Surely anyone who has tried to fly recently has found themselves mumbling, "Osama bin Ladin, you weenie!"

Recently, before boarding a flight, I had my scissors confiscated. As if I, who am only 150 cm tall, could actually hijack a plane with a pair of scissors! In reality, I'd need a very large pair of scissors, more like a scissor-sword contraption, to do the job.

Now, thanks to bin Ladin (weenie!), a sign at the airport check-in areas warns that no scissors, nail clippers, gardening tools, studded snow tires or pit bulls are allowed in your carry-on baggage. Neckties, I presume, must be kept around your neck at all times.