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Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

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Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#111

Post by nikster »

jerf wrote: post #43

So, the risk from a backscatter radiation machine is roughly equal to the risk from terrorism. The Federal Government, via the FDA, tells us that the risk of the backscatter machine is "minuscule". Therefore, in the Federal government's own risk terminology, the risk from terrorism is "miniscule". Why are we spending all this money on a "miniscule" threat? Why are sexually molesting the population over a "miniscule"…

"Why are we spending all this money on a "miniscule" threat? Why are sexually molesting the population over a "miniscule" threat? (Rhetorical)"

There are companies that are selling these things are and are making fistfuls of money, some of which goes right back into political campaigns etc. In other countries that would be called corruption. In the USA, it's legal.

Think about it - why does the government go on to spend huge amounts of money and piss everyone off? Was there a cause that means we now suddenly need these sensors and groping procedures? Was there a terrorist attack that I missed? Were there politicians campaigning for this who then got elected - I guess I missed that too?!

Kids can certainly forget about putting on sunscreen now, as you're way more likely to get skin cancer from the airport. Either that or they get sexually molested.

The terrorists have very clearly won right now.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#112

Post by lukeqsee »

zoomzoom wrote: post #108

I can't believe that even on HN there are so many posts about something so dumb. Our country is up in arms about some new X-ray machines that a corrupt defense contractor sold to an overzealous department of homeland security in a panic after 9/11, and yet we are hardly this angry about the 2 wars we are fighting or the fact that the New Start treaty is about to be ran over with a bulldozer. Please, let's get over th…

I can believe it, and you know why? Because our country still cares about personal American liberty.

Viva la libertad!

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#113

Post by Groxx »

lukeqsee wrote: post #110
grellas wrote: post #87

I don't think I know anyone who isn't spitting mad about this TSA thing. Quite an accomplishment, really, for the feds to manage to unite the entire country - left, right, center, and from every strata of society - on a given issue. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

The accomplishment is amazing. I guess our country really still does care about liberty and -- imagine this -- the constitution. Trouble is, are people going to do anything with their "spitting mad[ness]?" I hope they do.

I think they just have an irrational fear of radiation outside the doctor's office (whether or not that's valid here) - due to it being crammed down their throats for decades - and a massive aversion to being seen naked - also largely due to it being crammed down their throats for decades.

If they like liberty, why did/do they not get as spitting mad about the Patriot Act, the DMCA, and the ACTA? I'm guessing it's because their naked butts aren't staring them in the face after being irradiated.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#114

Post by cvg »

grellas wrote: post #87

I don't think I know anyone who isn't spitting mad about this TSA thing. Quite an accomplishment, really, for the feds to manage to unite the entire country - left, right, center, and from every strata of society - on a given issue. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

I guess in a weird way the administration, through Janet Napolitano, is uniting the country.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#115

Post by lukeqsee »

Groxx wrote: post #113
lukeqsee wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The accomplishment is amazing. I guess our country really still does care about liberty and -- imagine this -- the constitution. Trouble is, are people going to do anything with their "spitting mad[ness]?" I hope they do.

I think they just have an irrational fear of radiation outside the doctor's office (whether or not that's valid here) - due to it being crammed down their throats for decades - and a massive aversion to being seen naked - also largely due to it being crammed down their throats for decades. If they like liberty, why did/do they not get as spitting mad about the Patriot Act, the DMCA, and the ACTA? I'm guessing it's be…

Absolutely right.

It seems the media for good or ill drives the country and their responses. Hopefully the internet will eventually change that.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#116

Post by bittermang »

Do you know who else was told that the product they were dealing with was completely safe?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls

The group who would come to be known as the Radium Girls. They were told that Radium was safe if ingested, and many of them would lick the tips of their paint brushes, or paint their teeth and nails with the substance. Soon after they began suffering radiation poisoning, but were discredited of their claims by the company publicly defaming them as contracting syphilis.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#117

Post by frossie »

grellas wrote: post #87

I don't think I know anyone who isn't spitting mad about this TSA thing. Quite an accomplishment, really, for the feds to manage to unite the entire country - left, right, center, and from every strata of society - on a given issue. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

You might not know anybody who is not spitting mad, but I have never seen anyone opt out when I have travelled through equipped airports.

As long as people are going through them like sheep, I am not sure the media storm will change much.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#118

Post by DanielBMarkham »

grellas wrote: post #87

I don't think I know anyone who isn't spitting mad about this TSA thing. Quite an accomplishment, really, for the feds to manage to unite the entire country - left, right, center, and from every strata of society - on a given issue. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

That's what makes it such a fascinating study in how politics works.

Here we have a new issue, which neither party is mad about, and which people of all walks of life are pretty pissed.

Parties keep people consistently voting for them by coming up with some kind of narrative around why their policies are best: "looking out for the little guy" or "getting government off your back"

It looks like this issue could fit into several narratives put forward by the parties over the past decade or two. The killer part is that parties must oppose each other: if party A is for something, party B must find a reason why it's fracked (insert long story about messaging and branding here). So that means that somehow these parties are going to have to choose a side _and_ develop a plausible narrative sometime in the very near future. Right now it's chaos. I can assure you that the spinmasters are currently hard at work.

I'm hearing one narrative already "nobody really cares about this." which sounds a lot like "nothing to see here folks, please move along" Not sure if that one is going to fly, though. I guess we'll find out.

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#119

Post by jdp23 »

grellas wrote: post #87

I don't think I know anyone who isn't spitting mad about this TSA thing. Quite an accomplishment, really, for the feds to manage to unite the entire country - left, right, center, and from every strata of society - on a given issue. I didn't think such a thing was possible.

Indeed! My blog post yesterday was "Across The Political Spectrum, A Rare Moment of Agreement — Thanks, TSA!"

http://iwilloptout.org/2010/11/17/across-the-political-spect...

Re: Chance of Dying From Backscatter Radiation Same as Chance of Terrorism

#120

Post by zoomzoom »

lukeqsee wrote: post #112
zoomzoom wrote: post #108

I can't believe that even on HN there are so many posts about something so dumb. Our country is up in arms about some new X-ray machines that a corrupt defense contractor sold to an overzealous department of homeland security in a panic after 9/11, and yet we are hardly this angry about the 2 wars we are fighting or the fact that the New Start treaty is about to be ran over with a bulldozer. Please, let's get over th…

I can believe it, and you know why? Because our country still cares about personal American liberty. Viva la libertad!

Sometimes I get hyperbolic. What I mean to say is that these machines are a symptom of a larger problem. The time that we spend trying to get rid of these machines is time that we don't spend on solving the real problems.

I love freedom, too.

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