TSA just confiscated a ROCK from my wife

Old Aug 12, 2006, 9:06 am
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Thumbs down TSA just confiscated a ROCK from my wife

My wife packed very lightly for her trip: her purse and a tiny carryon with a change of clothes, her toothbrush, and her deodorant. This deodorant is a solid piece of rock crystal. No gel. No liquid.

TSA guy says to her, "Ma'am, this is not allowed." She said, "It's not a gel or liquid." TSA guy: "Ma'am, it is still not allowed."



I wish she'd called over a supervisor. I told her on the cell phone to ask for one immediately, but she said, "They already threw it away." I told her to demand a complaint form and to still talk to a supervisor, but even though her flight isn't for another hour and a half, I doubt she's going to.

She has let them win.

Making the rules up, just as I expected they would. What utter nonsense.
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 9:09 am
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Originally Posted by exerda
TSA guy says to her, "Ma'am, this is not allowed." She said, "It's not a gel or liquid." TSA guy: "Ma'am, it is still not allowed."
Well, I'm not familiar with this type of personal hygiene product, but a rock would be more dangerous than a tube of lipstick.

Perhaps a letter, "This was my pet rock, that I've had since I was 4 years old", might get some results. It's all nonsense, anyway. More stuff for the TSA to say. "We're doing it to make YOU safe".
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 9:10 am
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They love to make up rules. For too many of them (not including Bart), it's the only authority they have ever had in life. Exercising it is a real thrill for them.

Bruce
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 9:15 am
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Here's one like she had in her bag.

I just filed a normal TSA complaint on her behalf. One more letter to add to the stack that is going out this weekend: one to the DC FSD about how ridiculous this one was.
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 10:37 am
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Very intriguing. I've never seen or heard of such a product. The website does not describe use. Do you wet it? Is it effective. Just curious.
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 10:40 am
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OUTRAGEOUS!

The only silly thing they have taken away from me is a small Euro sized bottle of SuperDrug Spray Starch. I was amazed when I was told it was not considered a personal item, but what can you do?
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 10:41 am
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Originally Posted by PhlyingRPh
OUTRAGEOUS!

The only silly thing they have taken away from me is a small Euro sized bottle of SuperDrug Spray Starch. I was amazed when I was told it was not considered a personal item, but what can you do?
If it's not considered a personal item, then what? A public good?
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 10:46 am
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Originally Posted by deubster
Very intriguing. I've never seen or heard of such a product. The website does not describe use. Do you wet it? Is it effective. Just curious.
You do wet it before use, and in my experience, it is effective, but not as effective in high-use situations. So, if I'm going to be, say, exercising, or if it's moving day, I'd rather have Degree.

GG
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 10:46 am
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
If it's not considered a personal item, then what? A public good?
LOL Oddly enough, while tipping everything out of my carry on that day, they missed a pair of small scissors disguised as a felt tip pen and a small screwdriver also disguised as a pen. These have remained very well hidden in my carry on for over 2 years now!
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 10:51 am
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Originally Posted by deubster
Very intriguing. I've never seen or heard of such a product. The website does not describe use. Do you wet it? Is it effective. Just curious.
You do wet it to apply. It works very well for every-day stuff, but if you're going to be strenuously exercising or anything like that, you'll need to re-apply more often. It is not an anti-perspirant, for those who want that.

The best part is that one of these stones lasts about a year, so in the long run it's cheaper than gel deodorants. And it's completely non-irritating for those who can't tolerate the other stuff.

Still can't believe they confiscated it. Idiots.
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 11:13 am
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Looks like TSA is now getting in on the DC Area Airport Personnel Looting Game
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 11:22 am
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Is it labelled deodorant?

I'm totally with you - this is ridiculous. But consider this... I've never heard of this kind of product - I'm sure most of the people who've replied have probably never heard of this product. If it was labelled as a deodorant (even as a solid/crystal etc.) - I can't say I can put 100% fault with the poor screener who most likely has never heard of such a thing. He/She was perhaps told - "No deodorants" and acted accordingly.

All that being said, this continues to be the stupidest policy yet and I'd strongly encourage documenting and reporting it, perhaps even to the news media that seems to be so enamoured with this nonsense!
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 11:24 am
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Originally Posted by bnarayan1511
He/She was perhaps told - "No deodorants" and acted accordingly.
So I guess he/she was also told not to think?
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 11:46 am
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Originally Posted by flysurfer
So I guess he/she was also told not to think?
Indeed. And my wife showed him, "Look, it's completely solid," but he refused to even consider that.

She told me she didn't talk to a supervisor later because "they probably wouldn't believe that it was solid after he'd already taken it away." I wasn't happy with her for not pressing the matter with a supervisor, but you can bet the TSA has already gotten a couple of complaints from us today on it, and more to come.
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Old Aug 12, 2006, 11:55 am
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Originally Posted by flysurfer
So I guess he/she was also told not to think?
Well, is there a single post anywhere here that leads you to believe that thinking is something on a screener's job description?

Not being an apologist, but I think you're being a little too harsh. Now if there was a supervisor involved, then heck - he needs to be drawn and quartered. Requiring individual screeners to make subjective calls will only lenghthen this madness.
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