http://www.cnn.com/2008/TRAVEL/10/22/no.fly.lists/index.html

But even if there are only 18,500 names on the no fly and selectee lists, thousands of people not on the lists are mistaken for those who are. They are often subjected to extra security at airports because their names are similar to ones on the lists.

A government program unveiled Wednesday is aimed at addressing that problem.

Under the program, Secure Flight, travelers will be asked to provide their full name, date of birth and gender when making airline reservations. The encrypted information will then be transmitted to the Transportation Security Administration, which will run it against the watch lists. The Department of Homeland Security believes the few pieces of additional information will dramatically reduce the number of people falsely identified as being on a watch list.

At this rate, it'll be like applying for a home loan just to get a ticket to Albuquerque soon. Gotta save us from those "terrorists" though!

At this rate, it'll be like applying for a home loan just to get a ticket

Is this going to lead to a sub-prime flight ticket crisis?!

Your wonderful homeland security has forced every Canadain crossing the border to have a valid passport instead of the driver's licensce that has been the standard for decades. Considering the number of cross-border workers our countries have and the resulting ecomonic benefits I thought this was a huge burocratic kick in the pants.

O, well, at least the people at Passport Canada had to get off their hineys, upgrade their systems and do some real work =).

Cheers,

Maybe we shouldn't ask for any information on people at all....
That worked in the past, didn't it?

It worked as well as this debacle has.

Since 9/11, every test of the TSA has been a complete disaster. People get explosives, weapons, and just about anything else they try onto planes in tests. The TSA is a bad joke, wrapped in the flag and shrouded by fearmongering.

Maybe we shouldn't ask for any information on people at all....
That worked in the past, didn't it?

Huh? We knew who each 9/11 hijacker was, we knew where they lived, what they did, hell there were even people phoning the FBI and pointing out these guys and their interest in flying planes and their lack of interest in knowing how to land them.

This added ID stuff is bullshit, it's a farce, because we all know that passports clearly state who is a terrorist.


Oh, I'm sorry sir your passport shows you as a code T for terrorist, we are currently not accepting terrorists in the USA.

I don't see a big deal in giving name, birthdate and sex. For the most part I've been opposed to the Patriot Act and the other freedom removing policies since 9/11. I guess I don't see the big deal here; it's not asking for a person's SSN.

If this actually helps eliminate issues like the 5 year old boy who's name was the same as a person on the do not fly list; I don't see the big deal. You already have to give them your name anyhow, giving them birth date to differentiate between two people with the same/similar name is much better than them asking for your SSN.

I agree Taleren, I don't see this as an issue.

As for those saying it doesn't work, so we should not try at all eh?

Goofy....

How did we get to this point though? Small steps. If the course isn't reversed, do you honestly believe we won't eventually be giving our SSN to travel.

Fandros, if you hammer a bolt and it doesn't work, do you just keep hammering harder and harder with a bigger hammer, or do you step back and maybe try a different tool? The past several years have made it plainly clear that the TSA is not the right tool for this (or any) job.

Well if I'm hammering a bolt I'm doing something wrong. I hope you're making this rather goofy analogy on purpose. If you think hammering a bolt is the correct way I want you to please return all tools and such to someone with special training ;P

Noone gets everything right out the gate. ESPECIALLY the govt.

But saying quit trying because it doesn't work is just stupid. If you can do nothing but bitch and moan without offering a fix then how are you helping?

Well if I'm hammering a bolt I'm doing something wrong. I hope you're making this rather goofy analogy on purpose. If you think hammering a bolt is the correct way I want you to please return all tools and such to someone with special training ;P

That's exactly the point.

These guys are doing something that has been continually proven to be ineffective. Yet, they respond by simply increasing the amplitude of the very same ineffective methods.

It's foolishness, and they're doing it our expense, without our input or approval.

Do you want some real fun? As part of their re-launch involving the new fake police uniforms and fake police badges to go with their little-hitler fake authority, TSA agents, who have been convicted of smuggling guns and drugs amongst hundreds of other things onto planes now get to bypass their own security screenings.

There is no intelligent, adult mind that can look at this and not see the bullshit.

People like to talk about airline security ... there is one airline in the world that has been operating under siege for decades and who's security is not tested by bureaucrats, but by the screeching impact of real world attack attempts at a rate that would cause our own TSA to fold up and cry like the impotent and petulant little girl it is.

If you want to see REAL airport security, look at El Al. They use some invasive techniques that have resulted in a few lawsuits, but they don't confiscate tooth paste or maintain a list of people "so dangerous they can't be allowed to fly for any reason, yet so innocent they can't be arrested."

Great article: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/airport-security

I don't see a big deal in giving sex.


That is pretty drastic just to get an airline ticket, judging by the looks of most of those security folks I see on the news.

Every time I got through security at the airport I get tagged for "random" security measures. Why? you ask, because I flash my standard issue government ID card that says US Army on it and they know that I'm not going to start shit if they hassle me. And that I'm unlikely to have any contraband so they have to work less. The only thing TSA is protecting us against is an attack of killer donuts, they're bravely sacrificing themselves to stave off the invasion of pastries.

That is pretty drastic just to get an airline ticket, judging by the looks of most of those security folks I see on the news.


Ok smart ass, I knew I should put gender when I typed it. After I typed it out, I was curious who would be the first smart ass. We have a winner!

Ok smart ass, I knew I should put gender when I typed it. After I typed it out, I was curious who would be the first smart ass. We have a winner!


Thank you, thank you. :D

Bruce Schneier is the man.