# The Flying Morons - another plane delayed by a fucking idiot **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 7, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219 "2016-05-07T20:51:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/61 "2016-05-09T10:54:14Z")
If I can’t calculate the solution to his differential equations, how could I possibly know whether his notepad was about to explode? Better to play it safe. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/62 "2016-05-09T13:42:44Z")
Hey, you let people solve differential equations, next thing you know everybody’s going to the Hospital! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/63 "2016-05-09T18:04:33Z")
I’ve heard the the engineers who designed the airplane might have (gasp) used MATH. Oh. My. God. We’re all doomed. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/64 "2016-05-09T18:09:05Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Algebra’s one a dem Arabic words, innit? > > Yes. Yes it is. So is alcohol. > **[alcohol](https://www.thefreedictionary.com/alcohol)** > > Definition, Synonyms, Translations of alcohol by The Free Dictionary But they don’t throw people off of planes for drinking the stuff. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/65 "2016-05-09T18:32:06Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > So is alcohol. > [Alcohol - definition of alcohol by The Free Dictionary](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/alcohol) > > But they don’t throw people off of planes for drinking the stuff. :dubious: Unless your seatmate thinks that you’re drinking it in a suspicious manner. Or maybe they’ll suspect that you’re an evil mooslim if you’re _not_ drinking. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2016, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/66 "2016-05-09T18:32:57Z")
> [@vivalostwages](#): > > So is alcohol. > [Alcohol - definition of alcohol by The Free Dictionary](http://www.thefreedictionary.com/alcohol) > > But they don’t throw people off of planes for drinking the stuff. :dubious: Depends on how much you drink. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/67 "2016-05-10T00:10:07Z")
I don’t know folks, every time I go through TSA screening I get practically the whole search procedure … pat downs, carry-on thoroughly searched, sniffing dogs … sure makes me feel safer knowing people who look like me get this kind of treatment. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/68 "2016-05-10T00:52:57Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I know it’s never going to happen, but i sometimes think that people who make these sorts of bullshit complaints should be treated the same as people who prank-call 911. You would think so, but there are many people on this message board who advocate calling the police over trivial, non-criminal matters. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/69 "2016-05-10T01:02:19Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > You would think so, but there are many people on this message board who advocate calling the police over trivial, non-criminal matters. My, aren’t you full of useful content. Of course, manure has uses. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/70 "2016-05-10T01:11:31Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > My, aren’t you full of useful content. > Of course, manure has uses. My, aren’t you a senile old bird, of no use to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/71 "2016-05-10T01:20:31Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > My, aren’t you a senile old bird, of no use to anyone. And what use are you? Other than an object of ridicule. Try this. Have some actual content when you post, not the condescending pile of hamster turds you usually leave. Definition:condescending con·de·scend·ing ˌkändəˈsendiNG/ adjective adjective: condescending ``` having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority. ``` ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/72 "2016-05-10T01:22:18Z")
At least I remember what I had for breakfast. Can you say the same? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/73 "2016-05-10T01:22:56Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > My, aren’t you a senile old bird, of no use to anyone. If this was the Pit, I would tell you what we all think of you. Oh wait, it is. You are not worth the trouble. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/74 "2016-05-10T01:25:59Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > At least I remember what I had for breakfast. Can you say the same? No, I have no idea what you had for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/75 "2016-05-10T16:30:11Z")
The real question is: how did he get more than 3 oz. of differential equations past security? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/76 "2016-05-10T17:02:13Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The real question is: how did he get more than 3 oz. of differential equations past security? The subject’s so dense it’s considered a solid for TSA purposes. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/77 "2016-05-10T17:23:34Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The real question is: how did he get more than 3 oz. of differential equations past security? The real problem is that he called it 88.7 mL. You know that the metric system is the tool of the devil, as well as terrorists. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/78 "2016-05-10T17:35:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > \*If you see something, say something! > \* > How fucking stupid is that, anyway??? My grandmother told me stories about one of her paranoid neighbors in WW2, who about once every couple of weeks would phone the Civil Defense office, and sometimes the Army, to report that she had seen Japanese Zero dive bombers streaking across the sky. In Wichita, Kansas. And every time she reported this, they had to send someone out to “check it out,” because it was the “policy.” Once while the CD guy and my grandmother were with this neighbor, a B-17 flew overhead (my grandmother knew what it was, because my grandfather was a nose gunner in one), and the woman screamed something like “GAWDAMIGHTYJAYSUS, THERE’S ONE NOW!” and ran into her tornado cellar at high speed. But they still had to keep checking it out, otherwise they’d be accused of “ignoring a potential threat.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/79 "2016-05-10T19:52:07Z")
Admittedly it’s a difficult situation for the crew of the aircraft. The crew isn’t qualified to determine the validity of passengers’ concerns, nor should they have the responsibility. Then once a plane has been diverted and landed, the TSA has the responsibility to at least investigate the situation. That said, situations like this are ridiculous and it does seem like there has to be a better way to handle them. In this case the TSA should have been able to analyze the situation and dismiss it quickly rather than detaining an innocent man for no good reason. I’d like to be able to believe that educating the public (notebooks aren’t dangerous!) would at least reduce the number of these types of instances, but I suppose that’s a pipe dream. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2016, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219/80 "2016-05-10T19:52:21Z")
Didn’t we build a mess of airplanes in Wichita back during The War? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-flying-morons-another-plane-delayed-by-a-fucking-idiot/754219.md?page=5)