I tossed up the orig graphic because I thought it interesting in terms of the dough spent, and the typically bureaucratic 'size' it has become...not a gov't fan, as most of you know, but I suspect there continues the need for 'airline security', but this current stuff is mostly security theater, imo.

Having only flown a dozen times since 9-11, (but flew weekly all over much of the world for 3 decades before that), I remain amazed at the 'methods', treatment and 'Tudes most of the TSA geniuses display toward the flying public.

Our last flight this past June, Anchorage back to Vancouver, had a young, handsome, Native Alaskan man with his beautiful ~3 yr old daughter in front of us going threw the metal detector grid. The man's daughter neglected to remove her transparent sandal-like 'jellies' - shoes, I think they are called.

When one of the dozing 300 pounders spotted that 'infraction' they literally descended on the toddler, surrounded her, scared her, and then grabbed and restrained the father. Fookin ugly deal...the father kept his cool, but the kid was screaming and they 'held her' physically while a TSA nazi removed her 'jellies', walked her back around through the metal detector, X-rayed the transparent little sandals, and then the rhubarb continued...

Just an anecdote I realize, but emblematic to me of what the 'Patriot' Act, 'Homeland Security', and vis a vis that TSA has become...

The few times we are forced to fly these days is an ordeal at best. If I don't have a greasy haired kid yelling at me to have my docs for display again, I will not miss the process of 'security'. And, when they look at a passport, mine could be a pic of Bugs Bunny as long as the name matches the tix.

We all lose a little freedom, every day in this country. Sort of like the frog in the pot, in the ever increasingly hot water, imo.
Good Luck, mD