Background

Having migrated to static web generation, a full-featured web gallery system just isn't an option. I don't want or need an RDBMS to store meta-data, and there's certainly no reason to install an entire CMS framework just to pubish some pictures. However, having a four-year-old and a family that doesn't actually live in my back yard makes some kind of web gallery a necessity.

Yes, there are many picture sharing social media venues. All of them:

• have terms of service that can change with little notice and no consent
• have some kind of profit motive, mostly undis­closed
• are conflicted between security and ac­ces­si­bil­i­ty

So we're on our own.

Problem Domain

Our household …continue.

A while ago, I decided that I wanted to develop better skills for working with whole food products. Even though I had been cooking for years, I had never broken down a whole chicken before it was cooked! Also, we were spending way too much money on food...

Most food products can be acquired in a less processed form, but the easiest thing to tackle seemed to be chickens. By tackle I mean cut up, because it would be silly for me to actually chase chickens around and tackle them (unless we then proceded to eat them). At that time, we were buying bags of boneless, skinless, In­di­vid­u­al­ly …continue.

This is a copy of the response I received from the TSA about my complaint:

Thank you for your e-mail.

The Trans­porta­tion Security Ad­min­is­tra­tion's current security screening procedures require all carry-on luggage and accessible property be screened before passengers take them onboard an aircraft. Regardless of whether an item is on the prohibited or permitted items list, the Trans­porta­tion Security Officers (TSO's) have discretion to prohibit an individual from carrying an item through the screening checkpoint or onboard an aircraft if the item poses a security threat.

Therefore, TSA security screening personnel make the final decision on whether to permit items like a Tide pen into the sterile area of the …continue.

This is the copy I received of the complaint I filed using the free wireless access from the secure area of the Gainesville, FL (GNV) airport.

To: tsa-con­tact­cen­ter@dhs.gov
Category: Complaints
Sub Category: All Other Complaints

Message:

While passing through security at the Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV), my Tide(R) pen was con­fis­cat­ed from my quart zipper-top bag by a TSA agent.

When asked why, I was told that bleach was not allowed on the airplane. When I pointed out that the product does not contain bleach, I was told that all hazardous substances were not allowed. I asked that about the soap and water inside the Tide pen was hazardous, …continue.

Yet another example of idiocy provided by the Trans­porta­tion Security Ad­min­is­tra­tion (TSA): While travelling from Gainesville, FL (GNV) to Atlanta, GA (ATL) on Delta airlines, my Tide Pen was con­fis­cat­ed.

Why am I angry about this? Well, I can tell you it's not because of the $4 that my government has illegally con­fis­cat­ed -- if that bothered me I'd make a FairTax reference. No, I'm angry because the reason that my Tide Pen was con­fis­cat­ed is because the dolt of a TSA agent ar­bi­trar­i­ly decided that he was going to take mine. That's it. More you say?

So the agent looks at the items in my 1 qt. zipper-top …continue.