Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Embarrassing Clangers

1. Military clangers
a. "Jet lands at U.S. air base by mistake"
   <http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2004/06/20/507646-ap.html>
   "Passengers on Northwest Flight 1152, an Airbus A-319 from St. Paul, expected
    to be welcomed to Rapid City Regional Airport on Saturday, but after about
    five minutes they were told to close their window shades and not look out"
b. "US jet accidentally drops unarmed bomb in Britain"
   <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1024405.htm>
   "The 11 kilogram practice bomb was dropped by a F-15E Strike Eagle on a
    routine training run from a base in eastern England"
c. "British warships crash during Open Day"
   <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200406/s1130536.htm>
   "Two British warships have crashed into each other a few kilometres off the
    coast of southern England while showing off manoeuvres to dignitaries"
d. "Clouds ground British military choppers"
   <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1083455.htm>
   "Britain has spent $US478 million on a fleet of unusable military helicopters
    that can not fly through clouds"

2. Tailor-made clangers
a. "Bush election bus: Made in Canada"
   <http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2004/05/05/448125.html>
   "U.S. President George W. Bush rode across Ohio yesterday in a bus
    emblazoned, 'Yes, America can.' It turns out the bus was made in Canada"
b. "'Make it in Scotland' shirts made in Morocco"
   <http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_972998.html>
   "A Scottish employment quango is under fire after getting its staff to wear
    T-shirts saying 'Make it in Scotland' that were actually made in Morocco"

3. "Police car used in bank heist"
   <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200308/s920739.htm>
   "A former New Hampshire police officer has been arrested in connection with
    a bank heist in which the getaway vehicle turned out to be none other than
    one of the town's squad cars"

4. "Firefighters' error sends Utahn's heirloom up in flames"
   <http://www.sltrib.com/2004/Jun/06122004/utah/174766.asp>
   "When members of the Minersville Volunteer Fire Department set out to clean
    up 83-year-old Eleanor Craw's yard, they didn't intend to burn down her
    house"

5. Fire code violations
a. "Fire wall, smoke detector problems force fire station to close"
   <http://www.wlextv.com/Global/story.asp?S=1362574&nav=EQlpGvX9>
   "A fire station in Scott County was shut down Tuesday for safety violations
    ...including improper firewalls and improper smoke alarms"
b. "Fire hall catches own fire code problem"
   <http://sask.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=fireonfire040122>
   "Melfort learned that its fire hall isn't up to standards, but not just any
    standards. The building doesn't meet the national fire code regulations"

6. "Ministry of Construction poorly built"
   <http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200302/s792798.htm>
   "Germany's Ministry of Construction has been built with so many flaws it
    could cost millions of dollars to put the shoddy workmanship right"

7. "Post Office petition lost in the post"
   <http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_976076.html>
   "A petition calling on the Post Office not to close a local branch was
    never received - because it got lost in the post"