Private Mars Rocket II

TSA

For the second time in a row, on my trip out from Midway I was ushered into the "TSA pre-screen" line despite not being actually "TSA-pre-screened." It was nice - leave your shoes on and your laptop in your bag. I've decided the trick to getting in that line is arriving at the airport looking like a middle-aged businessman. Since I happen to be a middle-aged businessman, that's not a hard look for me!

On the other side of the TSA coin, my checked bag got searched both ways - I had the "we searched your bag" note from TSA in it. I think the trick there is to show up at the airport early and be a single traveler, thus fitting a profile. (Mad bombers only need one bag and hate to miss their flights.)

KC BBQ

While in KCMO, my party went out for official Kansas City barbecue. We asked a couple of locals where to go. A city cop mentioned "Oklahoma Joe's" but said it was a takeout joint in a gas station. He said it was "good but a bit ghetto." The consensus of opinion for take-a-cab-and-dine-in was Jack Stacks, specifically the Freight House location. (KC claims to have invented the shopping mall, and they have a lot of them.)

While at Jack's, I ordered their "Jack's Best" signature platter. It was baby-back ribs, a beef rib and "burnt ends." Burnt ends are a KC-specific item, and they are the burnt ends of barbecued beef briskets, cut into cubes. I found them hit-or-miss.

Tomorrow - thoughts on the con itself.

The Internets bring to me today two more proofs that the TSA couldn't pour piss from a boot. (The Transportation Safety Administration is the group of tireless federal wanna-be cops who protect us from 4-ounce shampoo bombs at airports).

From Jim Wright, we learn of the idiocy of TSA's screening list. It seems that James Robinson is one of the terrorists on the list. Except, as Jim points out rather humorously, "James Robinson" isn't exactly an uncommon name in the US.

From the folks at Unqualified Offerings, we read of an O'Hare TSA Einstein-in-waiting who decided to see if he could climb on the outside of a plane and cause damage.

Seriously, folks, we have got to get realistic about security. The current trend of looking for Osama Bin Laden under everybody's bed is stupid, wasteful and counter-productive. It's not an issue in the current election cycle but damn it, it should be.