Which now essentially means that, if I am departing from certain airports (Denver being one of them) on certain airlines (United yes, Southwest and Frontier, no), by myself (or with my daughter for the next few months until she turns 13), then I can go through the Pre-Check line. Which is not only much shorter, but means I don't have to …
– Pull out my baggie full of fluids.
– Pull out my laptop.
– Take off my shoes.
– Take off a light jacket.
– Take off my belt.
I did this today. In fact, I was so eager to do it, I walked to the opposite end of the terminal to the security checkpoint that was doing it.
And it was wonderful. How godawfully sad is that? It was fantastic not having to strip down, juggle extra bins and bags and this and that. I plopped my suitcase on the conveyor, put my briefcase and phone in a bin, and sauntered through. I didn't have to get irradiated, or microwaved, or bend over and cough, or any of that stuff.
It's like I was a trusted human being, and a citizen, and not just another possible terrorist who has to assumed dangerous and be electronically patted down.
How the hell did we get to this?
Basic ghoulish marketing: Deprecate the product until it becomes nearly unbearable, then introduce a "classic" edition at a premium.
I will start preparing the EU to receive fugitives from the future Theocratic States of America. Homeschooling and creationist voucher schools are practically ensuring it.
The terrorists won. That's how we got to this.