air traffic control
"Air traffic control is like a choreographed dance. You have to perform. It's like the dance. Once it starts, you have to follow it through. You have to make decisions, you have to make sure they're the right decisions, you have to assure separation and that safety is paramount. "
"Air traffic control is like playing chess in three dimensions – using potentially explosive pieces. If you are careful and keep a cool head, nothing will go wrong. The moves are all in the rule book, and there are computers to help plan each one and predict the consequences. Nothing should go wrong. Except, sometimes, it does."
"Air Traffic Control is like playing chess, long distance, with live explosives. It is the second most stressful job in the world after precision surgery."
METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.