Terrorism - the 'Lightning Standard'

My attempts to liven up the school run by sharing my early morning thoughts with my step daughter on how much longer it would take if I went the long way around the world were met by stony silence if I was lucky – but that’s genetics, or teenagers for you. But as we seem no longer able to believe the Government even when it comes to the likelihood or means of terrorists blowing up planes (some survey says so apparently, so I’m not alone) why don’t we let the airlines decide. In the Times today maths proves that getting killed by lightning is comparable to that of terrorism; so airlines could adapt the Government security alert system to the ‘Lightning Standard’ – 2 would be twice as likely as being struck by lightning, 0.5 half as likely etc. and so much more understandable than Red, Amber, er… Black?. Passengers could then choose, for instance, to fly ‘cheap and dangerous’ or ‘expensive, but with parachute’. And then getting blown up would be like not having enough leg room or getting DVT. That should cheer up a few breakfasts – especially if you can afford one in flight.