more on TSA and Fear

Begin forwarded message:

From: Jeremy Epstein <[email protected]>
Date: September 28, 2006 9:42:12 AM EDT
To: [email protected], [email protected]
Subject: RE: [IP] more on TSA and Fear

Flew Tuesday Washington Dulles -> Austin, and Wednesday Austin ->  
Dulles.
Per the new rules, I had my <3 ounce toiletries in a clear plastic  
bag; no
problem getting through at Dulles with them in a separate tub (not  
inside my
luggage).  The TSA folks were talking about a "mini water bottle" (I'm
guessing 8oz) that they saw on the screen in another passenger's  
luggage,
but I saw no effort to remove it.  On the way home, I forgot to take the
toiletries out of my suitcase; sailed right through anyway without  
anyone
asking questions.

Coincidentally, USA Today ran a story Wednesday titled "Airports go  
extra
mile to get smiles"
(http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2006-09-26-bonus- 
main_x.htm).  [I'm
only aware of it because they gave free copies at the hotel - I would  
never
pay money for USA Today unless I ran out of toilet paper.]  The article
notes that some airports are "easing the hassle factor. Responding to  
new
rules [sic] mandating shoe removal at TSA security checkpoints,  
Chicago's
O'Hare and Midway airports started handing out free booties last month.
Similar programs are in place at other airports, including Washington's
Dulles and Reagan National, Phoenix, San Diego and Des Moines."  An
interesting idea, but every time I go through Dulles the bins of  
booties are
empty (if you can find one at all).  And if they think the "rules" about
shoe removal are new, they must not have traveled in recent years -  
while it
was theoretically voluntary, everyone knows it was only voluntary if you
wanted it followed by a strip search.

Security theatre?  No, because at least "theatre" is entertaining.

--Jeremy

P.S. Last week I went through several airports in Europe with a 1 liter
water bottle in my carryon.  No one ever blinked an eye.  Maybe they've
concluded that dihydrogen monoxide isn't as dangerous as TSA seems to  
think.