Still stupid, but a lot better, as most pilots will probably opt for not  applying insane unhelpful restrictions unless they have additional reason to be concerned. Of course it also allows the possibility of arbitrary decisions that one won’t be able to effectively challenge in any way and which may be abused. Sigh. 

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http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/JSfgufzRZD0/tsa-lightens-up-and-lets-pilots-make-some-security-decisions

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We’ve seen the ridiculous new airline security rules and we’ve explained how to cope with them, but now the TSA is easing up and allowing pilots to make the final call on things including allowing live TV and pillows again.

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They really are going to do idiotic additional checks and restrictions because of Friday’s incident, aren’t they?  Such a complete waste. 

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http://jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/12/more_magical_thinking_from_the.php

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… So since the TSA will be prohibited, by law and custom, from actually searching passengers thoroughly (unless a pat-down includes the nether-regions, it’s utterly useless), why bother with the rest of the security-checkpoint nonsense? As Bruce Schneier has pointed out, the only two innovations since 9/11 that seem to work against terrorists on planes are hardened cockpit doors (which are irrelevant if the terrorist is simply trying to blow up the plane) and the willingness of passengers to fight back, which is what worked in this most recent case. The rest is silliness that serves only to torture passengers with bladder issues and make air travel even more unpleasant than it already is.

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