I noticed how pathetic airport security (here and in France) was when i was flying from Israel. It's funny since i have come back from Israel, i have an urge to show people standing outside of stores and clubs the inside of my bag. Crazy (and frusterating).

On a recent flight to LAX, I remembered to put my tiny pocketknife in my checked luggage. I forgot to put my leatherman tool- with 3 knife blades- in that bag. Just left it in my carry on where it always is. Nobody stopped me. Didn't realize what I had done and gotten away with until I was packing to return to NYC 4 days later.

"The only difference is that now the security personnel are government employees and unlikely to ever be fired. Great."
What, like policemen, firemen, and soldiers ?
Mind you, there his a point - the UK has hired private security firms to ferry prisoners around. They have been leaking scumbags back on to our streets left right and centre ever since. Anyway, not sure if the public vs private argument is relevent to this case.
Is there not an armed guard on every internal U.S. flight now anyway, so bag checks are only one part of security ?
I suppose the question is, how high do you want internal air fares/ airport taxes (if applicable) to go to make things 100% airtight, without losing air traffic flow ? The speedy flow of passengers is a bigger consideration in comparison to hotel security. I find it hard to believe it is not more secure than 3 years ago.
Have you related this story to the relevent airport authourity - maybe I'm an idealist, but I am sure there must some people who give a shit, and would find it helpful?

Neither part surprises me. TSA scratched my laptop screen when they opened it and ran something across it and that's all that's ever done for me. But Chicago is a pretty tough city. I got stranded in Hyde Park with my luggage and found only one building that would let me in to get something to eat and sit and relax.

I flew back to Chicago from Newark last night (Friday) too. As I was preparing to take my laptop out and put it through the machine, I heard the guard on the other side of the metal detector announce that he needed to see our boarding passes and ID. The guy in front of me had a ton of chains, bracelets, rings and other metal that kept setting off the detector. After a few minutes of watching this guy take most of that crap off (what a dummy), I stepped through the detector and retrieved my laptop and bag. The guard never did ask to see my boarding pass or ID again.

Ultimately, I think it's a bit silly. I understand the concept of "defense in depth" so I see why they perform the same checks over and over again. However, I stood a few feet away and watched for a minute or two and never saw him check anyone's boarding pass or ID.

Also, I stayed at the Millenium Hilton on Church across from the WTC. I was required to show my room key to a guard every time I entered the lobby. I was there all week, so they had this additional security measure in place at least a week before the RNC came to town.

I'm glad to be back home in Chicago.

Agreed with everything that was said, Karol.

But who's responsibility do you think it is? And why do you think we aren't doing better?

Agreed. Homeland security needs to be better. So what do we do about it ? Maybe we should take some more troops and station them at the airports as opposed to having them in Germany, Japan, even Iraq (mission accomplished, right ?) and so on. While we're at it, maybe they can protect the borders from illegal aliens and other threats. American dollars and American men and women should be committed to protecting America and Americans first as opposed to ungrateful prosperous allies (South Korea I'll give a pass to but Germany, Japan and so on need to pay thier own way and protect their own people). And while we're at it cut off all funds to other nations including Israel, a country that is still apparently spying on us (this time we should take off the traitor's yamaka, shave his head, strap him in and have him dance to sparky's tune as opposed to letting him stay in jail like we did with Pollard). America and Americans first.

Silence from the right.......

to Von Bek:As far as I know,the german taxpayer has to bleed for the US-troops in Germany...

TSA,fingerprinting,phototaking,rude immigration et.c.-not for me this year!
For the 1st time in 10 years,I cancelled my annual holiday to the USA (Allthough I´m gonna miss all the nice,friendly and helpfull Americans)
Many people I talked to, see it the same way...
We can and will spend our $$$ somewhere ,where we are wellcome!

Rick, you're right, Bush himself should discipline the guards at the airport. Failure to do so means that he LIED to us and BETRAYED the country regarding security. It's clearly all his fault, right?

Perhaps what (the other) Rick was suggesting was that president Bush has set airport security (and other Homeland Security issues) somewhat farther down on his list of priorities than, say, invading Iraq.

Personally, having tighter security, having sufficient (and sufficiently compensated) national guardsmen, firemen and policemen, and a more effective intelligence system will make me feel safer than toppling Saddam Hussein ever did, but that's just me and my crazy liberal Bush-hating fever.

To coin a phrase, my main issue is national security, and I feel that Kerry is better equipped to deal with it than his opponent.

Awfully defensive, aren't we Karol?

Thank you, Rick.

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