To continue my $&@Q*#$ you to TSA, I decided to write a play by play or rather a twitter blog post of what’s happening. So right now I am suppose to be at my “final destination” and possibly already working! Basically I was flying Continental Airlines from Newark, NJ to Burlington, VT. I have done this flight before and its a simple puddle jumper (3 seats, 1 on right, 2 on left) plane. Well, after about an hour of taxiing to the runway, our plane decides to pull over and loop around. We are about to “take off” and then pull away AGAIN (ugh!). Our plane has some “maintenance problems” so we had to go back to the gate. After about another 30 minutes at the gate, Continental decides to switch planes and tells us our new gate number. Once arriving at our “new gate” which shows are plane, departed, HA! We find out the plane is at another gate, so rather then announce a new gate, now they move the plane (which should take another 20 minutes). GENIUS! The next best part, I almost died of laughter, someone asked the Continental staff “I am not a rocket scientist, but rather then move the plane, why can’t we all just goto the new gate?”.

Anyway, back to the waiting and my twitter blog. I hope my luggage (which is gate checked) will goto the “new” plane. We will see when (if) I arrive at my “final destination”. Thank you Continental and TSA, you made my day! We are in the air, and I am using my approved portable electronic device! Well another 40 minutes and I should be on the ground. The only thing that will make my day, will be a can of Mr. Pibb. ( the east coast doesn’t have it!) For some reason, Continental has Mr. Pibb as a beverage on their flights, which is awesome because I can only get it while I am on the West Coast. Anyway, another day and another state. I am off to start my work with the Illuminator project and am so excited, finally the plane landed and I am ready to deplane! I am frequent traveler who does NOT like to check luggage. Checking luggage at and airport and waiting to pick it up takes a lot of time, which I do not have. It even drives me nuts when I have to gate check luggage. Anyway, I am FORCED to remove my shoes every time I have to walk through a metal detector but on TSA’s Website it clearly states "Passengers will not be required to take off their shoes before going through metal detectors, but should understand that their chances of being selected for a more thorough, secondary screening will be lower if they do." If you do not remove them, you get to spent a nice 30min (or more) standing their getting physically groped and raped by some person who may or may not have their green card. (at least my experience thus far) I do not feel security is tight and we need to take it to the next step. We have the technology to scan and xray every person and see if they are carrying anything from liquids to guns. You can see this ‘technology’ at the Skyharbor Airport in Phoenix, AZ.

We are in the air, and I am using my approved portable electronic device! Well another 40 minutes and I should be on the ground. The only thing that will make my day, will be a can of Mr. Pibb. ( the east coast doesn’t have it!) For some reason, Continental has Mr. Pibb as a beverage on their flights, which is awesome because I can only get it while I am on the West Coast. Anyway, another day and another state. I am off to start my work with the Illuminator project and am so excited, finally the plane landed and I am ready to deplane!

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