points of view..
i did a job a couple of years ago that involved getting major amounts of exhibition equipment and tools airside in terminals. We went to the main airports of the world and spent a few months in detailled discussions and I went to every airside install. Without a doubt, Brisbane had the most professional attitude to security bar none. They counted every tool and item in and out, they accompanied us everywhere airside, they xrayed everything etc etc. Whatever the rights and wrongs of liquids on domestic flights you can be sure that the guys are working hard to apply the rules and do so diligently. They screen the liquids by the sound of it, and thats potentially as good as banning them, just expensive to apply.
Speaking as a chemist, here are easier ways than the methods prevented by banning liquids. Speaking as a technician, if i really wanted to get a few hundred ml of a liquid thropugh xray and on board, its possible. Speaking as a pilot, i find it hard to believe i can be in charge of an aircraft but not a bottle of water. However, the rules do exist to prevent people abusing or coercing the system to their own ends and actually speaking as a passenger ( 120 sectors/yr) I am glad the rules exist, however fatuous or badly applied they seem sometimes..