Saturday, March 22, 2008

Send Airplanes Not Money

I promise this isn't going to turn into a "things I saw on the Internet today" blog, it's just that I log, on check my mail, and keep receiving things I want to comment on. First a cool one, from Dee Barizo at ProTraveller.

You may have seen some of the overly dramatic named Top Ten Most Dangerous Aircraft Landings in the World before, but I'm posting it because it's a good compilation and actually identifies and describes the airports involved, rather than leaving you wondering where it is, and if it's photoshopped, like some do. I have one of these airports in my logbook, and suspect that among my readers we can probably bag a few more.

The second item is a rant. What an incredibly stupid thing for a forty-nine year old longtime employee to do. Tampering with the mails is such a HUGE crime. Why would anyone risk never having a security clearance again for banknotes and gift cards?

I've been responsible for Canada Post mailbags. Oddly, I don't remember having any formal training on the subject, but this is the Royal Mail. You just know. You don't open it. You don't add your own letters to it, (even though you have letters to mail, and you are cursed to live in a community that doesn't even have a mailbox). Even if the mail includes packages that don't fit in the bag, but are clearly addressed to people you know on sight, you don't give them to them. You take all the mail to the post office. It's part of what holds the diverse and frozen ends of our country together: the mail is supposed to get where you send it. For the price of a stamp.

The crime of stealing birthday money from grandkids is pathetic rather than heinous. What I'm ranting about it that someone would think it was worth it. What were they thinking? Doofus.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's the tossing aside of the convention of trust that rankles.
"I want mine, I want it now, and I've decided your is now mine".
Just greed and corruption.
(PS Have you read David Brin's "The Postman"?).

Anonymous said...

I also received the "10 most dangerous airports" thing, but I decided not to publish it, because the Courchevel video is not exactly accurate.

If you want to compare, I have actual in-flight footage at Courchevel, and you'll see how steep the runway is, and that no go-around option is possible, passed a certain point.

Landing in Courchevel Video

Regarding Lugano, it's not that hard, except that the GP is at 6°. Samedan (LSZS) is much more risky.

Anonymous said...

Yes, the psychotic "I want so I take" criminal mind is hard to understand if you have the morals of a porpoise. (I aim low.)

Majroj - agree and have read "the postman". But if I recall, aren't all conventions off at the end of the world? Except basic kindness.

Sarah

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Sarah, Brin's "Postman" is post-apocalyptic with humankind starting to re-emerge from the results of an apparent WW III.
All conventions are off when you are faced with not surviving, or when you are sociopathic.
Imagine a first-come, first-served approach rule to, say, LAX....

Anonymous said...

Ooo! St. Barth! The picture doesn't show the real fun part of the airport, which is where you nearly land on the hillside during descent. The runway's shorter than average in the US, but after that approach landing on the 2,000' runway is a piece of cake in a light aircraft. Assuming you got down in time, of course.

So, which of these airports is in your logbook, aviatrix? I'd guess Narsarsuaq, but I know you've flown around the southern US so some of the Carribean Islands are probably a possibility.