Helicopters

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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

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I went outside for a cigarette with some guys on my college course who I don't know very well, I happened to ask for a fag because I was pissed off with college, but generally don't smoke. Anyway we walked outside and I was talking about some shit, but a helicopter above was interrupting me, I thought in the back of my mind that what I trying to say was so unimportant and crap anyway I stopped trying to speak over it. I sparked up, watching the helicopter move off into the distance, and was listening to conversations around me and continued to think how people just talk and think about crap all the time. In my line of sight another helicopter appeared - and in my head I was like they are getting well close. 'I imagined being in that cockpit, surrounded by space and sky, and then seeing another helicopter come within collision range with you'. I watched them get closer and could've held back mentioning it to the guys, but said something along the lines of "fucking hell, those helicopters are getting well close". But everyone just had a look and said nothing, and again I was left thinking about how unimportant it was anyway. that was that, and I we went back in. In the second half of this maths lecture I was getting really bored, so started looking on SkyNews app, and one of the top stories is a picture of two helicopters colliding (and may I add the same colour helicopters i had seen like 1hour before seeing this image, one blue and one white.) it was about a collision with some French celebrities in Argentina. I read the feed, and realised that the event had happened way earlier on in the morning, but still, I hadn't known that and this was pure coincidence to read about this when for the first time in my life I had just seen two civilian helicopters in the same air space, (and commented on it!) After the lecture I was walking back to my car and I had to mention this to the guys I went out for a fag with, so I said "do you remember earlier I said about those helicopters, have a look at this" and one of them was like yeah I do man ( even thought he completely blanked me earlier or whatever) but he did acknowledge the fact it was weird to be reading this. Anyway I cracked out a joke like "arr man, it's like I am the one consciousness, I am connected with the world" and they both laughed. But I wasn't being funny, just like I wasn't talking crap earlier.
Total votes: 376
Date submitted:Fri, 13 Mar 2015 23:34:06 +0000Coincidence ID:8042