"CSS Nashville is like a knife ." Topic

After a very delightful visit to Games Plus while on a business trip to Chicago, I had the TSA try to confiscate my Thoroughbred Miniatures 1/600 scale CSS Nashville after they claimed it it could be used as a knife. It took me 15 minutes of discussions to convince them that it wasn't a threat to any one since 1865. I was finally given the go ahead by a supervisor's supervisor after he decided that since any model of a ship named after his home state from the "war of northern aggression" should be permitted to travel with "full honors." He too saw the ridiculousness of the original TSA agent's ruling.

It is curious how we have allowed this silliness to grow and grow unchecked. If there had been someone caught by this screening it would have been front page news. So we have spent a fortune, thrown away lots of water and penknives, and are no safer. Sad really

I saw a woman knitting in a depature lounge (past security) last month, so apparently they can't be used as weapons, but a tin-lead/pewter model ship (not familiar with Thoroughbred's ships, it'd be even sillier if it was resin though) can be?

Well I think we can all sleep easier knowing that a terrorist sock monkey was usccesfully disarmed.

TSA is little but security theater and a jobs program.

Stopping all those sock monkeys must be hard work no wonder TSA has such a highest worker absent rate in the government.

Will she be in a "cutting-out" scenario to commemorate the incident?

Ron

What a great idea, Ron! I'll have to design a scenario for a TSS game around that idea.

I have an idea. Let's get rid of the TSA, and we'll just trust everyone from now on.

Seriously, if they had just let that guy get on a plane with his gun last month, that TSA agent wouldn't have been shot dead and the other two wounded. Everything would have been fine, "by Jove."

Terrement, that MoH story is from March 2002, 6 months after 911. I don't remember anyone complaining back then that airport security was too tight. The monkey story is pretty wild and over the top. Obviously it was not a danger.

Back in the early 80s I was flying back and forth between NY and Toronto on business a few times. My luggage was searched twice in Toronto. The first time in customs when entering Canada. I checked-off that I was in Advertising/Publishing. They were looking for printing film or other "advertising/graphics" materials. What the heck?

The second time I was leaving Toronto when their X-ray machine picked up a suspicious shape in my luggage. It was one of those faux carved wood totem poles that I had purchased. They didn't confiscate it, but until they actually found it, they were pretty excited. I apologized to them.

It's re-assuring to find out there is at least one gentleman in the TSA.

As the OP I just want to clarify that my frustration was with a couple of individuals employed by the TSA and not an indictment of the TSA as a whole. I travel for work at least twice a month and deal with TSA each time. Only on one other occasion have I run across an agent who seemed to lack common sense. Most of these agents deal daily with rude and arrogant travelers with grace and politeness. I have seen TSA deal efficiently with rude idiots who try to push through because they didn't feel they shouldn't have to wait. I've seen agents deal calmly and politely with people complain and harangue the agents who are just trying to do their jobs.

There are muppets in every occupation and I happened to run into one who happened to be a TSA agent. I will add that the comments by the TSA gentleman from Tennessee to be very good humored.

And a final note: my purchase of the CSS Nashville turned out to be a mistake since when I got home a saw that I already had one. I should have used my funds to by a craft I didn't already have. Oh well, pobodys nerfect.

I got stopped by TSA in Atlanta with a bag of Old Glory Arabs I had bought. It too took a supervisor to get me freed from the "is this dangerous" committee that was called to examine them.

Private Matter:
22 years in business has not produced a weirder story about one of my products. Careful,,,,,if you use TS70 Redan Fort in a scenario,,,,,,,that's one hefty piece of metal and you could accidentally bludgeon someone with it.
Please contact me by email or phone thru the website and let's see about exchanging Nashville for something you don't already have.
Toby Barrett
Thoroughbred Figures

Luckily the Security/Customs folks in Calgary seem to be gamers as everytime I go thru there, we end up talking miniatures when they screen my luggage.

I do remember going thru security with several Thoroughbred ships in my carry on and having to open each and every box to show that they were models and not ammunition.

I've found if you call you mini's "models" it seems to go over better.

Toby- thanks for the offer but I'll keep the Nashville for those what if scenarios as they had two additional planned in the same class. And I have to say i really like your models; thanks for a nice product.