US Customs Destroys Virtuoso's Flutes Because They Were "Agricultural Items" 894
McGruber writes "Flute virtuoso Boujemaa Razgui performed on a variety of flutes, each made by himself over years for specific types of ancient and modern performance. Razgui has performed with many U.S. ensembles and is a regular guest with the diverse and enterprising Boston Camerata. Last week, Razgui flew from Morocco to Boston, with stops in Madrid and New York. In New York, he says, a US Customs official opened his luggage and found the 13 flutelike instruments — 11 nays and two kawalas. Razgui says he had made all of the instruments using hard-to-find reeds. 'They said this is an agriculture item,' said Razgui, who was not present when his bag was opened. 'I fly with them in and out all the time and this is the first time there has been a problem. This is my life.' When his baggage arrived in Boston, the instruments were gone. He was instead given a number to call. 'They told me they were destroyed,' he says. 'Nobody talked to me. They said I have to write a letter to the Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. This is horrible. I don't know what to do. I've never written letters to people.'"
The unexpected hazard... (Score:5, Funny)
I never thought of flutes as an "invasive species."
Surely not (Score:5, Funny)
Another whistle blower!
Serves him right! (Score:3, Funny)
He's obviously a denialist and he got off easy.
The wood that he unscrupulously and capitalistically exploited for his burgeious profit contraption could have reduced ALGORE'S carbon footprint if he hadn't murdered it for his own selfish amusement. I'm just disturbed that this 1%er scum wasn't thrown into our enviromental reeducation camps for his crimes against science.
Wood (Score:0, Funny)
Once I walked through an airport terminal with wood. I was on my way to Bangkok.
Re:Saw this earlier (Score:2, Funny)
Were you trying to say you weren't sure why this is on /. ?
Re: The unexpected hazard... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The unexpected hazard... (Score:5, Funny)
I never thought of flutes as an "invasive species."
You never saw the swarming of the Zanfir commercials... I still get shivers to this day.
Re:Serves him right! (Score:4, Funny)
Your sig doesnt contain proper scientific notation and it angers me.
Re:The unexpected hazard... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Saw this earlier (Score:3, Funny)
I guess they will start siezing wood furniture from Ikea now, since,, you know, wood is an agricultural product.
Since when is Ikea furniture made out of wood?
More like (Score:0, Funny)
Turn your head and cough.
Yup, a bunch of sticks tied together in a bundle.. (Score:2, Funny)
The guy was carrying a fasces, he must have been a Fascist.
Re:All the news that matters (Score:5, Funny)
TSA Enforcement Officer Mongo added, "Mongo like candy."
Re:All the news that matters (Score:5, Funny)
The army has learned that stupid soldiers aren't good soldiers.
So those too stupid for the Army are sent over to the TSA, right?
Re:All the news that matters (Score:5, Funny)
> So those too stupid for the Army are sent over to the TSA, right?
Are you saying TSA stands for The Stupid Army?
Re:Fast food workers with police powers (Score:5, Funny)
That's what happens when you hire fast food workers into bureaucratic roles and give them absolute power over other people.
That is seriously not fair. You are pretty lumping a whole group of hard working, well-meaning people in with a job position that is at the absolute bottom of society. You really should have more respect for fast food workers.
Re:All the news that matters (Score:1, Funny)
Re:"No, no. No adventures today." (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Yup, a bunch of sticks tied together in a bundl (Score:5, Funny)
Yup, a bunch of sticks tied together in a bundle
That sounds more like a faggot to me.
Re:Visitors not welcome (Score:4, Funny)
Uh... no.
When you think of "naked women", you think photoshopped models. Go to the airport and look around, and this time try hard to not overlook all the women of no interest to you (age, with children, etc.) and also all the fat, bald men.
Now you have a much better mental image of what "everybody get naked" really means. If you're not puking yet, that is.
Re:Saw this earlier (Score:4, Funny)
Thank you Clippy!