New TSA search procedures at airports.

If this keeps up, I'm not flying to Chicago this March. I'll take an extra day or two off and take the train.

http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html

http://www.ourlittlechatterboxes.com/2010/11/tsa-sexual-assault.html

I can deal with body scanners, but what happened to the lady in the second link, ugh.

The thing that bothers me, as someone who has a degree with radiation, I worry about the frequent fliers exposure to the radiation from the stupid scanners.

Even if they're using minimal radiation if someone flies a lot and no one is tracking it then they're being unnecessarily exposed to radiation.

I'm required by law to wear a badge that tracks my exposure at work to radiation. It doesn't matter that I'm never in the room when the radiation is active but I'm REQUIRED to wear it. So what about these guys who fly back and forth from coast to coast every week. Surely someone on that long of a flight is going to get pulled at least once a month. Who's tracking THEIR exposure.

I'm all in favor of the millimeter wave though. That's ultrasound technology, that's got no proven side effects.

As for the people being assulted... the second lady not being told what the girl was going to happen. Yeah, even as a medical professional I'm required to tell patients what I'm doing before I do it and they have every right to refuse it at every step of the line, why isn't it the same in this case?

They say it's "for our own good" well frequently giving someone an x-ray or an MRI is "for their own good" but patients are still allowed to refuse any kind of test at any time.

Kinda pisses me off that the patients have a bill of rights but "buying a ticket" opts you out of any rights you have. That's bull shit.

I'm against both the backscatter xray and the millimeter scan. Just because I want to fly somewhere doesn't mean I'm ok with being photographed naked.

http://www.perpetualcommotion.com/pc/backscatter_x-ray.html

I'd rather them do that then have some stranger feel me up and not tell me they were going to do so.

Another reason to drive my damn self wherever I need to go.

There's no excuses for what happened to that lady. That's just outright sexual assault, however you dress it up.

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/11/tsa-investigating-passenger/

This article notes that, while the scanning machine are not supposed to be able to save the images, an incident in Florida revealed that 35,000 images had been saved, and that airport employees had circulated images of a co-worker in order to embarrass him.

flux336 wrote:Another reason to drive my damn self wherever I need to go.

for reals

A friend of mine wrote this and it made me giggle.

Dear airlines,

Please quit blowing up your prices so high I can't even go to all the fun conventions i want to.
I would also like to ask that you quit charging me a camel butt load of $$$ simply to carry clothing and hygiene products with me anywhere I should go.

I would especially like to say that if you are going to body scan me and see my beauty bits and my va-je-je that i should get a huge discount for the peep show, even lap dances cost $35+ and I beleive that since i am keeping that security person smiling and happy for the day you should at least give me that in a reduced price.

Further more, please have some fans up or some air freshener plug-ins near the scanning area as the smell of 500 sweaty random travelers is a bit funky and undelightful.

Sincerely,
Dee

if you get bit by a spider that was in the active scanner, you get superpowers.

Nah, I've been needlessly exposing myself to radiation for the past 4 years, no super powers. I once got bitten by a spider that lived in the radiology department, still no super powers.

I'm hoping I'll have better luck with an accident in the MRI.

what would your superhero name be? and what would your radiation based powers entail?

Never thought that far ahead. I was always hoping the powers would manifest then I'd take it from there. (I played City of Heroes the whole time I was in radiology school, it was probably a bad idea)

azrael07 wrote:if you get bit by a spider that was in the active scanner, you get superpowers.

No, you just have your 4th Amendment right trampled on while you get bitten by an arachnid with skin cancer.

I'm not too worried about radiation, I heard (but don't have any source to cite at the moment) that you're exposed to just as much radiation flying in the airplane. I'm not down with people being seen naked, that's a massive invasion of privacy and some major bullshit. I can't even believe there would be anyone who wouldn't have a problem with a complete stranger staring at their privates.

Believe away. Just because I don't like the radiation doesn't mean that I wouldn't rather have someone be able to see rather than touch.

I'd rather not have some stranger TOUCHING my private parts, thanks.

Also, I'd be willing to bet those people preforming the scans have the same dosimeters that I have.... so it's enough radiation that they think they need monitored. SO, I'm still concerned about it.

Wow, I don't think I've ever been so pissed about something in my entire life.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101115/us_nm/us_usa_security_screening_1

In this article, the TSA is quoted as saying that the enhanced pat downs will not be performed on children under the age of 12 years old. That means that, should a 13-18 year old (still a minor, depending on which state you are in) refuse to go through the scanner or have something show up in the scan that requires further investigation, they will be subjected to this enhanced pat down which includes touching of their genital area.

That is sexual assault of a minor. I am not setting foot in another airport until these practices are abolished, and I urge everyone on these boards to do the same. I also plan on writing my elected officials (which I also strongly suggest you all do).

http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Penn Jillet is the first celebrity I've seen who's had a problem with the new TSA procedures. I'm positive there will be more.

http://www.pennandteller.com/03/coolstuff/penniphile/roadpennfederalvip.html

RAINN (Rape Abuse & Insect National Network) weighs in on the damaging affects these new TSA policies could and have had on survivors of abuse.

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/11/17/tsa-screenings-worry-sexual-assault-survivors.html

If I am getting inapporpriatley touched there better be dinner and a movie involved. It just gives the government a further excuse to interfer in people's rights. They will have to revamp this whole prodecure because they are going to have a truckload of lawsuits.

On a side note if Simon has go through this at an airport I will be getting a job at the airport

Looks like some airports are taking a stand against the TSA as well.

http://www.examiner.com/libertarian-in-national/florida-airport-to-opt-out-of-tsa-screening

Representative Ron Paul is taking a stand against these procedures.

http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1796&Itemid=60

Like I needed an excuse to hate airports even more. I'm happy that I'm no longer living in Texas and wont have to fly as much. >(

DAMN