[ale] [OFF TOPIC] (You've been warned) TSA wants your fingerprints

[tfreeman at intel.digichem.net (tom)]

On Fri, 29 May 2009, Mike Harrison wrote:

> On Thu, 28 May 2009, Sean wrote:
>
>> I'm guessing nearly everyone here has seen the Slashdot
>> aritcle pointing out that the TSA will in June begin insisting on
>> fingerprinting all U.S. citizens leaving Hartsfield Airport for
>> destinations abroad.
>
> While I'll still complain, it's mostly from the waste of money point of
> view. They have my prints from the military, from some FBI background
> checks, from my weapons permit.. from cashing checks at the origin bank,
> from... from..
>
> What scares me is the governments ability to manage all of that data
> and keep it correlated properly. The local/state government can't even
> keep my car tags straight.. and then there is the IRS and their imaginary
> number generating system.. and.. and..
>
> I have no faith that they can reliably and safely USE those fingerprints.

This, I think, is the biggest single problem with the scheme - keeping the 
whole system in some sort of working order in the face of thousands of 
human beings beavering away at making misteaks. It is a certainty that 
something will come unglued.

I also just can not avoid the thought that this project, and ones like it, 
represent a desire to have a magic wand to accomplish the enforcement of 
laws. Just sit back in the chair, push a few buttons, and magically have 
the evidence needed to do whatever gains professional status at the 
moment. Unfortunately, it sounds just too Orwellian to me.

YMMV of course