I missed this thread over the summer because I was away camping for a month...

Once, flying from Logan to Florida (yes, THAT Logan airport), I had a four-inch Bowie knife in my carry-on. Two security guys had a pissing contest over what to do, I stayed mum. One w asnted to confiscate it, one just wanted to wrap it in duct tape and put it at the bottom of my bag and tape my bag shut. The tape won in the end. I could not even bring a book of matches through Logan security recently. They have spent a lot of money recently on international flag banners and new video monitors that unspool endless advice at the security checkpoint ("please remove your shows, please place laptops in the grey bins only"), which is ignored by everyone and ends up saving no time. At least they have finally gotten rid of   the jack-booted thugs with machine guns patrolling the place after 9-11.

re:   henna; I am curious; was this confisacted by customs   officials in the US? Because I got some in England that nearly was too. I got it at an open air market, it was wrapped in clear plastic, as opposed to the sealed packages one gets at the body Shop or Lush. One official thought it was some odd plant substance, but the other understood what henna was once I explained and said it was all right.

I just wish there wasn't a law against bringing back English bacon...but no meat or dairy products are allowed.