I have flown to LA three times this year, and coming back yesterday I could not help but notice two things. First off the United Terminal was so empty I walked up to a baggage check-in Kiosk without any wait and I walked up to security without any wait. Mark that down in the history books, I doubt I will ever see that again. BTW – on a side note, my two flight were actually on time! I won’t waste everyone’s time with my endless travel stories from this year. I have been averaging more than one trip a month so you can see why it is a big deal two of my planes finally took off on time for once.

Anyway, the second thing I noticed was that the baggage screener was intently and with great seriousness assessing my computer bag (which has tons of stuff in it since I travel so much). And I mean seriously checking it out. It was my one delay getting to the bar for a glass of wine to start my endless wait for take off (you have to get to the airport 2 hours early and wait, because if you don’t you will always find 2 hour long security lines – Murphy’s Law).

Well now I know why there was so much scrutiny on my bag:

Security screeners at two of the nation’s busiest airports failed to find fake bombs hidden on undercover agents posing as passengers in more than 60% of tests last year, according to a classified report obtained by USA TODAY.

Screeners at Los Angeles International Airport missed about 75% of simulated explosives and bomb parts that Transportation Security Administration testers hid under their clothes or in carry-on bags at checkpoints, the TSA report shows.

This truly is an unacceptable miss rate. I am sure everyone at LAX was aware this reporting was coming out. Of course now that the idiotic news media has blared out to the world-wide terrorist community where are weaknesses are they may convince them to try for 9-11, part II. I understand the need for public pressure on these groups to get their acts together, but there has to be a better when than broadcasting our weak points in our defensive lines.