Looks like airports are going to be seeing a little more than your underpants, since eventually over 2000 of the nation's airports will be replacing metal detectors with body-scanners that can see through your clothing.  You've probably heard of these scanners before...they can see your body parts very clearly.






"Body-scanning machines that show images of people underneath their clothing are being installed in 10 of the nation's busiest airports in one of the biggest public uses of security devices that reveal intimate body parts.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently started using body scans on randomly chosen passengers in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Denver, Albuquerque and at New York's Kennedy airport.

Airports in Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas and Miami will be added this month. Reagan National Airport in Washington starts using a body scanner today. A total of 38 machines will be in use within weeks.

"It's the wave of the future," said James Schear, the TSA security director at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where two body scanners are in use at one checkpoint.

Schear said the scanners could eventually replace metal detectors at the nation's 2,000 airport checkpoints and the pat-downs done on passengers who need extra screening. "We're just scratching the surface of what we can do with whole-body imaging," Schear said."

Read the full story on USA Today

When I lived in Florida, back in the 70's and would go on trips by plane, while sitting in Miami International Airport, or Ft. Lauderdale Airport, the thought and fear of a hijack to Cuba would always be in the back of my mind.  Hijacking seemed quite frequent back then (once in your local airport was enough).

After 9-11 we all accepted the TSA airport security requirements.  While inconveniences, they became a somewhat normal part of travel.  What might have been a 2-4 hour ordeal in travel was now expanded by at least two hours.  

We still keep accepting each new security requirement as it comes along.   We grumble.  But we do our part.  There's a reason for this madness, isn't there?  We can't forget those lives that were lost and sacrificed on 9-11.

I will never forget those lives lost.  But my views on our current security system have changed since I read an article by a commercial airline pilot, Patrick Smith. He says the following:

"In years past, a takeover meant hostage negotiations and standoffs; crews were trained in the concept of “passive resistance.” All of that changed forever the instant American Airlines Flight 11 collided with the north tower. What weapons the 19 men possessed mattered little; the success of their plan relied fundamentally on the element of surprise. And in this respect, their scheme was all but guaranteed not to fail."

"For several reasons — particularly the awareness of passengers and crew — just the opposite is true today. Any hijacker would face a planeload of angry and frightened people ready to fight back. Say what you want of terrorists, they cannot afford to waste time and resources on schemes with a high probability of failure. And thus the September 11th template is all but useless to potential hijackers".

Read Patrick Smith's full article on the NY Times, Jet Lagged

The Airport Security Follies     ◄  here


While I have doubted the training and experience of the TSA employees in many airports, I had never really thought good and hard before about the airport security program and its future.  Patrick Smith shows there is nothing but failure on the horizon for the program.

Homeland Security needs to rethink what our priorities are in our airports.

What do you think after reading the article?

The Department of Homeland Security plans to replace the current two-fingerprint scanners with new 10‑fingerprint scanners at all U.S. ports of entry over the next year.

On November 29, 2007, Homeland Security began the initial transition at Washington Dulles International Airport. In early 2008, nine U.S. airports will also collect additional fingerprints from international visitors. They include:

• Boston Logan International Airport (Boston, Mass.)
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (Chicago, Ill.)
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (Detroit, Mich.)
• Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, Ga.)
• George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (Houston, Texas)
• Miami International Airport (Miami, Fla.)
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York, N.Y.)
• Orlando International Airport (Orlando, Fla.)
• San Francisco International Airport. (San Francisco, Calif.)

The Department of State currently uses 10‑fingerprint scanners at most of its visa‑issuing posts and will complete deployment worldwide by the end of 2007.

The transition from collecting two digital fingerprints to collecting 10 fingerprints from international visitors is one of the department’s top priorities because it furthers the department's ability to keep dangerous people out of the United States, while making legitimate travel more efficient.

Your thoughts?

 

America the Unwelcoming 
   

Dr. Fareed Zakaria, an immigrant, and Editor of Newsweek International, accuses the United States of being UNWELCOMING to foreign travelers.  We're the ONLY country that is so hard on those that want to enter, even just for business purposes. 


He says: 

"Every American who has a friend abroad has heard some story about the absurd hassle and humiliation of entering or exiting the United States. But these pale in comparison to the experience of foreigners who commit minor infractions. A tourist from New Zealand, Rick Giles, mistakenly overstayed his visa in America by a few days and found himself summarily arrested for six weeks earlier this fall. Treaty obligations say his country's embassy should have been informed of the arrest, but it wasn't. A German visitor, Valeria Vinnikova, overstayed her visa by a couple of days and tried to remedy the situation—so that she could spend more time with her fianc[e], the Dartmouth College squash coach. Instead she was handcuffed and had her feet shackled, then was carted off to be imprisoned. She now faces deportation and a 10-year ban on entering the United States. (Thanks to AndrewSullivan .com for drawing attention to these.)"
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Extreme cases ....  perhaps? 

If not, so what?  Why shouldn't we be suspect of each and every foreign visitor who enters our country if they commit an infraction, even if it is MINOR? 

Why must we always make exceptions for those who can't conform to OUR laws? 

Why are we ALWAYS the bad guys?

Read America the Unwelcoming and make your own decision. 

This is a huge BUMP for me. 

This is my country.  I'm inconvenienced in many ways since 9-11, especially at airports, all government buildings, schools and more.  Don't whine to me because you, a foreigner, have to be inconvenienced because you have a MINOR INFRACTION when I have committed none and am willing to make concessions daily in order to keep my fellow American citizens safe!

Yes, I AM UNGLUED.  Every American should be, as well.

So Thursday I will give thanks that I live in America. 

I will give thanks for the fact that I am FREE. 

I thank god for the day my grandfather traveled here from Latvia by himself, not speaking a word of English, got off a ship with just a tag around his neck, with his name on it. 

A "peasant" is what he was classified on his passport. 

He came here LEGALLY. 

He followed the SYSTEM. 

He LEARNED the LANGUAGE. 

He became a CITIZEN

He WORKED hard. 

He was proud to be an AMERICAN.

I am proud to be an American!


 

Last year when a new travel law enforcing everyone going out of the country present their passport, there was a clamor amongst most travelers.  The announcement was abrupt and the agency that issues passports were on a backlog.  That seemed to be unfair since for years US travelers only needed to show their identification to be able to go through and visit Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  Because of the inconveniences, the law was temporarily suspended.  But those that are allowed to travel without a passport still have to show proof that they applied for a passport.

Now the backlog has been cleared and the law is slowly being enforced. Currently, anyone who travels by air to these mentioned countries and territories have to show their passports. This will be required for travel from now on. You can’t say to the people in the airlines that you’re waiting for the passport to come and all you have is a receipt.

The US government was able to produce 12 million passports last year to answer the backlog. When the backlog of passports started, it used to be more than two months before you could actually receive the passport. The usual turnaround time for passport requests is now in six weeks which is the standard procedure.

If you’re not traveling by air, you can still show the customary papers to go through the border. It could be a government issued ID such as drivers license or marriage certificate. For kids, they will be required to show their birth certificate to be allowed to cross the borders of the country. But you have to show that you applied for passport.

The exception of land and water based travel will not stay long. In January 2008, anyone who crosses the border should show their passports. Even when you’re traveling by land, air or water, you do not only show a valid ID but you have to show your passport at the same time. Passport is also required if you want to go back to the country. That includes the kids and the infants.

Another temporary exception will be those that will travel before the end of the year and will go back on January 2008. Since a passport is not required to pass through the borders before 2008, you can go back without any passport required.

So if you’re planning to go to these places sometime next year, better apply for a passport now. If it’s your first time to apply for a passport, you have to do it in person. There are more than 9,000 centers that you can apply personally around the country. A personal appearance is also required if you’re passport has been expired for more than 15 years. For passport renewals, you can go online and download the form. Send the form with two passport-worthy photos and $67.00 renewal fee.

If you want your processing expedited, add $60.00 for rush processing but standard processing is only six to eight weeks. Give yourself at least two months before you can actually go out of the country from now on.

The passport application fee includes the $12.00 Security Surcharge, which became effective March 8, 2005.

The Passport Services Office provides information and services to American citizens about how to obtain, replace or change a passport.

A passport is an internationally recognized travel document that verifies the identity and nationality of the bearer. A valid U.S. passport is required to enter and leave most foreign countries. Only the U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports.

New Application for a U.S. Passport

To obtain a passport for the first time, you need to go in person to one of over 9,000 passport acceptance facilities located throughout the United States with two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship, and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

Acceptance facilities include many Federal, state and probate courts, post offices, some public libraries and a number of county and municipal offices. There are also 13 regional passport agencies, and 1 Gateway City Agency, which serve customers who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. Appointments are required in such cases.

You’ll need to apply in person if you are applying for a U.S. passport for the first time:  if your expired U.S. passport is not in your possession; if your previous U.S. passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago; if your previous U.S. passport was issued when you were under age 16; or if your currently valid U.S. passport has been lost or stolen.

For more information on getting a new passport, please visit How to get a passport page.

Renewal of a U.S. Passport

You can renew by mail if: Your most recent passport is available to submit and it is not damaged; you received the passport within the past 15 years; you were over age 16 when it was issued; you still have the same name, or can legally document your name change.

You can get a passport renewal application form by downloading it from this site.

If your passport has been, altered or damaged, you cannot apply by mail. You must apply in person.

For more information on how to renew a passport, please visit How to renew a passport page.
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