You know what? I agree with you. I believe that this "dual-use" prohibited items thing is too ambitious to the point of not being very practical. Personally, I don't see what's wrong with small manicure scissors or baby Swiss Army knives. Sure as hell don't see what's so bad about computer screwdrivers. At one time, we also prohibited P-38s, corkscrews, bottle openers and nail files; these items have now been removed from the list and are permitted. I anticipate that the small scissors, baby Swisses and computer screwdrivers will eventually be removed from the PI list as well.

As for improvising weapons, you ought to see what I can do with a simple pen.

These flaws in policy, however, don't mean that the whole thing is flawed. You may want to believe that, if you wish, but it wouldn't be a very honest assessment. I think you know that.

Take care.

Well, it would be reassuring.

P-38's? Do you have any idea how many months it would take to peel open the cockpit door with one of those?

As for using a pen as a weapon, that was my point exactly- the real danger of the Al Qaeda types is that they think simple. 9/11 was a very simple plan, done with minimal equipment. I'm sure they've moved on to other things, like blowing up a container ship in a harbor or planting workers in food factories to poison food. (there was a bad hamburger batch 10 years ago, out of a huge plant in Iowa or So. Dakota that supplied grocery chains and restaurants, caused food poisoning to over 10,000 people in 15 states in a few days- I was a victim of that one).

Just about anything can be used as a weapon, someone could take a shoe and smack someone over the head with it. People cant fly naked (well they could but would put up a fuss lol).

If I ran TSA instead of just worked there I would push to have minimal carry on luggage, one small bag (purse size) and that's it. Everything else checked. I can hear the moans of disgust already lol.

Don't forget the outbreak of gastroentritis caused by Cryptosporidium in Milwaulke a few years ago--that one sickened a few hundred thousand people. If Cryptosporidium was a little more amicable to genetic engineering, just splice in an Antrax toxin gene or one for botox, and you'd have one of the worst catastrophes imaginable. That may be out of reach for people like alQ, but it's illustrative of how easy it would be to cause massive problems through food & water supplies.

It used to be ridiculous. Anyway, not many people know what a P-38 is or are willing to admit that they're old enough to admit it!

It all boils down to risk management, and in this regard, I give TSA a grade of C. In some areas, I think TSA has the right approach but in others, it's wrapped around the axle on theoretical dangers rather than accepting the statistical risk of those dangers. Examples: lighters, scissors, penknives, money clips with blades, one-way travel tickets and the entire SSSS selectee passenger screening process.

In all fairness to TSA, some of the blame for the current state of affairs has to be shared by the public in general. Keeping in mind that the screeners who screened the terrorists did not violate any procedure. Arguments can be made that they could have done their jobs better, but given what we know now, they pretty much stuck to FAA screening policy as it existed at that time. However, it was after 9/11 that the news stories came out about how something like 4 knives, 3 grenades and 1 handgun were successfully smuggled through security at one airport in one instance and another similiar event occurred at yet another airport. Then came the stories of how a number of screeners weren't even US citizens, etc. The public demand was for some improvement in airport security screening and the debate over private contractor and federal screeners tilted in favor of federal screeners. Now it's a matter of being careful of what you ask for because you just might get it! And the public seems to be saying (at least in this forum) that screening is too intrusive and inflexible. Well, make up your minds! LOL.

There is middle ground, but I don't know how soon it will be before we reach it. People forget what it was that got us here (not talking about the events of 9/11 but the public outcry of 9/11). And while I do have my own contempt for the bureaucrats who infest TSA and criticize them from the inside, I do have to admit that I feel a bit of compassion for these weenies who have to deal with and respond to public pressure. It's not easy, but then, they should have known that before getting into it. It all comes with the territory.

As for the P-38 thing...HOOAH!!

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!

I didn't know, but thanks to Google I know that you can still buy them....

Geez -- I actually found a couple from old Air Force box lunches (No, I had eaten the lunches themselves decades ago!). Not only would it take somebody months to peel open a cockpit door, it would take them several months to open a can of peas. :-)

No newsflash -- it still is.
Last week, I observed a screener who'd zeroed-in on an antique money-clip, with a 'hidden' 1" nail file. BIG to-do. Pax was allowed to find outside safe haven for the clip, then treated to shoes-on SSSS on re-entry.

Same pax carries in his wallet, a 2" stick-pin -- apparently no threat, because it's attached to his LEO BADGE.
Makes ya wonder

EDIT: Noting that this thread is going on 4 months & we're still messing with sharp pointy objects ?