The Vent and Rant Thread

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Interestingly my sister has time to meet with friends, work extra and go to movies whilst working on her dissertation but isn't able to find 5 minutes to order a new toner for her printer. Two and a half weeks ago I lend her my printer because the toner of hers was empty, with the understanding that she would order a new one that weekend but I still haven't got my printer back. Seeing how much she has printed and the fact that she keeps "forgetting" about the eco printing mode I expect I have to order a new toner too.

That's what family members are for!

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Interestingly my sister has time to meet with friends, work extra and go to movies whilst working on her dissertation but isn't able to find 5 minutes to order a new toner for her printer. Two and a half weeks ago I lend her my printer because the toner of hers was empty, with the understanding that she would order a new one that weekend but I still haven't got my printer back. Seeing how much she has printed and the fact that she keeps "forgetting" about the eco printing mode I expect I have to order a new toner too.

That is annoying. Extremely.

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by WT Sharpe

That's what family members are for!

I just wish I wasn't so nice to do these types of things because both my mother and sister make use of it. It's also the reason I'm now engraving things as USB thumbdrives; that way they can't claim it's theirs.

Originally Posted by wyndslash

That is annoying. Extremely.

Especially if you consider a toner for a laser printer isn't just POOF! empty; she had to shake the thing to print evently for at least a week prior to borrowing my printer. Anyway, after I confronted her yesterday in front of my parents she finally ordered a toner and tonight I got my printer back.

[Pookeysgirl]

My rant for today:

Last night my dad went to the airport to head to New Delhi. He was taking a flight out of Toronto to Washington and then grabbing a connecting flight. Somehow my mother and he messed up which line they were supposed to be in to catch the flight and were on their way to the proper area (I've never flown anywhere so have no idea what these areas are called ) and he was pulled into a security holding by the US Immigration Office...for no reason that anyone can think of. They kept him there so long he missed his flight . Then they told him to go home and reschedule with his travel agent. They go home and speak to the travel agent who then tells him to get his butt back to the airport and demand that they get him on a flight. He finally gets one to Frankfurt where he had to get a connecting flight to New Delhi. We can only hope he made it in time because there was only 30 minutes between the first and second plane.

My issue with this: I could care less that they checked him out. I understand the reason for higher security in this day and age...but if you taking your sweet time checking into him causes him to miss his flight, and you find absolutely nothing wrong with him, then you should damn well make sure he gets on another plane! Not leave him to think he has to go home and figure out some other way to get to where he was going. That's ridiculous. Now I have no idea where he is because my mother had to leave before she got his new flight info. We won't know if he made it until at least 8pm tonight.

Ok, I feel bit better now that I got that off my chest. I love this thread.

[poohbear_nc]

Unfortunately there's no guaranteed "intelligence" contained within all these "security" measures -- remember who is administering them!

But yeah - they should have placed your dad on another flight - in a standby seat or a vacant first class seat!

[dreams]

Pookeysgirl - that was terrible that they sent him home instead of getting him on another flight. Have you heard from him yet? Is everything OK?

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Unfortunately there's no guaranteed "intelligence" contained within all these "security" measures -- remember who is administering them!

As someone who flies often, while I like the 'idea' behind the increased security, I'm hear to tell you that there really ISN'T any increased security. Yes, they do stop a lot of little old ladies from carrying on their knitting needles, and prevent business men from bringing their nail clippers or cigarette lighters into the cabin, dozens of handguns are carried on board every month, usually by accident (the carrier forgets to pack it in their checked baggage.)

Some of the flights that I take use a heat-sealed plastic strapping tape after checking the contents of a suitcase. This requires either a very sharp knife or scissors to open when I get to my hotel. Of course, you are not allowed to carry a very sharp knife or scissors on board an aircraft... so I carry a piece of 'flint' in my pocket. Same stuff you use to make arrow heads, knives, etc., or use to start a fire. Sharp as a razor and never ONCE has it been even questioned by the security staff, and I can open my suitcase when I get to the hotel without having to call down to the desk for help! Security? Not that I've ever noticed.


Stitchawl

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Of course, you are not allowed to carry a very sharp knife or scissors on board an aircraft... so I carry a piece of 'flint' in my pocket.

Good grief! I knew security was lax, but they aren't checking for non-metalic sharp objects?

BTW, a terrible bit of flint in that picture. It looked like it has been on the surface for a long while. Good flint is smooth and dark. (I'm about 30 miles from a Neolithic flint mine. There's a lot of flint in Norfolk!)

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Especially if you consider a toner for a laser printer isn't just POOF! empty; she had to shake the thing to print evently for at least a week prior to borrowing my printer. Anyway, after I confronted her yesterday in front of my parents she finally ordered a toner and tonight I got my printer back.

good for you!

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Good grief! I knew security was lax, but they aren't checking for non-metalic sharp objects?

A security guard once looked at it when he felt it in a 'pat down' at the Aquino Airport in Manila. But that's all he did... he looked at it and disregarded it! I put it back in my pocket and proceeded to board. I must say though that the security at that airport was the most stringent I've ever encountered. Three separate pat-downs and metal detector screening before you even get to the gate area. Then one more very careful inspection of the contents of every pocket in your clothing and carry-on. So at least four different security people saw the flint, but only one actually picked it up and looked at it, then gave it back to me.

BTW, a terrible bit of flint in that picture. It looked like it has been on the surface for a long while. Good flint is smooth and dark. (I'm about 30 miles from a Neolithic flint mine. There's a lot of flint in Norfolk!)

I'm a long-time flint knapper. (I want to be ready for the next ice age. I'll be the only one on my block who knows how to knap spear points and arrowheads and I'll be able to corner the market!) There are many different types of flint, and depending upon the region from which it came, the color can vary from pitch black to pure white, with all sorts of colors in between. But you're correct in that 'flint' should be smooth. Actually, almost glassy smooth. There were several other 'cherts' used for knapping and they are commonly referred to as flint, but correctly they would be jasper, obsidian, etc. The Norfolk flint is a 'true' flint, found in a chalk matrix. For knapping it really needs to be baked a bit, but once baked, it's easy to work with. I wish I was there to bring home a few hundred pounds of the stuff!

Stitchawl

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

...Last night my dad went to the airport to head to New Delhi...pulled into a security holding by the US Immigration Office...for no reason that anyone can think of. They kept him there so long he missed his flight....

Sorry to hear of your father's problems with security. That's truly the pits. Let us know when you hear how he made out.

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Unfortunately there's no guaranteed "intelligence" contained within all these "security" measures -- remember who is administering them!

But yeah - they should have placed your dad on another flight - in a standby seat or a vacant first class seat!

Seconded.

[Pookeysgirl]

Originally Posted by dreams

Pookeysgirl - that was terrible that they sent him home instead of getting him on another flight. Have you heard from him yet? Is everything OK?

Unfortunately he missed his flight to New Delhi yesterday from Frankfurt. The plane took off without waiting for the Air Canada flight to come in . He caught another flight and was supposed to land about 2am India time. We haven't been able to track the plane for some reason. When we try it shows it took of 7 years ago? I'm still waiting for confirmation that he arrived safely. I know it's his family and he owns a farm there, but I wish he hadn't gone at all. Hopefully I will know soon. Then all I have to worry about is him getting back home next month.

Thank you everyone for your concern, I'll give another update as soon as I hear something

[Pookeysgirl]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

Unfortunately there's no guaranteed "intelligence" contained within all these "security" measures -- remember who is administering them!

But yeah - they should have placed your dad on another flight - in a standby seat or a vacant first class seat!

I totally agree! I wish they had told me what happened sooner. I would've gone down there and made sure they took care of him...and gave a good explanation of why they pulled him in the first place. Poor guy doesn't speak english very well (even though he's married to a Canadian and has been here for 30 years), he still says Jello, instead of Yellow . He must have been scared out of his mind.

[Pookeysgirl]

He made it! *Happy Dance*

[wyndslash]

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

He made it! *Happy Dance*

that's such a relief