Flute Qualifies as a Bludgeon

[Denny]

I have found that the Doug Tipple PVC Flute makes a much better bludgeon than the CB Folk Flute...

Denny

[Jayhawk]

"They BETTER darn well let a piper finish after all that setting up and tuning."

[Whistlin'Dixie]

Well, I have a few words to say on the matter.

This past vacation of ours, we flew to Colorado. Myself, Hubby, and 4 all american sons ages 13, 15, 17 and 21.

Our entire group was stopped, pulled to the side, and searched. Both ways.
Clothing, shoes, selves. Carry-ons and luggage. My SCRUNCHIE was fingered suspiciously (until I snatched it away in disgust) The boys were puzzled, Hubby was trying to keep things lite, and I was SERIOUSLY ANGRY.

On the way home, they made my sons take their geodes out of their carry ons and as well as their dinosaur claws, and someone stuffed them in a piece of luggage. Andy's dinosaur claw was broken when we got home.

This 5'10" green-eyed blonde mom has been searched/frisked EACH AND EVERY TIME I HAVE EVER FLOWN ANYWHERE IN THE LAST 4 YEARS. WITH ONLY ONE EXCEPTION! I'VE HAD IT!!!!! THIS LAST TIME WAS ABOUT THE LAST STRAW!!!!!!!!!

NO! I TAKE THAT BACK. THE LAST STRAW WAS WATCHING A FELLOW PASSENGER BOARD THE PLANE WITH A GOLF CLUB, AFTER HAVING BEEN TOLD THAT MY SONS' DINOSAUR CLAWS WERE POTENTIAL BLUDGEONING WEAPONS AND WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Mary

[glauber]

Forgive me for being a pest. I have a seery.
I could kill somebody with it pretty easily.

So i think they shouldn't let you on a plane!

[Whistlin'Dixie]

Wrong ~ of course they should let him on a plane.

It's the scrunchie-wielding Mom they shouldn't let on.

Mary

[Jayhawk]

Mary - I feel your frustration. I went through a stage where I was routinely searched each time I flew, and my checked bags have a 100% TSA search rate - next time I fly I'm going to put a note in my checked baggage asking just what it is in there that's leading them to search my bag every time (the evil can of hairspray? my electric toothbrush?).

Also, and I don't quite know how to say this, but I once bludgeoned a spider with my wife's hair scruntchie...

Eric

[chas]

I flew to Belgium last fall. Flying back, I got through security just fine, and on the way to the gate, the terminal became deserted. There was a second security checkpoint especially for US flights. I was all but strip searched. They went through every pocket, bag, etc. I had my Bleazey flute with me (at least as sturdy as a Seery), they took it out of its roll pack, I told them it was a flute, and everything was fine. Ditto flying through Frankfurt this spring, and the Germans know security.

I'm another who puts up red flags on domestic flights. I've been searched dozens of times, but I've never had a problem witih flutes or whistles. OTOH, flying with my wife and 9-month-old we had to surrender a pair of baby nail scissors -- these are the scissors with blades about 3/4" long and rounded ends.

One thing that scares me about these stories is that a wooden flute, if it's put into checked baggage, would stand a pretty fair chance of cracking. I could kill someone with my foot a lot more easily than with a flute -- should they amputate? Security doesn't bother me at all, and I feel safer when I am searched. Stupidity, like considering flutes or baby scissors weapons, is what bothers me.

[Steven]

When my wife and I flew from Philadelphia to Atlanta for Christmas last year, I packed my keyless Copley wooden flute (in its pistol case) in my carry-on, joking all the while that we'd probably get pulled aside in security. Well the bag went through the X-ray machine, and sure enough they wanted to search it. They pulled all the stuff out, and when they got to the pistol case they opened it, glanced, shut it, and put it aside. Kept searching other stuff, though. Finally, as she was packing it up again to have it passed through the X-ray again because she hadn't found what she was looking for, she turned my wife's cross-stitch bag upside down. Her tiny embroidery scissors, folded up into themselves and with inch-long blunt blades, fell out. That's what the X-ray guy had seen, and they confiscated them.

They never noticed the whistle tucked under the foam in the pistol case.

:roll:
Steven

[I.D.10-t]

Cane, more deadly than a flute, shoe string, Garrote, Eye glasses,
make shift knife if broken, belt with heavy buckle, mace, role of
quarters, brass knuckles… be creative.

I dislike the reasoning that more “security” will save lives. During
the 1980’s I remember the phrase “Don’t be a hero, let the
professionals handle this” look what it got us. What if the passenger
sitting next to the shoe bomber waited for the air marshals to stop
him? Two years later I feel that the public is back to thinking that the
government will protect them so they have no responsibility to
protect themselves.

Disarming happens to the law abiding people not criminals.
Some of the most rigorous weapons screening happens in prison.
Yet knives drugs and other weapons get in. If you think prison
is safe, fine, but I do not want to live there, and I do not want the
country to become one.

A balance is needed, but I that it has gone too far.

Sorry, too much coffee.

[andrew]

I see that umbrellas are permitted. Does this include the Bulgarian sort they (used to ? ) use for assassinations ?

[RudallRose]

Does this include the Bulgarian sort they (used to ? ) use for assassinations ?

Of course!
I'm sure there are plenty of those still around!
:roll:

If you're going to have a flute-like bludgeon, the Patent Head of a Rudall is THE best for the job. Great for breaking your way out of barroom brawls during a set, too!

[Nanohedron]

Mary - I feel your frustration. I went through a stage where I was routinely searched each time I flew, and my checked bags have a 100% TSA search rate - next time I fly I'm going to put a note in my checked baggage asking just what it is in there that's leading them to search my bag every time (the evil can of hairspray? my electric toothbrush?).

Also, and I don't quite know how to say this, but I once bludgeoned a spider with my wife's hair scruntchie...

Eric

There was a recent local incident where a fellow was arrested due to his, um, rather colorful communicating of his frustration with what to him was an undue level of scrutiny. I presume he'd been singled out before. Whatever the case, he was singled out at this particular go-round, and dropped his pants (trousers, to my friends across the pond), hectoring the security attendants to kiss his arse. Well, he didn't say "arse". He was more given to earthiness than niceties of convention. According to the report he moreover wasn't wearing any underwear (pants, to my friends across the pond). As an aside, it may be of interest that there is a Midwestern US turn of phrase referring to the wearing of trousers or jeans without undergarments as "going Canadian". Our friend djm may comment or not as to that. Anyway, as the scutiny heated up, an inspection of his carry-on revealed a note intended for such an event. It said, "F**k you". And it's off to jail.

Believe me, I'm all for security, but some things are just visibly --and risibly-- unnecessary. My impression is that there are a number of these security workers that have a position of authority and are "acting out" under its aegis, pure and simple.

FWIW, if you have the training, you can kill someone with a credit card. Bare hands have already been mentioned.

[glauber]

So the problem was he dropped his trousers before the TSA guy had the latex gloves on?

[Nanohedron]

So the problem was he dropped his trousers before the TSA guy had the latex gloves on?

Glauber, I hate to think of the videos you watch!

[Aodhan]

Pool Cues and Baseball bats are not allowed, but umbrellas and canes are.

Interesting. The style of martial arts I teach (As well as many others) teaches how to use a normal walking cane as a weapon. While not the heft of a bat, I could still use it to do some major damage.

Aodhan