MHT 8/11/2006 p.m.

Carrying multiple empty water bottles, a single bottle frozen solid with ice, and about 5 pounds of oranges for alternate hydration.

TSA took interest in neither the oranges nor the empty bottles (though didn't comment they were OK either) but zoomed right in and did a secondary on the bag with the ice bottle.

Screener did not appreciate my assertion that ice was a solid and the ban was on liquids, and essentially threatened me with not flying. (And then when I said, "did you just threaten me with not flying?" got kind of defensive, backpedaled, and claimed I "started it" as a supervisor began to wander over.)

The bottle was confiscated.

I had no gate screening at MHT though other flights seemed to have random (maybe 1 in 20 bags) gate screening, so it would have been easy to smuggle airside-purchased water aboard.

How sick is it that "smuggle water" is a phrase that makes sense?