Lawmakers in New Jersey Attempt to Ban Full Body Scanners {AOL Travel}

“A group of lawmakers in New Jersey is moving to end the use of full body scanners currently at use in Newark Liberty International Airport…The group represented both political parties as well as both houses of the legislature.”

Business Air Travel Rebounded In September {Reuters}

“Business air travel rebounded further in September, rising 12.1 percent from a year earlier, but remained below pre-recession levels, the International Air Transport Association said.”

Middle East A Go-Go: JetBlue and Emirates Buddy Up for Seamless Travel {Jaunted}

“…starting today, flyers will be able to purchase seamless flight itineraries that begin on JetBlue or Emirates and end on the other, making trips like the above (“Raleigh to Riyadh”) possible, complete with one-stop check-in and baggage transfer between the airlines.”

Passengers Push for Child-Free Flights {NY Times}

“Now, travelers without children are doing some fussing of their own. Some are calling for airlines to implement child-free flights, or designate “family-only” sections on planes, in the wake of some high-profile tantrums.”

Stash Hotel Rewards Loyalty Program Reaches 100 Independent Properties {Gadling}

“Tired of the same old loyalty chains? After just six months in business, Stash Hotel Rewards, the loyalty program that draws together independent and boutique properties has reached 100 total properties in 74 cities.”

Photo Essay: What Can $250K Buy in Real Estate Around the World? {Matador Life}

“With the economy supposedly getting better and house prices starting to level out, what will $250K get you these days?”

The cost of refusing both? For Tyner, who blogs as “Johnny Edge,” the threat of a civil suit for not completing the screening process and a potential $10,000 fine.

This is the future of your airport screening attire

We’re all for not adding stress to the lives of airline or airport employees enforcing rules, but really, a $10,000 fine for not letting someone grope at you in the name of security?

Tyner is a libertarian, but existing suspicion of government notwithstanding, how does fining someone who’s uncomfortable with anyone besides his wife or doctor touching or seeing certain areas make anyone safer?

Tyner refunded his ticket and left the airport when he realized he didn’t want to comply with security demands, which seems to minimize or thwart any potential security incident.

Radiation concerns aside, has anyone shown that these full body scans or 3rd date pat downs are even effective at finding powders like the kind the Christmas Day bomber attempted to use? In that case, the powder was sewn into the crotch area of the potential terrorist’s underwear. Had he refused a full body scan, but consented to a groping, is there really an agent trained or prepared to differentiate between genitalia and other bulges?

Plus, every demonstration photo from the full body scanners shows that they are effective at identifying metal and plastic objects, breasts and genitals, but what if – as in the case of the Christmas bomber – potentially explosive powder is wrapped in fabric or some non-plastic, non-metal object? As Tyner suggests, wouldn’t an explosives detection machine make more sense than gropings and naked body scans?

So much of the airport screening procedure is reactionary rather than preventative, and yet somehow it never makes anything completely safe. After the attempted shoe bombing? Shoes off. So, the explosives move into the underwear, and now we have the type of screenings that would require dinner and drinks in any other situation. In both cases, airport security didn’t stop these attempted attacks – alert passengers did. In the case of the would be underwear bomber, that was in spite of tips and legitimate warning signals like calls from the man’s family saying they suspected him of potential terrorist activity. Somehow, we’re guessing that the next legitimate criminal attempt will find a way around the full body screenings and invasive pat downs as well, and the groping the guy gets before boarding the plane won’t have done anything to deter it.

Enjoy those holiday flights!

Another Qantas Flight Makes Emergency Landing {TIME Newsfeed}

“The Australian airline Qantas has had a bad start to the week after an electrical fault sent smoke into the cockpit of a Boeing 747, forcing pilots to turn back to Sydney. Incredibly, this is the third occasion its jetliners have aborted flights since the Nov. 4 explosion on the Airbus A380.”

More Work Tags Along on Vacations, Survey Says {LA Times}

“In 2011, Americans will travel more often and spend more but will also stay connected with work more than ever, thanks to advances in mobile phones and the Internet, according to a survey of more than 3,000 U.S. travelers.”

New Airport Security to Slow Down Holiday Travel {CBS News}

“With the holiday travel season fast approaching, recent stepped-up security screening at the nation’s airports has provoked an outcry from passengers and airline pilots alike, with some of the latter group even threatening to boycott intrusive new checks during the Thanksgiving rush.”

Explosive Start to Louis Vuitton Trophy {The National}

“There was carnage on the high seas yesterday as the Louis Vuitton regatta got off to an explosive beginning off the coast with a start-line collision between rival boats in their second race.”

Cruise Director’s Blog Details Carnival Splendor Crisis {USA Today}

“John Heald, known in the cruise industry for his zany programs and his candid, sometimes emotional blog, has posted online detailed recollections of the discovery of smoke, then fire in electrical lines in the ship’s engine room.”

If you were living anywhere but under a rock during Janet Jacksonâ€s infamous Superbowl incident, you know Pasties are strange, but a man from Las Vegas named Michael Luongo believes he has found a practical use for them – hiding private body parts from the TSA scanners that U.S. and international airports are rapidly acquiring. {WSJ, The Huffington Post}

Luongo recently created Flying Pasties to be worn under clothing in airports with full body scanners, and he claims they are not a typical Pasty or sticker. The productâ€s website says they are available in four designs with different sets for men and women so “you can keep your dignity in style.” Some simply say the word “Private” while others feature catchy sayings like “Only my husband sees me naked” or trendy symbols like the peace sign. Sets of 2mm thick, 100 percent rubber pasties start at $16.99.

A press statement from Flying Pasties, Inc. said, “Some religious groups and the ACLU have condemned the use of airport scanners. Flying Pasties now gives everyone the peace of mind to enter these scanners without embarrassment.” {The Huffington Post}

Flyingpasties.com says the products can give the right to privacy back because full body airport scanners see through clothing but not plastic or rubber materials that are similar to skin. However, Scott McCartney at The Wall Street Journal wondered in a recent blog post whether Flying Pasties would really work.

“If they do, you likely are buying yourself a lot more trouble at the screening checkpoint,” the post said. “If your body scan shows any sort of object hidden under your clothes, TSA will conduct a pat-down search. And you probably donâ€t want your breasts and genitals patted down by screeners.”

He also wrote that the X-Rays and radio waves used in full body scanners might be able to see through the Flying Pasties anyway, so they would be a waste of money.

Luongoâ€s Flying Pasties Web site says the products have no adhesive but slip into clothing so they can be easily pulled out and presented to a scanner should any problems arise at the airport. If they donâ€t actually stick to anything, weâ€re not sure they qualify as Pasties. Plus, we doubt they actually stay perfectly in place without any sort of adhesive.

TSA full body scanners are invasive, so we give Luongo credit for recognizing a problem and making a decent attempt at a solution, but weâ€d like to see the answer to handling security and maintaining privacy come from the airport security professionals. Wearing a pasty that says “Only my boyfriend sees me naked” or getting stopped at the checkpoints for a pat down because of a piece of rubber under your clothes might be just as embarrassing and inconvenient as being seen totally naked.

You can visit The Huffington Post to check out which U.S. and international airports have full body scanners.