Hey, at least you guys don't have to have a retinal and fingerprint scan every time you fly over there. That sure is intrusive fun. But then, I am probably a terrorist.

nods

Have you had that thing where they make you walk into a wee cubicle thingy and then you're suddenly blasted with a mysterious puff of air which identifies whether you've ever thought kindly of Islam, or whatever the hell it does?

you're suddenly blasted with a mysterious puff of air

I'm going to guess this is to detect any minute traces of explosives on your person. Supposedly if you've handled explosives at all recently, this will detect it.

Yeah actual incompetence. Done incompetently too. It was more or less inevitable that a double deficit this size would lead to a lower dollar. If you absolutely insist on maintaining one, the smart thing to have done would have been to work to gradually lower the value of the dollar, so as to avoid a sudden crash... I think, to be exact, this was a combination of incompetence and criminal indifference.

Have you had that thing where they make you walk into a wee cubicle thingy and then you're suddenly blasted with a mysterious puff of air which identifies whether you've ever thought kindly of Islam, or whatever the hell it does?

Good Lord no. That sounds like the eye-puff thing at the opticians. Maybe they're checking if you're body has glaucoma/is stuffed with bombs?

ETA - We're kind of loving the low dollar because it's easier to pay off Boy's student loans. Our bad.

Taking K-Bug to the airport last week was quite the drama.

• First they tried to tell me I couldn't get a gate pass to escort her to the gate. Ummm, SFO's web site says it is up to the airline and when I called United they said it was ok - just ask when she checks in. The check-in witch tried to tell me that it is regulated by TSA and that United has no control. After forcing her to call her manager, I got a gate pass.
  
• But, beware of a pissed of check-in witch. Random fraud checks require them to SEE the credit card used to purchase the ticket. My father bought this ticket for K-Bug, so I didn't have the card.
  
• Once a fraud alert is triggered the only way to make it go away is to allow them to refund the original credit card and to pay with a new credit card. Now, I can't PROVE that she triggered that alert and that it wasn't completely random, but come on....
  
• Getting through security - a breeze.
  
• Getting a seat on the plane required FIVE people to be bumped because they had so totally oversold the flight and it took us so long to check in that she got the LAST seat after all the bumping.

The flight home still had it's issues, but they were blessings in disguise for her.

• She had originally been seated in the exit row, but is only 17, so she got moved to the last row of the plane. Separate from Grandpa and his wife.
  
• She got a window seat and the middle seat was empty, so she had room to stretch out a bit.

This is from way back but I thought Frintline dind't so much keep the ticks off the dog as it makes sure that when the tick bites the dog, the dog doens't get sick from it. Our dogs got ticks a lot when they were on Frontline but never got ill.

Thanks Stephanie. This is even more reassuring...and might explain why teh TICK died in the line of duty. ::cue teeny tick taps:: Bartleby seems fine, and except for a bit of a lump at the bite site, I see no reason to be alarmed.

I've had three mini-mag flashlights and a multitool vanish when my bags have had the "searched by the TSA" tag inside. Yes, carryons are getting to be a bigger and bigger problem. It is really bad when I travel since I refuse to check all expensive gear that I need for my work when I travel. I've actually shipped some things FedEX a day ahead if they have been a big possible problem.

It's weird the differences between over there and over here. All the low-cost airlines over here are trying to eliminate hold baggage to lower their turn-around times.

Sean, how frustrating! I fold and roll my clothes, but when I arrive, I unpack EVERYTHING. I put underwear in drawers and hang everything up, and shoes in the closet. Then I stow the bag. Otherwise I can't keep track of what clothes are clean, and on a business trip, I need to look spiffy every day. Also it saves on the "digging through the suitcase" time.

I've actually shipped some things FedEX a day ahead if they have been a big possible problem.

If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would guess that the White House/TSA and FedEx had some sort of thing going - I know a lot of people who do send their bags this way, rather than worrying about them. At least with FedEx, if you're missing anything, there are ways to get it back, or get a replacement.

But government/private corporations in secret handshake deals? nah....