Appearance more important than reality

iPod charger made from kit looks like an IED.

Now if I was stupid I would have shut down the airport when I saw such a device. It doesn't look like *anything* they sell at Walmart.

He asks what it is. I tell him it is a battery charger for my iPod. He asks if I made it myself, to which I reply that I purchased a kit over the internet. He says that he can't let me on the plane with it. I explain to him that I have flown with it 4-6 times a month for a year now and nobody has questioned it. He says, "Not on my watch and not with my people."

He swabs the device and runs it through the calorimeter. Again, no residue.

I ask why it can't be taken on the plane and he said, "Because it looks like an IED." Now, I agree it looks suspicious, but the machine found no traces of explosives, and the device wasn't big enough to do any damage.

Next he finds my green laser pointer, shines it at his hand, and tells me I can't take that on the plane either.

At this point they shut down one of the two screening lanes. There was a request to, "get Donna down here," which means that all heck is about to break loose. I pulled out my cell phone and start typing an email to my wife to inform her what was going on. I type:

Airport security just

and the African American Man walks over and says, "I can't let you make a phone call now sir." I tap the button to send the email and he asks me to hand over my cell phone. I gave him the cell phone. He asks for my boarding pass and I hand that over too.