New airport x-ray machines: virtual strip search?

Perhaps a smaller screen so the entire world does not need to see ones bodily "flaws" or maybe create an X-Ray like the one in Total Recall where you can only see the bones, and not so much flab

Small screens would be better, but I still don't think that most people will do it. There a slew of religions that a machine like this would violate.
As for just seeing metal and bones, I think that the amount of X-Rays for that would be a severe health hazard. Overall though it would be a whole lot better.

Are the existing metal detectors, dogs, human screeners and x-ray machines failing?

The current problems with the metal detectors are that they do just that; they only detect metal. I man strapped down with TNT can stroll though a metal detector with no problems. The same thing with drugs and the dogs; you can fool a dog with various packing methods. Finally there is the problem with money laundering; if you strap 1 million dollars of drug money they can't detect that either.

What about metal plates? And Knee replacements? Just think of the hazards of having a 400 lb person going through this thing before you. You're supposed to get sick on the flight, not in the airport.

I don't know if metal plates or knee replacements will show up; they are under the skin. Neither conventional metal detectors or this device will be able to detect either of them. As for the 400 lb person, I guess that becomes an on the job hazard.

I'm still waiting for bullet-proof, bomb-proof, Israeli-style cockpit doors.

I thought those were put through as part of the Patriot Act.

a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/04/04/at tack/main547827.shtml">It looks like the doors were made mandatory @ April 2003a>

Excellent! Thanks for the info.

Opps: should be:

It looks like the doors were made mandatory @ April 2003a>