I know there are many people in this country, and especially on this board, who think that airport security is absoutely necessary. They feel we are taking adequate precautions against anyone getting on board one of our civilian aircraft with a deadly weapon. The x-raying of belongings, the metal detectors, the drug-sniffing dogs, the removing of shoes and patting down of old ladies is proving an effective weapon against terrorism.

Not.

Over the weekend, I went on a short trip to Richmond. Upon arriving at the Buffalo International airport, I obediently removed my shoes, my watch, my belt, sunglasses, cel phone and keys, relinquished my carry-on baggage to a stranger, and walked through the state-of-the-art metal detector. No alarms, I'm free to go. After dressing myself for the second time that day, we board the plane and fly into Baltimore/Washington International Airport. We arrived at our hotel and I began going through my bag. Whilst rummaging through the bottom I discovered a 4-inch, stainless steel, lockblade knife. I didn't intentionally pack it. I had used the same bag a week earlier to go camping, and must have left it in by mistake.

If I can accidentally, unintentionally get a razorsharp knife through our much-praised homeland security, is the trillion dollar price tag really worth it?