TSA points to scanner success: small amounts of marijuana wrapped in baggies (WP)

[somone]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/25/AR2010122502277.html

Are airport X-ray machines catching more than naked images?
By Derek Kravitz
Washington Post Staff Writer

The full-body scanners in use at 78 U.S. airports can detect small amounts of contraband and hidden weapons, all while producing controversial images of travelers.

The "good catches," federal officials say, have largely gone unnoticed amid the criticism that erupted over the ghostly X-rays and "enhanced" pat-downs. The Transportation Security Administration, which intensified airport screening last month, points to several successes: small amounts of marijuana wrapped in baggies, other drugs stitched inside underwear, ceramic knives concealed in shirt pockets.

But the machines could miss something far more deadly: explosive material taped to someone's abdomen or hidden inside a cavity. Researchers and security experts question the technology's ability to detect chemical explosives that are odorless, far smaller than previous incarnations, and easily molded to fool machines and security screeners into thinking they are part of the human body. Government testing, which has been mostly classified because of security concerns, has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of the full-body scanners.

Based partly on early successes, federal officials are planning to continue an unprecedented roll-out of the technology over the next year. By New Year's Day, about 500 machines will be in use across the country, including at the Washington area's three major airports. By the end of next year, 1,000 X-ray machines will be operational, accounting for roughly half of the nation's 2,000 lanes of security checkpoints. U.S. officials have also considered whether the machines could be used to enhance security at passenger rail stations...

[CreekDog]

1. I feel so much safer

not. :eyes:

(perhaps someone could have hit me in the eye with one of those MJ baggies)

[Brickbat]

2. Thank GOD they're finding those small baggies of marijuana. Just THINK of what might happen if they

had made it onto the plane. WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE DEVASTATION??

[LisaL]

20. Oh the horror! The horror!

[egoclothes]

3. good catch. that will teach those "terrorists" not

to wrap their pot in baggies!!


SIGH!!

[RKP5637]

4. Follow the money trail ... n/t

[0rganism]

5. dammit! if only i'd wrapped my pot in explosives!

:eyes:

[get the red out]

6. Amazing!!!

All those years ago in college, I never knew that the dorm could have blown to hell at any moment!!! OMG!!!

:sarcasm:

[elias49]

7. Thanks for fucking up my vacation, TSA

Was really looking forward to catching a mild buzz with the brother I haven't seen in 6 years. 3 days on the left coast...my 6 gms of hydro in the trash. (Or somewhere)
Eat shit.

[hlthe2b]

8. Napolitano is as clueless as any Bush* DHS appointee...

Last I checked their mission is not to enforce drug laws. This only underscores the incompetence.

[Alameda]

9. I'm more concerned about the from 78 to 1,000 scanners in use

Isn't there a way to stop this very expensive insanity....NOW???

"full-body scanners in use at 78 U.S. airports" "By the end of next year, 1,000 X-ray machines will be operational"

What is the cost of each one of these, who is getting wealthy, who is being exposed to risky and dangerous health side effects?

[timtom]

10. Hooray for TSA!!!

Now, let's get some more of those pot-smoking evildoers! We'll see who's who and what's what around here. Yessiree!

(I can't stand any more TSA bullshit!!!! I'm trying real hard not to scream.)

[BeyondGeography]

11. Boooooooooo

[jberryhill]

12. Nitwits

How many planes have been threatened from marijuana?

I'm surprised the TSA would even mention these seizures as "successes" since it is pretty likely that the overwhelming majority of the flying public doesn't give a shit if some passenger has weed in his pocket.

[HopeHoops]

13. Wow. Thank GOD they kept those pot heads from toking up in the bathroom and staring out the window.

"Wow, dude, like check it out. We're on TOP of the clouds. Farm out, man."

[fascisthunter]

14. Only a Major Dork would Use this an Affirmation of Safety

[Edweird]

15. Does calling this a 'success' count as an admission that the scanners aren't about our 'safety'?

[truebrit71]

16. It does seem to make it pretty bloody obvious doesn't it?

...bread and circuses...

[crikkett]

19. BINGO

[walldude]

17. Small amounts of Marijuana... "Early Successes"

Woo Hoo, Hundreds of millions in security to nail a couple of joints. And because we found a couple of joints "It's A Success!"... This country is fucked.

[Vickers]

18. Fucking pot-smoking terrorists.

:grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr: