The funny thing to me has been the reaction of various airport TSA agents to my complaining about having to take my shoes off. I just think it's gross and asking for infection to have to walk that same mat as everyone else.

Phoenix - The TSA agents gave me booties to slip over my socks after I took my shoes off. (I have since bought extras)

Las Vegas - Sprayed some aerosol disinfectant on the mat, which probably did no good but made for a nice gesture.

Reno - Pulled me aside and gave me the full inspection, pat-down included.

Wait, so the problem is that your feet (in socks) might come into contact with the ground? Ground that other people's feet (in socks) might have come into contact with? I think this is what is known as a "first world problem."

As a world class complainer, I have to say there must be better and/or more entertaining things to complain about than having to remove one's shoes at the airport.

Thank you Atomic and Bix. Quit yer bitchin you pampered fuckwad Breslin. The whole "ordeal" takes less than a minute unless you are an idiot.

The shoe terrorist had a very real shoe bomb on his person, people. And only because it was POST 9/11 did our security personnel actually stop this armed terrorist from blowing up another plane full of innocent Americans. 9/11 - an act of air piracy and very real terrorism within our country's border directed at four distinct targets across our land - changed us all - forever. We cannot do away with TSA. We cannot ever go back. We ARE changed because very really acting out terrorists did that to us. And very really could do the same to all of us tomorrow if we do not keep on keeping on - with TSA as a mandatorily required part of it all. "Stinky person" sitting next to you on a plane? Count your lucky stars that TSA and our Military is keeping you safe today - to be able to fly anywhere in this free country that you desire. Count your lucky stars.

Lorraine

If you add up the number years of lives cut short by 9/11, it is less then the amount of time we all spend waiting in security lines at the airport EVERY YEAR. Quite frankly, we'd all be a little happier without the TSA and a few more 9/11s, than right now. We take calculated risks every day, I don't know why we can't do the same on our airplanes. If we applied the same standards to cars that we do to airplanes, we'd lower the speed limits everywhere to 15 mph and send people to Cuba for making jokes about going 16.

In any case, since the security line is so long, I'm more worried about someone setting off a bomb IN THE LINE, than actually on the plane. They could kill a lot more people that way...