EVERYONE knows I’m a Lost fan.  And Lost wouldn’t be lost if it weren’t for aviation.  Why, one of the main characters, who has been rescued from the island that was his home for several months, spends his weekends flying in hopes of repeating the crash that made him “lost” in the first place!

But Lost isn’t the only movie or show that features aviation that’s been a hit with me. How about the original Tarzan The Ape Man?  The plane crashing in the jungle…with an infant onboard, raised by apes.  He grows up to fall in love with the beautiful Jane.  Not trying to make “apes” the feature, but you can’t forget that King Kong, while on top of the Empire State building was attacked by a plane.

And then there’s Top Gun, with Tom Cruise, or Cliff Hanger with Sylvester Stallone.  Or Apocalypse Now with Marlon Brando, Memphis Belle or A Bridge Too Far.

Can’t forget Airplane!,    Planes, Trains and Automobiles, or Home Alone. 

I know, some of these movies have aviation touching them only for a short period of time, while others have them as the main focus.  But it was important just the same.  The movie wouldn’t have gotten where it was supposed to be without aviation.  Just like we wouldn’t be where we are today without it. 

Just think where we have come and how quickly since 1903 when the Wright Bros. had their first success.

Aviation.com recognizes that and has put together what they believe are the Great Innovations In Aviation....

Take a look…what do you think?  

Researcher, Professor Paul L. Dawson, from Clemson University, got the idea from the famous Seinfeld episode where George is caught "double dipping" his chip... taking two servings of dip with one chip. Some (most) would think that's just offensive.


"That's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!" George Costanza was scolded while at a wake, and dipping his chip twice in the dip.  That's pretty close to the truth, according to Professor Dawson.

About a year ago, food microbiologist undergraduates examined the effects of double dipping using volunteers, wheat crackers and sample dips. It was found that that three to six double dips transferred about 10,000 bacteria from a person's mouth to the bowl of dip sample.

"I was very surprised by the results," Dawson said.  "I thought there would be very minimal transfer. I didn't think we would be able to detect it."

"I like to say it's like kissing everybody at the party — if you're double dipping, you're putting some of your bacteria in that dip," Dawson said.

The results of the research are scheduled to be published in the journal Food Safety within the next six months, he said.

Read the study from Clemson University



Double Dipping Does Transfer Bacteria - George Was Wrong!       í  here

Seinfeld - Double Dipped

		[George, attending a wake, takes a large tortilla chip, dips it into a bowl of what appears to be sour cream, takes a bite, dips it into the bowl again, and then eats the remainder of the chip.]
Timmy:		What are you doing?
George Costanza:		What?
Timmy:		Did, did you just double dip that chip?
George Costanza:		Excuse me?
Timmy:		You double dipped a chip!
George Costanza:		Double dipped? What, what, what are you talking about?
Timmy:		You dipped a chip. You took a bite. And you dipped again.
George Costanza:		So?
Timmy:		That's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip. From now on, when you take a chip, just take one dip and end it.
George Costanza:		Well, I'm sorry, Timmy, but I don't dip that way.
Timmy:		Oh, you don't, huh?
George Costanza:		You dip the way you want to dip. I'll dip the way I want to dip.
		[George grabs another chip, dips it, takes a bite and begins to reach for the dip as Timmy grabs his hand.]
Timmy:		Gimme the chip!
		[An all-out brawl breaks out between George and Timmy.]