TSA Removes X-Ray Body Scanners From Major Airports

[unhappycamper]

http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=157503



The Transportation Security Administration has been removing its X-ray body scanners from LAX, O'Hare and JFK, and putting them in less-busy airports.


TSA Removes X-Ray Body Scanners From Major Airports
by Michael Grabell
ProPublica, Oct. 19, 2012, 10:37 a.m.

The Transportation Security Administration has been quietly removing its X-ray body scanners from major airports over the last few weeks and replacing them with machines that radiation experts believe are safer.

The TSA says it made the decision not because of safety concerns but to speed up checkpoints at busier airports. It means, though, that far fewer passengers will be exposed to radiation because the X-ray scanners are being moved to smaller airports.

The backscatters, as the X-ray scanners are known, were swapped out at Boston Logan International Airport in early October. Similar replacements have occurred at Los Angeles International Airport, Chicago O'Hare, Orlando and John F. Kennedy in New York, the TSA confirmed Thursday.

The X-ray scanners have faced a barrage of criticism since the TSA began rolling them out nationwide after the failed underwear bombing on Christmas Day 2009. One reason is that they emit a small dose of ionizing radiation, which at higher levels has been linked to cancer.

[LisaL]

1. Oh boy.

So now people in smaller airports will be irradiated?

[naaman fletcher]

2. I fly over 50K miles per year.

Im sitting at the airport in the airport now as I type this. After this trip I will be over 80K miles in just this year. Anyway, I have constantly refused to go through these things, often being mocked by the guy who then has to pat me down.

Personally, I see this as a vindication.

[bemildred]

5. Good for you.

I used to travel like that. It was bad enough before they started treating us like cattle.

[Savannahmann]

8. Don't kid yourself

Cattle get treated better. There are hard rules that the cattlemen must follow, or be fined, or jailed for animal cruelty. If the TSA breaks a rule, nothing happens except a vague apology. Women get felt up in a manner unsuitable for the worst criminal offenders in our society, and nothing happens. People get humiliated, and when they complain, the TSA admits days later that the action was a violation of the standing rules, and the offender doesn't get a slap on the wrist much less fired.

I'd rather be a cow on my way to slaughter, than a passenger at an airport. I would be treated better as a cow.

[bemildred]

11. I've flown twice since 2000, both times under duress.

Cattle don't have to pay for the privilege either.

[BlueStreak]

12. You mean in 1957?

It has pretty much been a cattle operation on most airlines at least since the 1980s, but it does seem each year gets worse.

Exceptions might include Alaska, Singapore, Aer Lingus, and Virgin, but I haven't flown any of them recently. The ones that provided reasonable seating and customer service have mostly been driven out of business by the race to the bottom.

[bemildred]

16. Since 1981.

I rode in DC3 a couple times before that, but ...

I remember service being good until the 90s, then they started getting cheap. Then after 9/11, cheap didn't really cover it anymore, and in addition they started treating us like cattle, shrinking the seats (I'm over 6') and thinking up myriad ways to nickle and dime you (and of course inspecting your 'junk" etc.)

[BlueStreak]

17. I flew a lot in the 80s. It was getting bad then.

But definitely in the 90s, the bean counters started taking control. Everything became about the lowest price. That caused them to start shaving everything. But please remember the airline deregulation act passed in 1978. That was the moment when it all started to change.

[bemildred]

18. I really would not know before then.

My "profession" at that time was not such as to require flying.

But I believe you, anybody that was there and paying attention knows things started downhill in the 60s (Vietnam War).

[WinkyDink]

14. "often being mocked by the guy who then has to pat me down. " WHAAAAT??? I TRUST you have reported

these incidents?

[naaman fletcher]

19. No.

I'm not sure what to say, because it's all a tone of voice thing. What they say is "are you afraid this is going to give you cancer? You know it's safe, right?". Which, in print is fine, it's the tone of voice thing that makes it mockery.

[sarcasmo]

3. Removing, but never admitting they were wrong.

[Savannahmann]

9. Absolutely right

The TSA is the second worst program started by Bushco. What I can't figure out is why we didn't reform it on day two and place hard limits on the power of the TSA.

[slackmaster]

4. The question nobody seems to be asking is: Where did they move those scanners to?

[Oilwellian]

7. The article states...

They're moving them to smaller airports. I was hoping the article would say they're doing away with this fascist practice altogether.

If I recall, the original xray machines were made by a huge Bush supporter. Don't have time to research it at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it was an obvious example of Bush cronyism.

[theinquisitivechad]

6. No, the REAL question is...

What information did they find out that was so damaging that the TSA ate humble pie???

[Savannahmann]

10. Do you think the Bush Cronies will tell us?

[BlueStreak]

13. It sounds like it is a speed issue

[WinkyDink]

15. That is the cover story, yes.