do we make it happen?"
Collins also asked why TSA was not using scanners found at some European airports that produce images in which the traveler is represented as a stick figure, with suspicious objects highlighted. Pistole says those scanners are now being tested, but often produce false positives.
He said they are probably the next generation of scanners, but that's little consolation to most flyers in the upcoming holiday travel season.
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