I stopped flying after a flight last year. First of all, it was on American Express, which means we were packed in like sardines. Then my wife and I had to get a lecture from a woman because my wife’s hand lotion was more than the limited ounces allowed. Now, keep in mind the tube said one more ounces that are allowed but it was only half full. I guess that means you can’t carry an empty bottle if the maximan contents listed on the bottle is more than the TSA allows.
Second, I don’t need some dummy lectering me about flying rules. Just take the damned expensive hand lotion home with and let me get on the airplane.
About this time they started the x-ray scanning and that was the end of my flying days.
Last month, my 79-year-old cousin and I flew to California together. We both are overly-white with blue eyes, one with grey hair and one blonde. We’re both under 5’ tall and semi-disabled. BOTH of us supposedly set off alarms and were subjected to additional screening, including obscene patdowns and swabbing! Obviously, neither of us were terrorists or capable of doing anyone any harm. I have never seen any Arab-looking people put through these humiliations, especially women in hijabs or burkas! WHY? What is the point of any of this? My personal opinion is to get us used to being sheep, to “prepare” us for what’s coming. Maybe I’m crazy, but it sure isn’t for our security!
That's nothing; I had a friend come over from Indonesia (he does missionary-work) and the customs official wouldn't let him bring some Indonesian food (equivalent of Ramen-noodles) because they could be carrying bird-flu, you know in the artificial chicken flavor packet. Apparently the guy could not get his head around the concept of "artificial = fake".
When I hear stories like that, it makes me wonder how we-as-a-nation are "afloat" at all, to any degree.