Landing Sideways...

I happened to flip the channel to MSNBC just moments before they broke in with the story of the Jet Blue situation last night, and spent the next two hours or so watching the plane circle Los Angeles as it burned off some six thousand gallons of fuel (at ~$4.50/gallon) before attempting an emergency landing at LAX due to a balky and badly misaligned nose gear. Apparently when they tried to raise the gear after takeoff, it a) wouldn't retract properly, and b) locked up with the wheels pointed 90° to the direction of travel. Not good.

( Even when you're just showin' off... )

One other thing to note. JetBlue gives each passenger their own TV set and DirectTV. The crew didn't turn the sets off until they began their appraoch to the runway, so a good chunk of the passengers were watching the commentary while they circled around the city. Some apparently found it unnerving, and many apparently only listened to the worst-case scenarios being spouted by the anchors, and were a tad panicky. I think I would have just been glued to the set, fascinated.

Much Ado About a Meme...

When you see this in a friend's journal, quote Shakespeare!

That time of year thou mayst in me behold
When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang
Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,
Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang.
In me thou see'st the twilight of such day
As after sunset fadeth in the west;
Which by and by black night doth take away,
Death's second self, that seals up all in rest.
In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire,
That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,
As the death-bed whereon it must expire
Consum'd with that which it was nourish'd by.
 This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,
 To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

Or this:

Ha! 'Against my will I am sent to bid you come in
to dinner;' there's a double meaning in that...