Author: patd

Given the times we’re in, this may come in handy.

Wiki:
Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications.
It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organizations such as firefighters, police forces, and transportation organizations also use the term. The call is always given three times in a row (“Mayday mayday mayday”) to prevent its being mistaken for some similar-sounding phrase under noisy conditions, and to distinguish an actual mayday call from a message about a mayday call.

[…]

The “mayday” procedure word was originated in 1923, by a senior radio officer at Croydon Airport in London. The officer, Frederick Stanley Mockford, was asked to think of a word that would indicate distress and would easily be understood by all pilots and ground staff in an emergency. Since much of the traffic at the time was between Croydon and Le Bourget Airport in Paris, he proposed the expression “mayday” from the French m’aider (‘help me’), a shortened form of venez m’aider (‘come and help me’). It is unrelated to the holiday May Day.
Before the voice call “mayday”, SOS was the Morse code equivalent of the mayday call. In 1927, the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington adopted the voice call mayday as the radiotelephone distress call in place of the SOS radiotelegraph (Morse code) call.

May be or May be not.

The Illusive mythical creature really does exist! No, alas, not yet our fearless leader once again pointing the way at trailhead, but the mysterious Yeti (or at least his/her tracks) has been sighted by the Indian Army according to the

BBC.

‘Yeti footprints’: Indian army mocked over claim
The Indian army has claimed to have found footprints of the yeti, sparking jokes and disbelief on social media.
The army tweeted to its nearly six million followers on Monday that it had discovered “mysterious footprints of mythical beast ‘Yeti’ at the Makalu Base Camp [in the Himalayas]”.
The yeti – a giant ape-like creature – often figures in South Asian folklore.
There is no evidence proving yeti exist but the myth retains a strong appeal in the region.
And the army has now added to the legend by sharing pictures of “footprints” in the snow on an official Twitter account.
Although the footprints were discovered on 9 April, the army made the discovery public only after deciding that it matched earlier theories about the yeti, according to a report in the Times of India.
Reacting to the disbelief on social media, the army said the “evidence” about the yeti had been “photographed ” and “handed over to subject matter experts”.
“So, we thought it prudent [to go public] to excite scientific temper and rekindle the interest.”

… whatever

 

Resurrecting an old favorite, casual and free form Friday, as suggested by our trail friend Rebellious Renee. Have at it, Mixers, however the spirit moves you.

 

 

Thread writers needed. No experience necessary. Creativity and profundity optional. All ideations and iterations welcome.

Have words? We’ll post.