The latest Fort Hood shooter, apparently miffed because he was told "no" about something, and catapulted into infamy on April 2nd of this year, is not even the most recent entry on this terrible "list of rampage killers" (also check out the workplace edition!) ... admittedly -- tragically -- in the words of Wikipedia's editors, "an incomplete list, which may NEVER be able to satisfy (!) particular standards for completeness (WTF!?!)" (... emphases mine).
Oh, and David Letterman announced his retirement.
A few sad doorknobs unhinge and fall off of life's frame, and late night television shuffles again ... Ah, normalcy! A relief! Welcome respite! from wild-eyed theories, internet queries, emotions and directionless everything regarding the lost airplane ... from search efforts to public statements to misplaced anger ...
Directionless. No pride or shame (a flight simulator??) ...
No happy landing.
I was thinking this on a trip last week ... At the airport, an announcement in accented but unbroken English:
"Do not let your baggage out of your sight. If a stranger approaches you, and asks you to watch or hold baggage, or you are asked to carry an item or gift, you should not comply. You should report all suspicious activity to uniformed personnel or the airport police."I was struck by the innocence of this entreaty. Simple strangers bearing gifts ... One should tell the police ... How 20th century!
It's high time the world's airports scale up their public service announcements to reflect the potentials of this day and age:
"If your plane disappears or falls out of the sky, or you see a passenger punching a flight attendant (or vice versa!) -- or a group of histrionics annoying other passengers -- please use your cell phone camera to share."
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