I Swear to God We're Turning into Fecking Pansies

Kintarō Hattori

I just want to give up and move far away from civilisation. What the f*ck is wrong with people these days. Who's responsible for turning people into feckless wonders, is it the government, media, both?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7481039.stm

Defence officials have had to allay the concerns of Sydney office workers, who watched as an air force fighter chased what appeared to be a passenger plane.

Some people thought Australia's most populous city might be coming under attack.

Instead the Australian Defence Force was bidding farewell to one of its aircraft.

The media had been alerted about the fly-past over Sydney harbour bridge but not, apparently, the public.

A number of office workers decided to evacuate their skyscrapers after watching in alarm as a passenger plane flew low over Sydney harbour chased by an air force fighter.

After flying over the city the planes banked over the coast then headed back towards the central business district.

One eyewitness said the sight and sound of the planes was "terrifying".

Another said he'd never been so scared.

But rather than witnessing the pursuit of a hijacked plane, the office workers were watching a farewell flight.

One of the defence force's Boeing 707 aircraft was being retired from service, shadowed by a hawk fighter from which aerial photographs were being taken.

biko

It's Oz that's turning gay, and Sweden in your previous "zomgwtfbbq" thread.

GhostInTheRuins

Lol, I can understand why they'd be nervous seeing as nobody was told what was going on.

As to your question, it's a mixure of both the media and government imo.

smellslikeshoes

I don't see your point? People were scared because there was a low flying airplane being chased around a city by a fighter jet. If I had of been there you can bet your ass I would have been getting out of a skyscraper.

Kintarō Hattori

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

I don't see your point? People were scared because there was a low flying airplane being chased around a city by a fighter jet. If I had of been there you can bet your ass I would have been getting out of a skyscraper.

Sigh. I'm sure they've seen more than the odd military parade and if you saw the aircraft in question they are far from threatening.

smellslikeshoes

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Sigh. I'm sure they've seen more than the odd military parade and if you saw the aircraft in question they are far from threatening.

You can say all you want sitting behind a computer but neither you or I would know how we would react to a similar situation unless we were in it. I know I would definitely take the safe option and take my lunch break early and out the door with me.

The Hill Billy

Abercrombie & Fitch in Manhattan sounds like a damn scary place too. Run for your lives!

Kintarō Hattori

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

You can say all you want sitting behind a computer but neither you or I would know how we would react to a similar situation unless we were in it. I know I would definitely take the safe option and take my lunch break early and out the door with me.

No I'm afraid I do know how I would react in that situation. They have a decent sized airforce, reguarly put on displays in the harbour but what I found annoying really was the statements from the workers who were 'terrified'.

pvt.joker

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Sigh. I'm sure they've seen more than the odd military parade and if you saw the aircraft in question they are far from threatening.

Any plane is threatening if it flies into a building.

Kintarō Hattori

pvt.joker wrote: »

Any plane is threatening if it flies into a building.

Yes aerial photography, very threatening.

smellslikeshoes

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

No I'm afraid I do know how I would react in that situation. They have a decent sized airforce, reguarly put on displays in the harbour but what I found annoying really was the statements from the workers who were 'terrified'.

So whats the problem here then? If you are brave enough to not let a fighter jet pursuing another airplane while flying very low in a city bother you then why are you getting bothered by some people who were scared.

And the fact is I really don't believe that you could be so sure of your reaction to something like this if you weren't in the situation.

togster

Jebuz OP reach down untangle your panties and remove them from your arse crack

Sherifu

Just reading the OP was enough....


/runs for cover screaming

Kintarō Hattori

smellslikeshoes wrote: »

So whats the problem here then? If you are brave enough to not let a fighter jet pursuing another airplane while flying very low in a city bother you then why are you getting bothered by some people who were scared.

And the fact is I really don't believe that you could be so sure of your reaction to something like this if you weren't in the situation.

If that incident had of happened here I would have been curious rather than terrified. I'd have been scrambling to take a look for as long as I could. Yes sir- I'm 100% sure of my reaction.

What bothers me is people's over reaction. Something out of the ordinary happens it has to be an Al-Qaeda, it couldn't be anything else. Look at the response from those who witnessed it:

One eyewitness said the sight and sound of the planes was "terrifying".

Another said he'd never been so scared.

What the f*ck are they going to do in a real life threatening situation. Over reaction for the win. I'm annoyed that common sense and level headedness has gone out the window in the climate of fear that we seem to now live in.

AngryBadger

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

Yes aerial photography, very threatening.

Yes, but the public didn't know it was aerial photography.

Dave!

I don't see the issue... A fighter aircraft unexpectedly pursuing a passenger plane low over Sydney harbour. Why wouldn't someone be scared? Australia is an ally in the so-called 'war on terror', and so an enemy of Al-Qaida. They've probably been pumped full of the same fear that Americans have been for the past 7 years (though they have a new PM now I believe).

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

If that incident had of happened here I would have been curious rather than terrified. I'd have been scrambling to take a look for as long as I could. Yes sir- I'm 100% sure of my reaction.

Well that's good for you. The smart thing to do in a situation where you perceive a threat and cannot influence the event, is to flee. Evidentally they perceived it as a threat, which is quite understandable to those unfamiliar with such displays.

It's not like there was mass looting and anarchy as a result. "A number" of people left the building, and they quoted 2. Get some bloody perspective.

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

What bothers me is people's over reaction. Something out of the ordinary happens it has to be an Al-Qaeda, it couldn't be anything else.

Something out of the ordinary, like an apparant recreation of the WTC attacks... Yes, that could be a bit unnerving.

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

What the f*ck are they going to do in a real life threatening situation.

Flee? Y'know, like a smart person...

kmick

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

No I'm afraid I do know how I would react in that situation. They have a decent sized airforce, reguarly put on displays in the harbour but what I found annoying really was the statements from the workers who were 'terrified'.

Most likely 'made up' by the hack.

AngryBadger

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

If that incident had of happened here I would have been curious rather than terrified. I'd have been scrambling to take a look for as long as I could. Yes sir- I'm 100% sure of my reaction.

I call Shenanigans.

In fairness OP, the public were totally uninformed as to what was going on. What appeared to be a normal (i.e. non-military) passenger plane was flying at a low altitude, apparently being pursued by a military plane. Obviously people made a 9/11 connection. Seems logical in the absence of any information to the contrary.

Also, the article has two quotes, one of which is monosyllabic. So most people may have been dumb enough to not get a shock when a military place appeared over the harbour apparently chasing a passenger jet.

Kintarō Hattori

[Right let's just run around losing our heads:
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/88/213644395_77096b5fd6.jpg

Naos

To them it seemed like a real life situation, so they responded they way they would.

Jokes aside, "Fight or Flight" mode kicked in, they made their choice and decided it'd be a pretty pointless fight against a 707 so opted for the latter.

But if you want your ego massaged, you're so big and tough op *swoons*.

Ross_Mahon

The Boeing 707 could have taken on the hawk fighter

Kintarō Hattori

Naos wrote: »

But if you want your ego massaged, you're so big and tough op *swoons*.

I have no ego to massage and I'm neither big or tough, but carry on Naos.

Davidius

I realised people were becoming pansies when men started wondering what clothes look good on them and people started telling me that they wear some company I've never heard of.

Owning more than 3 pairs of clothes should be against the law. :pac:

Evacuating the building seems like a bit much. Surely you'd get the odd sneaky bastard stealing junk when everybody's gone.

Thrill

Davidius wrote: »

Evacuating the building seems like a bit much.

Better to be safe than sorry would be my way of thinking. I rather be alive and looking foolish than being dead and looking........dead.

Davidius

Thrill wrote: »

Better to be safe than sorry would be my way of thinking. I rather be alive and looking foolish than being dead and looking........dead.

Personally the looking foolish part wouldn't matter to me. It's the whole being wrong part. I'd rather be dead than wrong. :pac:

Good thing I'm always right, eh?

raah!

These days it's fashionable for men to act like women anyway. If you don't you're an ignorant conservative.

Blisterman

I remember last summer in London, stepping out my door one day to see a squadron of fighter jets flying low above my head.
My immediate thoughts were "****, we've been invaded".
Then, plumes of coloured smoke came out the back, and I realised it was part of an airshow.

So, i can understand people being nervous. "Terrified" is a bit much however.

Guy:Incognito

Why would a fighter be following a hijacked jet around a city? To make sure no one intercepts it before it hits a building?

I'd like to think if they knew it was hijacked, they would blow it out of the sky before it flew into a building.

Kintarō Hattori

Stekelly wrote: »

Why would a fighter be following a hijacked jet around a city? To make sure no one intercepts it before it hits a building?

I'd like to think if they knew it was hijacked, they would blow it out of the sky before it flew into a building.

Good point. You see, you thought about that for a moment before you panicked!