RatherBeOnATrain

Slate's Brian Palmer did the research and has the answer to the question: Can you really make a bomb out of a pastry?

Here's the link:

Slate
Cupcake Wars - Can you really make a bomb out of a pastry?
Posted Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2011, at 2:47 PM ET

mikeef

Yeah, but what if this situation plays out: Passenger brings cupcake on board. As the pilot steps out of the cockpit to do his doodie, pax throws the cupcake in the pilot's face, temporarily blinding him. Then, in OJ like fashion, pax leapfrogs the carts that the FAs have set up to block the cockpit and wham, we have a terrorist in the cockpit. Personally, I'm glad that we have a TSO considering all possible scenarios.



Mike

Fredd

In the same vein, it will be inspiring if the video shows a TSA employee heroically throwing this potential explosive into his own mouth without regard for his own safety (or diet) to protect others.

That's worthy of a Just Desserts award.

Burfey

If a flight attendant ever places a cupcake on my food tray, I'm gonna tackle her and yell for everyone to take cover. You just never know......

cmn.jcs

I liked the end quote the best:

HealthyAcademic

The real question.... will they let me take my jelly donuts through...

Letitride3c

Unless it's purchased airside, you might be taking your chances on getting thru - especially anything with cream/kream, jelly or lemon fillings & frostings, IMHO.

Stick with the plain ones, as they will find it very difficult to come up with a reason (not that they really need one) to confiscate or prompt you to "surrender" them, LOL. Half-eaten or ones with bite marks, however, should up the odds of getting it through .... I think.

Hmmm, looked like I will have to ditch my favorite cheese & spinach calzone since the fillings could be .... oh, nevermind - I will consume it before reaching the screeners, in their face !

IslandBased

Isn't the human brain sort of a gel?

OrlandoFlyer

Only in the case of TSA employees!

littlesheep

deleted

chollie

Certainly not all TSOs, but I question whether the cupcake TSO (and her manager) have >3.4 ounces of functioning brain matter.

Boggie Dog

A person posting as "TSM" on the TSA Blog stated the cupcakes should not have been allowed per TSA regs.

chollie

Yeah, I saw that. I thought it was an interesting comment because without further qualification, it contradicted the statement of the TSA spokesman who said that cakes and pies are usually allowed (although, like everything TSA, subject to the whim and appetites, sorry, judgment of the individual screener).

The traveller also doesn't appear to have been offered the option to leave the checkpoint to dispose of the cupcake (friend, check it, leave it in the car). That may not have been realistic in her situation, but the option should have been presented. (In similar situations, I have left the checkpoint just so I could dispose of the item in an airport trashcan so it wouldn't end up in the TSOs pocket).

Since the TSM also said BOS had done it wrong, I would like to see the media ask the BOS FSD to comment on this lapse of security - is the BOS screener going to be 'retrained'? According to the pax, she took two cupcakes through the checkpoint at BOS, so the public was doubly at risk...

OxonCantab

Judging by my recent travels, TSA are brave and honorable folk willing to do so.

mikeef

My parents live in a town adjacent to Cohasset. Next time I visit the fam, I'm gonna stop by the cupcake store and see how much their sales went up in the weeks after this announcement.

And, being a true American, I'm going to buy a cupcake and sue them for false advertising if I decide they aren't wicked good.

Mike