06.15.07

You cannot pay people to care

Posted in paranoia, ramblings, rant at 12:06 pm by Nate Smith

Security is a challenge everywhere, so why do we leave our security to the “security-challenged”?  During a recent trip I got to see the TSA [http://www.tsa.gov/] in action in two airports.  The difference bewteen the airports was night and day.  The local airport looked like a mash-up of the Three Stooges and the Honeymooners.  Staff were yelling at each other very unprofessionally and carrying on.  The perception was that this group of misfits could barely hold a job and the ultimate goal of their job was probably the last thing on their mind.  It was more important to push suitcases through the machines than to consider for a minute the reason behind it.   I believe you could have given everyone there double or even ten times the wages and the result would have been no different.  These were clearly the wrong people to put in charge of “security”.  If there was any compentence working behind the scenes, they it was spread far too thin to make a difference.

It would make sense to me to split the TSA folks into two groups, a security agent or ombudsman to guide people through the process, and security technicians that actually concern themselves with the task at hand.  Hopefully the technicians are people who care and understand the intent of their job.  Too many TSA employees had to concern themselves with yelling reminders and herding people through the process.

I think there are too many fundamental flaws with the whole system though.  Air-travel needs to be re-imagined and redone.  Smaller planes for niche markets.  Bring back the Zeppelin for long distance trips.  These ageing, flying city-buses with porta potties and forever shrinking seats are insane.  This is the same air travel of 20 years ago.  We should be able to do better.

There was a time when not everyone believed they were entitled or could even afford to fly.  Instead of improving flight, it seems the airlines lowered their costs and standards to bring flying to the masses.  We cannot expect additional goverment involvement to fix the problems either.  Clearly, the government cannot pay people to care.

The perceived security/convenience trade-off.

Posted in paranoia, ramblings, rant at 11:46 am by Nate Smith

I recently went on a vacation that included a plane trip.  Frankly, I don’t understand how so many people can get on a plane and not be bothered about compromising their rights for what we perceive to be greater security.  I would go so far to say that it *seems* like we expect security to require inconvenience so that by being inconvenienced - or violated - we expect security in exchange.

In computers we see this all the time.  Longer passwords, RSA key fobs, long security codes in hexidecimal.  These things are a hinderance and if applied propertly, can be used to enhance security.  But people are always in the mix, and as long as somebody writes their password down, or holds the door open for a stranger, or answers carefully crafted questions over the phone, there is a weak link.

The point I am getting to is this: It is unrealistic to expect anyone, especially the government, to provide security for everyone, because everyone includes all the “weak links”.  “Everyone” also includes airlines and airports.

03.10.06

What are chicken McNuggets really?

Posted in Uncategorized, paranoia at 12:39 pm by Nate Smith

Chicken McNuggets are strange.  Little toasty shapes of greyish fluff with a taste similar to chicken.  I have a theory about their source but, like most good *theories* it cannot be proven.

Chicken McNuggets are really some kind of genetically engineered chicken-flavored mushroom.  They grow to exactly the right size and can be coated with batter and fried up as a McNugget.

I’m probably being paranoid, but if you get to see one again pull it apart and look at the “chicken”.  I think you will agree there is something suspect about it.