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Have you ever wondered......?

If you're like me, you've taken your share of "red eye" flights in the wee hours of the night. And if you're as curious as me, you've tried to imagine what it is like for the pilots and ground personnel who are working diligently through those lonely hours while we relax comfortably in the darkened cabin. What must the conversations be like between the flight crew and ground control?

Well, wonder no more. Here, for your edification, is what that conversation might have sounded like during recent night flights into the Washington, D.C. area:

United flight 112: "United 112 to Reagan tower, requesting runway assignment and clearance, over."

Reagan tower: "...zzzzzzzzzz...zzzzzzzzz....zzzzzzzz"

American flight 407: "Reagan tower, this is American 407 following United 112,. Request runway assignment and clearance, over."

Reagan tower: " .....zzzzzzzzzzzz......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"

American 407: "United 112, did you raise Reagan tower? I might have radio problem."

United 112: "Negative American 407, no response. I'll try again. Reagan tower, United 112, please come in."

Reagan tower: "....zzzzzzzzzz......zzzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzzzzz"

United 112: "Still no response American 407. Guess we're on our own. Would you like to go first?"

American 407: "Nah, that's OK United, you've come halfway across the country. I just came down from Boston. Do you see any open runways?"

United 112: "Number 26 looks kinda clear. I'll give it a shot and let you know."

Reagan tower:  "......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzzzzzzz"

Fascinating stuff, huh?   Fly safe.

"They did what"? Awards Volume II - 4th Edition

                                      This is the mug shot of Helen Staudinger

1. The "you'll never take me alive" award to Helen Staudinger. After being denied a kiss by a neighbor 39 years her junior, this 92-year-old Florida woman allegedly returned to her home, retrieved a .380 semi-automatic handgun, and fired several shots into the man’s residence. The 53-year-old man stated that he has been trying to thwart her advances for months. She has been charged with aggravated assault and firing into an occupied swelling. Bail was denied after Helen asked the judge what he was doing after the trial.

2. The "this is your brain on drugs " award to rocker Sammy Hagar of  the group Van Halen.  Hagar claims to have been abducted by aliens. Sammy stated that the aliens tapped into his brain by wireless. Hagar was released when the connection was dropped due to a weak signal. Like millions of other users the aliens immediately canceled their subscription to Comcast.

3. The "finally, a suicide method you can live with" award to the Tufts Medical Center team in Boston. Their recent scientific study revealed that yes, sex can kill. The article said that sudden bursts of moderate to intense physical activity -- such as jogging or having sex -- significantly increase the risk of having a heart attack. The team, which consisted of 7 men and 7 women reported that although their findings are indisputable, none of them suffered any serious cardiac symptoms while doing their "research".

4. The "pound for pound, he's the fastest man alive" award to Kelly Gnieiting. Kelly, a former sumo wrestler who weighs 400 pounds, broke his own record of 12 hours by finishing the LA marathon in just under 10 hours. It's a Guinness Book record with an asterisk since no other 400 pounder has ever attempted the event. When reached for comment, Kelly mused, "it could have been under 9 hours easily, but the line at the Burger King drive-through was the worst".

5. The "where's the beef"? award to Ricardo Jones of San Antonio. Jones, infuriated by the fact that the seven Beefy Crunch Burritos he ordered at Taco Bell would cost not 99 cents each but $1.49 due to a price hike, shot at a store manager with an air gun, brandished an assault rifle, had a shootout with police, and resisted arrest until he was tear-gassed. No one was injured in the melee and Jones was taken into custody and released on bail. As a precaution, police have posted a 24-hour watch on the gas station that Jones frequents.

6. The "I love it when a plan comes together" award to the two robbers in Tulsa, OK. The two men held up 3 different pizza joints inside of two hours last Sunday. However, at the Papa Johns place, the one man came in the front door brandishing his pistol and the manager said, "we don't have any money, we were just robbed a few minutes ago". Apparently, the other man had come in the back and stuck them up just prior. This gives more credence than ever to the old adage, "the early bird gets the anchovies".

7. The "don't count (or eat) all your eggs" award to Dongyang, China. According to the Qianjiang Evening Post, every early spring, a foul odor fills the air of Dongyang, Zhejiang  Province. Dongyang people call it “the smell of spring.”  It’s actually the smell of urine.  Dongyang people collect urine from school aged boys and boil eggs in it. They sell them at 1.50 yuan (23 cents) apiece. It sells like hot cakes. These delicacies apparently also have curative powers such as ridding one of fevers and serving as a "pick me up" if you're feeling tired. Thanks, but I think I'll just take a nap.

8. The "Michael Moore - it's not your money, it belongs to all us" award to Kensley Hawkins. Hawkins, 60, has saved $11,000 by working while incarcerated in a Joliet prison since the 1980s, making about $75 a month. The State of Illinois now says he owes them that money for the cost of his stay." On the plus side, after two more years of labor Hawkins will be eligible for a free night at any penitentiary of his choice (weekend nights excluded).

9. The "didn't they used to go to jail for this"? award to Senator Claire McCaskill (D) of Missouri. McCaskill owes nearly $300,000 in property taxes for a private plane she owns jointly with her husband. She also recently paid back $89,000 for improperly using campaign contributions for the plane expenses during her campaign. Citing her "unawareness" of tax and campaign rules for the "oversights" McCaskill has graciously decided to sell the "damn thing" to be rid of the problem. No charges have been brought at this time. Meanwhile, I. M. Tootrusting of Fair Play, Missouri has finished serving his 18 month sentence for $3500 of back taxes owed to the IRS. It's good to be the Senator.

Obama war efforts frustrated by spelling errors........

Just in........ the word is that team Obama is experiencing dissension behind the scenes. In the most serious of several recent staff disagreements, the push to eliminate the Libyan dictator has been slowed by lack of accord on how to spell his name. 

Obama himself is partial to Qaddafi, while the Secretary of Defense insists it is Khadafi. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton, the most erudite of the three was overheard to say in a staff meeting "no, you idiots, it's Gadhafi"!

However, to their credit, they agreed that due to the urgency of the recent escalation of the conflict, and to show a united front to the rest of the world, they would just refer to the dictator as "that evil guy in the desert that dresses real funny".

Four years of the bloodiest war in our history.....and for what? (A test)

"The treatment of the players by the NFL owners amounts to modern day slavery". 

This comment was made by Adrian Peterson, star running back of the Minnesota Vikings, after negotiations broke down between the owners and the players union. He will make 10 million dollars next year. Average salary of all NFL players - $1.8 million.

This blog test will be a multiple choice.

1. This is the most absurd statement since: 
     a.  "I feel your pain"
     b.  "I'm from the government, I'm here to help you"
     c.  "Mine will be a transparent administration"
     d.  "This is a big f...ing deal"
     e.  "We'll have to pass this bill to see what's in it"

 2. I hate the NFL because:
     a. I'm against slavery
     b. No one should get $10 million just for running faster than me
     c. It's the cause of my first 3 divorces
     d. It's painful watching 350 pound men wear Capri pants
     e. It's obviously a rip-off of the mini-series "Roots"

3. I would like to become a slave because:
     a. I'd like to make $10 million a year
     b. I'd like to be "average" at my job and still make $1.8 million
     c. I'd like to make an additional $5 million in endorsements
     d. I'd like people to treat me like I'm a hero.
     e. I'd like to have 6 months a year off and still get paid $10 million

This is a self-graded test. 

Correct answers below:

Question #1: a,b,c,d and e
Question #2: a,b,c,d and e
Question #3: a,b,c,d and e