Obama Admin to Add Routine Human X-ray Exposure at U.S. Borders of Occupied Vehicles

by: asagady

Wed Jan 18, 2012 at 19:31:28 PM EST

The Department of Homeland Security is proposing a system of routine human X-Radiation exposure for those making land crossings at U.S. Borders.

All X-radiation has the potential for harm.   We formerly had a public health concept that humans were not to be exposed to X-radiation unless there was a specific health/medical benefit to the person exposed.    The advent of airport X-ray scanning as the preferred method of conducting searches of airport passengers seems to have reversed the previous policy.   The same airport X-ray equipment paid for by the administration's stimulus program.

Now, DHS wants us all to now feel comfortable as we are X-ray'd in our vehicle driving up to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection station.

The X-radiation is for scanning vehicles and not people, but they are contemplating routine X-ray scanning of vehicles while people are still in their vehicles at border crossings [with the option of allowing the occupants to exit if they wish].  

There is probably some company waiting to sell a lot of equipment out there that is going to make a hell of lot of money, just like on the airport X-ray screening equipment.  

I've seem to recall hearing that past technological screening equipment to detect ionizing radiation at US Borders that has already been installed has not been reliable/dependable.  However, that equipment did not create any radiation exposure as they were detectors and not scanners.   DHS should get strict scrutiny on this latest effort to substitute X-ray scanning technology for humans searching vehicles for contraband.

Granholm to End Inspections & Enforcement on Demolition/Renovation Asbestos Emitters

by: asagady

Mon Mar 23, 2009 at 10:11:19 AM EDT

Granholm Plans to End MDEQ Policing of Cancer-Causing Asbestos Emissions from Demolition and Renovation Operations

Governor Jennifer Granholm's proposed Fiscal 2009-2010 budget eliminates Michigan inspections and enforcement of Federal Clean Air Act emission control requirements on asbestos-related demolition, renovation and waste disposal operations.

Although the federal rules requiring control measures would remain legally binding, neither Michigan DEQ nor U.S. EPA would run effective inspection, enforcement and complaint response to ensure compliance with the rules after the Granholm asbestos program cut is made.    

Demolition and renovation operators would not face effective enforcement since U.S. EPA is not prepared to field an asbestos inspection/enforcement program that would approach the present state efforts.

Memo to LSJ: Proposed Smoking Ban just makes Cents

by: LiberalLucy

Thu Jun 14, 2007 at 08:27:34 AM EDT

The long and short of it is that the LSJ's Editorial Board feels that the State Legislature should not pass a smoking ban in restaurants and bars, and leave that up to the business sector to work its way out. Their argument is that state legislators are being irresponsible with the funds that are coming in from the tobacco lawsuit settlement. Any state ban on smoking would be hypocritical.

Since when did government function efficently and inherently always make sense?

So we've got some less-than-fantastic lawmakers in Lansing, well yes, it happens, even to the best of us. (*Cough, term-limits, cough, cough*)

But the point is, we've got a handful of legislators, even Republicans, who stepping up and looking out for the best interest of our state.

Follow the jump below...