TSA 'Warning' Media About Reporting On Body Scanner Failures?

[fulp]

TSA 'Warning' Media About Reporting On Body Scanner Failures? - Slashdot

When anti-TSA activist Jonathan Corbett exposed a severe weakness in TSA's body scanners, one would expect the story to attract a lot of media attention. Apparently TSA is attempting to stop reporters from covering the story. According to Corbett, at least one reporter has been 'strongly cautioned' by TSA spokeswoman Sari Koshetz not to cover the story. If TSA is worried that this is new information they need to suppress to keep it away from terrorists, that horse may have left the barn years ago. Corbett's demonstration may just be confirmation of a 2010 paper in the Journal of Transportation Security that concluded that 'an object such as a wire or a boxcutter blade, taped to the side of the body, or even a small gun in the same location, will be invisible' to X-ray scanners.

Well whoa. Turns out these Scanners make it EASIER to bring weapons on board. They streamline the process for terrorists and agent provocateurs, while inconveniencing the general public AND costing lots of money. They're perfect, and a bit of "cautioning" of reporters to not point out the bleeding obvious (much less investigate stuff, like they used to, and still do in black and white movies ^^) is the icing on the cake.

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Of course, telling the truth is tantamount to treason when circumventing the rights of citizens is routine.

 

[averageJOE]

This article is about the old scanners that are being phased out. Less than 50 airports in the country still use those, and not for long either.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

I'm surprised anyone still uses TSA, considering all the horror stories I've read about them in the news over the last year or so.

 

[fulp]

This article is about the old scanners that are being phased out. Less than 50 airports in the country still use those, and not for long either.

Do you have any source for that claim, or did you just make it up out of thin air? If the former, what is the source, if the latter, why?

 

[averageJOE]

Do you have any source for that claim, or did you just make it up out of thin air? If the former, what is the source, if the latter, why?

No, I made nothing up. The article you posted is about the old Rapiscan that uses x-rays. The new machine now, the AIT, uses millimeter waves. Similar to an ultrasound, but not quite. They were deployed all across the country, first to major airports and down. These are the machines that are taking over. However, it won't be long before they are replaced also.
TSA: Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT)
Look at the frequently ask questions. Also, that link was last updated a year ago. So more airports are now on that list.

 

[fulp]

That list doesn't distinct between old and new, so wtf?? Not that it's not a red herring to begin with, but seriously, heh.

 

[averageJOE]

That list doesn't distinct between old and new, so wtf?? Not that it's not a red herring to begin with, but seriously, heh.

Fine. Believe whatever you want. Airports are still using the old Rapiscan's. Especially the major ones.

 

[fulp]

Fine. Believe whatever you want. Airports are still using the old Rapiscan's. Especially the major ones.

Yeah, and? What is your point even? Or with this, for that matter: "this article is about the old scanners that are being phased out. Less than 50 airports in the country still use those, and not for long either.", Again.. yeah, and? That is relevant, how?

Also, "Believe what you want" -- are you projecting? You must be, you're the one who dropped in here with a cheap attempt at "nothing to see here, move along". How does that fit the TSA official "cautioning" a reporter to, uhh, not do their job?

 

[averageJOE]

See, when I read the title to your thread I became intrigued. I was intrested in flaws that someone found with the new machines. But when I read the article it was nothing but old news about the old machines. Machines that are in fact being phased out. So I figured I let you know, but it is obvious that you were more intrested in starting an Anti-TSA thread than anything else. Which is fine. However, here is a better one: http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/north-american-politics/108446-more-fun-goomers-tsa.html

 

[T-Dawg]

From what I understand, you STILL haven't bothered to tell anyone the distinctions between the old machines and the new ones. Should we take your word for it that the new ones are better?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Well whoa. Turns out these Scanners make it EASIER to bring weapons on board. They streamline the process for terrorists and agent provocateurs, while inconveniencing the general public AND costing lots of money. They're perfect, and a bit of "cautioning" of reporters to not point out the bleeding obvious (much less investigate stuff, like they used to, and still do in black and white movies ^^) is the icing on the cake.

Hang on: a metal detector would pick up a gun or a box cutter. At any airport I've been to, the full-body scanners were in addition to, not instead of, the metal detectors.