Traveling via the airlines these days has gotten muy sucky. Given the choice of a full body scanner (the backscatter machine) or a TSA groping, you might want to take the groping. David J. Brenner, a Columbia University radiation expert has the following view (VIA);
“If most air travelers went through these X-ray scanners, then it is indeed quite likely that there would be some number of cancers produced by the radiation. Skin cancers are a particular concern, because the low-energy X-rays used in these scanners deposit a significant fraction of their total dose in the skin. In general, children are more sensitive than adults to radiation, and that’s true for the endpoint of radiation-related skin cancer too.”
The frustrating part is when you chose to avoid this machine they give you attitude for a pat down. Not like I want the machine or the pat down… flying sucks now.
I think I will allow my junk to be felt or drive instead of fly.