And my favorite...

TSA: Mule skinners need background checks, too

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/25/mule.skinner.blues/index.html#cnnSTCText

Common sense and TSA, now there's an oxymoron.

OK, I know someone involved with the operation there. The real problem has to do with 3 sets of rules...

The first set, setup by the DOT says that all people involved in commercial transport must follow all the rules, NO EXCEPTIONS. This followed an incident 15-20 years ago in PA when a tourist railroad managed to run their engine up beyond the fouling point of a switch, and got creamed by an Amtrak train, killing a BUNCH of people. After that, there came a blanket "No exceptions" policy

USCG rules say that operators of boats in the inland naviagable waterways have to have their USCG credentials and TWIC cards

Then comes the question - what is a navigable waterway - and the EPA keeps defining that down, to the point that even some temporary streams are now considered navigable

My friend says that some of the questions on they exam they had fun with. For instance "when passing another boat in the other direction, what do you do?" The test expects something like, slow down, move to starboard side, and keep eyesight on the captain of the other boat

Their answer "There has not been another boat on the waterway in 89 years, mules have 2 speeds - go and stop, and the problem with move to starboard side is there is only ONE tow path - what you actully do is go till the boats are point to point, the Captains meet on the tow path. The upstream boat passes his lines over the downstream boats team, and you bridge around" (by historical practice).

They were asked about lifeboat drills - they pointed out that the boat has no liveboat, that unless they open the lower lock, they are never in more than about 3 ft of water, and the 2 times/year they DO go out the lock, the maximum water depth is something like 4 ft, and the lowest deck is 3.5 ft from the keel, so their lifeboat drill is "folks get their feet wet, until we get there with a ladder"

This country has gotten ridiculous. First we ban those evil nail clippers from airplanes and now, what?, send the mules through metal detectors?!

"Hey you! Mule! Take off your harness and put it on the x-ray conveyor! And take those shoes off too! And don't be stubborn about it!"

It is SOOOOO much safer here now. Glad we have the TSA.

This is RIGHT NEAR where I live. A lot of laughs around here about it.

The inmates are in charge of the asylum.

Sounds like the TSA are taking seriously the terrorist threat that can be posed by Mule Skinners and their mules (especially the Mules), after realising what could possibly happen such the Bombdog campaign in the UK during the early 1990s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nvfQw8UCDE

Maybe they are Alqida trained mules that will take over our parks and waterway

My friend lives right outside Wind Gap, in the corner of Jacobsburg State Park

OH, MY GOD! THEY DON'T HAVE LIFEBOATS???

Well, the S is going to HTF on THAT, for sure!

I wonder how many terrorists TWIC has discovered during all those federal background checks?

Our tax dollars in action.

Sue