THE UPSIDE OF LOST LUGGAGE

BY DAN MILLER
February 23, 2006

I would probably visit Europe more often if someone would just build a bridge across the Atlantic.

Sure, it might be a long, tedious drive over all that water -- but driving is better than flying anytime.

It's so uncomplicated to just pile everybody in the car and go.

No airport parking.... no long waits at airline counters.... no long lines at security check-in.... no flight delays.... no cramped seating.... no standing in the aisle for 20 minutes waiting to "de-plane".... no hassle of retrieving luggage.... no looking for ground transportation.... and, best of all -- no lost luggage.

Apparently, lost airline baggage is reaching epidemic proportions in this country.

According to a report in USA TODAY, last year U.S. airlines lost -- on average -- 10,000 bags a day.
Did you comprehend that figure?
Ten thousand pieces of luggage lost every day!

That's more than 3,600,000 lost bags for the year.... a 23% increase from the previous year.
I'm no mathematician, but according to my calculations -- in five years -- all luggage will be lost on every flight!

That would indicate a fairly serious flaw in the system.

That's the bad news.
The good news is.... Nashville is a mere 140 miles from Scottsboro, Alabama.
It's an easy drive of two-and-a-half hours, tops.

If you're wondering why you'd want to drive to Scottsboro.... well, it's a town with a reputation built on lost airline luggage.

Scottsboro is home to the Unclaimed Baggage Center, or UBC.

Contrary to what you might have heard as a kid, lost luggage does not end up in the ring around Saturn.... it ends up in Scottsboro.
And you can buy it at bargain prices.

Every day, they receive about 7,000 new items.
They've actually found -- inside lost baggage -- rare gems.... authentic 19th century armor.... a Jim Henson muppet.... a 5.8 carat diamond.... a live rattlesnake.... a guidance system for an F-16 fighter jet.... thousands of items of designer clothing.... games.... computers.... books.... electronics.... cameras, and the list goes on and on.

Don't take my word for it....
Here's their website, check it out.... UNCLAIMED LUGGAGE

It's an easy drive to Scottsboro.... and you won't lose your luggage getting there.
And if you happen to run across a mink Russian hat with my name printed inside, please let me know.

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