They See What They Want to See

Guffaw in AZ write some interesting security posts.

http://armedlaughing.blogspot.com/2011/06/hormone-laden-world-of-private-security.html.

This got me to thinking about two things, my buddy, Dirty Al, and the not so subtle art of looking for repossession vehicles.

People see what they want to see, and they don’t want to see what makes them uncomfortable. Given some plausible reason, they don’t want to become involved.

In recent years, Al has worked as a security guard. His office, and home, for a few years was a ¾ ton, extra cab Ford pickup, with a large self contained camper. Somewhere along the line he acquired large magnetic signs for the doors reading "SECURITY". In practice, the guarding and security was provided by “Princess”, a wonderful Golden Cocker Spaniel. She would alert Al to situations requiring him to get off his ass and actually do something. Al got tired of paying to park in campgrounds. He found putting his SECURITY signs on the doors allowed him to park nearly anywhere without being bothered. Being his nature, he pushed it to the point he was parking in police department lots.

Doing repossession work requires walking around areas “looking”. Many areas are leery of, or hostile to, strangers. My “uniform” is a hard hat, safety vest, a laminated ID Card with my picture on a neck chain, a plastic clipboard that holds papers and drafting tools, several official looking computer printouts and a camera. The ID identifies me as an insurance investigator. Rarely am I asked what I’m doing and only once have I been turned away. Since I’ve done insurance reports it isn’t too difficult to be convincing.

Posts by others over the years have pointed out how easy it can be for criminals and terrorists to survey an area without interference. I don’t see that changing.

No computer for a few days; another road trip.

TSA Second Thoughts

Quick trip to Detroit yesterday and back this morning. At DIA, they had both the scanners and the metal detectors in use. I opted for the detector line. Using my bumbling “just fell off the turnip truck” persona (Yeah, friends and family; not hard for me to do, yada, yada, yada) was able to engage three TSA Screeners in conversation. They rather enjoyed educating my dumb ass. Two things I picked up were, one; they believe they are keeping everyone safe and, two; the heat is on about the pat downs and they expect something to “come down from up above”. Attitude was about what I remember from MPs circa 1960’s. Didn’t see anyone being frisked.

At DTW this morning, the security check point I went through had both types of scanners. The full body type were turned off and the TSA people were using them for leaning posts.

My youngest is on his way home from Afghanistan this morning for two week R&R. This has provoked some contrarian thinking on my part. (or just being contrary; take your pick)

We have our troops out in shit holes around the world keeping the fanatics pushed back from our shores and too off balanced to do us major harm. Their daily lives make the few minutes of discomfort going through security trivial. I can hear my old First Sergeant saying, “You have all been drafted into the War on Terror. Quit your bitching”!

This isn’t as defense of TSA. That organization should be terminated and replaced with something else. Maybe contract it out to El Al. They seem to know what they are doing.