[filmscanners] Re: Re:Digital PIC

["Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>]

Arthur writes:

> Apparently, the "rules" only have to be
> followed by those who don't have any guns.

She could have insisted that the police intervene.  Among them there would
have probably been someone who really did know the regulations.

> From what I have read, X-Rays do not usually
> damage either magnetic media or memory cards
> unless there are electro magnetic fields
> involved.

Magnetic fields are not intrinsic to x-ray devices and in any case they must
be in very close proximity to magnetic media in order to harm them.  Memory
cards are immune to magnetic fields.

X-rays _can_ cause a problem if they are intense enough to ionize components
of CF cards, in which case the charges they contain (which hold the memory)
can leak away, corrupting or erasing information on the card.  This requires
a lot more power than is normally used just to see through things, however.
Higher-energy rays, such as gamma rays and cosmic rays, can accomplish this
more easily.  Normally x-ray equipment, even the high-power stuff, poses no
threat to CF cards and similar devices.

> As an interesting aside to this, recent tests
> done at airports indicated that people were
> able to get into "secured areas" with relative
> ease in many larger airports, including into
> areas where only authorized personnel were
> allowed.

The visible "security" at airports is essentially just for show.  It does
nothing to prevent the real bad guys from getting in.

> Personally, I'd feel safer if just 10% of the
> money being wasted on appeasing people into
> this false sense of security was used to properly
> test and maintain the aircraft, and to make sure
> the pilots weren't working extended hours without
> proper rest.

Most people think that security cannot be good unless it is visible, and
also think that any visible "security" is good security.  This is why
soldiers stroll around airports and train stations in jungle camouflage.



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