TechCrunch covers the industry gossip better than almost anyone else, but there's one way they get this story right. So come on, Ryan, show us what you're made of. Arrington's post is fishy as hell.
I was just about to email this to you, Ryan. Of course, I should have known that you'd already be on top of it.
I wonder if Popular Mechanics is going to release a statement, or if they'll go the Perez Hilton route (Castro) and just never speak of the incident again.
Will no one consider the feelings of the lava? You struggle valiantly to emerge from the bowels of the earth, you're dying of heat stroke and just when you get some fresh air and you're finally cooling off, a plane lands on top of you.
@Richard Petty Bourgeoisie: Really? I heard that Captain Achebe, who is also the Minister of Transportation, died in the heroic landing attempt. The unfortunate captain had control of US $145 million in rail and road construction funds that now can only be accessed with my help. That's what his cousin, Honorable Arms Akimbo, told me, anyway.
The lava was hardened. Still: 1.) Who builds an airport next to a volcano? and, 2.) Why did the original AP story fail to mention that the lava was hardened? You type lava, people are going to picture the molten stuff.
Erm, I can't imagine anything more absolutely horrific than landing in lava. I'm sure upon seeing lava approaching out the window, the knowledge of such, would just short out all neurological function. Seriously. Lava has got to be the greatest fear of all second to....well, NOTHING! Well wait maybe....there's lava, and then perhaps being hit and then incinerated by a large meteor, but then, no, scratch that, because lava still wins.
@Spirit Fingers: we probably wouldn't survive President Palin, but it would be a longer, far more annoying process. At least with lava, you'd know it would be over quickly.
@Dr. Nick: If by annoying you mean bombarded daily by her stupidity and poorly constructed sentence structure. Seriously, does the woman not even read? I know she "wrote" a book, but has she never actually read the written word? It's like she grew out of Gomer Pyle's rib bone. Heh. Creationism.
@Xylo: Oooo, good one, sharks. Naw, I still say lava. People have survived shark attacks. While that's damn harrowing, I'm still thinking burning alive (flaying alive, bursting into flame alive!) tops being chomped on by a shark. At least you can fight a shark. If you're ever trapped by lava, what do you do? It's like being in the sun. Like the sun melted on your body. There's no coming back from that.
In doing some quick research, the only way to survive, is to not be in a place with an erupting volcano. at all. Even tourists are told, "Look at this active volcano at your own risk, because it's like a nuclear reactor. with lava."
There are always plane accidents/incidents in Goma ... when they quote "lava," they actually mean the hardened lava outlying the area from the eruption of the volcano just outside Goma in '02 ...
@New Gonzo Drifter: I'm sure that makes everyone feel better. Instead of worrying about being incinerated in magma, they just have to worry about hitting hardened lava, crashing, and being incinerated from burning jet fuel.
12/01/09
11/30/09
11/30/09
11/30/09
I wonder if Popular Mechanics is going to release a statement, or if they'll go the Perez Hilton route (Castro) and just never speak of the incident again.
11/19/09
/5th grade
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
"Radio Okapi said the plane was flying from Kinshasa to Goma on Thursday and passengers had warned the crew that there were heavy clouds."
Reasons NOT to travel to Goma:
1.) lava
2.) airline pilots that have to have assistance of seeing-eye passengers to identify clouds.
3.) also, lava
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
In retrospect, using these as runway beacons might have been ill-advised.
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
[www.google.com]
11/19/09
O RLY? Was the crew blind? Playing poker and drinking gin in the cockpit while the passengers were dutifully monitoring atmospheric conditions?
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
Not even President Palin?
11/19/09
(But President Palin would make me leave the country, and I think Costa Rica has lava. So there's that.)
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
In doing some quick research, the only way to survive, is to not be in a place with an erupting volcano. at all. Even tourists are told, "Look at this active volcano at your own risk, because it's like a nuclear reactor. with lava."
11/19/09
11/19/09