TSA - Wrong clown arrested?

[Richard]

Clown Strip-Searched By BIA Airport Security: Plastic Handcuffs Confiscated By Authorities

Birmingham International Airport security guards strip-searched a man dressed as a clown after the entertainer set off security alarms. Wearing a baggy bright blue constable's uniform, huge shoes, and a policeman's helmet -- complete with a flashing blue light on top -- PC Konk the Clown was ordered to strip to his tee-shirt and shorts.

"My plastic scissors and camera got through fine, as did my funny glasses and bubble machine, but then they discovered my plastic toy handcuffs. I told them I had bought them from the Early Learning Centre especially for the trip but they still said they were a risk."

http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?ContentBlockID=1bbba9ee-f312-49e5-9bb5-aab7e6eb53a5&

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I'm surprised they didn't confiscate the helmet with the flashing blue light on top...after all, it musta had batteries and wires and such. Makes me wonder which clown shoulda been arrested--PC Konk or the TSA 'clowns' who make the decisions as to what constitutes a danger to a flight or not. ;)

Sure makes me relax with confidence whenever I fly knowing the intelligence level on which the TSA screeners operate for our benefit. :rolleyes:

Richard's $.02 :munchin

[AngelsSix]

Never trust a damn clown......:p

[nmap]

A couple years ago, a couple I know - age 60+ - decided to take a trip to Paris.

The wife took a small pair of cuticle scissors she had inherited from her grandmother.

The air trip from San Antonio to Houston was fine. Likewise the flight from Houston to Paris.

On the return, the flight from Paris to Houston was not a problem.

However, TSA in Houston determined that the scissors constituted a dangerous item and would not permit her to take them on to San Antonio. In the interest of making their flight, they disposed of the scissors.

We can all rest easy knowing we are safe from a pair of 60 year olds with a pair of antique cuticle scissors. :rolleyes:

[TOMAHAWK9521]

One time I had a flask with me that had roughly a mouthful of God-blessed Irish Whiskey in it. This was 5 years ago, long before the 3 oz. of fluid limit. Anyway, the TSA gal asked what was in it and I told her. She said if the flask was full there wouldn't have been a problem. Being that it was sloshing, it had to be emptied. (I guess Charlie can hear the swishing when you walk through the jungles of the airports.) I said "Fine" and prepared to toss it back, but she took my flask from me and walked over to a drinking fountain and poured it out. As appalled as I was, and although I'm Irish/German, I know when not to pick a fight. Hell, if I'd known that was going to happen I would have swigged it down while driving to the airport to catch my flight.

[csquare]

The moral of this story is.....that is British "TSA" is more inept then our TSA. I hope the our TSA folks wouldn't had let the guy go thru security in his clown "uniform"?

Now compound this with their bad dental hygiene and closing pubs to early. The horror.......

[MAB32]

I've seen "IT" By Stephen King several times. I don't trust clowns after seeing that. Here is a thumbs up for them (TSA)!:lifter

[dividebyzero]

I had a small container of yogurt confiscated the last time I flew. Apparently it was enough of a security risk that they called over a SUPERVISOR to deal with it.

Apparently TSA doesn't like fruit on the bottom.

[REMFlt]

So there I was, getting on the plane at the end of mid-tour leave to meet my newborn son. At MCI, non-ticketed people can enter the terminals to say goodbye or greet people. I was accompanied by my wife, holding my son and feeding him from a bottle. The TSA rep thanked me for my service, and in the same breath, told my wife that she couldn't bring a partially filled bottle of breastmilk into the terminal.:confused: