Max Angle
Your comments about cowl latches are spot on, that is why I carried my trusty screwdriver on a walk around inspection, put the screwdriver in the slot between the cowls and apply a little pressure, if the cowl moves then it is not secure.
Unfortunately the security people in the Government are more worried that I will use the screwdriver to hijack the aircraft that I am in command of rather than the safety of the aircraft and its passengers. I do miss being able to check little things like cowl security and how much fuel was actually on the aircraft but these little things clearly rate a poor second to the unblemished career of the civil servants and politicians who mandate security policy.