Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe SAFEGUARD YOUR ID AT AIRPORTS The busiest travel days of the year are approaching and with heightened security many travelers are at risk for losing their ID because of the numerous times they will be asked to present it to screeners. Advertisement Security guards at the sprawling Lambert International Airport in St. Louis offer the following suggestions: First, before leaving for the airport make, sure your ID (driver license, passport, military ID, etc.) is up to date. The last thing you need is to find you have no current ID when trying to pass through security. Second, make sure you have documentation for the flight before attempting to go through security areas. If you have ticketed your flight on the Internet or in another electronic manner, ask the carrier or agent to send you an e-mail with all the information, presented in an official manner. Advertisement Print out the material and have it ready, along with your ID. If you don't have the information -- even if you only have carry-on luggage -- you'll have to wait in line at the ticket counter to have the paperwork generated. Third, plan ahead on how you will store your ID and paperwork from the time you get to the airport until you board the plane. You will be asked to show your ID and paperwork as many as four times prior to boarding, so you'll have it out of your purse or wallet a lot. That means it could easily be dropped, lost or stolen. Fourth, remember the "one carry-on" rule at most airlines. The carry-on has to be small enough to fit underneath seats or in overhead bins; a second piece is permissible on most carriers, if it's a purse or briefcase. The bottom line is to ask questions of the carrier before going to the airport. If you're a frequent flier but have not flown in the past few months, remember the rules are constantly changing. DON'T 'OVER-BURN' YOUR CD Manufacturers are making it increasingly easy for consumers to "burn" -- record -- their own CDs, many people are finding that although the process seems simple, there are some easy-to-commit mistakes. CDSleeves.com says there are seven fatal mistakes people make trying to record their own material. Advertisement The group says the first is buying the wrong kind of CD. Not all are the same quality or for the same purpose. Check with the dealer and match the model of your unit with the type of CD it uses. Improper labeling of CDs can ruin them. Sending CDs through the mail can prove fatal if they are not wrapped properly. The company also says overdoing it -- burning too many CDs, mislabeling them and then forgetting your inventory -- wastes money and can cause a lot of frustration. The tragedy is many people who incorrectly burn CDs assume they can then throw the master material away or erase it. This should never be done until you are satisfied you did a good job making the copies, have them properly marked and have filed them in a safe place. For specifics on the do's and don'ts of CD burning, check out cdsleeves.com/7fatalmistakes.html.
