New Technology For Airline Security

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newsfeed.time.com - Privacy-mongers, rejoice! The Transportation Security Administration, having been hammered by the public for their use of body imaging, is field testing a new technology that will hopefully keep your unmentionables where they belong: out of sight, and out of the hands of strangers.

The software, called Automatic Target Recognition, or ATR, displays only a generic stick-figure image, rather than the actual outline of the traveler being screened. And instead of a security officer in another room looking at the image — a step TSA took before to make sure no one was feeling ogled — the passenger can check out the cartoonish abstraction alongside the security officer at the checkpoint.

An image only pops up if there's something unusual detected on the body — otherwise there's just a big green screen that says “OK” — and said anomalous area is highlighted on the stick-figure.

The technology was first tested at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, starting Feb. 1, and has since been expanded to two others: Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International.

Should field testing go well over the next few months, Pistole says, the change could be a universal one. The method, of course, is still not foolproof, but the level of security is theoretically equal to the current imaging machines.

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Blog author's comments - TSA Spokesperson James Fotenos has said that TSA is testing the new technology "which would transmit images only when an alarm is triggered." TSA sees this new technology as a viable option for the future.

Privacy concerns have been raised about the current scanners as well as fears of radiation exposure.

TSA, Obama and Napolitano - What Price In Dignity and Privacy Are We Willing To Pay?

Strip Search USA
investors.com - Safety: When U.S soldiers with nail clippers and flight attendants who've survived breast cancer are treated as potential terrorists, you know the TSA is "acting stupidly." Yet the administration thinks everything is fine.

Imagine the department of motor vehicles with cattle prods, and you're close to the mentality exhibited by Transportation Safety Administration chief John Pistole on CNN's "State of the Union" show Sunday. He told host Candy Crowley that what the Israelis have "is top-notch security," but the U.S. won't use these techniques because America does not profile.

Excuse us? The U.S. won't use what the world's No.1 terrorist target has shown to be effective because it's allegedly discriminatory, but is willing to strip-search grandmas and little children at random? This is cruelty and inefficiency raised to a science.

On Saturday, President Obama called the full-body scanners and groin checks being performed "a huge inconvenience for all of us."

Then there were the 100 Indiana National Guardsmen returning from duty in Afghanistan who were forced to exit their plane during a stop. They were all carrying unloaded M4 Carbines and M-240B machine guns. One had his tool kit confiscated and had to give up his nail clippers because a soldier on his way home from protecting his country might use them to take over the aircraft.

Mr. President, this is more than an inconvenience. This is barbaric, inhumane, unnecessary and arguably unconstitutional. It's a sad day when Khalid Sheik Mohammed has a greater presumption of innocence than American soldiers and the civilians they fight and die to protect.- Entire column > >

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Blog author's comments - TSA does not need a little profiling, but a ton of profiling to stop this fiasco. The pat-downs are just the latest in a long string of misdirection's by the powers that be resulting in America's citizens being humiliated. The terrorists are surely having a great time watching what is happening to our country.

It says a lot about our society and none of it good, that we’ve reached the point that we think that being considered racist for doing sensible profiling like the Israelis do is somehow worse than being blown up by those who hate us.

Most airlines are already struggling - this latest tactic by the Obama Administration could be that he wants to take over the airline industry. He already controls health care, GM and Chrysler among others. Not bad for less than two years in office.

To echo Ann Coulter's thoughts, soon there will be a sign on your way to security check-in which reads: "Please have your genitalia out and ready to be fondled when you approach the security checkpoint."Either that or those who take multiple round trip flights each month will be subjected to some radiation from the scanning machines. Take your pick, Obama knows best!

Rep.- elect Allen West said: "There are two aspects of terrorism. One aspect of terrorism is to kill you. The other aspect of terrorism is to create a disruption of your lifestyle through fear and intimidation," "So they have still won even though the underwear bomber was not successful in killing us. They have still won."

Cartoon by Mike Keefe

TSA to Block "Controversial Opinion" on the Web

(CBS News)
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is blocking certain websites from the federal agency's computers, including halting access by staffers to any Internet pages that contain a "controversial opinion," according to an internal email obtained by CBS News.

The email was sent to all TSA employees from the Office of Information Technology on Friday afternoon.

It states that as of July 1, TSA employees will no longer be allowed to access five categories of websites that have been deemed "inappropriate for government access."

The categories include:
-Chat/Messaging
- Controversial opinion
- Criminal activity
- Extreme violence (including cartoon violence) and gruesome content
- Gaming

The email does not specify how the TSA will determine if a website expresses a "controversial opinion."

There is also no explanation as to why controversial opinions are being blocked, although the email stated that some of the restricted websites violate the Employee Responsibilities and Conduct policy.

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Blog author comment - The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano aka 'Big Sis' issued new censorship rules to the TSA late last Friday afternoon, hoping her edict would slip through unnoticed over the long holiday weekend.

How will they determine just what is "controversial opinion",hmm? I think that most of us know the answer to that question. Any site that is critical of the Obama administration will be "controversial". Napolitano was told to do this by 'The Master' of us all, Barack Hussein Obama.

Well, if any of the TSA employees would by chance, stumble onto this lowly site, it would be off limits to them, too "controversial".