TSA . . . Oh Pooh


Now to report on a ‘sticky’ situation a few days ago in California . . .

Over the holidays an incident happened in Bakersfield when one of the many people traveling went through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint and was detained when two agents ‘found’ what they suspected to be a suspicious liquid.

The passenger was said to be fully cooperating with TSA which leaves one to wonder just how incompetent some of these people are.  A hazardous material crew and bomb squad were called to Meadows Field Airport when sharp eyed TSA spotted several jars in a passenger's luggage.

The airport was put under a security lockdown for hours while the investigation was ongoing.  The liquid substance that had everyone so worried?  Honey . . . the stuff Winnie the Pooh likes to eat. 

It’s not just the human component of Homeland Security that failed, though. An expensive machine designed to detect the chemical signature of explosives concluded that the honey consisted of both TNT and the explosive triacetone triperoxide.  The honey actually contained neither substance, but was comprised of . . . honey.

I’m sure the passenger was telling the agent, “It’s only honey!”

To make matters worse the TSA agents were all abuzz with this sting. (sorry, I couldn't help myself.)  The agents are apparently sharp-nosed, as well.  From a news article:

“Two Transportation Security Administration officers were also treated and released from the hospital after being exposed to what were described as "fumes" from the bottles.”

I’m sure they were worried about an explosion of flavor!

Particularly revealing was the way that after opening one of the jars a “chemical” smell was found (honey is, like all matter, made up of chemicals), were overcome with nausea, and had to be rushed to the hospital.

That’s what our Homeland Security line of defense amounts to . . . people who faint at the smell of honey.  Of course if the honey had been colder it would've been legally a solid and therefore not prohibited.

The airport was reopened after it was determined that only honey was the liquid being transported but not before subjecting many people to the holiday cheer that day. 

UPDATE: TSA agents cleaned up the incident with some buttered toast and all is well in California.

I sometimes use honey to sweeten my coffee . . . I wonder it this will get me on the no-fly list as I have several flights upcoming in the next few weeks to jobsites.

Ice

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