1169: TSA | Skeptical Sunday
The Jordan Harbinger Show
Jordan Harbinger
4.8 • 12.1K Ratings
🗓️ 15 June 2025
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
America's TSA: $12B of expensive theater that fails 95% of security tests. Nick Pell explains why we should scrap it all on this Skeptical Sunday!
Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by writer and researcher Nick Pell!
Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1169
On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:
- The TSA's greatest "successes" — stopping the shoe bomber and underwear bomber — never actually happened. Passengers stopped them after TSA screening failed!
- Internal TSA audits reveal catastrophic failure rates: some airports let 95% of test weapons and bomb components through security. That's not protection — that's expensive theater with questionable reviews.
- The $12 billion annual TSA budget creates a deadly irony: people drive instead of fly to avoid airport hassles, resulting in thousands more road deaths since 2001. Safety theater kills.
- TSA theft rings and sexual assault cases reveal systemic problems, with agents claiming legal immunity from prosecution. Government accountability becomes government impunity.
- Master situational awareness: notice behavioral patterns, trust your instincts about people acting unusually nervous or rehearsed, and ask thoughtful questions. Human intelligence beats rigid checklists every time.
- Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at [email protected] and let him know!
And if you're still game to support us, please leave a review here — even one sentence helps!
- Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!
- Subscribe to our once-a-week Wee Bit Wiser newsletter today and start filling your Wednesdays with wisdom!
- Do you even Reddit, bro? Join us at r/JordanHarbinger!
This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors:
- Fay Nutrition: See a registered dietitian for as little as $0: faynutrition.com/jordan
- Oura Ring: 10% off: ouraring.com/jordan
- IQBAR: 20% off: Text "Jordan" to 64,000
- SimpliSafe: 50% off + 1st month free: simplisafe.com/jordan
- BetterHelp: 10% off first month: betterhelp.com/jordan
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | You've been through one diet after another and the weight still came back. |
| 0:04.9 | You may think it's about willpower but really it's about science. |
| 0:08.6 | With Voie's weight loss program, we combine medication with expert support, all tailored to your goals. |
| 0:15.1 | From Voie clinicians checking in on you to a personal coach keeping you motivated. |
| 0:20.1 | Join 100,000 people seeing results with medication at joinvoy.com slash go. |
| 0:26.3 | Treatments will only be prescribed if deemed appropriate. |
| 0:30.8 | Audible brings your wildest adventures to life, delivering heart-pounding thrills at the touch of a button. |
| 0:36.9 | Take Richard Osmond's The Thursday Murder Club, |
| 0:39.3 | where four retirees turned amateur sleuths |
| 0:41.8 | solve crimes in the most unexpected ways, |
| 0:44.6 | brilliantly performed by Leslie Manville. |
| 0:47.0 | Ready to unleash your adventurous side, |
| 0:48.9 | from pulse racing suspense to epic quests, |
| 0:51.9 | from supernatural chills to far-off romances, every story comes alive |
| 0:56.1 | through world-class narration. |
| 0:58.6 | Explore exclusive Audible Originals, chart-topping new releases, and unforgettable bestsellers |
| 1:04.5 | that transport you from the very first word, because the next great adventure is just a listener |
| 1:10.0 | way. |
| 1:10.9 | Start your free 30-day trial at audible.com slash Wondery UK. |
| 1:15.7 | That's audible.com slash Wondery UK. |
| 1:23.3 | Welcome to Skeptical Sunday. I'm your host, Jordan Harbinger. |
| 1:26.7 | Today I'm here with Skeptical Sunday co-host writer and researcher Nick Pell. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 2 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Jordan Harbinger, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Jordan Harbinger and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.