Odd how Pistole's analysis/intel/'chatter' works. Suddenly after almost a decade, he discovers that children's shoes are low-risk. Not a particular type of shoe (flip-flops, for instance, or baby booties), not a particular size of shoe (not large bulky steel-toed boots, for example) - just shoes on kids under 12. Interesting that the intel that apparently revealed that kids are low-risk coincided with some very highly publicized videos of kids getting frisked. Just a coincidence that after a decade of being warned that terrorists will stop at nothing, including children - suddenly terrorists aren't interested in kids' shoes anymore.

The same analysis/intel/'chatter' apparently continues to hint that women's breasts, skirts and privates are high risk areas - allegedly, because of the Chechen bombers. However, body cavities and men's privates (also involved in terrorist actions) are apparently of low/no interest to terrorists, so TSA doesn't focus on them.

Wonder if it is this same analysis/intel/'chatter' that has led to such a ramped up interest in older/handicapped folks, particularly if they are in wheelchairs.

Re: the whole communication issue. If a traffic cop pulls me over and says 'May I see your license, please?', the circumstances and the officer's uniform clearly indicate that this is an order, not a request. When folks approach the checkpoint (even frequent fliers), there's no way to predict what to expect. When a TSO says 'Can you get out of your wheelchair - (cause it will be easier for me)' or 'Can you take that off?' or 'I need you to show me bla-bla', most pax hear an order. Most TSOs are issuing an order. To pretend that TSOs don't realize this is to delude one's self.