Point Me to the Miles

Contraband and Avatars: TSA Edition

22s, machetes, grenades, chainsaws, and walker-mounted knives.  It sounds like the zombie apocalypse, but it’s really just another day for the TSA.  The Huffington Post had an enlightening article on the contraband that has been confiscated by the TSA from the beginning of 2012 until now.

Feeling Batty?  Maybe that explains why you brought your lucky throwing stars.  In addition, there was a large number of guns that went through security—821, and even more alarming is that 691 (84%) of them were loaded.  Maybe that explains why some folks never leave home without their cellphone stun gun.  As they say, there’s an app for that!

Set Your Cell Phone to “Stun”

But my favorite was the grandpa who had a knife mounted on his walker, just in case someone stole his dentures.

Specially-Modified “Knife-Walker”

In other news, at least fewer headaches in the future may be caused by this sort of contraband, thanks to avatar TSA agents.  According to the Information Week article:

I think it may be a while before the TSA implements robots, but at least they are not likely to go off their rocker…

The TSA Goes Off Their Rocker…Again

I don’t think it can be very good publicity when I all have to do is Google the infamous letters “T-S-A” to discover their latest fiasco:

Melinda Deaton, was flying out of Dallas Love Field, when the TSA strip-searched her, which included a swabbing of her implanted feeding tube.

To their credit, the TSA officially said that this was wrong on their part, but this process could have easily given her an infection.  Adding insult to injury to Deaton, who suffers complications from a prior surgery, she was headed to the Mayo Clinic in Minneapolis for a doctor’s appointment.

So why do I share this, you ask?  I used to be less willing to simply post about stories in the news, as you can get that information anywhere.  And I think to some degree the TSA does keep our nation somewhat safe from crazy folks bent on destruction.

But as a “journalist” of sorts, I feel obliged to use my right of free speech to speak out against such idiotic behaviors.  Behaviors that besmirch the reputation of an entity whose purpose is to protect people, and make folks like myself think they are the crazy ones to watch out for.

TSA Agents to Help UK Airport Security

Based on their history, I found myself lost is hysteria when I heard that the TSA agents would help staff UK airports during the Olympics.

Maybe I shouldn’t laugh, for as Gary would say, there are “a few bad apples who in no way undermine the hard work that thousands of men and women at the TSA do to keep us safe, day in and day out.“