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Junk-Revealing Body Scanners Make JFK Debut

Yesterday, a few lucky travelers going through JFK security were chosen to leave their shoes on and enter the giant "backscatter" X-Ray machines for a full body scan (and possibly cancer). Signs reportedly warned that anyone refusing the X-Ray option would be subject to a "thorough" pat-down, leaving many travelers uncomfortable. One woman asked the Post, “At 72 years of age, this is what it has come to? Taking off my shoes, having someone go in by bag — I guess you have to do it. But this I have an issue with." Well, how else are they supposed to find your dangerous titanium hip?

But unlike the suspicious woman above, travelers who had nothing to hide seemed in favor of the new scanners. “The plane’s secure, you're secure, whatever it takes to keep the plane secure,” one traveler told NY1. Another, possibly kinkier passenger said, "I'd like to see what it's like. It seems intrusive."

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano assured that the X-Ray images are deleted within 20 seconds, and said they're actually less intrusive because the employees reviewing the images don't see the person's face. With a pat-down, employees have a chance to associate a face to the body. She said of the scanners, "That's not an invasion, invasion or die, pretty easy decision to me." Now that's a slogan if we've ever heard one.

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Comments [rss]

  • JacqueMehoff

    the look on that tsa agent's face doing this to his own co-worker is enough for me to say I'll opt out of this and endure the "thorough" pat-down.

  • swoop

    Remember when Americans once chanted "Live free or die."

  • mocanlagunas

    So, they'll get cancer? Ah, poetic justice... hopefully their bosses get it too...

  • Kelles

    Why is that TSA agent looking at porn on her computer when she should be working? ...Oh no, she's just checking out an unusually large suspicious package on a passenger!

  • MrCow

    i'll go with the thorough grope, thank you.

  • Spirit of 76

    If somebody came out with men's briefs anatomically padded with a material that scans identically to human flesh, they'd make a fortune.

  • Dan

    and they still make you take your shoes off...i hope you can leave you belt and keep stuff in your pockets at least.

  • seaanemoneman

    I will refuse these only because I have to lift my arms up over my head. A defenseless position. Like a criminal.

  • Steven RH

    It's am XXX-Ray machine

  • ForrestWhitaker

    Fuck these things, and the TSA.

  • Guest

    stripper: "wtf is the actual problem here?"

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