You won't believe I learned about the TSA, Trasnportation Security Administration

[woodyboyd]

I had an incident occur in a Texas airport near Mexico. It hacked me off so much that I wrote the TSA, both my senators, my Congressman, and the ACLU to complain. It turns out that the ACLU has a special section just for TSA harassment.

Basically, what it boils down to is that part of the new government stimulus package was to buy body scanners, and the usually clueless TSA is even more clueless as to what to do with these new devices.

Body scanners are a type of X-ray that allows TSA personnel to do an electronic strip search of your body. In fact, these scanners can show your genitals. See the link: http://rupture.co.uk/Terminal%204.html So you are getting a virtual strip search.

It gets better. Each time you go through these X-rays you are blasted with radiation. However, the TSA and its manufacturers assure us that it is safe. Where have we heard that before? What really pissed me off about this was when it came time to scan women of child bearing age and children, they were whisked through using the conventional metal detectors. It is safe for me but not for them. WTF???

In 2002, the TSA said the scanners would be faster than the metal detectors which was another lie.

From USA Today, "The system takes three to five times as long as walking through a metal detector," says Phil Bush of Atlanta, one of many fliers on USA TODAY's Road Warriors panel who oppose the machines. "This looks to be yet another disaster waiting to happen."

Then the TSA assures us all that the nude images aren't going to be kept, and that turned out to be a lie too. See the link: http://hotair.com/archives/2010/08/0...ssengers-junk/

The TSA also said that no eight year old child was on their no fly list which was another lie. See the link: http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/201...-on-watchlist/

Of course, the TSA idiots didn't have the underwear bomber on their no fly list despite being forewarned by the bomber's father.

So now to get on an airplane in some cities, the TSA expects you to have your genitals photographed, be virtually stripped searched, be exposed to radiation, and then after all that they can search you if they feel that you exhibit any suspicious behavior. That was the basis of my complaint.

Congress surprisingly was involved in this incredible violation of our civil rights. The House actually voted 310 to 118 against the use of body scanners. See the link: http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennt...unt_House.html
"The amendment was backed by a nearly irresistible coalition of interest groups, ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to the National Rifle Association."

Unfortunately, the bill died in the Senate.

You may ask why this is going on. Who is really behind such a stupid idea? Well, like everything else that stinks these days it is the government industrial complex at work.

"Which brings us to the money shot. The body scanner is sure to get a go-ahead because of the illustrious personages hawking them. Chief among them is former DHS secretary Michael Chertoff, who now heads the Chertoff Group, which represents one of the leading manufacturers of whole-body-imaging machines, Rapiscan Systems. For days after the attack, Chertoff made the rounds on the media promoting the scanners, calling the bombing attempt "a very vivid lesson in the value of that machinery"—all without disclosing his relationship to Rapiscan. According to the Washington Post:

Chertoff’s advocacy for the technology dates back to his time in the Bush administration. In 2005, Homeland Security ordered the government’s first batch of the scanners—five from California-based Rapiscan Systems.

Today, 40 body scanners are in use at 19 U.S. airports. The number is expected to skyrocket at least in part because of the Christmas Day incident. The Transportation Security Administration this week said it will order 300 more machines.

In the summer, TSA purchased 150 machines from Rapiscan with $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds."

It is time to say enough is enough. You have the right to deny going through these stupid scanners and ask to be patted down. Why you don't have the right to go through the metal detector is beyond me. But hopefully, if enough people say no to the virtual strip search, we can stop this TSA sponsored insanity.

[Chica Chaser]

And you STILL have to take off your shoes going through the new scanners. Those still go through the x-ray machine.

I couldn't care less about some Micky D's flunky seeing my cock on a scan but I can certainly understand why others would. I have been through the new scanners several times now at multiple airports at this point. The actual scan process is pretty equivalent to the metal detector, especially with all the idiots that still walk through with something and have to repeat the process.

I was not aware of the Chertoff connection to the new scanners. Very interesting.

[Camille]

I was subject to my first scan about 6 weeks ago...can't remember where (midwest I think) and the FIRST thing I asked was about radiation. TSA just looked at me blankly and hustled me through. They sent a pregant women through..I would think that would be a no-no. Agreed that it is time consuming..not just the scan, but the fact that everything else still has to go through the other scanner..and yes, you still have to take your shoes and jackets off. I smell a lawsuit...most likely from a pregnant woman.

C

[pjorourke]

Fucking security theater is a damn waste of time and money.

[nevergaveitathought]

i think rapiscan should develop an enclosed blast proof cubicle you enter. it has two doors..one you enter ..the other you exit to the departure gate..as you enter the doors are sealed...if you are carrying a bomb..the unit detonates such ...it has two wheels much like luggage...a small tractor comes out from the back, drags the cubicle away and another tractor brings out a new cubicle and the line proceeds.

[ICU 812]

Woodyboyb:


To address ONLY the concerns about radiation and safety:

Medical X-Rays penetrate your soft tissue and are stopped by your bones. The X-Rays that make it to the film expose the film. The X-Rays that are stopped by the bones do not expose the film and we see their shadow . This is just like sunlight that misses your body lights up the sidewalk and the sun’s rays that falls on your skin leaves a shadow.

X-Rays have a much shorter wave length and have more energy. The higher the energy they are, the more penatrating they are. In the "old days ". . .like the 1980s . . . an X-Ray technician had to dial-up the power and use slightly stronger X-Rays to get a good image of a verry heavy person. Not its all automatic. The new equipment is all digilel and the power of the X-Rays is much less to get a good picture of anybody.

The airport scanners use X-Rays that are even lower in power. They only penetrate the clothing. The power is so low in fact , that they are reflected from the skin. The digital sensors are so sensitive that they read the X-Rays that scatter off the body. This is low energy and low power.

Pregnancy, and "female problems" (please— no PC e-mail) are emotionally charged issues that get litigated at the drop of a hat whether there is merit to the case or not. A measurable number of pregnancies miss carry even with everything being "right". A measurable number of births are abnormal in some way even with the best pre-natal care. Wanding women and children is just TSA's way of avoiding going to court every time something is wrong.

I don't think worries about safety, health and radiation should keep you awake at night.

Now: The concerns about civil rights, civil liberties, personal privacy and corruption are all legitimate issues. We should all worry about that.

[ICU 812]

Nevergaveitathought:

Great concept! Why not incorporate a trash compacter and just haul away the little package?

All hurt feelings, inconvenience and humilliation asside: Is there some Tube-site where these scans are available on the net?

[Rudyard K]

I have to admit...I don't go through a lot of TSA security lines anymore...so I don't have a lot of experience.

But what should be done? Not what shouldn't be done?

I personally think that some kind of vetting system...like is used for concealed handguns here in Texas could work. But it would need to be very strict and strenuous. And what about those who don't jump through those hoops to acquire it? What about them?

I know none of us like this whole process. But somehow going back to pre 9-11 times does not seem prudent either. So, what should be done?

[anova444]

Originally Posted by Chica Chaser

I couldn't care less about some Micky D's flunky seeing my cock on a scan. I was not aware of the Chertoff connection to the new scanners. Very interesting.

May I see it please?

[gnadfly]

I thought there was some type of vetted list you could join that allowed you to bypass much of the airport security. It was proposed and advertised about 2 years ago.

About 6-7 years ago I put my two teen age kids on board a SW flight when TSA pulled them aside to do a more thorough search and swab their shoes for explosive residue. Ridiculous waste of taxpayer money but it at least it prepares the kids for the Big Brother Govt.

[Mazomaniac]

OK people, stop and think about the original post for minute. Aren't you being just a little gullible here? How is it that your troll alarms didn't go off the second this thread hit the board?

Just look at the OP's words and you'll start to see the light. The original post starts off with a paragraph about how the OP was subjected to some sort of outrageous episode - so bad that he had to write his Congressman and BOTH his Senators about it. What was this horrible deed perpetrated on the OP? Who knows? He doesn't bother to say.

Instead he posts a canned rant that's been circulating around the net for the last couple of years. It contains the standard BS about government lies, corruption, oppression of basic human rights, blah, blah, blah all cites to such demanding sources as a website called "hotair.com" (which pretty much says it all).

I'm not going to waste my time going into detail about why 99% of what's in that post is dead wrong. You people are smart enough to use Google and figure it out for yourselves.

All I'll say is one thing about which I have personal knowledge and which I have a moral obligation to say:

Michael Chertoff is NOT a crook. I happen to know Mike and I'll tell you straight up that he's one of five or six people in all of Washington that I'd trust to hold my wallet. We don't happen to agree on politics very often, but this is one guy who has earned the respect of every single person in DC regardless of which side of the aisle they sit on. When Bush appointed him to a seat on a Federal Circuit Court of Appeals the Senate confirmed him 88-1. Mike has worked for both sides of the political spectrum. He's won praise from Republicans for running part of the Whitewater investigation against the Clintons while winning awards from the NAACP for his work to end racial discrimination and profiling. Mike does what Mike thinks is right, period. I have never known the man to step outside his bounds and commit an immoral act.

The charge that he abused his position to promote the government purchase of scanners is pure bullshit. It's been running around the right-wing press for months now. There's no substance to it at all. Mike was out promoting the use of scanners years before there even was a TSA or a Chertoff consulting group. It should not be shocking to anyone that one of two companies that make scanners hired the top security consulting firm to promote them. It just happens that Mike's firm is the best. The feds have looked at his company's involvement with RapidScan and cleared the whole deal. This is a ridiculous smear against the guy. It's just BS.

I will now stop feeding the troll. I suggest the rest of you do too.

Cheers,
Mazo.

[charlestudor2005]

Yeah, well it wasn't funny to some of TSA's own:

http://www.marthastewardess.com/?p=1769

http://boingboing.net/2010/05/06/nak...er-reveal.html

TSA said it was a "personnel matter," and decried any privacy issues involved.

However, I think the incident speaks for itself.

I don't give a flip if they look at my genitals, but I'm not sure women would have the same position. Especially if they knew there was a cabal of men in the back room leering lasciviously at the x-rays.

[Chica Chaser]

Originally Posted by anova444

May I see it please?

If you will come out to Phoenix or Las Vegas for a visit, we can certainly arrange that! I will be the first in line

[pjorourke]

Originally Posted by charlestudor2005

Yeah, well it wasn't funny to some of TSA's own:

http://www.marthastewardess.com/?p=1769

http://boingboing.net/2010/05/06/nak...er-reveal.html

TSA said it was a "personnel matter," and decried any privacy issues involved.

However, I think the incident speaks for itself.

I don't give a flip if they look at my genitals, but I'm not sure women would have the same position. Especially if they knew there was a cabal of men in the back room leering lasciviously at the x-rays.

I guess the next "stimulus" bill will need to pay for fluffers at security so no guy will have an inferiority complex.

[ICU 812]

Like I said . . .where is the link to thexxx-Tube live-feed? Any hacker-pervert-voyures out there?