Newark airport controversial scanners are barely used on busiest travel day

[somone]

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/11/newark_liberty_airport_controv.html

Newark airport controversial scanners are barely used on busiest travel day
Star-Ledger Staff

NEWARK — The choice between a "virtual strip search" and a "grope" was strictly academic Wednesday for most holiday travelers flying out of Newark Liberty International Airport.

The majority of Newark’s full-body scanners were idle throughout much of the day, depriving most passengers of the chance to opt out of the controversial screening procedure even if they had wanted to.

All in all, Thanksgiving eve was a non-event at Newark Liberty, reflecting the relative calm reported at airports around the country.

"Things have gone very, very smoothly," said Ann Davis, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration. "Wait times have been kept to a minimum, and we’ve been very pleased to hear quite a few compliments and thank yous coming from passengers." ...

[KharmaTrain]

1. They Weren't Used At The Large Airports...

Methinks the TSA knew that long lines on a busy travel day would only amp up the pressure to get rid of this useless intrusion onto our privacy. Yesterday also is one of the days most TV stations send crews to take shots of the crowds...and the TSA surely wouldn't like the idea of some disruption being caught live. I heard they weren't used at O'hare either and most the stories I've read of problems have been at smaller airports. Now let's see if this pattern holds through Sunday.

[drm604]

2. Which just goes to show what a charade the whole business is.

You would think that a busy travel day, a national holiday no less, would be a prime target for terrorists and that the TSA would increase surveillance. It seems like they're more interested in protecting the image of the TSA than protecting the safety of passengers.

[LibDemAlways]

4. +1000.

[KharmaTrain]

5. They Fighting The Last War...

It's all a joke as someone determined to create a massive amount of destruction could do it long before they get to a TSA checkpoint. We discussed this last night where one could do a lot of damage just in the waiting area or in the driveways adjacent to the doors. This is turning into such a political game now and all sides are in CYA mode. Meanwhile the real "terrorists" (and I fear those already inside rather than some boogieman in a cave) have already found the next worm hole.

Cheers...

[suffragette]

10. That's it, exactly

If they don't need to use them on a holiday, why do they need to use them at all.
And in this, just as in the decision not to use enhanced methods after protests the first time they introduced them in 2004, they are saying themselves that appropriate security can be achieved without using such drastic and intrusive methods.

:hi:

[LibDemAlways]

3. Even Keith Olbermann was fooled into running a story about how

few "opt outs" there were - when the truth was that in many cases it was impossible to "opt out" of the scanners because they had been shut down.

Makes one question the importance of the scanners.

It also apparently didn't dawn on the media that more people than usual may have said "Screw it. I'm not being x-rayed or groped" and didn't fly at all.

[Celtic Raven]

6. The numbers will be interesting

but the stand down of the porno-scans should go viral. Their meme has been that passenger safety absolutely requires these machines.

[LibDemAlways]

8. Ironically, if a passenger is concerned about his health, he should

steer clear of those machines. X-rays at the airport? With the machine operated by a person who is not a certified-ray tech and may well have been recruited off a pizza box ad? And viewed by another equally qualified individual?

No thanks.

[Celtic Raven]

9. Exactly why we're not flying

And, as someone asked on another thread, why aren't the TSA agents wearing radiation monitoring badges? Each time I've ever had an x-ray the techs & nurses were shielded and had radiation counters on their scrubs or coats.

[backscatter712]

7. They turned them off to neuter the protests.

Which means I wonder just how necessary they actually are, considering that the TSA felt they could just turn them off on the busiest flying day of the year. They're not necessary for security, that's for sure...

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. So now it is NOT Gizmodo

But media...

This s goo actually.

[frylock]

12. how many planes were exploded as a result?

[flyarm]

13. On Tampa News last night they said they weren't used at any major airport yesterday!

what a freaking joke ..

But thesee machines are soooooooooooo needed for your security!!

What an embarrassment this country has become.