Top 7 blog posts and comments of 2007 (thank you, TSA!)

Take a bow, Transportation Security Administration. Between having your fingers in everyone’s holiday pies and confiscating combustible sippy cups from toddlers, the stories of your shenanigans managed to draw the most readers — and the most interesting comments — in 2007. Among the other favorites on this blog: Ben Baldanza’s e-mail-first, ask-questions-later episode on Spirit Airlines, the outing of phone-numberless Skybus, and Joel Widzer’s mysterious non-death.

Here are the top 7 posts of 2007, along with the most interesting reader comments:

1. “What kind of pie is that?” the TSA agent demanded — From Mohammud Al-Falafalallalabad: “You are giving all of us at Al Queda headquarters these fabulous ideas. Merry Christmas! Now you die.”

2. TSA protects nation against dangerous sippy cup — From Cris: “I am sorry but TSA is a joke…most of them have no sense of purpose, some of them speak bad English even and they look more like a terrorist than me.”

3. “After we got back to the room, an uneasy feeling came over us” — From Phil: “Duh. Everyone knows that timeshares are boondoggle — unless you go with a reputable company like Marriott or Hilton.”

4. That’s not the Spirit: “Let him tell the world how bad we are” — From Robert Johnson: “Having met Mr Baldanza personally I’m pretty certain he typed first and thought second.”

5. Skybus contacts revealed: emails, phone numbers for five top execs — From Roland Alonzi: “Bravo, Chris. It’s vigilante journalism…and I LOVE IT!” (Thanks, Roland.)

6. The 7 most influential travel bloggers of 2007 — From Darren Cronian: “To me an influential blogger is someone who writes about travel and makes a difference somehow. Bloggers who are passionate about travel and writes about their home country, or someone who makes you think about issues like the environment, or gives you confidence to get off your backside and travel the world.”

7. What really happened to Joel? — From Robert: “Joel is indeed complicated and this whole situation has managed to confused all of Joel’s ‘friends’.”

Christopher Elliott is the author of Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals. Critics have called it “eye-opening” and “inspiring” — it’ll “grab your attention and won’t let go.” Order your copy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble or iTunes.

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