I asked in a blog not very long ago how safe we, as Americans, feel. The majority of the comments were that we still do not feel completely safe should there be another terrorist attacks. This includes airport security. Within recent weeks, I've seen several stories about lax security on airplanes, and I have to say, it's not making me feel any more secure.
Now I am left to wonder, just how far will we go to attain high enough security to feel safe? In Arizona, they are beginning to test for full-body X-Ray machines that will scan individuals and look for any traces of concealed weapons or explosives. What's the catch? These X-Ray machines will only see through articles of clothing, not the flesh underneath.
Whoa, a peep show for the security guards? Do we really need to go that far? You can view the entire article at this link, complete with pictures from the X-Ray as they intend it to work.
How comfortable would you be with this?
------------------------------
Phoenix airport to test X-ray screening
Fri Dec 1, 7:02 AM ET
Sky Harbor International Airport here will test a new federal screening system that takes X-rays of passenger's bodies to detect concealed explosives and other weapons.
The technology, called backscatter, has been around for several years but has not been widely used in the U.S. as an anti-terrorism tool because of privacy concerns.
The Transportation Security Administration said it has found a way to refine the machine's images so that the normally graphic pictures can be blurred in certain areas while still being effective in detecting bombs and other threats.
The agency is expected to provide more information about the technology later this month but said one machine will be up and running at Sky Harbor's Terminal 4 by Christmas.
The security agency's Web site indicates that the technology will be used initially as a secondary screening measure, meaning that only those passengers who first fail the standard screening process will be directed to the X-ray area.
Even then, passengers will have the option of choosing the backscatter or a traditional pat-down search.
A handful of other U.S. airports will have the X-rays machines in place by early 2007 as part of a nationwide pilot program, TSA officials said.
The technology already is being used in prisons and by drug enforcement agents, and has been tested at London's Heathrow Airport.
The security agency says the machines will be effective in helping detect plastic or liquid explosives and other non-metallic weapons that can be missed by standard metal detectors.
Some say the high-resolution images — which clearly depict the outline of the passenger's body, plus anything attached to it, such as jewelry — are too invasive.
But the TSA said the X-rays will be set up so that the image can be viewed only by a security officer in a remote location. Other passengers, and even the agent at the checkpoint, will not have access to the picture.
In addition, the system will be configured so that the X-ray will be deleted as soon as the individual steps away from the machine. It will not be stored or available for printing or transmitting, agency spokesman Nico Melendez said.
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
Airport security pre-9/11 was just fine. Stop making things so difficult for everybody. You aren't making anybody safer. All these extra measures just slow things down and make flying more unpleasant. Terrorists can do whatever they want. They only need to succeed once, and security has to suceed all the time. We just aren't going to win.
Come on people, how much shit are you going to take so that you can feel safe. Not be safe mind you, but have the illusion of safety. Besides a terrorist only needs to get into an airport and blow something up and they will shut the entire airport down. Instant chaos and no need to even get TO security. We can turn our society into a surveillance society or we can accept the responsibilities and vulnerabilities of freedom.
I choose freedom.
Res ipsa loquitur.
memor mori, mahalo.
First of all, I work for an airline. 2. I agree with almost everything Dr. Gonzo says, with a few minor exceptions. Instead of going into detail about it here, please bring up My blog dealing with airport security. My main gripe is not letting meeters past security, but I have others as well with security today, and yes, for the most part it is "feel good window dressing". Go to:
www.changeairportsecurity.org and see for yourself.
Thanks for reading and pass the word,
Averill Hecht
Thank you very much for the "insider's look" sort of speak.
I must say, although I am sorry to say, that it is kind of nice to know that these decisions affect the workers and not just the patrons.
--------------
"Dream as though you'll live forever, but live as though there's no tomorrow" --James Dean
http://www.progressiveu.org/user/fanaile-drupal-org
it didn't make much sense.
***The thing is, if you control the Senate meetings, you control the gavel. And the gavel is a very important instrument... an instrument of power. An instrument that establishes the agenda.
Dan Quayle former Republican VP of George Bush Sr***
I think that no matter how strict our airport security procedures are, terrorists will still find a way to get around them. And there's also a line that you just can't cross between safety and a person's right to privacy. I'm personally not as concerned about terrorism as most people, because it has admittedly died off in this country in the last couple years. Maybe its just me, but i would feel much safer in the airport if i didnt have to worry about whether or not i can bring lotion in my carry-on, or the possibility of being strip-searched. Not to mention the issues of racial profiling that occur, isolating innocent people just because of their native origin? With a tightening in security procedures, these problems will only worsen. So it's definitely an issue of how uncomfortable our government can make airport travelers before they finally put their foot down.
Terrorists will never stop trying to attack America, or any other free country. Just because there is the extremely minute sector of Islam that will always atracted new recruits, but there are only about 1000 if not less of these extreme Muslims around the world. They are more apparent just because they make a big fuss. Islam has about 1.5 billion followers worldwide, and 99% are friendly. Now they may not neccersarily agree with us, or even protest us, but they are not going to blow us up.
The X-ray machine that can see through clothing is a definite invasion of your privacy. Though we do need to do something about airport security. According to Newsweek, the TSA has cut employment by 25%. And the new "puffer portals" are still ver errant, expensive, and slow coming. Also, the TSA, according to 2 GAO reports, cannot establish a plan, and they need to explore alternate froms of cargo inspection. But the X-ray that can see through clothes is way too far.
See the reports on:
www.gao.gov