Okay, I think that if Red John is on the plane, we should definitely search it. Otherwise, I'm happy to take this flight. I'm having a lot of trouble connecting what is obviously a joke message with any sort of terrorist threat.

Here's a bigger fear: While I'm driving to the airport to the airport to take a flight with the smiley face on it, some idiot who's been drinking or is going 80 hits me. That's the much, much, much, etc. more likely scenario.

But here's my biggest fear: Have we reached a stage where we can interpret anything and everything as a terrorist threat? What freedoms are we willing to surrender to target (even though it's impossible to reach) a 0% threat level?

I have no opinion on whether the FAs should have been fired. I think it was a greater punishment than the situation called for, but UAL will do what UAL feels it has to do.

Mike