Just some things to keep your paranoia up.

Posted on Fri, Dec. 31, 2004

Airports to ban cigarette lighters beyond checkpoints

BY BRYON OKADA

Knight Ridder Newspapers

FORT WORTH, Texas - (KRT) - In what could become a major hassle for air travelers who smoke, the Homeland Security Department will ban all cigarette lighters beyond airport checkpoints beginning Feb. 15.

The Intelligence Reform Bill that President Bush signed Dec. 17 orders the Transportation Security Administration to review its banned-items list and to prohibit passengers from carrying butane lighters aboard planes. Legislation stipulates that the ban must be in place in 60 days.

"We are reviewing the necessary changes that the Transportation Security Administration will need to make based on the new intelligence legislation," TSA spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said.

And something from the paranoid archives that I was recently reminded of:

"What is so worrying about patent number 5,937,422?"

Have fun...

--WP