Return of the Daily Smile

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_child_air_traffic

The media is trying to make this out as a crime against humanity, but I liken it to letting a little kid sit on your lap and drive the car around the neighborhood. Made me smile thinking of the bit of fun all these high-pressure people got.
 
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Well, a car carrying hundreds of strangers around high above the ground, but yeah--pretty harmless, unless you think having a kid sitting on your lap in an air traffic control tower might be just a little distracting...;) Probably not any more so than what they're usually up to, though.
 
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Clear downtrend since 2001, though. Interesting.

I always hate the phrasing on these things, because I'm so bloody literal-minded. Of course I believe in witches, there's one just above you, silly!
 
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@dteowner, magrette:

For the Tenerife airport disaster where 2 747's collided, misunderstandings between one of the airplanes and the traffic controller was considered a contributing factor. As a consequence requirements for using standard phrases in communication between plane and tower was introduced. I think letting a child read instructions to some degree violates this requirement.
 
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@dteowner, magrette:

For the Tenerife airport disaster where 2 747's collided, misunderstandings between one of the airplanes and the traffic controller was considered a contributing factor. As a consequence requirements for using standard phrases in communication between plane and tower was introduced. I think letting a child read instructions to some degree violates this requirement.

Yup. That was an interesting and scary story. Standard phrases were already in use, though, but they revised and tightened the list -- for example, they stopped using the phrase "takeoff" in any other phrases than requesting and giving clearance for takeoff -- one of the crucial mistakes was when the crew of the KLM jet mistook route clearance for takeoff clearance.

There's a really good writeup of this here: [ http://www.salon.com/technology/ask_the_pilot/2007/04/06/askthepilot227/ ].
 
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"South of this line nothing works and everyone is corrupt" really is spot-on about how we feel!
 
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A little known fact.....

The first testicular guard "Cup" was used in Hockey in 1874 and the first helmet was used in 1974.

That means it took 100 years for men to realize that their brain is also important.
 
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Bunch of wusses. I don't see any nancy-boy helmets or cups on these boys:
polar-bears-hockey.jpg


@Sammy--I don't think choosing a muppet figure to identify with is wrong, say in an avatar..;) but that dude has flipped. Hopefully it was a Halloween thing or something and he wasn't sitting in his cubicle at work.
 
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A gamer has popped out for more Twinkies and Jolt Cola, and hears a voice from near the ground. It's a frog.

"Help me! I'm actually a beautiful princess who's been turned into a frog by my evil fairy godmother! Kiss me, and I'll return to my real form, and be yours for ever!"

He looks at the frog, picks it up, and pops it into his pocket. "Sorry, I don't really have time for a girlfriend right now, what with Alpha Protocol coming out and all. But a talking frog is way cool!"
 
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The usual email list, but some are new to me:

Idiot Sightings:
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked. 'Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'it's open!' His reply: 'I know. I already got that side.'

This was at the Ford dealership in Canton, MS

IDIOT SIGHTING:
We had to have the garage door repaired.
The Sears repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener.

I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one Sears made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.

He shook his head and said, 'Lady, you need a 1/4 horsepower.' I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4. He said, 'NO, it's not.' Four is larger than two.'

We haven't used Sears repair since.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
My daughter and I went through the McDonald's take-out window and I gave the clerk a $5 bill. Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her a quarter.

She said, 'you gave me too much money.' I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar bill back. She sighed and went to get the manager, who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me back the quarter, and said 'We're sorry but we could not do that kind of thing.' The clerk then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents in change.

Do not confuse the clerks at MickeyD's.

IDIOT SIGHTING :
I live in a semi rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING sign on our road. The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'

From Kingman , KS

IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE :
My daughter went to a local Taco Bell
and ordered a taco. She asked the person behind
the counter for 'minimal lettuce.'
He said he was sorry,
but they only had iceburg lettuce.
— From Kansas City

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, 'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?' To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?' He smiled knowingly and nodded,
'That's why we ask.'

Happened in Birmingham , Ala.


IDIOT SIGHTING :
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when th e light is red. Appalled, she responded, 'What on earth are blind people doing driving?!'

She was a probation officer in Wichita , KS


IDIOT SIGHTING :
At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear coworker who was leaving the company due to 'downsizing,' our manager commented cheerfully, 'This is fun. We should do this more often.' Not another word was spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights stare.

This was a lunch at Texas Instruments.

IDIOT SIGHTING :
I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the sake of her life, couldn't understand why her system would not turn on.

A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriffs office, no less.
 
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