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Title: Air travelers stripped bare with X-ray machine
Source:
USA Today
URL Source: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news ... -xray-bottomstrip_x.htm?csp=14
Published: May 16, 2005
Author: Thomas Frank
Post Date: 2005-05-16 17:39:29 by Mr Nuke Buzzcut
Keywords: travelers, stripped, machine
Views: 115
Comments: 24
Air travelers stripped bare with X-ray machine By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY Screeners plan to test the "backscatter" machines at several U.S. airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says. The refrigerator-sized machines are considered a breakthrough in scanning technology but have been labeled "a virtual strip search" by the American Civil Liberties Union. (Related story: Airports test 'futureworld' devices) Security workers using the machines can see through clothes and peer at whatever may be hidden in undergarments, shirts or pants. The images also paint a revealing picture of a person's nude body. The devices can potentially be used to screen hundreds of millions of air travelers each year, although TSA says more study is needed to determine how the devices may be used at U.S. airports. The agency declined to say when and where it expects to test the machines. Backscatter technology has been waiting on the sidelines for nearly four years but seems poised now to move to the forefront of aviation security. The machines are already used by U.S. Customs agents at 12 airports to screen passengers suspected of carrying drugs. They're also getting a test run at a terminal in London Heathrow Airport, the first major airport to use them. The ACLU says the scanners invade personal privacy. "This leads directly to a surveillance society," says Barry Steinhardt, who runs the group's technology program. But Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a Senate subcommittee last month that he wants to employ the technology and doesn't want an "endless debate" over privacy issues. Security consultant Douglas Laird says the machines are essential to spot explosives, which aren't detected by metal detectors. The $100,000 machines bounce low-radiation X-rays off a person's skin to produce photo-like computer images of metal, plastic and organic materials hidden under clothes, says American Science and Engineering. The TSA is testing its BodySearch machine.
The agency in charge of the nation's air security expects later this year to begin using a controversial X-ray machine that will show airport screeners a clear picture of what's under passengers' clothes ? whether weapons or just bare skin.
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#1. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#0)
There's gotta be an opportunity for an entrepreneur somewhere here. Rent a six-seat light twin, no security checks, leave immediately upon reaching the airport, fly folks anywhere they want to go in the Tri State Area, land at a small airport closer to their destination than the big international one, ticket price only twenty percent over the big guys. Parking lot to parking lot time would be considerably shorter. Once you got a couple planes going, trade 'em in on a single ten-seater Caravan. Would you pay twenty percent more to avoid the security checks? I certainly would.
Damn right I would. Heck, lots of places I go would honor my concealed carry permit, but because it is such a monumental hassle and risk to transport a pistol on a commercial carrier, I don't. It's worth a 20% premium to me to be able to retain my self defense tools when traveling.
What a treasonous schmuck! No one with dual citizenship with a warmongering nation - (in this case Israel), that receives so much $$ from us, should be allowed in a position of power in OUR govt.
Translated as: "Fuck their rights! We're doing this and they can go to hell if they don't like it!"
I remember seeing an old Ahnold movie where they had a similar contraption. More science fiction that becomes reality. '1984' becomes closer to reality everyday.
Total Recall (1990)
Everyone should stop flying for a month or so.
I don't bother much with concealed-carry permits, but I know what you mean. I haven't traveled on commercial airlines since quite some before 9/11. Well, if you should ever fly with me, you're certainly welcome to bring whatever knives, guns, bombs, or fingernail clippers you need to make you feel safe, as long as you don't blow the weight and balance. I do.
I had the pleasure of doing the full Monte for the chowder heads at Dulles this past Friday. First my keys, then my watch, the belt, then finally an escort to the dreaded small, closed room marked private. I was delayed 3 hours for a 40 minute flight to PA. Next time the car.
No one mentioned the inevitable... a bunch of federal perverts sitting in the back room beating off while looking at all the cute "naked" chicks... Pardon my frankness.
Yeah, I can see it now... "Holy Chit Joe! Look at what she pierced! Oh man, I'm gonna...."
Unreal.
I know FedEx uses Cessna Caravans for parcels / freight. Is it - or any other single engine aircraft for that matter - certificated for air taxi or air transport operations ? Maybe Pilatus PC7 ??
Are you Barak from LF? If so, welcome to 4, old friend.
I know there are outfits that run passengers in Caravans. But of course this whole enterprise would be thoroughly illegal from top to bottom, and operate completely outside the law; so certification wouldn't really be that big a deal. If it were legal to permit commercial airline passengers to carry weapons aboard an airliner or bypass federal "security" checks, I'm sure somebody would already have offered it. The government is in the process of killing the airline industry; those people are pretty desperate by now.
That's me. christine invited me. I've been lurking for awhile, casting around for a good thread to sink my teeth into. Also, lately I've been advocating private law enforcement over on a CCW forum in Oregon. I've been getting some help from a fellow who says he's the Hobbit from the "Parker And Hobbit Talk Guns" chapter in Claire Wolfe's 101 More book; but mostly I'm getting blank stares, seasoned with a smattering of "Back to Hell, foul demon!" Basically, I've been pretty busy lately. Knowing you, you probably have been too. Thanks for the pleasant welcome.
Thank Bog that Uncle Sam was here to protect me. I feel so much safer knowing that they jacked you around, all for nothing but their own perverted pleasure.
I've always thought law enforcement was one of the legitimate functions of government and that privatizing it was wrong headed. Lately I'm coming to the conclusion that it might be me being wrong headed about the issue. As a matter of fact, I'm quite certain that I've finally realized that you can't grant a monopoly on the use of defensive force to a government and still claim that the rule of government is by consent of the governed.
Government seems to be one of those all-or-nothing issues, when you approach it from the perspective of principle. It's really difficult to find a basic principle that will justify some government, but can't be used eventually (by folks other than you, I mean) to justify however much of it they feel like imposing on you. I'm not completely sure of this yet, but so far it looks to me like if you take just about any absolute, objective principle that says some particular domain of life is off-limits to government, and follow it uncompromisingly clear to all its logical conclusions regardless of your personal opinions in the matter (which might take some time, because some of those personal opinions can be tough to let go of), you wind up having it invalidating all government. I could be wrong about that, but so far I haven't found a counterexample.
I like the idea, Barak, though the service would have to be promoted as some kind of air charter operation to sidestep the security business. I'll investigate with some people I know in air charter.
Oh gee, where do I sign up to look at ugly naked people??? For fuck's sake, if you fly, you deserve what you get. If you choose to be treated like cattle, because your government goons say you must, in order to fly, that's your problem. Good grief... It's not like anyone has a shred of privacy anymore anyway. Shut up, and get over it. You sheep had your chance a long time ago to be free. Now you're all too fucking stupid to deserve it. That's my 2 cents to the whining bastards who are speaking out of both sides of their mouths about flying and personal privacy.
Vladimir Ilyich loves debate - as long as his adversaries are gagged and duct- taped to a chair.
Vladimir Ilyich loves debate - as long as his adversaries are gagged and duct- taped to a chair. LOL!! Wait, why am I laughing...
Yeah, sometimes you just laugh 'til it hurts. I try not to laugh too hard, thoough. The guards kin hear my chains jangling.
#2. To: Barak (#1)
Would you pay twenty percent more to avoid the security checks?
#3. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#0)
But Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a Senate subcommittee last month that he wants to employ the technology and doesn't want an "endless debate" over privacy issues.
#4. To: robin (#3)
...wants to employ the technology and doesn't want an "endless debate" over privacy issues.
#5. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#0)
#6. To: Grumble Jones (#5)
I remember seeing an old Ahnold movie where they had a similar contraption.
#7. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#0)
#8. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#2)
Heck, lots of places I go would honor my concealed carry permit, but because it is such a monumental hassle and risk to transport a pistol on a commercial carrier, I don't. It's worth a 20% premium to me to be able to retain my self defense tools when traveling.
#9. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut, all (#0)
#10. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#0)
#11. To: All (#10)
#12. To: Jethro Tull (#9)
I had the pleasure of doing the full Monte for the chowder heads at Dulles this past Friday. First my keys, then my watch, the belt, then finally an escort to the dreaded small, closed room marked private. I was delayed 3 hours for a 40 minute flight to PA. Next time the car.
#13. To: Barak (#1)
Once you got a couple planes going, trade 'em in on a single ten-seater Caravan.
#14. To: Barak (#8)
#15. To: Dukie (#13)
I know FedEx uses Cessna Caravans for parcels / freight. Is it - or any other single engine aircraft for that matter - certificated for air taxi or air transport operations ? Maybe Pilatus PC7 ??
#16. To: Arator (#14)
Are you Barak from LF? If so, welcome to 4, old friend.
#17. To: Jethro Tull (#9)
I was delayed 3 hours for a 40 minute flight to PA.
#18. To: Barak (#16)
Also, lately I've been advocating private law enforcement over on a CCW forum in Oregon.
#19. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut (#18)
I've always thought law enforcement was one of the legitimate functions of government and that privatizing it was wrong headed. Lately I'm coming to the conclusion that it might be me being wrong headed about the issue.
#20. To: Barak (#15)
#21. To: Mr Nuke Buzzcut, *You Gotta Be Shitting Me* (#0)
#22. To: robin (#3)
Michael Chertoff . . . doesn't want an "endless debate" over privacy issues.
#23. To: randge (#22)
Michael Chertoff . . . doesn't want an "endless debate" over privacy issues.
#24. To: robin (#23)
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