Air Travel

Question:

[...] >If a bimbo can sue McDonalds because she is so braindead >as to not realize that coffee is hot,

[...] Sigh!  I don’t know why I’m bothering… The "bimbo" was a very aged lady.  She suffered terrible burns. McDonald’s had been officially warned over and over that the temperature of their coffee was dangerous.  They disregarded the warnings. I do wish people would check their facts…! — Polar

Response:

> We’re not talking about Huck Finn’s forked stick and rubber bands > here, these Trumark wrist stabilized slingshots with the most powerful > bands have a range of 225 yards using a 3/8" steel ball as the "ammo", > the top of the line model even has sights. At inside the airplane distances > they would make for a pretty lethal weapon although granted the chances > of actually getting to use it are substantially reduced with today’s more "activist > minded" passengers.

Granted that he should not have been allowed on the plane with his slingshot.  However, arrested?  How about "Ditch the slingshot or you can’t get on the plane, sport."  Seems like a better alternative. Best Regards, Bill Mattocks

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> >Correct. Imagine a big wooden "Y" with a big nasty, dangerous rubber band > >attached to both top ends of the Y. Hold the weapon of mass destruction >with > >one hand at the base of the Y, take nukular pellet with fingers and pull >it > >back against the rubber band. When you release it, the rubber band >propells > >the nukular pellet at speeds close to the speed of light and it causes a > >nukular explosion destroying half the united states. > Isn’t a slingshot two strings with a pouch, where one places a stone in >the > pouch, whirls it around, and lets one of the strings go? >The pouch & strings device is an older (biblical) concept, where the >Y-device seems to be the current weapon of mass destruction.  Both >descriptions are correct, it just depends on your education, location, >and druthers.

Ah well, in biblical times (ie back when I was a kid) the one was a cattie and the other was a sling. Steve Hayes http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm

Response:

>Granted that he should not have been allowed on the plane with his >slingshot.  However, arrested?  How about "Ditch the slingshot or you >can’t get on the plane, sport."  Seems like a better alternative.

Why do you persist with these sensible suggestions ? You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

Response:

> Well then, the definition of a slingshot varies from region > to region. And what exactly is that term americans are no > longer allowed to use ?

How can an object be a sling shot if no "sling" or "slinging" is involved?  Oh well, the incapcity of Canajuns to master the basics of English usage long been obvious.  Especially since so many were forced to revert to French for everyday communication…. As for the common and traditional US name for a catapult, even Trent Lott could not publicly speak it….  Only those who know will ever know. TMO

Response:

> The Y-shaped device was known in my USA neighborhood as a > slingshot.  Whether the term was appropriate is another > matter. Catapult is definitely a more descriptive term, but > it’s kinda like all of the people who say "I could care > less."  Grammatically incorrect, (the correct sentence is "I > could not care less"), but it has become a common usage, > even by ‘W’.

You must have grown up in a uniquely backward neighborhood not to have heard the device called by its most common name (popular even in the frozen reaches of barren Yankeeland). Political and social correctness have made the term anathema (and it was prett tacky, even back then…) TMO

Response:

> > The Y-shaped device was known in my USA neighborhood as a > slingshot.  Whether the term was appropriate is another > matter. Catapult is definitely a more descriptive term, but > it’s kinda like all of the people who say "I could care > less."  Grammatically incorrect, (the correct sentence is "I > could not care less"), but it has become a common usage, > even by ‘W’. > You must have grown up in a uniquely backward neighborhood not > to have heard the device called by its most common name (popular > even in the frozen reaches of barren Yankeeland). > Political and social correctness have made the term anathema > (and it was prett tacky, even back then…)

For someone posting on an air travel newsgroup, you have an amazingly intolerant attitude towards others with different experiences.  The entire world does not refer to things using the same terms.  You and others on this list assume that *your* experiences are the only correct experiences. I grew up calling it a slingshot.  That is neither right or wrong, just different. I heard the nastier term later.  Lots of things have regional nicknames. Have you lived all over the USA, and so can qualify as an expert on these matters?  Not likely. Sam

Response:

> JF, since you obviously don’t know what a "slingshot" is, there > being no sling involved in the elastic "mechanism" of a catapult > (or as once mostly known in Western climes by a now forbidden > term then but not now acceptable for every or any day > employment), your knowledge of WMDs seems equally unklikely to > rise to an acceptable level on the veracity meter.

The Y-shaped device was known in my USA neighborhood as a slingshot.  Whether the term was appropriate is another matter. Catapult is definitely a more descriptive term, but it’s kinda like all of the people who say "I could care less."  Grammatically incorrect, (the correct sentence is "I could not care less"), but it has become a common usage, even by ‘W’. Sam

Response:

> It’s not Huck Finn who is in trouble IMO.  It’s the US unless someone > gets their wits together and allows us to travel without pretending to > try to "overprotect" us.  The airlines are a farce and getting more > ridiculous every day with their security ideas.

The airlines are not the bozos who implement these silly plans.  The TSA is responsible for that now.  This is what happens when stupid bureaucrats design systems.  But this insanity is not limited to the airports.  Chainsaws, firearms, and even four-wheel drive vehicles have imbecile tags and idiot labels all over them now.  Only a moron would not realize that all of these devices can be hazardous if used improperly, but we have become a nation of morons, not to mention lawyers.  If a bimbo can sue McDonalds because she is so braindead as to not realize that coffee is hot, then why should the airport situation surprise you?  Not to mention all of the smokers who are suing the tobacco companies, even though labels have been on cigarette packs since the 1960s. Sam

Response:

> >Correct. Imagine a big wooden "Y" with a big nasty, dangerous rubber band >attached to both top ends of the Y. Hold the weapon of mass destruction with >one hand at the base of the Y, take nukular pellet with fingers and pull it >back against the rubber band. When you release it, the rubber band propells >the nukular pellet at speeds close to the speed of light and it causes a >nukular explosion destroying half the united states. > Isn’t a slingshot two strings with a pouch, where one places a stone in the > pouch, whirls it around, and lets one of the strings go?

The pouch & strings device is an older (biblical) concept, where the Y-device seems to be the current weapon of mass destruction.  Both descriptions are correct, it just depends on your education, location, and druthers. Sam

Response:

> JF Mezei iterated….. > (snip-ped, substantial bullshit) > JF, since you obviously don’t know what a "slingshot" is, there > being no sling involved in the elastic "mechanism" of a catapult > (or as once mostly known in Western climes by a now forbidden > term then but not now acceptable for every or any day > employment), your knowledge of WMDs seems equally unklikely to > rise to an acceptable level on the veracity meter.

roflmao…… — Best Greg

Response:

>Has this become the U.S.A of "Insanity"?  Is anyone left in charge who >can think rationally except the more intelligent ones of us in RTA?? >Almost ANYTHING can be used for a weapon if one wants to do so.  I have >an old pair of Sears drawers and a tube of lipstick which I bet can >cause havoc if used in the right way.  Does this mean I must fly >"drawerless"??  Sorry people when then confiscate my underwear I’m >walking!!   >It’s not Huck Finn who is in trouble IMO.  It’s the US unless someone >gets their wits together and allows us to travel without pretending to >try to "overprotect" us.  The airlines are a farce and getting more >ridiculous every day with their security ideas.   Someone should put up >a big sign at the airports "AIRLINES ARE DANGEROUS TO YOUR EMOTIONAL >HEALTH!"    

They’re just doing what the equally confused and incompetent Administration is ordering them to do — Polar

Response:

> Now, I’d be the first to say that old Huck Finn here should not have > had a slingshot in his carryon luggage.  And he definitely should have > been bright enough to know that.  But arrested?  I did not realize > that we have a problem in this country with roving bands of > slingshot-armed muggers and terrorists.

We’re not talking about Huck Finn’s forked stick and rubber bands here, these Trumark wrist stabilized slingshots with the most powerful bands have a range of 225 yards using a 3/8" steel ball as the "ammo", the top of the line model even has sights. At inside the airplane distances they would make for a pretty lethal weapon although granted the chances of actually getting to use it are substantially reduced with today’s more "activist minded" passengers. For what it’s worth the fact that I suspect you didn’t think you had a problem in your country with roving bands of box cutter armed muggers and terrorists at one point either… Don’t get me wrong lots of stupidity being committed in the name of security these days but this does not strike me as an example of that. — Norm Soley, just some guy Would you please call my lawyers and tell ‘em that my ISP is attglobal.net

Response:

> JF Mezei iterated….. > (snip-ped, substantial bullshit) > JF, since you obviously don’t know what a "slingshot" is, there > being no sling involved in the elastic "mechanism" of a catapult > (or as once mostly known in Western climes by a now forbidden > term then but not now acceptable for every or any day > employment)

Well then, the definition of a slingshot varies from region to region. And what exactly is that term americans are no longer allowed to use ?

Response:

JF Mezei iterated….. (snip-ped, substantial bullshit) JF, since you obviously don’t know what a "slingshot" is, there being no sling involved in the elastic "mechanism" of a catapult (or as once mostly known in Western climes by a now forbidden term then but not now acceptable for every or any day employment), your knowledge of WMDs seems equally unklikely to rise to an acceptable level on the veracity meter. TMO

Response:

Has this become the U.S.A of "Insanity"?  Is anyone left in charge who can think rationally except the more intelligent ones of us in RTA?? Almost ANYTHING can be used for a weapon if one wants to do so.  I have an old pair of Sears drawers and a tube of lipstick which I bet can cause havoc if used in the right way.  Does this mean I must fly "drawerless"??  Sorry people when then confiscate my underwear I’m walking!!   It’s not Huck Finn who is in trouble IMO.  It’s the US unless someone gets their wits together and allows us to travel without pretending to try to "overprotect" us.  The airlines are a farce and getting more ridiculous every day with their security ideas.   Someone should put up a big sign at the airports "AIRLINES ARE DANGEROUS TO YOUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH!"     Mary

Response:

> Not really.  Akshulee, a "slingshot" is a sling, the ancient and > effective weapon.  Catapults in the US went by a name so > politically incorrect these days as to have become unprintable > and unspeakable, while some corrupt, depraved degenerate folks, > not knowing better took to calling them "slingshots" which they > are not, no slinging or sling being involved. > The same thing happened to a well known type of fireworks… > TMO

Oh please, now that you’ve got me curious, utter the two un-PC terms, willya? I’m guessing they must be related to the once-common vernacular term for Brazil nuts?

Response:

> off by those barrier  strips.  Well, this woman in front of me heading out, > and her kids (one looked like a pre-teen and the other looked about 8 years > old) were waiting by the exit area and were so excited to see her they ran > to her and she caught them and gave them a big hug,

Normally,. the guards at the airside exit wouldn’t allow anyone (kids or adults) to be so near the exit while waiting for their friends to exit.

Response:

>> The transatlantic language barrier strikes again. What is a slingshot? > Would it be a catapult? 2 prongs joined by elastic for launching > projectiles? >Correct. Imagine a big wooden "Y" with a big nasty, dangerous rubber band >attached to both top ends of the Y. Hold the weapon of mass destruction with >one hand at the base of the Y, take nukular pellet with fingers and pull it >back against the rubber band. When you release it, the rubber band propells >the nukular pellet at speeds close to the speed of light and it causes a >nukular explosion destroying half the united states.

Isn’t a slingshot two strings with a pouch, where one places a stone in the pouch, whirls it around, and lets one of the strings go? Steve Hayes http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/stevesig.htm

Response:

> The transatlantic language barrier strikes again. What is a slingshot? > Would it be a catapult? 2 prongs joined by elastic for launching > projectiles?

Correct. Imagine a big wooden "Y" with a big nasty, dangerous rubber band attached to both top ends of the Y. Hold the weapon of mass destruction with one hand at the base of the Y, take nukular pellet with fingers and pull it back against the rubber band. When you release it, the rubber band propells the nukular pellet at speeds close to the speed of light and it causes a nukular explosion destroying half the united states. I find it ironic that Bush Jr is out to find possibly non-existant weapons of mass destructions in Iraq, but he does nothing to ban those dangerous slingshots used by kids and teenagers, or handguns used by kids, teenagers and adults in the USA. Can you imagine if Smith and Wesson started to produce bullets filled with nuclear material ? "Nukular Bullets