The following item is from the New York Times 24 Aug 96... COMPUTER INTERFACE CONTRIBUTES TO PLANE CRASH The crash of a Cali-bound American Airlines jet last December in Colombia, S.A., occurred because the plane's captain entered an incomplete command into the onboard computer -- and the default action taken by the software pointed the plane in the wrong direction. The beacons at the Cali and Bogota airports both begin with the letter R, which is the only character the pilot typed; instead of proceeding toward Cali, the plane turned in the opposite direction (toward Bogata) and crashed into a mountain.
A driver, who crashed into the side of a 3000 ton wheat train and was dragged in his car more than a kilometre before being slammed into a pylon at the edge of a cliff, fell to his death as he walked for help.
My mother taught me to read when I was three years old (her first mistake). One day, I was in the bathroom and noticed one of the cabinet doors was ajar.I read the box in the cabinet. I then asked my mother why she was keeping 'napkins' in the bathroom. Didn't they belong in the kitchen??? Not wanting to burden me with unnecessary facts, she told me that those were for special occasions". Now fast forward a few months... It's Thanksgiving Day, and my folks are leaving to pick up the pastor and his wife for dinner. Mom had assignments for all of us while they were gone. Mine was to set the table. When they returned, the pastor came in first and immediately burst into laughter. Next came his wife who gasped, then began giggling. Next came my father, who roared with laughter. Then came mom, who almost died of embarrassment when she saw each place setting on the table with a "special occasion" napkin at each plate, with the fork carefully arranged on top. I had even tucked the little tail in so they didn't hang off the edge!! My mother asked me why I used these and, of course, my response sent the other adults into further fits of laughter. "But, Mom, you SAID they were for special occasions!"
