Someone’s Getting a Beatin’

In the “Things I’ve Been Meaning To Link To But Have Forgotten” pile, comes an article that pisses me off. A New York Times article reports that a tape recording made on 9/11/01 containing statements from “at least six air traffic controllers who dealt with two of the hijacked airliners .. was destroyed by a supervisor without anyone making a transcript or even listening to it.”

Genius. Does this moron still have a job?

The article goes on to say that the supervisor crushed the tape in his hand before tossing it. Quoting this BB post, “I just tried to crush a cassette in my hand. I couldn’t do it. I know my upper body strength isn’t what it ought to be, but I don’t see how any normal human could crush a cassette in his or her bare hand. I therefore conclude that the manager is not human. He is probably a very smart, shaved, and clothed chimp. Supporting evidence: In 1924, the Bronx Zoo tested the grip strength of people and chimpanzees using a dynamometer. A 160-pound male human had a grip strength of 210 pounds. But a 135-pound female chimp had a grip strength of 1260 pounds. Anybody have a pet chimp so we can test this out? I’ll pay for the cassette.”