Farsi caused a bit of a problem last month. Naughty writing system.
Midwest Airlines canceled a flight ready to take off for San Francisco after a passenger found Arabic-style handwriting in the company’s in-flight magazine and alerted the crew.
The plane, carrying 118 passengers and five crew members, had already pulled away from the gate at Mitchell International Airport on Sunday evening. It returned to the gate, the passengers got off, security authorities were notified, all luggage was checked and the aircraft was inspected. Nothing was found.
The passengers were put up in nearby hotels and booked on a Monday morning flight.
The writing was in Farsi, the language used in Iran, said airline spokeswoman Carol Skornycka. She said she didn’t know exactly what the writing said but was similar to a prayer, “something of a contemplative nature.”
Holy shit, it’s foreign letters! In a magazine! It could be some sort of plot to blow us up or take over our minds! Clear the plane!
Good work, Mr Bush. Rummy, take a bow. Your work at scaring the American public has borne fruit. They’re so worked up about flying that they’re scared of water.
I know that Iran is the new Iraq and all, but there’s no reason to be scared of Farsi, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Anyway, Farsi’s cool-looking!
So here’s a guide for all of you the next time you’re flying.
This is Farsi. It’s not scary. Yet.
This is Arabic. Very very scary. Run!
Doing my part to prevent chaos on airlines since 2006.
4 September 2006 at 7:43 am
We really enoyed this post. Especially all the discipline. Naughty writing systems indeed. Did you hear about Steve Irwin? Caused a lot of discussion in the Psychos room.
4 September 2006 at 8:32 am
I did hear about the late Mr Irwin, and I was surprised. I’m never diving into the stingray pool at AQWA again. To think!
4 September 2006 at 8:36 am
Hey, you just got me to hijack my own Farsi thread with a Steve Irwin comment! How’d that happen?
Psychology mind games — that’s how! Discipline for the both of you naughty people! Perhaps with Mandaic script involved in some way!
4 September 2006 at 10:45 am
We’re coming along at 1pm tomorrow to play Boggle. Be prepared to show off with your superior linguistic skill. I have to remember to bring along my set. Laura is bringing one also I think.
How did your extension class go?
4 September 2006 at 2:59 pm
I.
Killed.
4 September 2006 at 8:13 pm
There are some more similar stories here:
http://www.bloggerheads.com/archives/2006/08/hooray_for_hyst.asp
5 September 2006 at 9:51 pm
How to save the airlines:
Dump the male flight attendants. No one wanted them in the first place.
Replace all the female flight attendants with good-looking strippers!
What the heck – the attendants have gotten old and haggard looking.
They don’t even serve food anymore, so what’s the loss? The strippers would
at least triple the alcohol sales and get a “party atmosphere” going in the cabin.
And, of course, every businessman in this country would start flying
again, hoping to see naked women.
Because of the tips, female flight attendants wouldn’t need a salary,
thus saving even more money. I suspect tips would be so good that
we could charge the women for working and have them kick back 20% of
the tips.
Muslims would be afraid to get on the planes for fear of seeing naked
women. Hijackings would come to a screeching halt, and the airline
industry would see record revenues.
This is definitely a win-win situation if we handle it right – a golden opportunity
to turn a liability into an asset.
Why didn’t Bush think of this? Why do I still have to do everything myself?
Sincerely,
William Jefferson Clinton
6 September 2006 at 6:22 am
I almost got a job as a flight attendant with QANTAS last week. They called me back for more interviewing (after a full day on the Friday!) but I said no thanks because of uni etc. What I wouldn’t give to have been able to say yes! But if I had to work under those conditions, I don’t think you’d be getting many applicants, Mr Clinton.
6 September 2006 at 7:47 am
More stuff Bush can blame Clinton for not doing.
ash: you can refill my beverage anytime.
7 September 2006 at 6:37 am
No worries Daniel. You will have to wait a few years for that, or you can go on a Contiki tour in Eastern Australia in 2008 or so and I can show you the sights when you’re part of the group I’ll be taking around.