Back to the land of the FREE...refills :-)

[TheOne]

....well after my finger prints, mugshot, eye scan, shoe and belt scan, rectal probe and interiagtion that is Not very enjoyable after a two day journey from Shanghai, via Hong Kong and Taiwan, but a must I guess?

Funny thing though, even though we must check out cues on because we might turn into ninja's and hijack the plane, I carried a leatherman pen knife, yes pen KNIFE! in my hand luggage on the following flights without every being stopped:

SF - Taipei
Taipei - Kaohsiung
Taipei - Seoul
Seoul - Beijing
Beijing - Shanghai
Shanghai - Hong Kong
Hong Kong - Taipei
Taipei - San Fran

The funiest thing of all was after all these flights I boarded a flight to NYC from San Fran last night and they had three people around the xray machine studying my bag (with the knife in it!). They put it through twice but still didn't check inside it or take the knife off me! I was thinking what a bummer I got away with it on all those flights only to lose it on my last one! kinda makes you feel warm and safe inside,.......that they don't let anyone carry cues on board LOL ;-)

 

[no-sho]

....well after my finger prints, mugshot, eye scan, shoe and belt scan, rectal probe and interiagtion that is Not very enjoyable after a two day journey from Shanghai, via Hong Kong and Taiwan, but a must I guess?

Funny thing though, even though we must check out cues on because we might turn into ninja's and hijack the plane, I carried a leatherman pen knife, yes pen KNIFE! in my hand luggage on the following flights without every being stopped:

SF - Taipei
Taipei - Kaohsiung
Taipei - Seoul
Seoul - Beijing
Beijing - Shanghai
Shanghai - Hong Kong
Hong Kong - Taipei
Taipei - San Fran

The funiest thing of all was after all these flights I boarded a flight to NYC from San Fran last night and they had three people around the xray machine studying my bag (with the knife in it!). They put it through twice but still didn't check inside it or take the knife off me! I was thinking what a bummer I got away with it on all those flights only to lose it on my last one! kinda makes you feel warm and safe inside,.......that they don't let anyone carry cues on board LOL ;-)

Well I'm sure everyone here is glad your back safely and it's very comforting to know that if your flying on the same flight as me, you have my full permission to whip out that penknife in case of an emergency and kick all terrorist asses and save the day. Oh and I hope that dont arrest you after for carrying a deadly weapon!!! LOL Welcome to America.

no-sho

 

[TheOne]

BTW I should add that I only carried it as I always forgot to remove it from my hand luggage and put it in my cue case!

Thanks but I will let you wield the thing and save the day!

 

[no-sho]

I just wanted to add, that I think it's great that you can find the time to SHARE your adventures and experiences with the rest of us here. I personally always enjoy your input into the behind the scenes info at the tournys, like the WPC.

no-sho

 

[TheOne]

I just wanted to add, that I think it's great that you can find the time to SHARE your adventures and experiences with the rest of here. I personally always enjoy your imput into the behind the scenes info at the tournys, like the WPC.

no-sho

Thanks for that, although I wasn't voted for for the US Open I actually get a lot from this board. For example meeting sjm and coling in Shanghai was great and I have also taking my fare share too with regards to advice etc.. It wasn't long ago I was asking things like what's the best jump cue / tip etc..

Cheers

 

[AuntyDan]

BTW I should add that I only carried it as I always forgot to remove it from my hand luggage and put it in my cue case!

I learnt that lesson at Heathrow in 1995 when I made the mistake of putting my pocket tool in the little tray for metal items in your pocket and a UK security guard took exception to it. However back then the airlines actually gave you a special little box that was then added to your checked luggage items, although I had to have an LAX security guard OK me claiming it at the other end. After that when I travelled internally in the USA prior to 911 I'd just toss my Victrinox SwissTool in my hand luggage and put it back on my belt as I walked away from the luggage check.

Post-911 there seems to be no sensible logic, even a tiny little thing like a Leatherman Micra is confiscated now. It should be possible to have a simple minimum allowed blade length rule that allows tiny things like this to be carried. Frankly I doubt there will never be another duplicate of 911, not because of the hightened security but because it only worked because of the surprise element, no-one on the airline crews saw it coming or was trained to deal with it.

 

[TheOne]

I learnt that lesson at Heathrow in 1995 when I made the mistake of putting my pocket tool in the little tray for metal items in your pocket and a UK security guard took exception to it. However back then the airlines actually gave you a special little box that was then added to your checked luggage items, although I had to have an LAX security guard OK me claiming it at the other end. After that when I travelled internally in the USA prior to 911 I'd just toss my Victrinox SwissTool in my hand luggage and put it back on my belt as I walked away from the luggage check.

Post-911 there seems to be no sensible logic, even a tiny little thing like a Leatherman Micra is confiscated now. It should be possible to have a simple minimum allowed blade length rule that allows tiny things like this to be carried. Frankly I doubt there will never be another duplicate of 911, not because of the hightened security but because it only worked because of the surprise element, no-one on the airline crews saw it coming or was trained to deal with it.

Yes it all does seem a little strange, not sure Mike Tyson could hijack a plane with a leatherman or Bruce Lee could with a Bunjee Jump cue in the these post 911 days. See nobody would just sit there anymore because they know they have nothing to lose if its a suicide mission.

The funniest thing is youre right they would have taken it off me, depsite providing me with knives twice as long for my meal. But the sad thing is that on all these flights, with all this security and lack of liberty (in the US anyway) NOBODY spotted it.

 

[AuntyDan]

But the sad thing is that on all these flights, with all this security and lack of liberty (in the US anyway) NOBODY spotted it.

A few years back I went through SFO and had forgotten a butter knife in the bottom of my rucksack left over from a picnic the day before. (It was still smeared with cream cheese!)
This scene (Warning: Link contains offensive material) from my favorite web comic was flashing through my head, but fortunately they simply demeaned my intelligence and let me pass otherwise unmolested.

 

[Black-Balled]

...(It was still smeared with cream cheese!)... but fortunately they simply demeaned my intelligence and let me pass otherwise unmolested.

That, my friend, is possibly the funniest recap that I have ever read here. You just moved yourself miles up the distinguished road in my book!

 

[ATM]

Brings back memories: I went to 04 Bca playoffs in Vegas. The last time I traveled on a Commercial airliner (and only times) was with the military, in which we were bused to the back of the airport and loaded our gear and boarded, no lines or B.S. security, so I was pissed to find out I could only take the case as a carry on and not the cues. I ended up sending it next day air, insured for twice as much free through work. Anyway..... A girl on my team was allowed to bring on the plane two @ 12" crothet needles hmmmmmm....One can kill with a pen never mind a long spike. Heres your sign...