The Price of High-Tech Shoes?

How would like to spend $150 or $200 for a pair of high-tech, superduper, does-this, does-that shoes for your kid and then have this happen?

"Son, where are your new shoes?"

"Mom, you won't believe this, but they got blown up."

"They what?"

"I got called into the principal's office ‘cause a wire on one of my shoes was sticking out. The cops, the fire department and the bomb squad all came to school. The whole school was evacuated. I was put in a room and wrapped with heavy lead filled blankets and this bomb expert using a shield and a robot took my shoes off. They took ‘em way out on the football field and blew them to bits. It was really freaky. I was scared. But was it very cool. You shoulda seen it mom."

Well pholks, don't think I'm just being silly. Things like that do happen. And, pholks, I don't think we've seen anything yet.

Less than 10 days ago a young man arrived at San Francisco International as part of a Shanghai tour group en route to New York when someone spotted batteries and wires in his footwear. When the guy, who spoke little English, could not explain the wires and batteries to security expert the guy was detained, his shoes carefully stripped from him and the footwear was blown to smitherines.

Of course this action was a direct result of Sept. 11 and the reign of terrorism which is touching all our lives. This is, of course, a serious issue, and nothing to be taken lightly. I do not, repeat, do not, intend to make fun of anyone being overly cautious. But, I couldn't help but think what might be in store for us--especially if we continue to live high-tech, high-flash, or high-style lives.

Consider how many warnings we have come to live with in just the last 25 or so years. Smokers take the U.S. Surgeon General's warning on their cigarette packs for granted. Drinkers are cautioned. Pregnant women and girls have all kinds of warnings aimed at them. Drivers have little signs on their sun visors and dashboards about seatbelts, airbags, and messages on their mirrors telling them that what they see is closer than it appears.

Television commercials tell those buying drugs or medications about the possible side effects, such as the runs, dizziness, fatigue, nose bleeds, itching, loss of hair, and frequent urination.

Tags on pillows and mattresses warn of dire consequences if the bedding cops ever find out you ripped those tags off.

Fast food spots "warning" that spilling "hot" coffee in your lap "might" be dangerous.

But if you think we already have too many warnings, pholks, you had better buckle up because I see a flood of new warnings.

Will underwire bras come with tags warning of utter disasters if they are worn by women (or men, maybe) passing through metal detectors? What better place for a booby trap.

My wife is a quilter and recently has been on the Internet with fellow quilting and sewing hobbyists around the world. Some of them have told tales of recent confiscation of scissors, knitting needles and other sewing "weapons" in their air travels. The sale of scissors, knifes, and other tools at conventions and shows is fantastic because "potentially dangerous" quilters, sewers or knitters were "disarmed" at the airport.

As long as today's society fails to use the cheapest and best safety measure, common sense, we can all expect to be bombarded by precautions, warnings and assorted searches, interrogations and suspicious looks.

Of course if we weren't so stupid to pay hundreds of dollars for blinking, beeping and bouncing shoes, obnoxious beepers and cellphones, and all-function wrist watches we might not have to worry about having them seized and maybe blown to bits.

Oh well, whatever blows your skirt up.

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