A child’s curiosity and natural desire to learn are like a tiny flame, easily extinguished unless it’s protected and given fuel. This book will help you as a parent both protect that flame of curiosity and supply it with the fuel necessary to make it burn bright throughout your child’s life. Let’s ignite our children’s natural love of learning!
June 2nd, 2007
Goodbye, Pocketknife!
I flew into Phoenix last night on Delta. As I waited in the TSA security line, I realized that I had my pocketknife with me. My useful, trusted friend that I carried everywhere. Everywhere.
As the front of the line approached, I realized that I had to ditch it. I rode the bus to the airport, so I couldn’t go put it in my car. I wasn’t checking any luggage, so that wasn’t an option. Time was somewhat short, and so I threw it in the garbage can.
I was upset. Very upset.
It’s not about the knife. I can buy another knife. It’s about the draconian TSA security measures in place that impinge on personal liberties. I am inconvenienced in the elusive name of “security”, all in an effort to assure my fellow passengers that I’m not a bomb-strapped terrorist.
The incident was only compounded by the screener asking me to remove my shoes and place them on the conveyor belt. I was wearing flip flops, for crying out loud. What, did she think that in the 1/3″ of material I had inserted C4 explosives or something? Good grief. Flying can be quite irksome when one has to strip off half of one’s clothes.
Why don’t we have a similar invasion of privacy in other methods of transportation? Terrorists can use cars and trucks, can’t they? Should that be an excuse for having a gestapo-like police task force randomly stopping people on the streets? The UK already does…
I miss my pocketknife.
5 Responses to “Goodbye, Pocketknife!”
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I feel naked without my Leatherman tool on my belt.
That liquid explosive scam was all just an excuse to keep us Americans submissive to government harassment. All one needs to do is a little research on the subject in order to see that the liquids ban on airlines is all a bunch of hooey. First off, those suspected terrorists in London who were caught have now all been released because there was no evidence they were actually trying to make some kind of liquid explosive. Second, it is impossible to make the type of liquid explosive which our government claims was going to be made while in flight. This type of “liquid” explosive must have lab equipment to manufacture, and it takes more than 24 hours to do so. Two of the necessary lab requirements are semi-precise temperature control of the mixture, and commercial-type air circulation and exhaust. These are unavailable within an airliner’s bathroom stall. Then again, I don’t think a terrorist, with the chemicals necessary, would be able to lock himself in a bathroom stall for 24 hours without being found out. Even if he did try it, he would kill himself before finishing from the lack of adequate ventilation. The fumes alone would be more dangerous to the passengers than any type of explosive which might be concocted within 24 hours.
Now that the “liquid explosives” scare has been totally disproven as even possible, and after all those alledged terrorists have been released, USA still continues to implement the scare tactics upon us ignorant passengers.
don’t they allow you to mail your knife home?
I hate going to the airport. Especially the whole taking the shoes off. Since the increase in security I have to coordinate everything before hand. Here’s how it goes down.
I make sure to wear pants that don’t need a belt. I have to put my keys, watch, loose change all in my carry-on bag so I’m not scrambling at the checkpoint. I go to the airport with sandals (doesn’t work in the winter) or my shoes tied very loosely (which I hate). Even with all this preparation here’s the stress at the checkpoint. I have to take my laptop out of the bag and put it in it’s own tray. Then the bag goes down then my shoes take up their own tray (size 13). Then my carry on. I now have 2 trays and two bags I’m trying to slide across the table while the idiots in front of me forgot to take their cell phone out of their pocket and go through a few times. The whole time I’ve got my boarding pass in my mouth because I need it out and my two hands are sliding my 4 items across the table.
Now let’s add another variable into the scenario. Let’s say my wife and baby are traveling with me. Now we have a stroller and diaper bag that need to go through and we have to hold our baby. This scenario takes a lot of planning and coordination between my wife and I to make sure we don’t leave anything behind.
Now, driving from Utah to Arizona doesn’t take much longer than flying now and you can fill your car with whatever you want and while you’re there you have your own car to get around. And best of all you don’t have to strip down unless you want to. Thanks department of Homeland Security for taking away the convenience of flying!
Six airports allow you to mail prohibited items home. Check out the TSA link below…
http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/mailsafe.shtm
Those items must be OK in the mail, couldn’t hurt anyone in the mail. All those confiscated liquid items taken at airports are also harmless when they are handed over to homeless shelters and charity groups. But somehow these items are dangerous on a plane?
I leave for San Francisco in about an hour. I was just packing and complaining about putting my less than 3 oz of bathroom items in a clear plastic bag. I had to make a special trip to the store this morning so I could make sure I had travel size items. Its a freaking joke!!!!