TSA Relaxes Rules on Pocket Knives and Sporting Goods

Bloomberg is reporting that the TSA will now allow small folding pocket knives, as well as some previously banned sporting goods items like hockey sticks and golf clubs. There are some size restrictions and such. For example, the blades have to be shorter than 6 centimeters and cannot lock in place. The new rules take effect April 25, 2013.

I applaud this move as a win for common sense. While it certainly makes sense to prohibit certain dangerous objects, the TSA is recognizing that the real risk is from dangerous people. TSA Pre-Check has already made travelling much easier for me, and not having to be taken aside for forgetting everyday objects like pocket knives in my bag will ease the stress of travelling even more.

I have no particular desire to take a pocket knife on an airplane, but I nevertheless had one confiscated in 2011. I was a boy scout, and I have always carried a swiss army knife with me in my backpack. They're incredibly handy when you need a screwdriver or bottle opener. After pocket knives were banned following 9/11, I started removing it before every flight and replacing it when I returned. One day I packed in a hurry and forgot to remove it. Bye bye pocket knife. It wasn't the end of the world, but I liked that knife, and I was sad to lose it.

I'm glad to see the focus is shifting from what people carry with them onto flights to a more realistic risk-based assessment technique that focuses on background checks and other types of screening.

Staples Now Selling AppleTV and Apple Accessories

Staples has announced that they are now selling Apple accessories, as well as some Apple devices. They don't have macs or iPads, but they do have AppleTVs and routers such as the Airport Express and Airport Extreme. We have an AppleTV and three Airport devices in our house. The Airport Express, in particular, is a brilliant device. I'll make a dedicated post about it one day because it is so good; it's like the swiss army knife of wireless routers.

This is a good opportunity for those in the Miles and Points community to earn extra points through online shopping portals and/or cards such as the Chase Ink Bold and Ink Plus that offer 5x earnings at office supply stores. If you were going to buy a new iPad case or AppleTV anyway, then why not earn extra points on it?

HT to AppleInsider