Friday, April 20, 2012

It's the Letter P

Here it is the end of another week and our hapless bunch of news makers have make a few "missteps". This week, there seems to be a preponderance for the letter P.  Planes, pilots,  planets, pot,  pictures, police and paranormal have all been reported this week.


Riddle...The Difference Between  "Plane" and "Planet"

An exhausted Air Canada pilot mistook the planet Venus for an airplane and sent the plane into a rapid 400 foot descent in order to prevent an imaginary collision from occurring, according to an official report released Monday. Canada’s Transportation Safety Board released the statement which read:


"Under the effects of significant sleep inertia (Yeh, we get it....the guy was half asleep) the first officer perceived the oncoming aircraft as being on a collision course and began a descent to avoid it."

The unfortunate event occurred at night on board a Boeing 767 twin passenger plane flying from Toronto to Zurich 95 passengers and a crew of 8 aboard. According to reports, the first officer had just awoke from a long nap. According to the report, in a disoriented state:

"The FO (First Officer) initially mistook the planet Venus for an aircraft but the captain advised again that the target was at the 12 o’clock position(straight ahead) and 1,000 feet below."

No one on the plane was wearing their seat belts, despite the "fasten your seat belt" indicator being turned, which resulted in the subsequent injury of 14 passengers and 2 crew members. (oh no you didn't..... just blame the passengers for their injuries!)  Seven required medical treatment and were taken to the hospital. Air Canada expressed their sincerest apologies to the passengers injured in the accident and explained that they are currently in the process of taking the steps requisite in order to avoid a recurrence. Their approach is simply to remind pilots to follow the rules regarding taking naps during flights and increased efforts to heighten crew awareness to the effects of pilot fatigue.


OOPS....I think that the statement from Air Canada reps stating that they will takes steps in order for that not to happen again is commendable but clearly a little light.  Reminding the pilots not to wake up "groggy" from their naps, doesn't seem quite stern enough.  Their first order of business should be to  get a big flashing sign on Venus that says "I am a planet not a plane."  The T makes all the difference.



Posting Pictures of Stealing is Poorly Thought Out

There it was on Facebook for all to see – Michael Baker with a gas can, a siphon hose stuck into a police cruiser in eastern Kentucky and a middle finger raised.


Micheal, if I were one of your Facebook friends, I
would give you a status update"
YOU ARE A MORON!


Among those who saw it were Jenkins police, who arrested 20-year-old Baker on Monday and charged him with theft by unlawful taking. (Isn't that the definition of theft...unlawful taking????)


Police didn't laugh. Chief Allen Bormes says that if Baker would steal from police, he'd steal from "just about anybody."


Authorities say they plan to buy lockable gas caps.

OK,  Let me see if I have this straight.  Instead of catching thieves and keeping them from stealing (especially from cops) they are going to lock up their gas caps.  That is some serious police work.

Granny's Plan for Retirement is Pot

A Granny in Oklahoma has a real flair for running her own business.  Unfortunately her business, is illegal.  Never-the-less, a 73 year old woman, Darlene Mayes, has been arrested and authorities believe she is the kingpin of a drug ring that provides 40% of all the marijuana in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas and Missouri. 

 Well, now aren't looks deceiving?  Kingpin?
Drug Lord????

In Mayes' house, cops found the supply in her bedroom, which reeked of weed. A vacuum-sealed bag full of the stuff was found in the closet, and bundles of bills labeled "$15,000" were found under her box spring. They found a pipe and another bag of weed in the bathroom, and a total of $200,000 in more vacuum-sealed bags in a guest room where Mayes' grandchildren reportedly slept.
In the article it was quoted that Vinita Police Cheif Boby Floyd  told The Daily, an IPad only news site,  "That was quite a surprise. She is in very good shape for her age." (huh? Did he just say that?)
Mayes allegedly first told officers that the money was for her retirement fund.

This story brought up a lot of questions in my mind. Why isn't a female ringleader called a queenpin? ...and really let's give her a little "woot, woot"  ...40 percent of the market share!!!
If she was selling something legal we would really be impressed.  AND who does the interviewing for the IPad only news???  Oh yeah, and as far as her retirement, I think it has been taken care of.


Ghostbusters are a bust

A New Jersey couple is suing their landlord.  Now you wouldn't think this would be even worthy of my "back page" news...but clearly, it just doesn't take much to amuse me today.


In Toms River, N.J. Josue Chinchilla (see, I am already amused...Chinchilla???) and Michele Calan, an attorney by trade, are suing their landlord to break their lease and refund their $2,250 security deposit.


Why????...because they say the house they leased is haunted.  (Allegedly)


Dr. Richard Lopez, the owner of the house isn't about to return the deposit and claims the couple is in violation of the lease's terms.  He is counter suing, although none of the articles say exactly what he is suing for.


According the Doc Lopez, he thinks the couple is just using the "haunted" claim as a way to get out of a lease that they can't afford. 


But the couple contend their fright is real. They say that shortly after they moved in on March 1, they heard mysterious sounds coming from the basement, lights turned on and off by themselves, doors creaked open and slammed shut, and clothes and towels that were stored in closets somehow wound up on the floor. To top it off, an unknown force tugged at Chinchilla's sheets in bed one night, and Callan saw a dark apparition in the bedroom, they told the Asbury Park Press.
To help prove their case the couple called in  “ghostbusters” – the Shore Paranormal Research Society, a nonprofit team that investigates and tries to prove the  claims of paranormal activity.
But Carlson says he’s not ready to call the house “haunted.”
This is the house...perhaps, I have taken a few liberties with the visitors.

“There’s a big difference between ‘haunted’ and ‘paranormal activity,’" Carlson told msnbc.com on Tuesday.
“Paranormal means you have an occurrence that can’t be explained scientifically. Haunted? No, I do not think so. Do I think there’s stuff paranormal going on there? Absolutely.”
Carlson wouldn’t offer an opinion on the merits of the couple’s lawsuit. But he says there was clearly something unexplained going on in the house.
The couple has since moved into a motel. “This has been a horrific nightmare for us,” Callan told the newspaper.

Well, so much for the ghostbusting group helping the matter.  Splitting hairs aren't we???.... whether to call it "paranormal activity" or "haunted".  When things are moving around, short sheeting your bed and flashing the lights on and off, it's time to move. 


So much for the news this week, my bloggee friends.  Feel free to send me any unusual news that you hear about and I will try to report it next time. 




17 comments:

Bodaciousboomer said...

I think it's hilarious that granny vacuum sealed her cash. Maybe she was afraid her Depends would fail...

Cheryl P. said...

I think more likely when you are dealing with lots of people high on weed, you might be suspicious as to where that money has been.

Chubby Chatterbox said...

Michael Baker gets my award for moron of the week. Thanks for letting me start my weekend feeling smarter than someone.

Cheryl P. said...

Oh, Chatterbox, we all know you are smarter than most and you are artistic as well, Don't you go being all modest.

Kimberly said...

I could've predicted that Baker was from KY... Sadly, we have a lot of people around here like that. Sigh. Even though it's not back-page news, I can't believe you didn't mention prostitutes (aka the Secret Service scandal). Just because it's an awesome P word. Ha.

Cheryl P. said...

Kimberly, It's so nice to see you back. How are the kids doing??? You must really be busy with 3 little ones. (adorable though!!!)

Ya know, I started a first paragragh with that, and then I decided to back off just because it has been so reported. I thought maybe people were just sick of it. You are right though...would have fit into the P theme.

Grandpa said...

Paranormal and New Jersey somehow go "hand in hand"....just sayin.....

Cheryl P. said...

When I was looking up this story, I see that the upper East coast holds the lion's share of haunted houses. Although, there are certainly pockets all around the country. Atchison, KS is a hot bed of ghosts.

Grandpa said...

or should I say ABnormal

Junebug Ash said...

I kind of feel bad for the pilot. I've done that myself. Luckily I wasn't driving a plane when it happened.

That dude is a total idiot. On the good news side, people say facebook does nothing good but it got this idiot arrested.

I've lived in OK. It is full of characters and I am in no way surprised. I worked at a bar ran by an old woman with a cane who would kick your ass in a moment's notice.

Love love love the liberties you took with the ghostbuster pic. LMAO! I think they just want out of their lease and the ghostbuster won't do anything that will cause him to get sued by the homeowner.

Cheryl P. said...

OH, yeah, I have woke up with the "WTH" but I probably wouldn't be napping while driving a 737.

I have seen dozens of these idiots posting to Facebook with pics and stories about their criminal pursuits. It's one thing to be dishonest but it is a WHOLE other thing to be dishonest and stupid.

I love characters like that lady with the cane. Such unique personalities that don't fit the mold. That old saying "you can't judge a book by it's cover" ....I find people like that fascinating.

Isn't that the way of the world now...cover your ass.

Jayne said...

I saw that story about the "groggy" pilot. Yet another reason I don't fly! Is it really too much to ask that your goddamn pilot stay awake? Another casualty of Reagan's busting of the air traffic controller's union still haunting us.

The idiot siphoning the gas -- Poster Boy for Birth Control.

What a group this week.

meleahrebeccah said...

Holy crap. And yet another reason for me to steer clear of getting on an airplane.

Michael Baker is an idiot.

I heard about that gramma and immediately thought, this is what happens when they cut medicare!

And that house in NJ would scare the fuck out of me. I'd pack my bags ad move out like immediately.

Cheryl P. said...

There does seem to be more and more stories concerning "problems in the cockpit", makes it a little scarier to get on a plane. Is is wrong to think that if the shock from the ticket price doesn't kill you the pilots will??

I like your idea of that guy being a poster boy for birth control. I couldn't think of any funny one-liner for that but here is a poster with the genius.

Cheryl P. said...

I agree, it seems that there is a rise of craziness in the cockpit lately.

Agreed, Michael Baker is an idiot. ( I made a poster for that reason) Jayne was thinking we needed to make a poster for birth control but I couldn't think of a tag line.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Guess the old girl had to resort to starting up a small business.

I don't know that I would take the time to pack my bags. I am outta there.

Dan_gist said...

That should teach those passengers to mistrust airlines where the captain greets you in a wife beater shirt and a baseball cap. Perhaps they were all doing a P drug, like pot.

Cheryl P. said...

Holy crap, if I get on board a plane and the pilot is wearing a wife beater shirt and a baseball cap...I am outta there. You might have a valid point about the use of the P drug, that would be one explaination of why Venus looked like an oncoming US Air flight.