more on Rude TSA personnel; uneven liquids policies

Begin forwarded message:

From: Jim Huggins <[email protected]>
Date: October 17, 2006 9:55:19 AM EDT
To: David Farber <[email protected]>
Cc: Ip Ip <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: more on Rude TSA personnel; uneven liquids policies

>       "Travelers may now carry through security checkpoints
>       travel-size toiletries (3 ounces or less)travel-size
>       toiletries (3 ounces or less)..."

> Serge Egelman was carrying 3 oz or less and the TSA employee agreed
> with that assessment.

With all due respect, given the general innumeracy of the population, I
don't want to start getting into debates with TSA officials as to  
whether
or not the actual quantity of a given substance is 3 ounces or yes.

	"But officer, you can clearly see that the tube of toothpaste
	 is labeled as 11 ounces, and since I clearly have only one-fourth
	 of the tube left, I only have 11/4 = 2.75 ounces, which fits
	 within the three ounce limit."

People on this thread are complaining about the consistency of TSA
employees and enforcement of the rules.  The simplest way to consistency
is to have rules that don't have to be interpreted.  Reading the size on
the bottle is simple and consistent.  It may not reflect the spirit  
of the
rule, but it's unamiguous.

(And this is completely independent, of course, of any discussion on
whether the TSA rules make sense or not.)