Fwd: [at-l] Trekking poles? Nomad lite?

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Platy Hiker wrote:
>Jim Owen wrote:
> > Interesting -  so tell us - what airline was this?
>
>It was American Eagle. (The Boston to Phoenix leg
>might have been American.)  But, the security folks
>doing the screening are not employees of the airlines.


Thank you.

Now - I don't want you to take this personally, but I wanted to know which 
airline to never, never, ever fly on.

I know the security people weren't airline employees.   But in the final 
analysis, it was airline employees who  let you on the aircraft with what 
presumably is a collapsible hiking pole (I did forget to confirm that with 
you).  If so, that means it can be dissassembled - into multiple sections.  
That means multiple tubes.  Do you know what  a zip  gun is?  Or a bang 
stick?

Assembled, a hiking pole is a wonderful weapon.  Weary's (or my) alder pole 
is a clone of a weapon called a "jo stick".  Jo sticks are specifically 
prohibited by airlines - for good reason.   A Komperdell (or Leki) 
collapsible hiking stick can serve exactly the same function as a jo stick.  
That's one of the many reasons I carry one.

So - you and I know that you're not a terrorist.  Well, I don't think you 
are.  But if you can get on an aircraft with a hiking stick of any sort, 
then so can a terrorist.  Therefore, the airline employees didn't do their 
job.  And the security people damn sure didn't do theirs.  And I think your 
email  - sans header and name - will end up on a desk at TSA just as soon as 
I can get in touch with one of my son's friends who works there.

I know - someone out there is gonna say - "How could you?!!!  How could you 
use Platy's experience to try to block the rest of us from doing the same 
thing?"   And the answer is obvious - I don't care how many Lekis Da Gubmint 
confiscates from people who try to beat the system.  But I do care a whole 
lot that none of your remains end up being identified by my friend the 
forensic dentist.  He's one of those who identify the victims of plane 
crashes - including the 9/11 debacle.  It's not a nice job - and I'll do 
whatever I can to deprive him of that kind of work.  He appreciates that 
whether you do or not.

Walk softly,
Jim

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