1 post tagged “modernlife”

And why I love the TSA.

Here I am set to leave San Diego, the town that I grew up in. On the 8 freeway out to the airport we passed a new apartment complex in the Hotel Circle area. There are no services (grocer, shops, etc) within walking distance of this complex. Really the only thing its close to is the freeway, what ease of driving! This is the modern world.

Last night at dinner some friends of mine were talking how recently they were going to meet at a park for some disc golf, instead of walking the 8 blocks (probably about a mile in San Diego) they drove over. The people they were meeting also drove over, in separate cars. 3 cars to get four people, a dog, and some frisbies to a park.

Not that this is a phenomena unique to Southern California but it does illustrate how easy it is to not think about what we are doing - whether its living in a  building with absolutely nothing to walk to (save hotels?) or not walking to place that could be walked to.

Oh yes the TSA. One of my 'gifts' this year is my mothers old video camera. Maybe I'll film something in the new year. Most likely I'll just film myself. Not that I have delusions of making myself into a lonelygirl or a Ze Frank or that I think videoblogging is the new vogue, just something that might happen now that I have the tool. The camera affords things being filmed, one thing ready at hand is myself.

Anyway the camera was going to be checked. My checked bag was too heavy as a result of me trading in my duffle bag for an old suitcase from my mother (I'm big on re-use and or recycle). This old suitcase was heavy and filled with crap was heavier still, in fact about 8 pounds over the 50 pound luggage limit.

So I had to lose/shift weight to my carry on bags. One of things shifted was the afformentioned video camera. Not being fully aware of TSA's vigilance I did not remove the camera from its bag within a bag. This oversight meant I got to be removed from line as they rubbed a little pad (small cloth on plastic wand) inside my bag, inside the camera bag and over the exterior of the camera. There was a little machine that for some reason reminded me of an auto-clav that the cloth was put into after each rub, then removed and re-used. I assume they were looking for residues. I was polite but did not want to seem too curious. Curiousity you see can be suscipcious.

What did this cost me? A little time. Its interesting though how the delays accumulated (suitcase heavy, repack bag, re-check suitcase, get pulled out of line by TSA) and could lead to accumulating frustrations, if one was the type to get frustrated by such things.

The seriousness afforded security, they explained they have to do this because my type of camera still accepts a certain type of tape and can be modified in a variety of sinsiter ways, is not so much comforting as it is interesting. If I had known more about the TSA and removed the camera would I have been pulled aside? Probably not. Compliance with un-written rules (I saw no sign reminding me that certain video cameras must be removed) implies conformity and trust. While non-compliance, even as a result of unplanned oversight (the camera was orginally going to be checked), implies non-conformity. And if the 60's and 70's taught us anything its that dissidents need to be tear gassed and shot at.

So why do I love the TSA? Because the illusion of security is so much more interesting than the actual thing. They have neat gadgets and just enough authority to be a real pain in the ass. In the end they are people. They follow protocol. At least thats what I'd like to think.