From: Dave Rose (cactuscowboy@attbi.com)
Date: 05/11/03-09:00:15 PM Z
Thank God they didn't throw your ass in jail! In this part of of the United
States, you might have been busted as a probable methamphetamine
manufacturer. Silly, isn't it?
Dave in Wyoming
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Kiss" <bobkiss@caribsurf.com>
To: "ALT PHO PROC." <alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca>
Sent: Sunday, May 11, 2003 7:42 PM
Subject: FLYING WITH SULFITE
> DEAR LIST,
> This may be slightly off topic but, as this was discussed on this list
> before, I thought some might be interested.
> I was returning from a few days in Fort Lauderdale where I had
> Photographer's Formulary send me a 5 pound plastic jar of Sodium Sulfite
> which I use both for F-6 for silver and in my EDTA clearing bath for Pt/Pd
> printing. To avoid possible leaks I tied it in a thin plastic bag, rolled
> it in some slacks and packed it in my suitcase (aka checked luggage). At
> Miami International they have both X-ray and hand inspection for checked
> luggage. The TSA employee who was rifling through the contents of my
> suitcase asked me what it was and I replied honestly, "Sodium Sulfite, a
> preservative for photo developers"...terms with which I hoped he might
deal.
> He said, "Nope, can't check this...it has sulfur". I stated that it was a
> very basic chemical, not explosive, not highly reactive etc. I mentioned
> that my cologne would do more damage if it spilled. He said, "It has
sulfur
> and is flammable". I asked if there was someone who might know more about
> chemistry that I could ask and he called for a supervisor. It took 10
> minutes for this person to arrive and she declared without any explanation
> that because there was sulfur in sulfite it wasn't allowed. I politely
> asked if there was a list of banned substances where I might see Sodium
> Sulfite listed. She glared at me and said there was no list but I stood
> calmly staring back at her. She finally called over a woman from behind
the
> counter who took the sulfite to a phone and called someone. They had an
> intense discussion and this woman called me to ascertain my destination.
> When I replied, Barbados, she spoke in the phone and said, " No
> problem...this stuff is pretty safe." The original TSA agent stated that
he
> was only doing his job and I responded by complimenting him on being
> thorough...that I wanted to get home safely and I am counting on him to
keep
> up the good work.
> It appears that extremely polite persistence can pay off. These
people
> are doing a tough job and simply cannot be experts in chemistry. It could
> have easily gone much worse but it was obviously worth the effort.
> CHEERS!
> BOB
>
> Please check out my website:
> www.bobkiss.com
>
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