# Brave security agents prevent woman from hijacking aircraft with her NIPPLES (RO) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 28, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055 "2008-03-28T15:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/41 "2008-03-28T18:32:08Z")
Uh oh, what if she had been wearing braces? Better rip those things out too, after all she may be hiding a metal file under her tongue! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/42 "2008-03-28T18:32:58Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Well, aside from the technical difficulties, modern plastic explosives all contain metallic elements to allow easier identification. In any case, if you were going to go to the trouble of inserting explosives into a person, you could just as easily use a remote detonator- a cellular phone, for example, as in the 2004 Madrid bombings. The receiver implanted in the carrier would be no larger than an implanted defibrillator, which don’t usually set off metal detectors. [/QUOTE] Missed the edit window: Also, homemade explosives aren’t going to do much damage in small enough quantities to fit in a boob (or even a pair of boobs). Semtex and RDX might, but they’re not easy to get your hands on, which would make experimenting with implanted devices expensive (as well as difficult), and as mentioned above contain metal identifying codes. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/43 "2008-03-28T18:34:45Z")
I think it’s like the [Oktoberfest scene](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9usjfrfWdQ) (around 4:00) in [The Pink Panther Strikes Again](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075066/). ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/44 "2008-03-28T18:38:14Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] Isn’t that what the wands are for? [/QUOTE] Depends on how localized wanding can be. Could a wand distinguish two pieces of metal side-by-side? How far apart would they have to be? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/45 "2008-03-28T18:41:00Z")
[QUOTE=Autolycus] Does ‘removed them with pliers’ mean that she had to yank them out and tear the nipple?! [/QUOTE] No, she would have used the pliers to unscrew one end of the piercing and slide it back out through the hole. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/46 "2008-03-28T18:42:46Z")
[QUOTE=Musicat] My thought is that the reason why the nipple rings had to come off is that with them on, the metal detectors could not distinguish between harmless metal rings and harmful other metal in the vicinity. If the nipple rings were removed, any other metal could be detected, and that’s what the guards really wanted to do. No, that doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it is entirely possible. Sort of like appearing pregnant while actually wearing a booster box for shoplifting. I imagine she was sent back thru the metal detectors after removing the rings. [/QUOTE] Somebody’s lying. She is supposed to offered a choice between a pat down (by a female officer) or else removing the piercings. She says she was not given that choice. The TSA manager says the matter was handled properly. These sentences can not both be true. It is _unbelievable_ that the TSA agents would have been snickering at her while she was removing the piercings. I can not believe that to be true. However, I don’t take this to be evidence that she’s lying, because I can easily imagine she heard them snickering about something else entirely and misinterpreted it as them snickering at her situation. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/47 "2008-03-28T18:49:08Z")
[QUOTE=HazelNutCoffee] So . . . they thought she was hiding, as **tdn** suggested, machine guns under her nipples, and the rings were a decoy? [/QUOTE] They don’t call them bazookas for nothing! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/48 "2008-03-28T18:51:42Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] It is _unbelievable_ that the TSA agents would have been snickering at her while she was removing the piercings. I can not believe that to be true. [/QUOTE] You think it’s impossible that couple of idiots work for the TSA? After the story about the mom who was made to drink her own breast milk, or the reports of thefts from passengers’ bags and other stories, you think there’s no way some TSA people would snicker at this woman? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/49 "2008-03-28T18:52:40Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] It is _unbelievable_ that the TSA agents would have been snickering at her while she was removing the piercings. I can not believe that to be true. [/QUOTE] What’s so unbelievable about that, in particular? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/50 "2008-03-28T18:52:56Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] Somebody’s lying. She is supposed to offered a choice between a pat down (by a female officer) or else removing the piercings. She says she was not given that choice. The TSA manager says the matter was handled properly. These sentences can not both be true. [/quote] I think most of us assumed when we first heard this story that the TSA is lying. Aren’t you accustomed to hearing about stupid actions taken by TSA screeners? > [@](#): > > It is _unbelievable_ that the TSA agents would have been snickering at her while she was removing the piercings. I can not believe that to be true. Of course it’s not unbelievable. It’s no more unbelievable than making a woman take out her nipple rings in order to board an airplane. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/51 "2008-03-28T18:56:02Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] What’s so unbelievable about that, in particular? [/QUOTE] TSA agents are incapable of snickering. They laugh loudly and heartily. Some female agents have reportedly giggled, but these instances have yet to be verified. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/52 "2008-03-28T19:08:53Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] No, she would have used the pliers to unscrew one end of the piercing and slide it back out through the hole. [/QUOTE] Oh, ok. It’s still outrageous but less so. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/53 "2008-03-28T19:33:47Z")
They go in permanently? Really? Color me surprised, having only dealt with the boring, bouregeois ear kind of piercing. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/54 "2008-03-28T19:56:15Z")
I guess I am lucky that I haven’t been selected for secondary screening (“wanded”) since I got my belly button pierced. Just in case, before I check in for my next flight at LAX, I think I’ll put Anderson Cooper on my speed dial. I have yet to encounter a non-moron working “up front” for TSA. And believe me, I am a very mellow traveler. The last thing I want is for those idiots to notice me. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/55 "2008-03-28T19:59:12Z")
[QUOTE=Freudian Slit] They go in permanently? Really? Color me surprised, having only dealt with the boring, bouregeois ear kind of piercing. [/QUOTE] Not all of them require pliers for removal. I recall one time I was with someone that had one pierced and I accidentely removed it with my tongue. Didn’t even realize what had happened until I nearly swallowed a piece of metal. That was one of the kinds that just screws in. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/56 "2008-03-28T20:02:01Z")
[QUOTE=Miller] What’s so unbelievable about that, in particular? [/QUOTE] It’s just… not like that. (My wife was a TSA for a couple of years recently, BTW.) That’s just not the attitude they display towards things. I mean, as someone said, there could be a “couple of idiots” hired by the TSA, but openly snickering at someone while they’re removing their piercings is just completely counter to the TSA culture. It’s really suprising if even a “couple of idiots” could get away with it. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/57 "2008-03-28T20:03:08Z")
[QUOTE=acsenray] I think most of us assumed when we first heard this story that the TSA is lying. Aren’t you accustomed to hearing about stupid actions taken by TSA screeners? Of course it’s not unbelievable. It’s no more unbelievable than making a woman take out her nipple rings in order to board an airplane. [/QUOTE] It’s believable that an idiot would think this was what TSA’s rules required him to do. It’s hardly believable that he’d be snickering about it, esp. w/in hearing of the person. -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/58 "2008-03-28T20:05:55Z")
[QUOTE=Antinor01] Not all of them require pliers for removal. I recall one time I was with someone that had one pierced and I accidentely removed it with my tongue. Didn’t even realize what had happened until I nearly swallowed a piece of metal. That was one of the kinds that just screws in. [/QUOTE] If you have them twisted tight they can be tough to open too (speaking from experience, though I haven’t really tried to take out my jewelry since I last changed it at the piercer’s). ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/59 "2008-03-28T20:16:41Z")
[QUOTE=Flutterby] If you have them twisted tight they can be tough to open too (speaking from experience, though I haven’t really tried to take out my jewelry since I last changed it at the piercer’s). [/QUOTE] True. I had that issue with my tongue stud a few times. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055/60 "2008-03-28T20:20:08Z")
When will these people ever learn? Silver and gold when you’re travelling. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brave-security-agents-prevent-woman-from-hijacking-aircraft-with-her-nipples-ro/443055.md?page=4)