Taking Our Shoes Off For Nothing - X-Ray Machines DON'T Detect Explosives!

[kpete]

kpete: We Have Been Taking Our Shoes Off For Nothing

Report: X-rays don't detect explosives
By LESLIE MILLER, Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON - The government's new order that all airline passengers put their shoes through X-ray machines won't help screeners find a liquid or gel that can be used as a bomb.

The machines are unable to detect explosives, according to a Homeland Security report on aviation screening recently obtained by The Associated Press.

..................

In its April 2005 report, "Systems Engineering Study of Civil Aviation Security — Phase I," the Homeland Security Department concluded that images on X-ray machines don't provide the information necessary to detect explosives.

Machines used at most airports to scan hand-held luggage, purses, briefcases and shoes have not been upgraded to detect explosives since the report was issued.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060815/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/terror_plot_security_32

[A HERETIC I AM]

1. The only thing an X-Ray detects is density.

The relative density of a material in relation to material around it. The fact that an X-Ray cant detect explosives is sort of intuitive, isnt it?

[xultar]

2. Yeah. That is what makes this so stupid. It has always been

a threat.

[gratuitous]

3. More huffing and puffing

And creating the illusion of security by the feckless and corrupt Bush administration. "Make 'em take off their shoes, that'll make 'em think they're safe."

It's been well over a year since Homeland Security issued its report that current methods don't do a goddam thing. And what has Congress done to upgrade equipment? What has the administration done to make things more efficient, and better able to detect liquid or gel explosives? Nothing. Zip. Nada. Bupkis.

Tell me again how the GOP is better on security issues and national defense? It's just amazing to me that this canard waddles out time and again on the airwaves and in print and nobody gets a concussion from falling down laughing. But then, it's not really very funny, is it?

[savemefromdumbya]

15. Do we have to take off our shoes to go on a train?

[tocqueville]

4. Depends on WHAT machine you have

http://www.xrayit.com/

"Our Xpose 2000 fluoroscopic x-Ray device offers the world’s largest real-time image for security screening. It’s perfect for detecting contraband, weapons, or explosives!

Best of all, our large 3D images offer a fresh perspective. Rotate suspicious bags or parcels and get the best angle of view. Discover as well two substances—liquid and powders—that often miss regular scrutiny.

Real-time x-ray technology is crucial for snagging the bad guys. Which is why this very same technology is used by Israeli embassies around the globe."

there are machines of that type all around the world already and even more advanced technology is available.

The article quoting HS is nothing but propaganda. Of course COMMON X-ray machines won't detect explosives. More advanced will.

[MorningGlow]

5. I'm still cheesed about the whole shoe thing

Smelly. Actually, I'm in a general rage about all this "closing the barn door after the horses are long gone." One idiot tries to light his shoe on fire, we all have to take our shoes off.

:wtf:

Now this stupid liquid explosives tale--who knows if it's even got a modicum of truth attached to it--and we all have to throw out our hand lotion and lip balm. If these plots were "foiled", why do we have to pretend that we're all potential terrrrrists who would attempt the same thing even after these plots were "discovered"?

Oh. Wait. I'm applying logic. My mistake. Must get back to basics: FEAR! FEAR! FEAR!

There. Much better.

[RaleighNCDUer]

6. I only thought the shoe thing was to allow a visual inspection of the shoe

for explosives, and an xray for knife blades. It never occured to me that scanning shoes would find explosives. Just didn't make sense.

[tocqueville]

9. no sniffing ?

with dogs of course...

[sui generis]

8. they need to confiscate paper

do you know how afraid Americans are of getting paper cuts? Why, you could take a plane out of the air with a mere Harlequin romance if you really thought about it, or bludgeon a flight attendant with a Tolstoy novel or practically any version of the bible.

Beware the paper cutting book bludgeoning terrorists!!!! Let's start confiscating reading materials.

Binary explosive? Just let me eat a raw onion before boarding.

You know, the safest thing we can do is to permanently ban all passengers from flying, come to think of it.

Chertoff needs to tender his resignation. It is absolutely unbelievable that if liquid explosives are REALLY a threat that he hadn't done a SINGLE GOD DAMN THING about it before now, and moreover, the airports weren't even remotely prepared for the possibility.

[MorningGlow]

11. Indeed--are they lazy or just plain stupid?

Never anticipated a plot to fly planes into buildings...

Never anticipated the breach of the levees...

Never anticipated that Iraq would become a quagmire complete with civil war...

Never anticipated the many ways to bring down airplanes even though these guys were supposedly under surveillance for a YEAR. I mean, call me crazy, but wouldn't it have been more useful to screen for liquid explosives while they allegedly knew the terrrists were going to allegedly try that?

Och--there's that pesky logic again. Somebody stop me.

Actually, I truly, truly believe that the people of this administration are consciously doing NOTHING for this country or the rest of the world--they're just spending the entire time in power lining their pockets. Everyone else can go to hell.

[im10ashus]

7. They always made me take off my shows post 9/11

:shrug:

[wakeme2008]

10. As a person that worked on the big explosive detecting scanners

It take a high speed processor to find them. The cheap units at TSA check in do not have the processor and software to do it.

Having said that, if you have a funny LOOKING heel then a TSA agent could see that and have your shoes checked. But only a well know "shoe bomber" would have things in his heels.... :rofl:

[Hugin]

12. I'm thinking the gold fish swimming around in the heel would be a giveaway

:eyes:

Disco lives on.

[leesa]

13. It's not for nothing. The purpose is to keep you afraid.

[savemefromdumbya]

14. exactly, what about toothpaste?

[Warpy]

16. No, but what they DO detect is metal bits

that have been jammed between layers of rubber like razor blades, plus gross distortion of the shoe caused by stuffing C-4 into it if the bombers have been clumsy (and most are).

I resented it the last time I flew because those tile floors in NM are damned cold in January.

The "sniffer" machines that the GOP tried to cancel by cutting funding are the best bet for detecting explosive residue on socks within those shoes.

[deaniac21]

17. OUTRAGE!!

[leftofthedial]

18. NOTHING about airport screening

is related to safety

it is fear-mongering propaganda, a "frog-boiling" approach to totalitarianism and training the populace to tolerate loss of liberty and public humiliation.


edit to clarify: airport screening changes since 9-11

[Freedom_Aflaim]

19. It makes Naive people feel better about flying

The entire purpose of TSA is to make people stand inline and feel good about flying.

They do nothing for safety. Nothing.