Yikes!

The Problem w/ Internet on the Airplane

[cross posted to UPGRD.com]

I'm sitting on an airplane right now, AA flt. 21 JFK-LAX.

Apparently it's very windy in Los Angeles right now, and my wife (thanks, a lot, my dear) just sent me this article from the LA Times:

Strong winds this evening forced one flight heading to Los Angeles International Airport to be diverted to another airfield, said Allen Kenitzer, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. He said the winds, gusting up to 35 knots, forced two other flights to use "missed approach" procedures, meaning each had to make two attempts to land.

Wind gusts topping 50 mph swept into Los Angeles County this afternoon, causing scattered power outages from downed power lines in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

In the Bay Area, a cable snapped on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, hitting three vehicles. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the cable was on a newly built span of the bridge's upper deck. Caltrans engineers were checking the structural integrity of the bridge, according to the newspaper.

So that's awesome. Looking forward to landing in a couple of hours.

Update: The landing was bumpy, but we made it in just fine. I'm home, and I'm going to bed.

Check Out My Hot Nuts!

[cross posted to UPGRD.com]

I'm currently sitting on AA flt 1104 STL-LGA. I've got a few free GoGo coupons, and this particular MD-82 has internet (and DC power), so here I am surfing at 35,000 feet. (I don't have an altimeter in my pocket, but FlightAware says 35,000 feet, and I believe them.)

Anyway... here are my hot nuts, which I took care to photograph (with my new iPhone, natch) because the hot nut mix has been an issue of much controversy of late on AA forums.

As far as I can tell, the main difference with the new nut mix is that more cashews, more almonds, and less pistachios and pecans/walnuts (I'm nut sure I ca tell the difference between the two). This is fine with me because I'm allergic to the walnuts (or are they pecans?), and though I love pistachios, the pre-shelled ones in the nut mix always tasted stale to me. Also, I love cashews.

I should also note that the servive on this flight has been excellent. The FA has been through the F cabin several times, and we're only about 45 minutes out. She also did the thing where she brought me an extra little bottle of Jack (I'm drinking Jack and Diet Coke), but she didn't do it so she could be lazy and ignore me the rest of the flight. She's checked up a few times since she set the drink down.