Re: dumb airplane question
 

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During the pre-takeoff speech on all 4 flights I took this past week, the flight attendant instructed passengers to put up their window shades.



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FYP

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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Aerodynamics... and structural stability... plus a little bit of weight distribution. There's a couple fluxes involved - it's complicated.

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my sarcasm detector just went off the charts

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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During the pre-takeoff speech on all 4 flights I took this past week, the flight attendant instructed passengers to put up their window shades.



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FYP

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female flight attendant != stewardess ????

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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Aerodynamics... and structural stability... plus a little bit of weight distribution. There's a couple fluxes involved - it's complicated.

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Not to mention the psychological inertia.

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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During the pre-takeoff speech on all 4 flights I took this past week, the flight attendant instructed passengers to put up their window shades.



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FYP

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I hope this is just a joke that wasn't funny. If not, explain what's wrong with stewardess.

Re: dumb airplane question
 

it's obviously because terrorists turn to dust in sunlight.

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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During the pre-takeoff speech on all 4 flights I took this past week, the flight attendant instructed passengers to put up their window shades.



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FYP

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I hope this is just a joke that wasn't funny. If not, explain what's wrong with stewardess.

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I think he was just being a PC-tard.

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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During the pre-takeoff speech on all 4 flights I took this past week, the flight attendant instructed passengers to put up their window shades.



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FYP

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I hope this is just a joke that wasn't funny. If not, explain what's wrong with stewardess.

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I think he was just being a PC-tard.

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That's what I assumed. I just fail to see what is un-PC about stewardess.

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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explain what's wrong with stewardess.

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From dictionary.com:
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Usage Note: Many critics have argued that there are sexist connotations in the use of the suffix -ess to indicate a female in words like sculptress, waitress, stewardess, and actress. The heart of the problem lies in the nonparallel use of terms to designate men and women. For example, the -or ending on sculptor seems neutral or unmarked. By comparison, sculptress seems to be marked for gender, implying that the task of sculpting differs as performed by women and men or even that the task should typically be performed by a man. For occupational titles, the use of -ess has been almost completely replaced by recently formed gender-neutral compounds such as flight attendant and letter carrier or by the -er/-or forms. The Usage Panel finds use of the -or suffix to refer to women perfectly acceptable. Ninety-five percent of Panelists approve of sculptor in the sentence The gallery is exhibiting work of sculptor Barbara Hepworth. Sculptress is far less accepted; sixty-five percent reject it in the sentence Georgia O'Keeffe is not as well known as a sculptress as she is as a painter. ·A few words ending in -ess, such as goddess and giantess, have long been established in the literature of religion and mythology and are unlikely to be construed as sexist when used in these contexts.

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It's not PC, it's feminist.

"Political correctness" varies depending on who is in political power. Generally, it means whatever is least offensive. It doesn't seek to actually change opinion or perspective.

"Feminist" varies too, but in general seeks to abolish sexism.

Re: dumb airplane question
 

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Usage Note: Many critics have argued that there are sexist connotations in the use of the suffix -ess to indicate a female in words like sculptress, waitress, stewardess, and actress... The Usage Panel finds use of the -or suffix to refer to women perfectly acceptable.

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Yeah that makes sense.