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The New York Times’s Frequent Flyer column today is buried on page C6 so it’s easy to miss. That would be a shame, as Fur-Lined Handcuffs and Other Security No-No’s is by and about Mark Hatfield, Jr., who is the head of PR for the TSA, and it has its weird moments. The story includes this tidbit:

…you know those little round plastic bowls in which your personal belongings go through the X-ray machine? They are actually dog-food dishes. Seriously. They are nonskid and don’t tip over, so they’re perfect for this purpose.

I was especially struck by this account of our tax dollars at work:

In the last year, Transportation Security Administration screeners have intercepted more than seven million prohibited items. Typically, it’s knives, guns and scissors. But you would not believe how many recreational handcuffs I have seen in property rooms at airports around the country. I don’t want to single out J.F.K., but the ones I’ve seen there were lined in everything from suede to fake fur.