"Lock the doors and close the blinds -- we're going for a ride..."

Just finished reading this article: http://www.securityinfowatch.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=387&id=4568

It talks about an attorney's recent experiences in the Dallas-Fort Worth airport with the TSA agents doing security. Apparently he has a new model Audi -- one of them with the key blade that folds into the head of the key itself. The TSA agents confiscated his car key, deeming it a "switchblade."

His car key.

Lucky for him, he happened to have a spare in a magnetic pouch on the bottom of his car in case of emergency. And it costs $300 for the dealership to make a new key and synchronize it with the car. What would have happened if he arrived back home and didn't have his car key -- because airport security confiscated it?

Look -- I know they're trying to do their jobs. But the powers allowed to the TSA really allow it to flex its muscles without thinking of the main reason it came into effect: to ensure safety and security for passengers. arhpsdy has blogged about other TSA experiences she's had working in the air industry.

The article does mention that the folks at Minneapolis-St.Paul are now putting animal puppets on the ends of their wands when they have to screen kids. I guess little steps are worth mentioning as well...