Article: TSA Postpones Safety Study of BKSX
Nov 17, 2011 | 6:08 am
#16
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One of the reasons that the TSA has used for having both MMW and BKSX is that by having two suppliers, they are not locked into using only one vendor who can increase price at will. Due to patent issues, there aren't multiple manufacturers making MMW devices.
Nov 17, 2011 | 1:32 pm
#17
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My theory is that the TSA's backscatter machines can be adjusted to emit transmission Xrays, which would permit full body cavity searches, and that is why TSA prefers backscatter machines over MMW machines.
Nov 17, 2011 | 4:57 pm
#18
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Nov 17, 2011 | 6:22 pm
#19
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[redacted deleted quote and response - moderator]
That said, check out the last sentence in the Propublica article:
That said, check out the last sentence in the Propublica article:
The TSA plans to deploy 1,275 backscatter and millimeter-wave scanners covering more than half its security lanes by the end of 2012 and 1,800 covering nearly all lanes by 2014.
This is not good enough at all!!! Enough is enough!! They aren't allowed to install the bodyscanners at airports anymore!
Nov 17, 2011 | 8:31 pm
#20
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What am I missing here? The MMW machines don't have the ionizing radiation issues that backscatter does, so why aren't they just installing those, heading off the "health issues" part at the pass and then addressing the privacy issues w/ the cartoon image?
I mean, I understand there will be opposition to the imaging technology among some people regardless of what they do--I merely speaking to the idea of how could the TSA implement a plan that would still get most opponents to come around? For me, it would take:
1) MMW only
2) Stop the "Freeze! Put your hands up!" criminality routine
3) Use the cartoon image (sorry the true term/acronym is escaping me at the moment)
4) Reduce the false positives or at a minimum, after a false positive, only have a patdown/quick frisk of the suspect area be completed vs a grope.
They do that, I think that would be fairly reasonable (although not ideal--I understand an ideal of just x-raying the bags and walking through the WTMD is never coming back).
I mean, I understand there will be opposition to the imaging technology among some people regardless of what they do--I merely speaking to the idea of how could the TSA implement a plan that would still get most opponents to come around? For me, it would take:
1) MMW only
2) Stop the "Freeze! Put your hands up!" criminality routine
3) Use the cartoon image (sorry the true term/acronym is escaping me at the moment)
4) Reduce the false positives or at a minimum, after a false positive, only have a patdown/quick frisk of the suspect area be completed vs a grope.
They do that, I think that would be fairly reasonable (although not ideal--I understand an ideal of just x-raying the bags and walking through the WTMD is never coming back).
Nov 17, 2011 | 9:26 pm
#21
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Nov 17, 2011 | 9:57 pm
#22
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They might, from a security standpoint, PREFER to do the grope once it positives, but I fail to understand why they CAN'T check the area of concern, if the rest of the body is "clear".
Nov 18, 2011 | 2:20 pm
#23
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