Body scanner smackdown

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  • germdoc
    Veteran Member
    • Nov 2003
    • 3567
    • Omaha, NE
    • BT3000--the gray ghost

    #1

    Body scanner smackdown

    Think these 2 incidents are related?

    http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...06101tsa1.html

    http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive...02thomas1.html

    Hmmm, I don't mind going through scanners at all, and have no fear of scissor attacks...

    Jeff


    “Doctors are men who prescribe medicines of which they know little, to cure diseases of which they know less, in human beings of whom they know nothing”--Voltaire
  • Pappy
    The Full Monte
    • Dec 2002
    • 10490
    • San Marcos, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 (x2)

    #2
    To me the scanner mentioned in the first article have gone beyond security to invasion of privacy.
    Don, aka Pappy,

    Wise men talk because they have something to say,
    Fools because they have to say something.
    Plato

    Comment

    • Kristofor
      Veteran Member
      • Jul 2004
      • 1331
      • Twin Cities, MN
      • Jet JTAS10 Cabinet Saw

      #3
      Yeah, but the TSA is so darn effective that it's worth it for us to give up that privacy. Oh, wait they've never caught a would-be bomber/terrorist.

      At least last week they were able to catch the Time Square attempted bomber when they had a recent picture of him, knew exactly who he was, which airport he was likely going to, and what general time his flight was. Oh, wait, no, they let him through and on to the plane too...

      Anyone want to bet that if the folks on this board spent an hour brainstorming it would be trivial to develop methodologies to circumvent the annoying, invasive, but still largely pointless security processes used by the TSA? I am absolutely certain that would be the case.

      Sure, in a Lake Wobegon sense we're all above average while the majority of the suicide bomber crop seem to come from the lower quartile of the IQ pool, but I can't believe that they won't eventually see the same weaknesses and successfully exploit them. Both the shoe bomber and the panty bomber failed because of poor execution not because of good security.

      Comment

      • gjat
        Senior Member
        • Nov 2005
        • 685
        • Valrico (Tampa), Florida.
        • BT3100

        #4
        Even the Times Square bomber failed in execution. It was meant to be a BOMB that exploded. Not a vehicle fire burning for 10 minutes that would ignite the propane tanks. How many people are going to stand around a smoldering vehicle? How hard is it to figure out to buy replacement grill hoses from home depot to allow the propane to vent so the gas would explode?

        Comment

        • luteman
          Established Member
          • Dec 2007
          • 145
          • Northern Michigan
          • BT3100-1

          #5
          Are you trying to tell us there's a better way to blow people up? Better be carefull what is said in public as Homeland Security reads too.
          No offense meant to you personally.

          Comment

          • jackellis
            Veteran Member
            • Nov 2003
            • 2638
            • Tahoe City, CA, USA.
            • BT3100

            #6
            I don't care about the scanners. If someone wants to make fun of my body parts, let 'em. LOML's opinion is the only one that counts. I'd rather be able to walk through a scanner than have to partially undress the way I do today.

            I agree the TSA has not done a good job of catching would-be airplane bombers, but I think they have been reasonably effective at discouraging people from trying, and that's a much more realistic objective. The Israelis have a better track record than we do, but as I understand things their process is a lot more invasive and it might not be practical at airports that handle as many as 150,000 passengers each day.

            The terrorists we're most concerned about have two objectives: making a statement by killing people in a spectacular way, and disrupting our way of life. Since 9/11 they haven't managed to successfully pull of a spectacular attack. They've done much better at taking a lot of the pleasure out of travel.

            Comment

            • phi1l
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2009
              • 681
              • Madison, WI

              #7
              You have to realize that when TSA hires, they start at the bottom of the barrel & go down from there. You can tell that because they didn't notice that the guys brain was smaller than the other body part that they were ridiculing.

              I find it amazing that in general security employees have such high level of assumed responsibility, but are paid so little, & TSA is about a low as you can get.

              Comment

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