Thanks, Alex, for recommending the article. To complete the picture I should have included the “scanner lobby.” In sum: Former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff, now head of the Chertoff Group (chertoffgroup.com) of former seniors and underlings from the CIA, military and Homeland Security, represents Rapiscan Systems, one of the top manufacturers of full body scanners. Chertoff’s been selling Rapiscan’s scanners since he was in the Bush administration. The government bought five of them when he was secretary, and last summer under the Obama administration, the Transportation Security Administration ordered 150 machines from Rapiscan, partly with “economic recovery” funds. There are many former politicians and Senate and House staff members out actively selling the scanners under the pretense of security. It’s no different from the days when acting VP Cheney gave no-bid contracts to Halliburton, and Defense Secretary Rumsfeld used his position to promote the avian flu scare in order to sell Tamiflu. As the former board chair and CEO of these companies, respectively, both profited from the soaring stock value of these companies. Thanks and keep up the good work. Kathlyn Stone