Flutterby™! : Homeland Security goes after hobbiests

Carl had a link to an Amateur Rocket Society news bit pointing to a QuadCity times article about hobby shops around Davenport, IA that have been asked for information about customers who purchase model rocket and model airplane supplies.

"A few months ago, someone from the Scott County sheriff's office came in and was asking questions. He (the officer) was asking about the small box (payload)," Dittmer said. "They talked to me about keeping track of who was buying what and asked me to get a license number if I suspected anything."

Dittmer said a Scott County sheriff's deputy also told him that radio-controlled aircraft were found in abandoned caves in Afghanistan after the Taliban was chased from power there.

Now there are some inconsistencies in the news story that make me think maybe there's either some loose cannon running around the area, or maybe someone who's using the "I'm in law enforcement..." bit to surreptitiously gather information about the possibilities of the use of hobby parts to build weapons. Especially given that Gunning's Hobbies in San Anselmo is on the periphery of a scare involving guys playing Airsoft games on the Kentfield school grounds and giving the poor janitor there brown trousers, I'm going to have to ask those folks if they've had any queries. Y'all wanna ask your favorite hobby shop proprietor?