Check in yesterday for an ORD-DCA round trip. My boarding pass had 4 bold print Ss on it. Now I'm not the brightest bulb, but I guessed that meant I was going to be a "random" pat down at the gate. Sure enough, got the full treatment, to include shoes. So, what is the point of letting the traveller know ahead of time that he/she is going to be searched and, by extension, that if you don't have the SSSS designation you're not going to be searched?