# don't like your shift? obvious thing to do - set fire to the plane... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 18, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707 "2008-05-18T01:08:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/121 "2011-08-07T09:35:10Z")
I’m just wondering what the price tag is for making an emergency discent and landing from 30k’? Full consumption, post event protocols, what’s the bottom line? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/122 "2011-08-07T10:32:41Z")
" ‘A look of terror on their face’ That’s what 72 frightened passengers and four crew members endured after a fire broke out…" Stupidest writing ever? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/123 "2011-08-07T13:06:48Z")
If he’d done it over Florida. He’d have been found not guilty. ---
**Author:** ![OneMissedPost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OneMissedPost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneMissedPost)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/124 "2011-08-07T17:08:22Z")
This thread reminded me of the movie _Office Space_. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/125 "2011-08-07T20:06:15Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > It beats someone who might decide that their dog is telling them to kill you someday. Dogs? DOGS?! It’s the [cats](http://i1080.photobucket.com/albums/j327/foghome/cat-will-kill-you.jpg) I’m worried about.😛 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/126 "2011-08-09T17:03:49Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Not necessarily. A confession is not, on its own, sufficient evidence for a conviction if the accused retracts the confession and enters a not guilty plea. Without knowing the details of the circumstances under which the confession was given, it’s not possible to say it’s valid. False confessions are more common than most folks realize. Agree, with nitpicks: (1) Yes, a confession by itself is insufficient – that’s the doctrine of _corpus delicti_ that Perry Mason used to wave around on occasion. However, if there’s independent evidence that someone committed a crime, but the only evidence that this defendant committed the crime is his confession, that can be sufficient for conviction. _Corpus delicti_ only weeds out cases where a defendant confesses to a crime that there’s no independent evidence even happened, such as “I killed my mother” when there’s no evidence she’s dead. Find some independent evidence inferring that the defendant’s mother died – nobody’s seen or heard from her in months, no bank or credit-card transactions over the same time, etc. – and the defendant could see himself in the dock based on his confession. In the situation at issue, the State/Government/People/Crown can obviously prove that there was a lavatory fire, so this guy could be convicted on his confession even absent any forensic evidence, eyewitnesses, or the like tying him to the fire. (2) I wouldn’t say that “it’s not possible to say it’s valid” so much as that it’s not possible to say definitively that it’s valid. As a matter of strategy, the prosecutor and defense counsel clearly make educated guesses as to whether the confession will stand up in court. 🙂 If a defendant challenges the circumstances of his confession, and it survives a pre-trial motion to suppress, then whether to accept the confession is an issue for the trier of fact at trial. A defendant testifies “the cops beat it out of me” (or the like), the cops take the stand to deny it, and the jury or judge decides who to believe. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/127 "2011-12-19T14:54:25Z")
and, the verdict is in: federal prison for 74 months, followed by three years probation: [Former flight attendant sentenced for plane fire](http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011-12-19/Former-flight-attendant-sentenced-for-plane-fire/52064784/1). A night in Regina, or 6 years in jail? odd choice. This is the line in the article that got me: > [@](#): > > The government said Rojas brought a lighter aboard the flight and used it to set fire to paper towels in the rear bathroom. Rojas reportedly asked for extra paper towels before the plane took off from Minneapolis. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/128 "2011-12-19T15:26:06Z")
Seems male flight attendants flip out more than the females? from setting fires in flight, to bullying passengers, and hitting the emergency chute to bail out with beers in hand - what’s going on with these guys? ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/129 "2011-12-19T15:32:53Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Presumption of innocence, wait for the trial, yadda, yadda, yadda, but… Presumption of innocence applies in the courtroom, and nowhere else. Hell, even then, the prosecution doesn’t hold to it, and the judge and defense attourney are just faking it. It’s a legal fiction we use to make our lives better, not because it’s factually true. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/130 "2011-12-19T16:56:12Z")
> [@chela](#): > > Seems male flight attendants flip out more than the females? > from setting fires in flight, to bullying passengers, and hitting the emergency chute to bail out with beers in hand - what’s going on with these guys? Ya gotta be nuts to want to be a flight attendant in the first place, male or female. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/131 "2011-12-19T17:27:42Z")
Are the airlines still hiring 19-year-old flight attendants? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/132 "2011-12-19T17:36:05Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Ya gotta be nuts to want to be a flight attendant in the first place, male or female. Not if you’re a straight male. Only working at Disneyworld or Hooters offers the same opportunity to have sex with one’s coworkers. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/133 "2011-12-19T19:53:59Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > > [@Muffin](#): > > > > Ya gotta be nuts to want to be a flight attendant in the first place, male or female. > > Not if you’re a straight male. Only working at Disneyworld or Hooters offers the same opportunity to have sex with one’s coworkers. But that would violate the prime directive of “Don’t stick yer dick in teh crazy.” ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/134 "2011-12-19T20:25:46Z")
I think that rule is suspended when you’re going to be 1,500 miles away from the crazy the next morning. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/135 "2011-12-19T21:09:04Z")
Good point, but the flip side of the coin is that there is no place on the face of the planet where teh crazy can not fly after you. I guess it would come down to the flight staff scheduler. If he’s your buddy, you’d be safe. If she’s her BFF, then you could run but not hide. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2011, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/136 "2011-12-19T22:17:51Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > [According to his latest Myspace login](http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/5/16/12512/9521/travel/Alleged+Arson+Travel:+Fiery+Flight+Attendant+Eder+Rojas+Is+%22Anxious%22), Eder Rojas (aka “CreWBoY”) indicates his mood is [anxious](http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=180399818). It took me about 30 seconds of wondering “Who the fuck still uses MySpace?” to realize this was a thread from 2008 , back from the dead. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/137 "2011-12-20T00:24:52Z")
The times, they are a-changin’. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/138 "2011-12-20T02:11:38Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Not if you’re a straight male. Only working at Disneyworld or Hooters offers the same opportunity to have sex with one’s coworkers. And neither are a great choice if you want to occasionally bang the customers. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/139 "2011-12-20T02:33:19Z")
From **Northern Piper** ’s link, “Prosecutors said earlier that about five weeks before the Compass flight, Rojas was aboard another flight that was forced to make an emergency landing in Wisconsin because of a bathroom fire. Rojas allegedly helped put out the fire. No charges have been filed in that case.” He wanted to be a hero, but apparently, putting out the first fire wasn’t enough. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707/140 "2011-12-20T03:53:47Z")
> [@kittenblue](#): > > Yeah, but now he’s stuck in Fargo! Even without the arrest problem, it’s obvious he didn’t think that one through! Unless Fargo is a far more “happening” town than Minneapolis? Fargo’s actually not that bad. The downtown is actually pretty cute. Now, if he got stuck in Bismarck, or, God forbid, Dickinson, then he’d be in trouble. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-like-your-shift-obvious-thing-to-do-set-fire-to-the-plane/449707.md?page=8)