Ed Winchester,. .I totally agree that everyone MUST be checked. But unfortunately, and especially in the US I realised that those checks are carried out in the dumbest way and by obviously untrained people. (Let's not mention their manners, or we should mention the manners of the immigration officers as well <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> ) . .On September the 17th in JFK our crew were asked if we had any tools. Subsequently we were confiscated corkscrews, tweezers, nail clippers, the tiny scissors (1.5 cm blades and round ended) we use for unsealing and the tool we use to seal with lead seals (looks more or less like a nutcracker). Too bad that some of us went through the screening with more tools they had forgot about, like a 15 cm scissor, nail scissors, metallic nailfiles etc, with not a blink from the "security" officers.. .In MIA we queued for 1.5 hour in October (average pax waiting time 2 to 3 hours) to have our PENCIL SHARPENERS confiscated. I mean the plastic ones with virtually no blade. . .I don't think those checks are as efficient as they COULD be. It seems to me that they hastily made up some rule to give the impression that something was being made. But obviously, a real professional was not consulted because there is no reason for silly rules when you could have clever rules for the same price.. .As a crew member, I have no objection on being searched, even if I consider it quite silly to turn inside out like used socks the pilots when they could achieve anything they want by just sitting at their place without having to force their way to the cockpit.. .And for what is of the cabin, it is a real masterpiece to have those ridiculous knifes removed and not the FORKS. If I had ever to spit someone I'd do it with a fork. I mean, did they HAVE A LOOK at the dumb forks and knives before making a decision? And if I wanted to knock out the Captain, do you think I would use a TWEEZER or a GLASS wine bottle? . .I already can see some objection coming for writing this here. But folks, If I could figure it out, don't worry, terrorists did before me, I am not revealing any secret aviation policy.. .The general impression I have is that the Security "brains" are wasting time running behind the terrorists; and that the terrorists are way ahead. After 11/9 we were searched for blades, now they sniff our pumps. I hope no terrorist will come out with the idea of stuffing his underpants with T4, or we are going to get through the nastiest checks <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> ...