I believe the flagrant weakness in your opinion is in the use of the word "reasonable". If the policies of the TSA were reasonably applied then I suspect there would be a paucity of threads and posts in this section.

I suffer from a fundamental malady. I find it almost impossible to "listen to what is meant, not what is said". While I believe I have a few unique skills, ESP is not one of them, and this extends to the written word. I must stand by my statement.

Why then would a TSA Agent

1) Confiscate a lighter (pre-flaming sneaker), which can be replaced at Hudson News Company about 150' passed the screeners and inside the sterile area, even after pointing this out to the screener.

2) Why would there be great debate with earnest threats of confiscation or "do you want to make your plane" type comments, when they want to confiscate a computer memory stick which the agent insists is a lighter?

3) Why does do the signs say "no jokes...." only to learn after a TSA agent states "Don't worry I won't shoot you... I was joking", only to learn that the sign applies to non-TSA people only? (Has anyone seen an asterisk on the TSA sign referencing a footnote which exempting the TSA from jokes about doing harm to persons or property? I haven't, and I continue to look for it.

4) Why would there, in my opinion (which I again ask; does anyone know where the "actual" statistics (not those compiled by a government agency or review board) can be obtained?), be a substantive increase misplaced carry-on items, and misplaced checked baggage, since the T-SECURITY-A was formed (Remember - if you can remove an item, one can certainly add an item!).

5) Why when I or another passenger immediately following me during the screening process had a problem and the alleged video might shed some light on resolving it, is it that either the video is not available or the equipment was malfunctioning at the time?

6) As commented upon by others on this site, why would a TSA approved lock be destroyed in order to gain access to a checked bag?

7) Why when the sign in essence says a maximum X oz ( x ml), does the agent(s) are their threatening innuendos (refer to #2 above) made when the container is labeled in oz wt.?

Etc. Etc. Etc.

And on the lighter side;

1) Why would you have reservations at a restraint that you want to eat at? If I had reservations about a restaurant I wouldn't eat there.

2) Why would anyone in their right mind take a "non-stop" flight? Has the FAA and TSA conspired to suspend Newton's first law? I realize I am not an aeronautical engineer but at some point the plane is going to run out of fuel and fall from the sky.

3) Why would anyone who is in good health, financially surviving, with loving family want to take a plane to their "final destination"? I don't know about the rest of the people on the plane but I am not ready for my final destination.

4) Why is it that "seat cushions may be used as a flotation device"? Either it can be used or it can't. Once the plane ditches in my humble opinion at that point it is a little too late to find out.

Etc. Etc.

For those of you from the Northeast - Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways?

Long live George Carlin!

So, in trying to survive the airport processing environment where the TSA policy is literally applied when it is applicable, and interpreted when it is convenient, the only thing a flyer can grasp onto are the words. I stand by my malady, I cannot intuit what someone means in what they say (or what is meant by a sign)

Confused!!