Strange occurrence at PDX last week, they were running at least 50% of the bags through the X-ray a second time. Having watched it for 5-10 minutes, it seemed to be SOP, no interaction between the X-ray clerk and the re-loader, just take every other one and put it though again.
I commented to a clerk that if the machine was defective, perhaps they should consider opening another lane (there were 3 open and 3 closed). Got a reply that it was passengers packing bags in such a way that it was hard to discern the contents. I retorted that it has always been packed that way and nothing had changed. Clerk then give me an absolutely classic reply - stating that if I didn't like it I could always take the bus.... My reply was short - 'Oh really, which bus can take me to Japan'? Idiot had no reply to that.
Roll on the sequestration cuts, I really do hope they cut a lot of this deadwood out.