<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1226" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT = face=Tahoma size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> = pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>On Behalf Of </B>Sarah Fox<BR><B>Sent:</B> May 04, 2004 7:12 AM<BR><B>To:</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: Traveling with = tools<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Hi Del,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A digital caliper?!  = Geez!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Did you ever figure out whether that = was a "listed" item?  By that, I mean that the taps were actually = listed in the drill bit category, which is verbotten.  Are measurement devices placed on a verbotten list too?  Perhaps the problem was = that you had an item of unrecognizable electronics that they thought might be a = bo*mb or a remote control of some sort?  Would a dial-type caliper have = passed through more easily?<SPAN class=187570117-04052004><FONT = face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=187570117-04052004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN = class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>As it turned out it was = not a listed item. It wasn't the electronics but the small, and admittedly sharp, extensions used for inside measurements. The = problem was resolved at the highest level. I.e., I could either throw them away = -- at something over $200 I was not about ready to do this -- or insist on = seeing where they were specifically excluded. I ended up going to some side = room reserved for terrorists and troublemakers where I was allowed to wait = for nearly an hour before I was finally allowed to see the manager/supervisor of = the security system. She took one look at the tool and said it was not on = the list and I would be allowed to carry them on. She apologized for the = over-zealousness of the inspector out on the line but explained that they really did need = to protect us from ourselves. (Well, that's not quite the way she put it. = She was, in the very best of bureaucratic tradition, most diplomatic.) </FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN = class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3></FONT></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN = class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>It still had cost me an = hour, of course. Had I been less obstinate -- or had less time -- I don't know = what would have happened.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3><SPAN class=187570117-04052004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I sometimes need to travel with odd = tools and/or measurement devices and would like to know how to avoid these problems = in the future.  Does anyone know where we can find an = exhaustive list of prohibited items?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>BTW, back in the late 1980's, I once = had to travel overseas with a large carry-on bag full of electronic = equipment, much of it home-built.  Anticipating trouble from security, I = remember carrying letters from department heads, explaining that I needed the = equipment for my research.  Do screeners pay attention to letters and/or professional documentation, these days?<SPAN = class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3> </FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN = class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 size=3>I doubt it. Anybody = could write a letter.</FONT> <FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080 = size=3>Besides, you're assuming the screener could both read and comprehend the letter = you carried.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#000080><SPAN class=187570117-04052004></SPAN></FONT> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The future of aviation should be = interesting to watch.  First, there was Southwest Airlines, with stewartesses in = hotpants and gogo boots.  Now there's Air Hooters (or whatever = they're called).  Soon there will be NudeAir -- 'cuz we may as well be = travelin' nude anyway.  ;-)</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE> <DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans = MS" color=#000080>Surely the future of aviation is on the ground. At least = for most domestic travel. That we continue to pour untold billions into propping = up and patching an inefficient and pathetically managed airline industry while begrudging every penny spent on the development of an integrated = high-speed rail systems is sheer lunacy. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" = color=#000080></FONT> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr><SPAN class=187570117-04052004><FONT face="Comic Sans = MS" color=#000080>Del</FONT></SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>