Looks like there's a spare 250,000 people that need close examination....that's it, bend over and SQUEEL like a pig boy...........Figures even the same cruddy government that won't allow a nail file on your favourite pair of clippers will cause security to suffer.

Only in America man....

See old Reg story.

I recall this was a laptop in a secure (non public) area of an airport in (IIRC) correctly a locked office.

So unlikely to be just a random laptop theft.

The typical Clear member.

$200 in cash.

Provides a fair chunck of their personal details to some guy in a shiny suit with a slick presentaion.

Out of town a lot.

I study of the number of unexplained buglaries amongst Clear users might be quite interesting.

Can we hope the demise of Bush II will lead to the end of this security theatre?

Abusing and annoying customers is never the right solution, even for governments. The Land of the Free should have the guts to stand up and be FREE. My hope is that this now has a chance of happening.

CLEAR was a pretty good programme from what I recall... at least it sped up the queues in a way that those who spent the $200 managed to get through the system faster. It's kinda like the IRIS thing at Schiphol and at Gatwick / Heathrow (when they work). For business travellers $200 was nothing compared to the collective annual cost of standing in the TSA queue.

Better to stand in the queue than give up data to that lot. I probably would have still joined the queue even if I didn't have to pay their annual fee.

Well, at least everyone else didn't have to pay extra for this nonsense...

My former boss liked to arrive at the airport 10 minutes early and "fly" through to his plane. I have no idea where he is now.

These days I always pack extra toothpaste, throw in a bottled water or two, then maybe some dirty socks for good measure; just to slow the line down. I figure the more I make everyone wait, the more those tools will cry to their congressman about it (or at least regret voting republican). I'd love to see an end to this whole nonsense. The Toiletries Safety Administration, and all of the hangers-on like CLEAR who are just looking for an easy buck at everyone's expense. It's a waste of time and money, and dignity. And an embarrassment before the world (as if we needed another).

PS - Love the new Icons, I would have liked to have used "FAIL" and not been such a coward, but, I'd rather not get selected for extra "screening" if you know what I mean.