• Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    4 months ago

    The TSA is something that shouldn’t exist in its current form. They very often fail their audit checks and normalize invading your privacy to an extreme degree like body scanners and pat downs. If water bottles are considered potentially explosive then why dump them on a bin next to a line of people where they can go off? This is low grade security theater that inconveniences passengers at best.

    • fermionsnotbosons@lemmy.ml
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      4 months ago

      According to the story I heard as to the origin of the “no liquids over X amount” rule, years ago there was a terrorist that tried to smuggle hydrogen peroxide and acetone - which can be used to rather easily synthesize triacetone triperoxide (TATP, a highly sensitive explosive) - onto a plane in plastic toiletry bottles. They got caught and foiled somehow, and then the TSA started restricting liquids on planes. This was in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, if I recall correctly.

      And I happen to know, from a reliable source, of someone who accidentally made TATP in a rotary evaporator in an academic lab. So it seems plausible.

      Not that the rule is actually effective prevention against similar attacks, nor that the TSA even knows what the reason is behind what they do at this point, haha. I just thought it was an interesting story.

      • bitchkat@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        At least they haven’t taken away our shoes. And is there a limit to the number of 3 Oz bottles you can carry?

      • m4xie@slrpnk.net
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        4 months ago

        hydrogen peroxide and acetone

        So there are worse cleaning chemicals to mix than bleach and vinegar

        • fermionsnotbosons@lemmy.ml
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          4 months ago

          Requires an acid catalyst for the reaction to actually proceed, but yeah, could definitely ruin your day - although a lungful of chlorine gas is nothing to sneeze at either.

    • TWeaK@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      It’s because all the shops inside want you to buy their shit.

    • CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      4 months ago

      The main reason why it exists is to provide jobs. The number of people who work at the TSA at every airport in every state…no representative wants to cut those jobs.

      • Bumblefumble@lemm.ee
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        4 months ago

        I mean if a state removed the TSA and spent the money on something else, surely they could use the money to create as many jobs as they removed but in an actual useful field.

            • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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              4 months ago

              I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but I wouldn’t vote for a republican who got me a job, and I probably wouldn’t vote for anyone who got rid of my job (unless they were otherwise really great). So at least for me, getting rid of the job means you lose my vote and replacing it doesn’t necessarily gain my vote.

            • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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              4 months ago

              And people watching this exchange from the outside might vote against because they don’t like the idea of “minus a job for Bob, plus a job for Carl” as even-steven.

      • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        If it’s just for the jobs we can put them to work doing something useful like carrying bags for old people in the airport. Literally anything would be more useful.

    • Lets_Eat_Grandma@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      They treat people like cattle because they are protecting the airplanes and the airline’s liability, not the people onboard or in line to board.

      If people think it’s unsafe people won’t pay up to fly.

    • stalfoss@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      Notice the footnote on every TSA webpage that their officers can always change the rules on the spot if they feel like it. So it’s always a gamble.

      • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        This is why they created different flying classifications with pre stuff… so now only the poor have to gamble.

    • breadsmasher@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Big caveat

      The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.

  • chakan2@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    That’s odd…I’ve had TSA agents recommend this to get liquids through security.

    • Etterra@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I guess he got that one employee that everyone hates for literally following every single tiny or forgotten rule no matter how stupid.

      • kamen@lemmy.world
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        4 months ago

        … doing so because they believe their boss would make a problem if they don’t.

  • robocall@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    I brought frozen fish with ice packs through TSA. The TSA guy was a fisherman and wanted to talk about fishing.

  • hOrni@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Recently, I’m flying quite a lot, so I must try it, just to see if it works.

    • Wogi@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      On my last trip I had a full water bottle with me and the lady said I had to throw it away, so I looked her dead in the eye while I chugged the entire bottle and stuffed the bottle in my bag.

      Fuckin tell me I can’t bring the water through again.

    • Frozengyro@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      I’ve done it before, it does. Though you could get an employee who doesn’t know this, or won’t accept it anyway.

    • TheRealKuni@lemmy.world
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      4 months ago

      Last two times I flew I brought a metal water bottle (Hydroflask knockoff) filled with ice cubes. Went through fine. Then I added water at a fountain after security and during the flight I got to have that ice-cold water experience I crave.

  • Sphks@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    4 months ago

    A friend has been challenged when trying to bring a nordic cheese (from Norway to France). The TSA equivalent said that it could be liquid if hot enough. Yeah… glasses too.