Stuck At The Airport: Edward Snowden Vs. ‘Hippies’

by Michael Yessis on

Last week Edward Snowden got some interesting company in the world of highly publicized airport strandings. Grandma and Grandpa Woodstock’s plight caught people’s attention, albeit in a much different way than Snowden. Here’s the breakdown:

Given name(s) Edward Joseph Snowden Unknown
Nicknames TheTrueHOOHA, Phish Grandma and Grandpa Woodstock
Reason for travels Running from the Feds A Rainbow Family gathering
Stuck at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport Salt Lake City Airport
Duration 28 days and counting (arrived in Moscow June 23) “Several hours“
Reason stuck in the airport Man without a country Woman without ID. “She forgot where she put it, probably 10 years ago,” said Grandpa Woodstock.
Message “This willingness by powerful states to act extra-legally represents a threat to all of us, and must not be allowed to succeed,” Snowden said. “All we have to do to have peace and love is learn how to love each other like brothers and sisters,” Grandpa Woodstock said.
Final destination To be determined Woodstock, New York

In other airport stranding news, a group of seven travelers has been stranded in Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s transit area for 14 days.

Should you ever find yourself living at an airport, don’t despair. Here are five reasons it might be kinda nice.

Six Flags Ride Still Closed Following Roller Coaster Death

by Elizabeth Seward on

Rosy Esparza was apparently concerned that she wasn’t properly fastened into her seat before her ride began on a Six Flags roller coaster Friday. That ride led to her tragic death when she fell out of her seat on the Texas Giant, which reaches a height of 153 feet. The Arlington, Texas Six Flags announced on Saturday that the ride will remain closed until the end of an investigation into the death, which they are conducting themselves.

This tragedy is now added to the list of other deadly roller coaster accidents in the United States, including:

  • 2011, Ride of Steel, Darien Lake, New York: Sgt. James Hackemer, 29, came back from the Gulf War as a double amputee. When asked employees of Darien Lake for a list of rides that would be safe for him, the Ride of Steel was included in that list. He bounced out of the restraints to his death toward the end of the ride.
  • 1930, Big Dipper, Krug Park, Nebraska: A loose bolt on this ride caused four cars to plummet to the ground, killing four people.
  • 2011, Python Pit, Go Bananas, Illinois: A three year old boy fell out of the little roller coaster to his death.
  • 2004, Ride of Steel, Six Flags, Massachusetts: After being ejected mid-ride, a 55-year-old man died after sustaining serious injuries.
  • 2002, Rainbow Ride, Six Flags, Colorado: After unfastening his seat belt, a man fell to his death.

Think Twice Before Buying In-Flight Snacks

by Libby Zay on

As airlines continue to squeeze all the add-on fees they possibly can out of travelers, it isn’t in-flight Wi-Fi or extra legroom that is bringing in the most money. The fastest-growing moneymaker for airlines comes from in-flight meal purchases, and passengers are eating the fees up. Shockingly, airlines have been known to charge up to 2,600 percent more than supermarkets for drinks and snacks — such as $4 for a bottle of water. Here are some examples:

  • Blueberry muffin on easyJet: $3.83. In store: $2.25.
  • Check Mix on US Airways: $3.49. In store: $2.19.
  • Clif Bar on American Airlines: $2.89. In store: $1.50.
  • Kit Kat Bar on Aer Lingus: $2. In store: $0.79.
  • Peanut M&Ms on Delta Air Lines: $3.00. In Store: $0.79.
  • Starburst on United Airlines: $2.99. In store: $0.79.
  • Water bottle on RyanAir: $4. In store: $1.49.

Travelers, don’t let the airlines nickel and dime you. Avoid a la carte fees by packing snacks in your carry-on luggage or scooping them up at the airport before boarding.

Please note: all in-store prices are taken from Target.

Scenes From The Royal Baby Watch In London

by Libby Zay on

Update 3:38 p.m.: Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Kate Middleton has given birth to a baby boy. An official announcement of the birth has been placed on an easel outside the palace.

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Camera crews and tourists from across the world are anxiously waiting outside both Buckingham Palace and St. Mary’s Hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge entered the hospital in early stages of labor. Once the bundle of joy arrives, a notice of its sex and birth weight will be delivered by motorcade to the palace, where it will be posted on a board. As the world waits for the official announcement, here’s an idea of what the scene looks like over in London:

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Eccentric England: The Headington Shark

by Sean McLachlan on

Once again, I’m back in Oxford for my annual summer working holiday. I love this place. This quintessentially English city offers beautiful colleges, the world’s coolest museum, even the chance to bump into the Queen.

But all this pales in comparison to the sight of a giant shark crashing into a roof.

The Oxford suburb of Headington is a bit dull, so local resident Bill Heine at 2 New High Street decided to commission sculptor John Buckley to create a 25-foot shark to adorn his roof. It was put up on August 9, 1986, the 41st anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing. As Heine explained, “The shark was to express someone feeling totally impotent and ripping a hole in their roof out of a sense of impotence and anger and desperation … It is saying something about CND, nuclear power, Chernobyl and Nagasaki.”

The clipboard Nazis in the local council were not amused. They tried to have it removed as a pubic hazard. When their engineer said it was perfectly safe, they tried various other excuses. Much legal wrangling ensued.

Decades later, the naysayers are all gone and the shark is still there. It’s a much-loved local landmark, a modern folly. I see it every time I come in on the bus from London and enjoy pointing it out to newcomers. There’s even a Headington Shark Appreciation Society on Facebook with more than a thousand members. So if you’re coming to Oxford, pop on over and see the Headington Shark.