Olddude I don't know what airports you are flying out of but unless, pulp novels, glossy magazines, 4 dollar cinnamon buns and 5 dollar coffees are weapons that can take down a plane, the measures do provide some safety at the one's I have flown through.

I have to hand it to Al Qaeda though, first the shoe bomber, then the crotch bomber, they are making it less and less pleasant to fly.