www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Blame!!!!
WTF Blame, for all you politico whiners, lefters, righters, middle of da roaders, commies, soci's., greener's,
tea baggers, and whatever the hell else:
Bush y Obama.... la misma cosa
My dos colones,
Regards, 911 Driver

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The happy hour is a device either for getting rid of social obligations hurriedly en masse or for making overtures toward more serious social relationships, as in the etiquette of whoring.- Brooks Atkinson

If all private and goverment planes including air force one. There would be a better way.

I told to the TSA people, just hang a camera in plan sight, right where people come through the metal detectors, and any one who does not look up-- well you need to talk to them.
Bad people will go out of there way to avoid looking at the camera, every one else will look up as a reflex... The cameras will make the body give signs of hiding stuff, Ok can be beat by really good stage actors and CIA agents. But the bad guys are not either one of those-- how many terrorist have years of acting before they go to the dark side

who do cops look for in a crowd ?, the person trying not to be seen. Paris cop us this with a Balloon low over crowds. They got one with HI tech computer/radio set up floats over the crowd, cop waving out the window and every looks up at the nice balloon, except for the bad people, direct a under cover cop over to him and bingo anther one goes down.

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

the one thing I really not like with the scan is you have take not only you shoe belt and all metal off, but you need to put your wallet in tray, I really like to keep my money with me.but rules changed again( in chicago) If you have carry on get lock not tsa lock for it and send it with your money. . when you are scanned you can't see what they do at all. Times have changed in travel, security and luggage fee is here to stay..luggage fee I hear is tax free money to airlines, cash cow for them.

your right about the money thing, never liked that, try to slip my money all inside the carry one before the tray, so no one can see me do that. But as I am put into the holding tank, I do get nervous about my carry on sitting there all by itself on the unloading line-- AT ORD this was like about 15 minutes once, with me pounding on the glass to get the TSA guy to come over talk with me. I told him, he apologized and got my stuff and placed it out side the cage.

As for Luggage being tax free, I really doubt it, if you are talking for Corp Franchise tax, that would take a special law to pass making it exempt for income purposes . However if you are talking about state sales tax, that's different.Could be looked at a taxable charge based on you elected to pay for the service( depending on state law),Delivery service and they are delivering your goods to anther location. However the sales tax is based on the where you picked up the luggage, and if out of the county, then it be that county's laws. If location in in the USA, then they could owe and should be charging and not know it, Not to many people complain about not paying taxes, but some day the Air lines will get audited and be liable for all back taxes not collected. Lots of money there for some states, However it will be new interpretation of sales tax laws in regards to delivery charges being taxable ( and yes at present they can and are be taxable in certain cases) However and this is a big however with Combined Reporting Sales Tax program, this issue could be decided there and not appeal of of audit in court taking years, and by Administrators not judges, by law have the power to decide that prior sales even if reported wrong will be ignored ( not taxable), and the rules will be followed from this day out( taxable)-- a very business friendly approach, part of the combined Reporting law that made business happy.

This could be big bucks for some state and cities and the people paying it would for the most part not be their citizens, so it be like the hotel room tax, why not???

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end

ever had someone ask you at the door of the plane if you are carrying over ten thousand dollars? these scanners will ferret out those of us that strap cash to our persons. just another benefit for the government intruders. god forbid a citizen should escape with too much currency. can't have that.

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im way deep into nothing special
riding the crest of a wave breaking just west of hollywood

Srilm, what sheriff department was it? After 9 – 1 – 1 LEOs were really serious about security. I hope that the distance of time does not diminish the edge.

LaDiablo – at Houston the TSA and/or ICE are often at the gate to Costa Rica and ask passengers if they have more than 10k in cash or negotiable paper.

Lots of commentaries on the week end talk shows. None of them as good as these words of wisdom from TSA:


- Can’t see London, can’t see France, 'til we see your underpants.

- Grope discounts available.

- If we did our job any better, we’d have to buy you dinner first.

Spoken like a true sheep in denial, it's ok others will still step up to protect you and yours when the crap hits the fan.

Tomorrow's the big travel day, we'll see how bad the TSA-holes can be.

I went through IAH (Houston) at 7:20 AM today (Wednesday, the big travel day). I checked my bags and went through the screening process in about 30 minutes. The only machine I saw used was the regular magnetometer. It also appeared to me that the TSA folks were more polite than usual. Perhaps that is just my imagination.

Xman, I may have posted the info in an earlier post. I got it from SmarterTravel.com Below is the link:

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/toda ... id=5180858

I've always kept my wallet in my pocket, particularly since TSA advised me to do so. I saw a report on one thefts from screening lines and it was amazing. Laptops, carry-ons, etc. Maybe at one point it was easy, when printing out your own Boarding Passes, fake ID's (proliferated due to illegal immigration in the US), and walking through the screening, walking off with someone's stuff. It seems particularly easy at the baggage claims in the States as it is a short walk to the exit and enter a car.

ORD is always a concern. A good friend retiree who owned taxi cab companies in Chicago related that the Blue El line in Chicago for years did not extend to OHare. It went to Belmont and then passengers were transferred to buses to finish the trip. The first Daly didn't want the street criminals to be able to make it to the airport. The transfer allowed the cops to spot them.

Today, there are signs saying there is no trespassing in OHare, there are announcements that the terminals close at midnight, and the cops are stationed where the blue line arrives at OHare.

I've been in Terminal 2 to fly early, and there is a black woman who walks and talks to herself. One time she remained seated and silent, and I saw that we had two cops in the Terminal.

I've skimmed through the posts and if another has stated what I am about to state, my apologies.

The real issue is that the $25M paid for scanners and being subject to the processes who not be an issue if more effective measures such as profiling and Sky Marshalls are used. It is typically American to rely on technology than skills. Criminal profiling has been very successful in seeking and capturing serial, mass and spree murderers. It can be used for suspicious folk. However, since that are folk who when they hear profiling go buggy, and due to political correctness, want everyone subject to all procedures, no matter how ridiculous. I have always believed that and had my belief confirmed with a conversation with a TSA supervisor when works at the international airport in a medium-sized city.

I watched a segment on Israel's system where classifications are given to passports and those given 5's have to go through an interview line with specially-trained officers before they are allowed to continue. Again another Israeli security official scoffed at the scanners, saying they are more for show than effectiveness.

That being said, I do not plan on effecting my protest at the screening site, as I would first not be effective in my effort to change things, and second, would probably get harassed and delayed by an agent. Writing to my congressman, TSA, Office of the President, Head of Security, etc.

I'm not thrilled at taking my wallet out.

Whosear---- the tax is not applied to baggage is the EXCISE fee ( tax) but the income from baggage charges is still part of TAXABLE income for the airline for Franchise tax purposes . What the airline are concerned about is if they have to apply the fee, the baggage charge will increase and people will because of the increase cost will have people stop checking bag because of the extra few bucks, thus losing the airline gross income. - like the $20-50 they charge we are happy to pay, but anther 2 -4 bucks tax is the killer and make us change our ways and stop checking bags. Higher price reduces demand ( funny I read so much about supply alone is responsible for increasing demand and will get us out of this recession all by itself, so with so much paid baggage handling available it must be being used by every one for every bag??? sorry but I just had to throw that in not my belief but that of many our elected officials ) and that what they are afraid of.

This is not tax free money to the airline, but non taxed charge to the consumers. The Excise tax is by law is a tax on the consumers collected by the seller. So the airline is just collecting money for the FED's and nothing more. The Franchise tax is buried into the the price we pay for the ticket, and the airline accounts hopefully have charged enough for that ticket to pay all the bills, and money left over they pay a % for the Franchise tax with money left over. The Exercise tax is a sure thing for the FED's , Franchise tax is not
Exercise taxes and fee must be listed separate on any billing some where.

If they do have to charge the exercise tax bags fees would instead of $ 20 would be assuming 7.5% tax Bag fee $23.25 exercise tax $1.75 for a total of $25 round number for gate clerks to deal with, so really they make more if they thought about it-- or they cut a fee down to $ 18.60 $1.40 tax total $20, yea sure they cut a profitable fee gold mine- which do you think they do??? Bu tit be listed separate, or the line" all fees taxes included" IE--In Wis. all vending machines will have a little sticker on them saying that or they are open to a big audit

But if no exercise fee is applied, because of definition by IRS, it opens the gate for state sales tax as a possible taxable service , and since the states are biting at the bite for more easy tax revenue, I will expect something will change soon on this issue .

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My best friend was the clock on the wall, and he turned out not to be much of a friend in the end