I found my self in a hotel room at the Baltimore (BWI) airport this last Wendesday night watching CNN as I was trying to fall asleeep. I remember this breaking news about a terror plot on US bound airplanes from the UK. I remember saying to myself, that I shouldn't be worried, as it'll take at least Noon on Thursday for the TSA to react system wide...

And then after a short 5 hour nap, I awoke to the wakeup call at 6am. Flipped on the news and pretty much still saw only travel disruptions in the UK. Good, my flight was in only 1 1/2 hours...I was good to go.

As my hotel shuttle approaches the terminal at BWI, I quickly noticed some of the longest lines I've seen. This was amazing. Since I was only bring carry on bags, I found a lone carry-on kiosk for American. Got my boarding pass only to have to wait in an hour line for security. Wow the TSA had reacted fast.

After 45 min into the wait, it's now brought to our attention that we have to relinquish all liquids on our carry-on bags. Or, go back and check it in. No way I'm waiting in that line. I give up my shaving cream, hair gel and toothpaste to an already overflowing trash can of all sorts of stuff. The lady in front of me threw away probably over $50 worth of makeup. Made my loss of probably $3 not so bad.

After that, the trip was uneventful getting to DFW only an hour late. However, I got to thinking after I made my way home and watched some of the reports on TV. They said that it was really easy to mask explosives in liquid form and virtually untectable through security. WHAT? If it was so easy, is it just now that the TSA realizes that and is doing something about it?

That brings me to my point. The TSA was extremely quick to react, but so slow to anticipate this threat. Sounds like they are acting tatically, when they ought to be securing our travel more strategically.

The TSA is quick...and yet so....slow.