Getting caught up...
To get caught up on a whirlwind week and a half:
I flew to Atlanta to visit. It was a good trip. On the way down I got to Boston-Logan a little early. Going through security, I ran into a little difficulty. Readers of my Slashdot journal might remember an entry from 2.5 years ago where I had trouble going through security without removing my shoes.
How little has changed. Going through security, the screener stopped me before I went through the metal detecter and said "I suggest you take off your shoes." I replied "ok." He did not move out of the way. He said "Sir, I suggest you take off your shoes." I again replied "ok" and continued to stand there, waiting to go through. He repeated his "suggestion". I shot back with "You can suggest all you want."
To pricks on a power-trip and a hint of authority, this was an insult. He let me through, mumbling something under his breath. He held on to my passport and boarding pass and pulled me aside into the "additional screening" walkway. He let three or four more people through, telling them each time "Thanks, *you* are free to go on your way." At one point he mumbled "...free to suggest all I want..."
Finally he called out for an "additional screener" (something he could have done as soon as I went through, but instead waited for several people to go through, knowing it would cause me to wait). A female screener came over, and asked the original screener if I had set off the alarm. The original screener said "Yes." I immediately shot back with "No, I did not! I just refused to take off my shoes!"
After my additional screening (complete with full-body pat-down), I asked to speak to a supervisor.
Apparently even asking to speak to a prick on a power-trip who has authority is enough to insult him. He was rather defensive.
Some quotes from the conversation:
Me: "So why do you not inform people that refusing to take off your shoes will result in additional screening?"
Supervisor: "Sir, once you come through here we can do whatever we want."
Me: "The TSA does not require the removal of shoes..."
Supervisor: "It is policy at every TSA airport that every passenger removes his or her shoes."
Supervisor: "We do not want an evil-doer to stand to the side and see when we do certain things, and who we pull aside, so they can learn how to avoid being caught."
Me: "But you just said removing shoes was policy at every airport. How quickly do you think a terrorist could figure that one out?"
Me: "I still do not understand why you do not inform people that failing to remove shoes will result in additional screening."
Supervisor: "Sir, we do not have to do that."
Me: "I understand that. But why do you not do it as a courtesy? What do you have to lose?
Supervisor: "We do not have to."
Supervisor (again): "Sir, once you come in here we can do whatever we want."
Me: "You still have not given me one good reason for not informing passengers up front."
Supervisor: "Because we do not have to."
We (or, rather, I) agreed to disagree. The arrogance was amazing, though.
Spent some time in Athens, GA. Went kayaking on the Broad River. Went to a Red Sox game at Turner Field. It made me appreciate Fenway a lot more.
I checked in for my Tuesday flight back to Boston on Monday. Lucky me. I was flying AIrTran. Little did I know that their computers would completely crash Monday night, and they would not be able to check in ANYONE who did not check in prior to the crash. Thousands of people were waiting in line at their ticket counters. I was able to breeze through security and board the plane. We were running about an hour late, but in the grand scheme of things I think we were really lucky.
Oh, and security at ATL? Did not make me take off my shoes.
Got back Tuesday evening. Wednesday at the Fruit Stand, and Wednesday night I went to The Streets show at Avalon, on the band list. Great show.
Thursday was back to the Fruit Stand, and Thursday night was out with some coworkers for drinks (I just had a spinach and artichoke dip).
Friday morning was back, again, to the Fruit Stand. Friday night was out with a friend for a movie, dinner, and dessert.
Saturday and... well, you can guess. The Fruit Stand. Last night I stayed home, made some dinner, and watched a movie. Today I got up and met an out-of-town friend for brunch in Coolidge Corner. Came back, went for a run, and then just relaxed. Tomorrow is running, doctor's appointment, and then groceries.
Oh, and I might write an entry complaining about the Fruit Stand tomorrow. RIght now I just do not want to think about it.
EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention the most important part of this weekend - I just purchased a one-way ticket from Atlanta to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. 28 August 2006. The big-bosses at the Fruit Stand do not know this yet, though, so...
I flew to Atlanta to visit. It was a good trip. On the way down I got to Boston-Logan a little early. Going through security, I ran into a little difficulty. Readers of my Slashdot journal might remember an entry from 2.5 years ago where I had trouble going through security without removing my shoes.
How little has changed. Going through security, the screener stopped me before I went through the metal detecter and said "I suggest you take off your shoes." I replied "ok." He did not move out of the way. He said "Sir, I suggest you take off your shoes." I again replied "ok" and continued to stand there, waiting to go through. He repeated his "suggestion". I shot back with "You can suggest all you want."
To pricks on a power-trip and a hint of authority, this was an insult. He let me through, mumbling something under his breath. He held on to my passport and boarding pass and pulled me aside into the "additional screening" walkway. He let three or four more people through, telling them each time "Thanks, *you* are free to go on your way." At one point he mumbled "...free to suggest all I want..."
Finally he called out for an "additional screener" (something he could have done as soon as I went through, but instead waited for several people to go through, knowing it would cause me to wait). A female screener came over, and asked the original screener if I had set off the alarm. The original screener said "Yes." I immediately shot back with "No, I did not! I just refused to take off my shoes!"
After my additional screening (complete with full-body pat-down), I asked to speak to a supervisor.
Apparently even asking to speak to a prick on a power-trip who has authority is enough to insult him. He was rather defensive.
Some quotes from the conversation:
Me: "So why do you not inform people that refusing to take off your shoes will result in additional screening?"
Supervisor: "Sir, once you come through here we can do whatever we want."
Me: "The TSA does not require the removal of shoes..."
Supervisor: "It is policy at every TSA airport that every passenger removes his or her shoes."
Supervisor: "We do not want an evil-doer to stand to the side and see when we do certain things, and who we pull aside, so they can learn how to avoid being caught."
Me: "But you just said removing shoes was policy at every airport. How quickly do you think a terrorist could figure that one out?"
Me: "I still do not understand why you do not inform people that failing to remove shoes will result in additional screening."
Supervisor: "Sir, we do not have to do that."
Me: "I understand that. But why do you not do it as a courtesy? What do you have to lose?
Supervisor: "We do not have to."
Supervisor (again): "Sir, once you come in here we can do whatever we want."
Me: "You still have not given me one good reason for not informing passengers up front."
Supervisor: "Because we do not have to."
We (or, rather, I) agreed to disagree. The arrogance was amazing, though.
Spent some time in Athens, GA. Went kayaking on the Broad River. Went to a Red Sox game at Turner Field. It made me appreciate Fenway a lot more.
I checked in for my Tuesday flight back to Boston on Monday. Lucky me. I was flying AIrTran. Little did I know that their computers would completely crash Monday night, and they would not be able to check in ANYONE who did not check in prior to the crash. Thousands of people were waiting in line at their ticket counters. I was able to breeze through security and board the plane. We were running about an hour late, but in the grand scheme of things I think we were really lucky.
Oh, and security at ATL? Did not make me take off my shoes.
Got back Tuesday evening. Wednesday at the Fruit Stand, and Wednesday night I went to The Streets show at Avalon, on the band list. Great show.
Thursday was back to the Fruit Stand, and Thursday night was out with some coworkers for drinks (I just had a spinach and artichoke dip).
Friday morning was back, again, to the Fruit Stand. Friday night was out with a friend for a movie, dinner, and dessert.
Saturday and... well, you can guess. The Fruit Stand. Last night I stayed home, made some dinner, and watched a movie. Today I got up and met an out-of-town friend for brunch in Coolidge Corner. Came back, went for a run, and then just relaxed. Tomorrow is running, doctor's appointment, and then groceries.
Oh, and I might write an entry complaining about the Fruit Stand tomorrow. RIght now I just do not want to think about it.
EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention the most important part of this weekend - I just purchased a one-way ticket from Atlanta to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. 28 August 2006. The big-bosses at the Fruit Stand do not know this yet, though, so...