Slashdot Mirror
Maine Senator Wants Independent Study of TSA's Body Scanners
OverTheGeicoE writes "U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the top Republican on the homeland security committee, plans to introduce a bill that would require a new health study of the X-ray body scanners used to screen airline passengers nationwide. If the bill becomes law, TSA would be required to choose an 'independent laboratory' to measure the radiation emitted by a scanner currently in use at an airport checkpoint and use the data to produce a peer-reviewed study, to be submitted to Congress, based on its findings. The study would also evaluate the safety mechanisms on the machine and determine 'whether there are any biological signs of cellular damage caused by the scans.' Many Slashdotters are or have been involved in science. Is this a credible experimental protocol? Is it reasonable to expect an organization accused of jeopardizing the health and safety of hundreds of millions of air travelers to pick a truly unbiased lab? Would any lab chosen deliver a critical report and risk future funding? Should the public trust a study of radiology and human health designed by a US Senator whose highest degree is a bachelor's degree in government?"
Isn't this something our fabulous leaders should of demanded before spending a crap load of money and deploying them all around the nation?
Nah, that would require foresight, a quality visibly lacking from our reactive society.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
As a public health measure, we specifically designed our scanners to operate 95% on faith beams and only 5% on ionizing radiation(the fact that this also allowed the sleazy contractor not-at-all-definitely-not connected to our former leader, who definitely isn't a lich save on BOM costs was unconnected with this decision...)
If you allow skeptics to get near the machines, they'll jam the faith rays and force us to either face further terrorist attacks or turn up the radiation!
You sound like an enemy of shareholder value. And America.
Your write. I should of thought moore about weather to or knot two post this. We should all right and speak as if we have merely completionized secund grade.
Yeah, the devices we sold you were as-is. They can't be upgraded to not cause cancer. You will have to buy this all-new less cancer causing device for only twice the price of the last one.
Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!