Call to arms.
#46
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Department of Homeland Sincerity
Programs: WN Platinum
Posts: 12,085
#47
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,554
I have never actually seen one of these machines myself, but the information on what they can do is pretty much public knowledge.
It detects anomalies. Things in pockets or pretty much anything on top of the individuals skin including clothing. And of course any anomalies must be investigated further. I know for a fact that they can detect small amounts of marijuana in people’s pockets, we get reports on it every day. It does not detect it as marijuana but as an anomolie.
It detects anomalies. Things in pockets or pretty much anything on top of the individuals skin including clothing. And of course any anomalies must be investigated further. I know for a fact that they can detect small amounts of marijuana in people’s pockets, we get reports on it every day. It does not detect it as marijuana but as an anomolie.
In the meantime, do you have an explanation for your management's brilliant decision to require people to remain in their seats for the last 60 minutes of an international flight? Turning off the route map and prohibiting in-flight announcements about location? Yes, I know the decisions have allegedly been rescinded, but what stupendous mental acuity led to those stupid original decisions?
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
It detects anomalies. Things in pockets or pretty much anything on top of the individuals skin including clothing. And of course any anomalies must be investigated further. I know for a fact that they can detect small amounts of marijuana in people’s pockets, we get reports on it every day. It does not detect it as marijuana but as an anomolie.
#50
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
I have never actually seen one of these machines myself, but the information on what they can do is pretty much public knowledge.
It detects anomalies. Things in pockets or pretty much anything on top of the individuals skin including clothing. And of course any anomalies must be investigated further. I know for a fact that they can detect small amounts of marijuana in people’s pockets, we get reports on it every day. It does not detect it as marijuana but as an anomolie.
It detects anomalies. Things in pockets or pretty much anything on top of the individuals skin including clothing. And of course any anomalies must be investigated further. I know for a fact that they can detect small amounts of marijuana in people’s pockets, we get reports on it every day. It does not detect it as marijuana but as an anomolie.
#51
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: WAS
Programs: No Longer Anything
Posts: 478
I just saw NBC nightly news (... and before comments on that, I'm not a fan of any tv news channels, but was channel surfing to see how what news programs are saying about this incident). On the referenced news show they brought up the WBI and showed ... I kid you not ... a cartoon character-type image as an example of the image that would be taken at the airport "for your security." And then of course they had some lady saying "of course they should use these machines ... it's all about saving us!"
Disgusting. If they want to use these machines then they absolutely should put an unaltered shot on display at the airports. There are plenty of people who would not like this invasion, even if they are in the "do everything to save me" club.
I disagree with it, as many others do, based upon it being a strip search without cause. period. And I absolutely would fly less if these became the norm.
#52
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Marriott or Hilton hot tub with a big drink <glub> Beverage: To-Go Bag™ DYKWIA: SSSS /rolleyes ☈ Date Night: Costco
Programs: Sea Shell Lounge Platinum, TSA Pre✓ Refusnik Diamond, PWP Gold, FT subset of the subset
Posts: 12,509
I just saw NBC nightly news (... and before comments on that, I'm not a fan of any tv news channels, but was channel surfing to see how what news programs are saying about this incident). On the referenced news show they brought up the WBI and showed ... I kid you not ... a cartoon character-type image as an example of the image that would be taken at the airport "for your security."
#53
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Panama City Beach, FL
Programs: DL PM MM
Posts: 910
#54
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,006
Here is the source for the right side images. Click the picture box to the second image. The only edits I did was to crop just the MMW image and enlarge it to match the TSA released image.
Here is the source for the TSA released image. Click the image for a large version.
#55
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere near BWI
Programs: DL DM, HH Dia, SPG Gold, MR Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,654
ETD = Explosives Trace Detector, aka The Swab (smaller machine using swabs to test items in carry-on luggage)
#56
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: ewr,swf,fll
Posts: 835
or in a very simple place...the bottom of your feet. cant remember the last time the bottom of my feet were checked for anything. even times my shoes are taken my feet have not even been wanded. looking at those pictures anything on the bottom of the feet is good to go...
#57
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 346
We have one wbi at sfo here, and I work with it every day at the checkpoint. Honestly, the images we see aren't that great, but good enough to determine if you have a wallet in your pocket or a knife strapped to your chest (and that's happened with me before). It's great technology, and it does work. There are signs next to it to explain what it does, and we have people explaining what it does as well. As a passenger, it is your right to not go through it. Anyone who opts out of the wbi instead gets a patdown. Nobody can force you to go through the wbi. It uses zero x-rays, so it's not going to expose you to anything. If I remember correctly, the machine that uses x-rays is the backscatter, a machine we don't use.
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
We have one wbi at sfo here, and I work with it every day at the checkpoint. Honestly, the images we see aren't that great, but good enough to determine if you have a wallet in your pocket or a knife strapped to your chest (and that's happened with me before). It's great technology, and it does work. There are signs next to it to explain what it does, and we have people explaining what it does as well. As a passenger, it is your right to not go through it. Anyone who opts out of the wbi instead gets a patdown. Nobody can force you to go through the wbi. It uses zero x-rays, so it's not going to expose you to anything. If I remember correctly, the machine that uses x-rays is the backscatter, a machine we don't use.
I've refused twice. One time got a very friendly patdown and hassled about why I should have just went thru it. Along with that, my laptop was nearly stolen because they kept me out of view of my belongings. I got my laptop back but it was damaged - which is why I think I got it back in the first place. The other time, I got treated to a bunch of conspiracy theory by the screener screening me.
It was far from a trivial experience either time I refused.
#59
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere near BWI
Programs: DL DM, HH Dia, SPG Gold, MR Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,654
Right ... you have the "right" to refuse which TSA will make you pay dearly for if you invoke.
I've refused twice. One time got a very friendly patdown and hassled about why I should have just went thru it. Along with that, my laptop was nearly stolen because they kept me out of view of my belongings. I got my laptop back but it was damaged - which is why I think I got it back in the first place. The other time, I got treated to a bunch of conspiracy theory by the screener screening me.
It was far from a trivial experience either time I refused.
I've refused twice. One time got a very friendly patdown and hassled about why I should have just went thru it. Along with that, my laptop was nearly stolen because they kept me out of view of my belongings. I got my laptop back but it was damaged - which is why I think I got it back in the first place. The other time, I got treated to a bunch of conspiracy theory by the screener screening me.
It was far from a trivial experience either time I refused.
Originally Posted by Napolitano Testimony to Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee
Sen. Udall: Okay. Okay. Thank you. I probably don't have enough time to get you to answer the question but on whole-body imaging let me just lay it out a little bit here. You're -- TSA's greatly expanding its use of whole-body imaging for primary passenger screening at airports, and Albuquerque is one of the airports where it's doing that. And although TSA has voluntarily taken certain measures to protect passenger privacy, I believe several serious questions should be answered before TSA deploys these whole-body imaging machines more widely, and one of the issues really is if you decline the machine you get a full-body pat down, and as you can see, that could -- you either one of the other -- that could be very intrusive. So I -- I'm going to submit the questions to you because my time is up and I know the chairman may want to get to other senators here. But I hope that you'll give us a prompt response on that.
Sec. Napolitano: Right, and Senator, in the airports I've been at observing how that technology is used and there's been a -- that technology is much different than as portrayed in the press. But in any event, it hasn't been a pat down but you go through the standard magnetometer process. So -- but we'll be happy to answer the questions that you have.
Sec. Napolitano: Right, and Senator, in the airports I've been at observing how that technology is used and there's been a -- that technology is much different than as portrayed in the press. But in any event, it hasn't been a pat down but you go through the standard magnetometer process. So -- but we'll be happy to answer the questions that you have.
#60
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 346
Right ... you have the "right" to refuse which TSA will make you pay dearly for if you invoke.
I've refused twice. One time got a very friendly patdown and hassled about why I should have just went thru it. Along with that, my laptop was nearly stolen because they kept me out of view of my belongings. I got my laptop back but it was damaged - which is why I think I got it back in the first place. The other time, I got treated to a bunch of conspiracy theory by the screener screening me.
It was far from a trivial experience either time I refused.
I've refused twice. One time got a very friendly patdown and hassled about why I should have just went thru it. Along with that, my laptop was nearly stolen because they kept me out of view of my belongings. I got my laptop back but it was damaged - which is why I think I got it back in the first place. The other time, I got treated to a bunch of conspiracy theory by the screener screening me.
It was far from a trivial experience either time I refused.
Also, when we ask, it's more curiosity for me. But TSA wants to know why people are opting out of it.
And how did your laptop get damaged? Damged how?