The Butt Ugly Weblog

Stupid security competition

The third item was a dual quarter pound cellophane wrapped cardboard package of loose leaf Chinese tea. Unfortunately, it was of a well known variety known as Gunpowder Tea, and had this printed on the packaging.

Obviously this was of such importance, that, despite already forcing the passenger to check his hand bag as hold luggage, it was decided that the tea was allowed, but that the evil word "Gunpowder" was not. Consequently the security staff then rummaged around (thereby delaying me and the rest of the queue) and found a plastic bag into which they decanted the fragrant tea leaves, and confiscated the cardboard packaging!

This, and other completely stupid security measures, along with some extraordinary invasions of privacy can be found at Privacy International's Stupid Security Competition.

Worried about the new Helsinki travel cards? In Bornholm, Denmark, you have to prove your identity via a fingerprint each time you use the ferry.