Only one air traffic controller was assigned to run the tower at National Airport in Washington DC–and he fell asleep.
Asleep at the Switch
Ted Rall
Ted Rall is a syndicated political cartoonist for Andrews McMeel Syndication and WhoWhatWhy.org and Counterpoint. He is a contributor to Centerclip and co-host of "The Final Countdown" talk show on Radio Sputnik. He is a graphic novelist and author of many books of art and prose, and an occasional war correspondent. He is, recently, the author of the graphic novel "2024: Revisited."
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Hrm, I think this one looks like some kind of graphic public service announcement.
Actually, from what I have heard, every time they have tested Norad in drills, they have never managed to execute a response in the necessary time frame. I don’t think anyone was literally asleep at the controls as with the air traffic controller per say, but apparently whatever it is they are doing they might as well be.
What next… Planes crashing into buildings in Manhattan?!?!?!?!
Saving money by cutting back on benefits and personnel. Over-working the people you have until they’re exhausted. And then, shock and surprise when they succumb to human fraility. Followed by stringent discipline, lawsuits, and hiring of someone new; but not changing any of the fundamental policies that save you money.
Repeat as necessary.
Keep on sleeping, Bob – you just might save the world from a thermonuclear conflagration !…
Henri
With a nuclear attack coming our way, we’d be no less dead for having launched our own, or not. The only possible use for a nuclear arsenal is to wag it in the “enemy’s” face, gambling that he’s sane enough to notice how crazy we are (i.e., crazy enough to condemn billions of people who’ve never raised a finger against us to fiery radioactive death even though it will avail us nothing, as we’ll already be dead.)