Applying for a Mortgage - Not as Bad as Airport Security

I've never been happier to stay home for Thanksgiving. In the past few days, stories about the new TSA security procedures at the airport have the masses ready to revolt.

If you've flown recently you have probably seen the x-ray machines that aren't there for you bags. They're there for us. They exist because the old metal detectors can't detect many types of explosives that contain little or no metal. It makes sense that the TSA needs to be able to detect explosives that aren't metal, so they introduced these machines that can see through our clothes.

Apparently some people don't want TSA agents to see them naked. I've seen some of the images the machines generate and they don't seem very graphic. And you certainly would not recognize images of any specific individuals. However, they are vivid enough to make folks uncomfortable.

The alternative to the naked image is a rather thorough pat-down from your friendly neighborhood TSA agent. Personally, I prefer being the subject of a risque security photo.

I don't mind having the image taken of me. On a recent trip I had to have my x-ray image taken at the Oakland Airport. The agent instructed me to raise my hands over my head (similar the the image above). Knowing an image was being taken, I found myself flexing. Is that vain? I don't know who was looking at my image, but I wanted to look my best.

What does this have to do with home loans? Nothing really. Sometimes home loan borrowers complain about the amount of documentation we collect: tax returns, bank statements, pay stubs, and letters to explain all sorts of happenings. But I promise that we never ask to see what's underneath our customers' clothes.

Happy Thanksgiving!