[KantianBurke]

Thanks President Bush! Remind me to vote for you again. NOT!

[EggsAckley]

"One of the problems they're having is the uniformity of the process, and I think this is an example of that."

In other words, one of the problems they're having is that most of the screeners have an IQ of about 80, and don't speak English.

[Registered]

They're federal employees, this shouldn't be happening now. ;-)

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Wounded Soldier With Wired Jaw Prevented From Boarding Plane With Wire Clippers

[DWSUWF]

"...Miller complained to an American Airlines official, and Miller said the official responded he was too busy to help..."

If I had Registered's talent and equipment I'd produce a graphic of myself lounging in a First Class seat aboard an AA aircraft, looking out the window at a flock of pigs flying alongside the plane.

And I'd caption it, "When I fly American Airlines again..."

[B-bone]

This is what happens when we can't profile. Therefore, we can't use common sense but apply an overly broad brush to everyone.

[muawiyah]

Mineta still has this problem with American men in uniform. Sad to say, he has too many hang-ups to perform his job correctly.

[gg188]

It might be a good time for San Francisco security screeners to have some remedial training:

1. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by:

(a) Olga Korbutt
(b) Sitting Bull
(c) Arnold Schwartzenegger
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

2. In 1979,the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:

(a) Lost Norwegians
(b) Elvis
(c) A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

3. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:

(a) John Dillinger
(b) The King of Sweden
(c) The Boy Scouts
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

4. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:

(a) A pizza delivery boy
(b) Pee Wee Herman
(c) Dan Rather making up for a slow news day
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

5. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked, and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard by:

(a) The Smurfs
(b) Davy Jones
(c) The Little Mermaid
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

6. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver was murdered by:

(a) Captain Kid
(b) Charles Lindberg
(c) Mother Teresa
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

7. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

(a) Scooby Doo
(b) The Tooth Fairy
(c) Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

8. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:

(a) Richard Simmons
(b) Grandma Moses
(c) Martha Stewart
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

9. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:

(a) Mr. Rogers
(b) Chelsea Clinton
(c) The World Wrestling Federation
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

10. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked and destroyed and thousands of people were killed by:

(a) Bugs Bunny
(b) Wile E. Coyote
(c) Mr Bean
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

11. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:

(a) Enron
(b) The Lutheran Church
(c) The NFL
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

12. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:

(a) Bonnie and Clyde
(b) Captain Kangaroo
(c) Billy Graham
(d) Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

[archy]

Sounds like time for a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act to me. I wonder what the Lieutenant will do with the airline the jury awards him.

-archy-/-

[watchin]

Should have tucked it in a turban. He would have sailed right through the dare-not-profile screeners.

[strela]

Let me get this out of the way first - I thank Lt. Miller for his service and have nothing but genuine admiration for him and all his comrades; they're doing an important job for all of us. Having said that, I'm not going to be one of those who is going to slam the airport security people who wouldn't let him take the wire cutters on board the plane.

The main reason I feel this way is that I can't figure out why Lt. Miller needed the wire cutters to begin with. Presumably, the cutters were intended to let Lt. Miller open his mouth if he choked on food in an emergency. However, since all he is eating is in liquid form, he wouldn't need to open his mouth to clear liquid out of it.

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine had his jaw wired shut for 3 months to correct complications from TMJ surgery, and he was limited to liquid food for that entire time (and was not issued a pair of wire cutters, BTW). Whatever he ate had to be either liquid or processed along with enough water to make it liquid through a Cuisinart (and it was quite a sight watching a Big Mac and fries spinning around in a food processor, which he did more than once). I also know a couple of doctors and a registered nurse, and all have confirmed that they have never heard of any patient with their jaw wired shut being able to eat solid food of any kind, even Jello (which had to be in liquid form).

I think that Lt. Miller's doctor is the only one who might conceivably deserve any criticism in this case. All the doc had to do was write a note that Lt. Miller could show to airport security, and I don't believe that any of this would have happened (20-20 hindsight, I know). Also, with nerve damage, Lt. Miller probably wasn't able to clearly speak to the security people to explain his situation, therefore making a note of some kind doubly important. (The story did note that Lt. Miller telephoned the news media, so I guess he was able to communicate clearly enough, after a fashion).

If there are any doctors lurking, please correct me if I'm mistaken about any of my assumptions.

[Friedrich Hayek]

Everyone on the face of the Globe has known since 9/11 that these new regulations are in place, and yet this guy couldn't figure it out? Did he think the rules don't apply to him?

This reminds me of the Bush Secret Service agent who was rousted from a flight last fall. He didn't think the rules applied to important government employees such as himself either, just us peons in the general public.

Well, fellas, welcome to the real world. Air travel has changed forever, so get used to it.

[Dr. Scarpetta]

What happened to this soldier is a disgrace, and we can thank Democrats in Congress who argued vehemently against racial and ethnic profiling in airine security, even after 9/11.

[pray4liberty]

Airport spokesman Mike McCarron said a flight attendant or pilot would have held Miller's clippers if they had known their importance — if, for instance, he had presented a doctor's note.

For heaven's sake, all they had to do was ask the pilot. Too bad their "officials" were "too busy."

Fly USAirways next time, bud.

[philman_36]

Airport spokesman Mike McCarron said a flight attendant or pilot would have held Miller's clippers if they had known their importance — if, for instance, he had presented a doctor's note.

A doctor's note!

So long America I loved you.
Notes required now for your native sons.
Welcome to the new modern day Amerika.
It's gone now before you even knew what it was.

[Fzob]

the federal agency that oversees airport security, is still working out the kinks in policy.

I expect we'll be hearing this excuse for what.... twenty or thirty years.