It's magic

Not a bomb. From the Palm Beach Post-

A magician who recently performed for a Super Bowl party at the Versace mansion inadvertently caused flights to be shut down for two hours Saturday at Palm Beach International Airport when screeners checking his bags found a butane canister that allows him to shoot flames from his wrists.

Illusionist Simon Winthrop, who has relatives in Delray Beach, had packed the equipment in his luggage for a flight to Los Angeles. The Transportation Security Administration discovered the tank in his checked bag about 9 a.m. Saturday.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office brought its bomb and arson squad to investigate. At 9:30, the airport evacuated the entire first floor and part of the second, forcing at least 1,000 passengers, ticket agents and airport employees to wait outside.

The sheriff's office sealed off roads leading to the airport in suburban West Palm Beach, and the Florida Highway Patrol diverted traffic from the Interstate 95 airport exit. Passengers from 16 arriving flights were held on their planes for up to two hours while the terminal was closed.

While the magician was on his plane, federal agents tracked down Winthrop's mother and knocked on the door at the home of his brother, a local attorney.

Relatives explained that he performed last weekend at a Super Bowl party former Dolphins coach Don Shula attended at the former Versace mansion, Casa Casuarina in South Beach. They then showed the agents pictures of Winthrop shooting flames out the arms of his suit.

Winthrop's Web site, www.simonwinthrop.com, includes a picture of Jessica Simpson watching the same trick, and his picture made the National Enquirer last year, his mother said. Susan Winthrop said the butane canister looks nothing like an explosive, but sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said the bomb squad found it suspicious.

The whole incident, Susan Winthrop said, was "kind of embarrassing."

I think the embarassing part is the TSA. Another airport shut down for the dumbest of reasons. The article goes on to mention the articles may not even be banned by the TSA.

TFM is happy not to be a Frequent Flyer any more.

Linked to- Dumb Ox, Hill Chronicles, Wakeup America,