http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16549599/

I'm all for cracking down on terror threats.

Cargo coming into our ports is a big gaping hole in the security scheme of things. Some waco could bring in a dirty bomb or some other nuclear device and we don't stand much chance of preventing it.

Since I travel a fair amount the one thing I ask is please don't make it any harder to get on an airplane than it already is and let me take my diet Coke with me!

I saw a woman get on a plane with knitting needles that were 12" long but I can't take a bottle of diet Coke?

I can just see someone jumping up in the middle of a flight and shouting "OK, we're going to Cuba! I've got a bottle of diet Coke and I'm not afraid to use it!"

What is and isn't allowed is a farce.

I was in the security line behind some lady and her teenage son the other day on the way to work ... he had a pool cue in its case. The TSA people mandated that the cue be checked, it would NOT be allowed on board with them. The lady of course freaked, swearing that the airline people told her it WOULD be ok ... a big hubbub ensues.

Another one is when my mother flew down for Thanksgiving. I was getting her on the plane to go back. She has all of her toiletries, etc. in a Ziploc bag. She gets grilled because it's in a GALLON size Ziploc bag (not supposed to be bigger than a quart). She proceeds to tell the guy that she was given that bag by the TSA folks in Spokane on her way out ... no consistency whatsoever.

They need to do SOMETHING for some consistency systemwide. I know that it's easier said than done, but what is going on now is insane.

Yep.

Maybe I'm too cynical, but given the choice to go thru all the hassle at the airport as it is now or just showing up and getting on the plane, I'll take my chances and go with the latter.

The nut jobs that want to do harm are going to find a way no matter how tight the "security" is.

I was getting on a plane a few months back and the woman that was doing the screening was grumbling about something in my back pack (I carry my laptop, GPS, Sirius radio, several computer cables a bunch of AA batteries and lots of other electronic goodies) and I made the comment to her that "This is all just window dressing anyway" and she got real indignant like I had insulted her personally!

One of the TSA goons told me one time that they won't make it consistent form airport to airport because then the "Terrorists could figure it out"!! I almost bit a hole in my tongue to keep from busting up!

Hey, it’s only a 21 hour drive to Denver......

I had an incident with an ex-assistant manager of mine. He got hassled daily coming through security (part of the reason why he quit) because he had dreadlocks ... that HAS to be it, it's the only logical reason I can think of.

He was running late and I hadn't heard from him ... so I call his cell phone. His bag is being searched, as is he (the TSA pat-down!) ... his cell phone rings, he sees it's me calling and picks it up out of the bin to answer it. The TSA guy yells at him to drop the phone, he tells the guy that it's his boss calling wondering where the hell he is and proceeds to talk to me. The TSA guy takes the phone out of his hand and turns it off and starts berating him, telling him that his badge is going to be pulled and everything else. He was there for almost a half hour because of some TSA assclown.

Most of the TSA folks are cool, and trying to do their job (and that isn't easy because they are told different things by different highers-up daily) but some think that their **** don't stink.

Brianl, Where at PDX is your pizza shop? (You might have mentioned in one of the 2 "Pizza" threads, but scanning them I didn't see it)

I'll be heading to Jackson Hole next week and if I have a chance would love to sample your pizza.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I had to ask!

Had an interesting event happen this week too. We are in the long screening queue. Everyone is getting along, chatty, kind of nice actually. I was thinking, "this sure beats the usual glum waiting to see who is the lucky winner..."

The guy in front of me, sees a license dropped, picks it up and a few of us discuss what to do. The first decision was to look for him, but we quickly realize it's futile --and he could easily move too far away to permit a quick and easy recovery of his ID.

I mention to the guy holding the ID, to say his name. This works great. After two solid and controlled vocalizations, others near the screening station repeat it, and within about 10 seconds, one of the screeners reports confirmation!

The guy is on the other side, happy to know he's not gonna have a hard flight that day.

At he same time this perfectly reasonable and adult communication is happening, another fairly ignorant TSA lady is trying to take the ID from the guy holding it.

She says, "gimme that" and "no yelling". To the guys credit he says, "I'm not yelling" and "your partner over there has the owner of this ID in sight."

For a brief moment, this lady was going to single him out and do something. You could just tell. That is until she caught sight of about 20 of us giving her the look of death.

Nobody in this exchange did anything not permitted, acted in any manner other than would be expected of solid adults just trying to get through the checks they need to. It was a nice exchange that actually felt pretty good.

Nobody wants to see somebody else go through what would have happened had that ID not found it's way to the owner.

Yet this woman was completely out of it. She flat didn't grasp what was happening. Only wanted the card, and the guy to shut up NOW, so she could throw it into the little box and get back to reminding us to take our shoes off, etc...

The other screeners looked at her funny too. I'm positive I was not the only one seriously offended by her complete lack of understanding.

(and where does it say no loud speech?)

Skybill - I run the Pizza Schmizza, end of Concourse C. We're just past the Southwest Airlines terminals, right before the US Airways/America West terminals.

I'm off Monday and Tuesday, there the rest of the week. I'm a big bald guy, you can't miss me.

Hope to see ya!

Brianl, bummer. As a rule I fly Alaska. This trip I had no choice but to fly Delta thru SLC.

Maybe next time. I'm usually at PDX at least once or twice a month.

ok ... if you have time (and trust me, it's our slow time, people have nothing BUT time) walk the concourse connector to the ABC side and hang a right.