Carlos,
Thanks for the copies of your articles on airport non-security.
I just took four planes to and from Texas last weekend. Your observations were perceptive, I could see.
In addition, I wonder who gets to respond when a person walks in with an Uzi under their London Fog -- the fat lady who has a hard time breathing when she bends over with the anal probe, or the pimply faced kid? No cops were visible at this far end of a huge terminal, and I imagine the police response would be quicker than you or I might expect at home, but still...
In Dallas, an armed and competent looking cop was on hand at one checkpoint. One out of four ain't bad (tho getting the drop on him, sitting there behind a counter, didn't seem like it would be impossible).
The PA system, for extra security, continually announced that baggage and carry on luggage (but not you personally) were subject to search, in that cute female voice you hear on the PA in sci-fi movies. Does the fact that you must not leave your bags alone for even a minute mean airports are filled with bomb toting crazies, looking for spare luggage?
I also asked twice, after saying I controlled my bags the entire time, what about leaving bags with the bell hop. One gal said they consider that being under control, and smiled a confident smile. Right. With guys trained as bag lifters for security guards. The other said, yeah, we asked "them" that too, because it sure doesn't seem right. That's as much of an answer as she had, and we looked at each other realizing that this gaping hole pretty much invalidated the entire rest of the system.
Thanks for opening all our eyes.
Alan.
P.S. Did you enjoy my Glossary?