Airport body scanners radiation levels 10x higher than previously thought

[cardboardbox]

Seems like something small to worry about with all the stuff in Japan lately but I thought it was newsworthy...

The Transportation Security Administration is re-analyzing the radiation levels of X-ray body scanners installed in airports nationwide, after testing produced dramatically higher-than-expected results.

The TSA, which has deployed at least 500 body scanners to at least 78 airports, said Tuesday the machines meet all safety standards and would remain in operation despite a “calculation error” in safety studies. The flawed results showed radiation levels 10 times higher than expected.

At least one flier group, the Association for Airline Passenger Rights, is urging the government to stop using the $180,000 machines that produce a virtual-nude image of the body until new tests are concluded in May.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2011/03/tsa-radiation-test-bungling/

[johnnya24]

I wonder what Yukio Edano would have to say about this.

[ShadeEagle]

Decimal points are all the rage this year.

[DMT]

I guess the TSA thread was on the old site, but did anyone see the video of them doing a full frisk on a 6-year-old girl? So sickening and nice to see Rep Jason Chaffetz drafting a bill to stop this madness, or "security theater" as we both like to call it.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_12628220-caf9-568a-9f6b-c84b3745d119.html

The proposed legislation would require that a parent must give their consent before a child receives a pat-down, and that the child must remain with the parent while the pat-down is performed.

Oh wait, the statist defenders will claim, now Al-Qaeda will just strap bombs to their children since they won't be subject to searches. Unbelievable.

And, even if passed, I can only imagine what will happen to parents who refuse to consent.

[Fresno Bob]

flying non-stop from Mexico City to SF, no body scanner, no patdown, I didn't even need to take off my shoes.....it was like going through a "special event" metal detector...

[DMT]

I'm sure a court battle is looming on this, but it's about frickin' time.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/05/13/texas-house-bans-offensive-security-pat-downs/

The Texas House passed a bill that would make it a criminal offense for public servants to inappropriately touch travelers during airport security pat-downs.

Approved late Thursday night, the measure makes it illegal for anyone conducting searches to touch “the anus, sexual organ, buttocks, or breast of another person” including through clothing.

[Bob Kohm]

I'm sure a court battle is looming on this, but it's about frickin' time.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2011/05/13/t...ity-pat-downs/

Sorry, but that's asinine. Either conduct pat down searches or don't-- it is no secret that weapons can be smuggled in the rectum or vagina, that things can be taped between breasts or buttocks or thighs specifically because of sensitivity about searching those areas. I can understand the argument of not doing pat-downs at all, but if it is resolved that they are going to be done they must be done effectively.

[Bob Kohm]

I guess the TSA thread was on the old site, but did anyone see the video of them doing a full frisk on a 6-year-old girl? So sickening and nice to see Rep Jason Chaffetz drafting a bill to stop this madness, or "security theater" as we both like to call it.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_12628220-caf9-568a-9f6b-c84b3745d119.html

Oh wait, the statist defenders will claim, now Al-Qaeda will just strap bombs to their children since they won't be subject to searches. Unbelievable.

And, even if passed, I can only imagine what will happen to parents who refuse to consent.

"Statist defenders", lol... god, you are just one big cliche-- and an uninformed one, to boot. Children have been used as bomb carriers in Viet Nam and in Israel. That sucks and as I said in the other post I can see an argument to not do pat downs at all, but again, only an idiot would give the issue two seconds of thought and come away thinking that if pat downs are going to be done anyone should be exempted.

[Fresno Bob]

I am 10X more worried about checked luggage than anything someone can strap to themselves

[Bob Kohm]

Sure, but then again we saw what box cutters could do. Now I doubt that a knife or even gun attack could ever achieve the same result again with armored cockpits and pilots who are no longer instructed to follow the instructions of hijackers and thus am not sure that any pat downs are needed or necessary as long as explosives sniffers are employed, but if it is insisted that pat downs are essential to ensure safety then it is idiotic to do ineffectual pat downs. In my mind this is a pretty clear "all or nothing" situation-- do it right and without limitation or don't bother with the inconvenience at all. I'm probably good with either of those choices.

[DMT]

"Statist defenders", lol... god, you are just one big cliche-- and an uninformed one, to boot. Children have been used as bomb carriers in Viet Nam and in Israel. That sucks and as I said in the other post I can see an argument to not do pat downs at all, but again, only an idiot would give the issue two seconds of thought and come away thinking that if pat downs are going to be done anyone should be exempted.

Funny, you're also one big word that ends in ___che.

[Bob Kohm]

Funny, you're also one big word that ends in ___che.

Here's the thing: you can trade names all you like, (I mean, "statist defenders", lol!!!) but what you can't do is refute an argument that exposes the weaknesses of your own

[Bob Kohm]

Yeah, our efforts at the TSA have been laughably misguided for quite some time. The whole "be afraid, be very afraid" mantra used to justify exceptionally questionable things at airports has never sat very well with me.

It's possible that you are right as some of them have clearly been dumb. Some, however, have been smart-- upgraded checks and scans on baggage for one, keeping the government largely out of the way of baggage fees imposed by airlines that reduced cargo needing to be checked, personal explosives sniffers and even the backscatter x-rays have all made sense. The ban on nail clippers in the cabin? Not so much . Pat downs? Put in more of the backscatter X-Rays and explosives sniffers and they are clearly superfluous, ditto on taking off shoes.