i spy things DC

DC has had quite a perilous week. We have been flooded with sensationalized warnings about Hurricane Earl, the Discovery Channel headquarters were attacked by a crazy person, and (pause) fisherman found an 8 FOOT BULL SHARK IN THE POTOMAC.

pictures via Washington Post

WHAT???? I don’t know why there isn’t more coverage of this. Shark Week loyalists know that the bull shark is aggressive, responsible for most shark attack deaths, and can tolerate freshwater. It has been found in rivers as far inland as Indiana. Now, there is the counterargument that the bull shark was only in the DC region because it heard SHARK WEEK was under attack. This is very plausible. However, knowing we have sharks where I paddle around is not preferred. SPY is not a strong swimmer.

Simultaneously, mankind, not to be outdone by mother nature, also proved themselves absurdly dangerous to DC residents. On Tuesday, the Washington Post ran this headline, “Mistakes rise for area air traffic controllers.” This was the first line of that article:

Onboard systems intended to keep airliners from colliding in midair have been triggered more than 45 times this year in the skies over Washington as air traffic controllers have made dangerous mistakes at a record-setting pace.

The U.S. loves winning, but I think (even for us) this is a record we should pass on. The Post cites different reasons for the trend, including the consolidation the DC radar system into one building for all three DC airports, the retiring of senior controllers, and stricter scrutiny by watchdog organizations.

safety first

However, no matter the reason, trends like this are TERRIFYING. When asked which was more terrifying, aggressive freshwater sharks or airplane mistakes, I wasn’t sure. SO, I throw the question to you dear readers: