Following from my previous post regarding how technology was helping, and people weren’t, I feel the need to relate how it’s still amazing that on a plane one is asked to turn off devices such as a Kindle eBook reader during take-off and landing.
I know that in the USA these rules have been shown to be needless and are being somewhat relaxed but on my last flight my mind started wandering as I sat staring out of the plane’s window as my Kindle sat, turned off, on the seat beside me.
Scene: a cave somewhere in Pakistan
The leader of Al Qaeda: “So, my trusty lieutenant, what plans do you have to spread the word of Allah?”
Trusty Lieutenant : “I have a cunning plan, my Lord, with which we shall bring down many flying devices of the Great Satan.”
Leader: “Well I hope it’s better than you last few you have suggested. The binary liquid bomb now just means I have to pay an extortionate price for bottled water in the airport, the shoe bomb mean the airport stinks of smelly feet as people remove footwear and my eyes still water when I think of what happened to the underwear bomber. No matter how many virgins he meets he won’t be producing any sons…”
TL: “This is different Guider of the Faithful, we have the perfect way to bring down these winged monsters on the infidels. As we are about to land I am going to turn on my mobile phone!”
Leader: “What a wonderful plan!”
TL: “Thank you , O Great Bearded Wonder.”
Leader: “I was being sardonic you ox, do you really think that a mobile signal can bring down a plane? The only reason they don’t allow them to be used is they can sting you on the price of using the built-in phones.”
TL 1: “Sorry Munificent One, we had a back-up plan in place too.”
Leader: “And what, pray, was that?”
TL 1: “We were going to turn on our Kindles!”
Leader: “I give up…”
