h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

i think that maybe one of the worst places to be during a blackout is in an airport. suddenly, the lights go out, and no one knows what is going on. then, in a couple of minutes, the air starts to feel a little warmer, so one can only assume that there is no more aircondiionsing. when it has got to be around 90 degrees, that is a very worrisome thing. finally someone anounces that there is a blackout. a while later, they tell us that its in at lease manhattan. and anoter while later, it turns out that it is all the way to detroit. you find things out very slowly, and when you look down at your watch, and see that it just happens to be the exact time that your plane was supossed to take off, you really start to want more information.

finally, they tell you that you might as well go home, because it is going to take a while, but they tell you to reschedual your flight for the next day. the next day comes around, and then you have to reschedual it again for 2 days away. the phone lines are so backed up that you ahve a really hard time checking to see if your flight is going. finally things are straightend out, and you get on your way, but not knowing at all what is goingon, sittying in the dark and the heat for hours is not a good way to spend a blackout.