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I just hope he doesn't try and toot his own horn and say they were all funny.

Lul. But really, people are saying all TSA/ Customs/ airport personal are horrible. Well, this is like the cops, you are just seeing the bad apples, many people go through customs every day and dont have problems

The second report says he was of Moroccan descent, so he was guilty of looking Arabic in a built up area...

I'd love to know how a bamboo flute is an "Agricultural Product"

Yeah, those customs guys really blew it this time.

Chancetragedy wrote:
I can agree with that I guess. Although I guess it's the same thing. Know enough is enough because your jokes are stale ;p

technically you're right too there is such thing as taking a joke too far to the point that it becomes annoying, unfunny, boring and/or offensive.

When his first attempt was as bad/offensive/dumb as it was... yeah.

What absolute cretinous witches. I hope they all perish in a fire.

Back on topic, bamboo flutes are "agricultural products" to the same extent as cotton clothes.

 Seaward wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
There has to be something more to this, there just has to be, otherwise this makes no sense.

I disagree. You don't find a lot of valedictorians or MENSA members working the security checkpoints at airports. Some world-beater read the word "wood" in a contraband advisory somewhere, saw wooden flutes, and the rest is history.

Its not security. Its Customs. Doesn't make it right though.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 hotsauceman1 wrote:
Lul. But really, people are saying all TSA/ Customs/ airport personal are horrible. Well, this is like the cops, you are just seeing the bad apples, many people go through customs every day and dont have problems

Name three.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 marv335 wrote:
The second report says he was of Moroccan descent, so he was guilty of looking Arabic in a built up area...

I'd love to know how a bamboo flute is an "Agricultural Product"

I wonder if this is the same thing they raided Gibson and took all their guitar wood over. if so its not about the wood itself but the labor used to make it. Its really strange...

 Kilkrazy wrote:
Back on topic, bamboo flutes are "agricultural products" to the same extent as cotton clothes.

I have 'agricultural' clothes made in Taiwan, I'd best just go on holiday nude.

Again.

 Frazzled wrote:

I wonder if this is the same thing they raided Gibson and took all their guitar wood over. if so its not about the wood itself but the labor used to make it. Its really strange...

The Lacey Act.

I think that is the most likely possibility, given that the guy resides in the US.

the destroyed my "cup of spicy taco noodles with sour cream" that I bought in mexico for the same reason...

the bastards have only gotten worse I see....


"scuze me maam, gonna have to destroy your cotton clothes, agricultural products, you understand of course"

 dogma wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

I wonder if this is the same thing they raided Gibson and took all their guitar wood over. if so its not about the wood itself but the labor used to make it. Its really strange...

The Lacey Act.

I think that is the most likely possibility, given that the guy resides in the US.

Ayah thats it.

 Frazzled wrote:

 dogma wrote:

 Frazzled wrote:

I wonder if this is the same thing they raided Gibson and took all their guitar wood over. if so its not about the wood itself but the labor used to make it. Its really strange...

The Lacey Act.

I think that is the most likely possibility, given that the guy resides in the US.

Ayah thats it.

If I recall correctly the specific reed (Arundo Donax) that's been used to make those flutes is considered a pest in the USA and is not endemic to the american continent. He also brought raw material to craft more flutes if i understood the article (or one of its updates) from the OP correctly. The custom agents might have just lumped the instruments and the raw material together and that's why they gave the reason "agricultural products" instead of citing the Lacey Act before they destroyed everything.

In any case, still a horrible thing to do especially without even giving him a chance to properly react to the situation or try to somehow prevent the destruction.

Lets put this into a bit of a better perspective for those of us who are having difficulty relating:

I once heard a story, its veracity I cannot confirm, about a fellow miniature wargamer who was traveling with his army via air. I believe it was an Imperial Guard army, but thats really not important. US customs officials inspected the mans army, and apparrently never having seen miniature soldiers before, proceeded to 'crack them open' (that is, pull them apart) in the belief that it was possible that these guardsmen (and presumably leman russ battle tanks) were hollow and being used to smuggle illegal drugs into the country.

I think, the ending there was somewhat happier, as the owner of said Guard army managed to convince the customs agent after he had more or less destroyed half his army that they were just toy soldiers used for gaming purposes and they were NOT being used to smuggle contraband.

This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Yes, this is a real story. Although this one was probably more due to stupidity than pure malice.




It's becoming increasingly obvious that musicians and airlines do not mix. I would never take an instrument on an airline that I even remotely cared about. Ever wondered what happened to that bag you lost on the plane, or that guitar that mysteriously disappeared in baggage handling and never reappeared? Odds are it landed here http://unclaimedbaggage.com/

Yep, that's a real site. There's a reason the airlines are usually so hesitant to pay for the lost value of your item. Because they're trying to flip it in their store.

And this of course is if you completely ignore the deaths of pets that have resulted from careless airlines. http://www.wellandtribune.ca/2013/11/27/think-twice-before-flying-with-fido-pet-owners

If I had to leave the country and had anything that I remotely cared about that had to come with me, I'd actually trust UPS or some other shipping company more than I would taking it on a plane.

As for why this happened, he probably had a few flutes made out of materials that were banned from being exported into the USA. Lots of luthiers and instrument manufacturers have run into similar situations over stuff like Brazilian Rosewood (at least I think that's the type of wood) and trying to export or import it.


I have no idea why I follow these stories so much, I guess it mainly comes from working with musicians. When I hear about any sort of group or company screwing them over, I tend to avoid them at all costs.

Man, I can't stand country music.

 Bromsy wrote:

 Seaward wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
There has to be something more to this, there just has to be, otherwise this makes no sense.

I disagree. You don't find a lot of valedictorians or MENSA members working the security checkpoints at airports. Some world-beater read the word "wood" in a contraband advisory somewhere, saw wooden flutes, and the rest is history.

This was customs, not security. Pretty major difference.

Correct. TSA agents only have to take a one year course from the colleges that advertise on the Jerry Springer show, whereas the customs officials have to take the two year one.

Kilkrazy wrote:Back on topic, bamboo flutes are "agricultural products" to the same extent as cotton clothes.

Not exactly. Wood products which are untreated are always considered to be agricultural products. There seems to be no information about whether or not the bamboo flutes were treated or not (because they are handmade, it is unlikely -but possible- that they are untreated). However, even if they were, there are procedures for cleaning and treating that can be imposed, rather than disposal. And even when disposal is the option taken, it never involves "smashing" the goods.

TSA is terrible, as usual.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-says-there-is-no-evidence-that-a-tsa-program-to-spot-terrorists-is-effective/2013/11/13/fca999a0-4c93-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html

This is what happens when you hire rent-a-cops who are nowhere near good enough to even be real police officers, and combine their incompetency, boredom, and a hurtful sense of self importance into a regular job with authority that they clearly shouldn't have.

 Khornholio wrote:

 Bromsy wrote:

 Seaward wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
There has to be something more to this, there just has to be, otherwise this makes no sense.

I disagree. You don't find a lot of valedictorians or MENSA members working the security checkpoints at airports. Some world-beater read the word "wood" in a contraband advisory somewhere, saw wooden flutes, and the rest is history.

This was customs, not security. Pretty major difference.

Correct. TSA agents only have to take a one year course from the colleges that advertise on the Jerry Springer show, whereas the customs officials have to take the two year one.

Well, I was aiming more at the fact that TSA and other security agents don't have law enforcement powers, whereas custom agents do (albiet only in specific circumstances) but, yeah. Jerry Springer. Way to be topical. Zing.

 Fafnir wrote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-says-there-is-no-evidence-that-a-tsa-program-to-spot-terrorists-is-effective/2013/11/13/fca999a0-4c93-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html

This is what happens when you hire rent-a-cops who are nowhere near good enough to even be real police officers, and combine their incompetency, boredom, and a hurtful sense of self importance into a regular job with authority that they clearly shouldn't have.

And that is just 100% off topic and insulting, but hey, why not?

[insert how dare you hotsauce here]
[ insert stupid custOms here]
[insert mall-cop= fake police here]
and I'm done.
...
Ooh wait i forgot
[insert Arabs can be nice too here]
...
Why do I get thesudden urge to start a thread about wether people think American and Australian soldiers should have been in Afghanistan In the first place?

P.s: @hotsauce: your first joke was balls, the second one was funny.

Imagine if someone just grabbed your army case, emptied it out and stomped on all your minis - that might be similar to how this poor fella felt.

Luckily for most of us, wargaming is not our lively hood.

 gossipmeng wrote:
Imagine if someone just grabbed your army case, emptied it out and stomped on all your minis - that might be similar to how this poor fella felt.

Luckily for most of us, wargaming is not our lively hood.

Welcome to America?

tryandstopus.jpg

Have the TSA directly caught any terrorists?

EDIT: Also just remembered I had a customer get angry with me about the concept of the TSA lock, which I obviously have no control over. Damn you TSA!

Just another good reason to move to a different country.

 SignMaster99 wrote:
Just another good reason to move to a different country.

Don't let the door hit ya...

 Bromsy wrote:

 Seaward wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
There has to be something more to this, there just has to be, otherwise this makes no sense.

I disagree. You don't find a lot of valedictorians or MENSA members working the security checkpoints at airports. Some world-beater read the word "wood" in a contraband advisory somewhere, saw wooden flutes, and the rest is history.

This was customs, not security. Pretty major difference.

yeah. The difference being customs has more experience and mal-handling other people and their property. Got a new dog a month ago, flown in because the breed standards here are trash. When we went in all the paperwork was in order, and pretty much blew us off, told us he'd call us up while he did piss all, and we could see our dog over there in holding. Then there was extensive arguing over proving how much he cost, arguing with us that our dog couldn't possibly have been for $500 because he had a dog come through the other day that was $5000...... And there we were with all of the necessary papers. Time finally came to get the dog, and instead of, you know, being normal, he started smashing on the top of the cage to encourage the dog out. Instead the pup shrank into the corner and shat itself terribly.

These people work in positions where they aren't seen, doing pretty damn well near whatever the hell they want. Lord knows if the guy's instruments weren't simply swiped and simply listed as destroyed. I sincerely doubt any customs organization would willingly admit it's employees used the rules to steal someone's gak.

 Fafnir wrote:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/gao-says-there-is-no-evidence-that-a-tsa-program-to-spot-terrorists-is-effective/2013/11/13/fca999a0-4c93-11e3-be6b-d3d28122e6d4_story.html

This is what happens when you hire rent-a-cops who are nowhere near good enough to even be real police officers, and combine their incompetency, boredom, and a hurtful sense of self importance into a regular job with authority that they clearly shouldn't have.

Yep I went through the Denver airport last year and had to deal with the oxygen thieves that pass for security there. Made me feel at least 20 rungs higher on the evolution scale.

 poda_t wrote:


yeah. The difference being customs has more experience and mal-handling other people and their property. Got a new dog a month ago, flown in because the breed standards here are trash. When we went in all the paperwork was in order, and pretty much blew us off, told us he'd call us up while he did piss all, and we could see our dog over there in holding. Then there was extensive arguing over proving how much he cost, arguing with us that our dog couldn't possibly have been for $500 because he had a dog come through the other day that was $5000...... And there we were with all of the necessary papers. Time finally came to get the dog, and instead of, you know, being normal, he started smashing on the top of the cage to encourage the dog out. Instead the pup shrank into the corner and shat itself terribly.

These people work in positions where they aren't seen, doing pretty damn well near whatever the hell they want. Lord knows if the guy's instruments weren't simply swiped and simply listed as destroyed. I sincerely doubt any customs organization would willingly admit it's employees used the rules to steal someone's gak.

1. I'm pretty certain I would have reported that guy to his/her manager... It's not the dog's nor your fault he has a "gak job" (whether a job is gak or not entirely depends on the person working it), and he was seriously acting in a manner just begging to get fired.

2. IIRC, the article fairly clearly states that they smashed them in front of the musician. Kinda hard to steal a wooden flute if you're smashing it in front of the poor fella.