We were informed that Chicago had put a three-hour delay on all incoming flights due to weather. People around me were calling friends there who reported it cold but clear. [From Naked Terrorist Toothpaste]
I was reminded of this:
Reportedly, the captain responded with a public address announcement that was sharp enough to elicit audible laughter from the cabin.
“If the passenger with the iPhone would be kind enough,” he began, “to use it to check the weather at our alternate airport, then calculate our revised fuel burn due to being rerouted, then call our dispatcher to arrange our amended release, then make a call to the nearest traffic control center to arrange a new slot time (among all the other aircraft carrying passengers with iPhones), we’ll then be more than happy to depart. Please ring your call button to advise the flight attendant and your fellow passengers when you deem it ready and responsible for this multimillion-dollar aircraft and its 84 passengers to safely leave.”
[From iPhone Ownership Does Not Bestow Meteorology Degree – Boing Boing Gadgets ]
I agree that the pandering and security theater are worse than stupid but so is assuming what your friend sees out the window is an accurate meteorological view of the conditions at 35,000 feet.