Thursday, June 15, 2006

tsa and the funny traveling public

Now I think TSA is a great thing really. The first time I flew to the Dominican Republic a million years ago I flew on a rather tattered copy of my birth certificate. I still have the birth certificate sitting around somewhere with the DR's stamps on the back. Silly really. I was something like 17. So I don't begrudge TSA's existence and I think (from my personal experiences) that they do a really difficult job pretty well. They don't have much of a sense of humor but then again they're looking for crazies with bombs, so yeah, its a serious job. Anyway, today I was doing a little checking to update myself on the changes (they are always making changes). I downloaded the list of permitted and prohibited items (a definite change for the better on their part) and I cracked myself up with the list. The list is 5 pages and the stuff we all want to take like little scissors and finger nail trimmers are all ok now. But you push towards the bottom of the list and you get the martial arts weapons. Billy clubs are a NO. Nunchucks (spelling?) are a NO. Anyone wanting to carry brass knuckles, spear guns, flare guns or tear gas, all NO. Cracks me up because we all know the federal government hasn't answered questions people haven't asked! Maybe the throwing star has sentimental value and you are worried about checking it. But really someone wants to carry chlorine for pools on board the plane? Funny.

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