Common sense

This was in an AP story today:
"That theater we see, of people taking off shoes, is not going to stop a suicide bomber. The terrorists have already sniffed out the weak spots and are adopting new tactics," said Irish security analyst Tom Clonan, who noted that security measures usually are designed for the last attack, not the next threat.

This reminds me of that John Malkovich/Clint Eastwood movie, "In the Line of Fire." It was kind of a dopey movie, but Malkovich, in attempting to assasinate the president, sneaks a gun into an event by crafting it out of plastic (to get by metal detectors) then breaking it up into pieces (to get by x-rays).

There's always going to be a creative way to get by any security measures. That doesn't mean they should stop screening people, just that they should keep reality in perspective before the draconian laws push people too far. So you break up a terror cell. Great. Then all the people already at the airport that day have to throw out all their bottles and cans -- at least give the people some warning, some options. Or take all those tossed shampoos bottles, sell them on eBay as 'confiscated possible terrorist weaponry,' and buy the people flying some in-flight service.