To the Point
Air Travel in the United States: Is Anybody in Charge?
Flights are delayed, baggage lost, and the investigating arm of Congress warns about an impending runway collision. We hear multiple views of air travel at the end of 2007. Also, the dwindling number of Christians in the land where Christianity began, and protecting the world's food seeds for a rainy day.
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenFlights are delayed, baggage lost, and the investigating arm of Congress warns about an impending runway collision. We hear multiple views of air travel at the end of 2007. Is it worse than ever or better than we had any right to expect? Also, the dwindling number of Christians in the land where Christianity began, and protecting the world's food seeds for a rainy day.
Cars and airliners are in close proximity, a situation that concerns some security watchers, at the U-shaped Los Angeles Internationl Airport (LAX) terminal in Los Angeles, California. Photo: David McNew/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesDwindling Number of Christians in Christianity's Birthplace
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is now western envoy for Palestinian development, and he's been advocating tourism to Christian holy sites in the Palestinian West Bank, especially Bethlehem, the city where Jesus was born.
Read the story6 minAir Travel in the United States: Is Anybody in Charge?
In a study of America's airline industry, the General Accountability Office of Congress—the GAO—reports no collisions on airport runways since 1990. But in Los Angeles last August, two planes came within 37 feet of each other. There were 369 other near misses—"incursions" they're called--during last year alone.
Read the story45 minProtecting the World's Food Seeds for a Rainy Day
Human beings obviously are at risk from an atom bomb, asteroid or some other such cataclysm. But another kind of catastrophe could be just as devastating for our species. If just one of the major seed crops humans depend on were to be taken away, the consequence would be widespread starvation. That's more likely than you might think.
Read the story7 min
