TSA changes laws of physics, declares ice to be liquid

The War on Moisture continues! BoingBoing reader Dan says,

While listening to this piece on All Things Considered, Tony Jabbour mentions that ice is now prohibited from being carried onto aircraft - because it is a liquid. Though both Tony and Robert Siegel call ice a liquid, I am confident that both men are aware that ice is, in fact, a solid. Only the TSA could decide to either change the laws of physics or to put something (ice) into a category in which it clearly does not belong (liquid).

Link

Reader comment: Lone Locust of the Apocalypse says,

I'm not sure I agree with reader Dan's synopsis, or your headline. Nowhere in the linked interview did either person say the TSA has banned water ice. The TSA's "full list of prohibited items" FAQ does not list water ice.

The whole time during the interview it sounds pretty clear they are talking about gel ice packs being banned. The one time the interviewer says "ice" I infer from context that he is using as shorthand for "gel ice pack."

Note: I am a fairly leftish liberal who thinks we're going about airport security in a stupid way, subscribe fully to Bruce Schneier's ideas about "Security Theater" being ineffective etc. Just so you don't think this is just a knee-jerk political reaction.

George Kind says,

1) After talking about gel packs, Robert Siegel specifically says in the audio: "or you couldn't use ice, because that would be ... liquid." (52 seconds in)

2) The discussion is about the shipping of lobsters. Including live lobsters.... sounds like a set-up for a sequal in the making: "Lobsters on a Plane" !?!?!

Lone Locust of the Apocalypse says,

Siegel may have referred to ice as a liquid, but that doesn't mean the TSA classifies it as such. While I share Dan's confidence that Siegel and Jabbour know ice is a solid, anyone can momentarily slip and say the wrong thing when speaking extemporaneously.

If someone produces a statement from the TSA that ice is banned *** specifically because it's classified a liquid ***, then I'll agree the headline is justified. Until then, let's go back to mocking them for stupid things they've actually done.