Once again RichardMEL is on the money (or maybe because I agree with him). I returned yesterday from AMS via LHR and when I was going through customs at ORD, the agent stopped me and started asking me questions and going through my passport. She saw that almost every page was filled with stamps and also my "dreaded" visa from Pakistan a few years back. She then asked "When was the last time you were out of the country?" to which I replied 6 days ago. Granted I used to fly a lot more internationally for business, but lately it's on my own dime. She then starts asking me what I do for a living, etc. and if I had a business card. Instead of arguing (and boy do I love a good agrument, but I also don't like inspections in private parts of my body by non-medical professionals), I reluctanly gave her my card which she kept. I had declared everything I bought and I did bring more booze than allowed, but she said nothing about that and let me pass. It was ironic that last week when returning from CDG to ORD, I was chosen for a random screening at customs. I thought it may have something to do with the fact I brought in more than the $400 allowance and more than the allowable booze (hey, they make nice X-Mas presents), but he said that I was the lotto winner randomly chosen to have my bags searched. The pain in the butt was the waiting, since it was X-Mas day and only one agent was really "working." He asked me lots of questions, why I was travelling on X-Mas (I told him I was Jewish and he chuckled) and then typed some stuff into his computer. He did a very cursory check of my baggage then sent me on my way - total time almost 45 minutes. He did not make me pay the extra duty, however. Perhaps that was my Chanukah present from the Customs Service.