> -----Original Message----- > From: Jot Powers [mailto:books at bofh.com] > > On Thu, Feb 10, 2005 at 02:14:02PM -0800, lazarus wrote: > > Our airline security is a joke. > > This is not exactly true. It does exactly what it was intended > to do; stop the casual, spur of the moment attacks. Not that > I think there are a lot of them. > > A determined, resourceful, suicidal attacker could still do > what they want, but that is true of a lot of things. > > I could be more specific, but let's be honest, I don't like visits from > the > feds. > I'd like to reiterate that it won't stop casual spur of the moment attacks initiated with everyday objects that most people don't consider weapons. Anyone can slip a good stabbing weapon aboard (pens, some brands of highlighter, pencils, apparently a large safety pin, you name it) and after that all it takes is some guts, a willingness to get you hands bloody, and the ability to inspire fear, and luck. All of these things have always been required anyway. Though after 9/11 you'll have to inspire a lot more fear to avoid being mobbed, that is not due to any "increased security".