I THINK TOO MUCH
I appluad the recent decision by the federal government to place marshalls aboard airline flights, and to utilize the National Guard in airport security positions. I will certainly feel much safer when I decide to fly again. However, as tight as security is sure to become in airports, my writer's imagination can come up with a myriad of items just as dangerous as the common pocket knife.
Women's jewely takes on many interesting designs, from small ear studs to elabotare necklaces and bracelets. Is it possible I watched too many episodes of Mission Impossible when it played only to television audiences? Of course, but I've always harbored a secret desire to be part of a government "think tank," doing much the same thing as "The Pretender" of television fame. Which is why, when I heard on the news about the banning of knives, I thought "So, what?"
If security is going to tighten around an airport -- or any densely populated area -- personnel responsible for security must take extra care when a profiled suspect goes through a checkpoint.
1) bag straps - any strap on a bag could conceal a small, slender blade. For that matter, some purses actually have metal bottoms: one of those could be altered to have a sharp edge. I've other examples of how a small bag or purse could conceal a sharp blade, and most all of them would be missed by all but the most observant security guard.
2) bag contents - gee, go wild here: compact mirrors could be replaced with polished steel discs with one keen edge. Mascara wands could be altered to __ as ice picks. Something as seemingly benign as a metal comb could be used as a lethal weapon. And can plastic explosives be disguised as pressed powder? Not to mention the metal refills in many fountain pens, those are slender rods of danger, too.
3) clothing worn by passengers -- forget hats and caps: hatbands could conceal a variety of small objects, and the bills of caps are stiff by nature, allowing for no visible difference between an aluminum bill or a cardboard bill. The heels and soles of shoes might hide things as well. Belts would be out, too, as a hijacker could easily choke someone with a belt.
4) carry on items -- carry-on bags are made of metal and plastic, and could be fashioned in all sorts of ways. Or some corrosive acid could be secreted in something as inconspicuous a bottle of aftershave. Not to mention the occasional hardback book with a blade hidden in the spine.
The above examples are only a few reasons why I believe President Bush should declare a state of Emergency Nudity when flying. No purses, no carry-ons, not even a magazine: I read a book once where the hero could turn a sheet of ordinary paper into a lethal weapon.
Remember, we can't be too careful right now.