Naked Scanners, Big Content, and Groin Groping
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Tue 16th Nov 2010 22:34 UTC
In the News As none other I know how problematic it is to discuss matters related to politics on the web. However, every now and then, there's no way around it, and this is one of those moments. There's this thing going on at airports in the US, and while many will see it as a separate issue, the body scanner issue, and the sad stories it has spawned, are symptoms of a far larger problem that is a direct threat to everything we've fought for during and since the Enlightenment.
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vodoomoth
Member since:
2010-03-30


And for what? Because 3500 people died 9 years ago? It sucks for those 3500 people and their relatives, but dear lord, 150000 people are murdered every year in the US alone. And let's not even get started about how many people have died in Afghanistan and Iraq due to West's involvement (including that of my own country, sadly).

It's time for perspective in this idiotic terrorist debate.

I read the story and started reading the comments and I hadn't taken any stance yet apart from a vague resistance to both the scanner and patting method... until I read you and thought "he's right". Because what you wrote reminded me of something that I thought about last year when that swine flu was raging: people in Africa and the third world (or "developing countries" as is politically correct these days) die from malaria by millions each year! And the money necessary to cut that figure in half is ridiculously low compared to what is spent on "marginally effective" (but oh, so costly) security measures.

May I re-add to the debate that, as project_2501 wrote
How effective are these intrusions - do you really think those intent on bad things will fail at these hurdles? No. They're only for show.

these people intent on doing evil will find other ways. An example is the fact that air mail transport (by Air France) from Yemen to France has been stopped, just days ago, after several explosive envelopes (or boxes, don't remember) have been detected. IIRC, the French president and the Greek prime minister were among the targets.

If I were one of those terrorists, I would take a somewhat more likely to succeed path, like going the James Bond way: high sea boat, divers, propelled lightweight vehicles, beach, strike and back. I'm sure Tom Clancy has tons of such scenarios at disposal, but what happens then? Nets against undersea vehicles on thousands of kilometers of shoreline?

Reply Parent Score: 3

jabbotts Member since:
2007-09-06

I've heard that nothing in the navy can currently catch a cigarette boat. Load it with explosives and drive into a ship. (I'm guessing a missile would stop the sucker but it's still a remarkably low cost attack compared with the cost of defence.) I think Mr Steel mentioned most recently.

Reply Parent Score: 2