Tales of Interest

[TravelGal]

It's get worse....but not unexpected

TSA's Electronics Checks Coming to U.S. Airports Soon
A new requirement for U.S.-bound fliers at overseas airports to turn on electronics to show the devices aren't bombs is being expanded to certain passengers on domestic flights. A limited number of travelers in U.S. airports selected for extra screening will have their devices checked too, said the people, who asked not to be named because the decision isn't public. U.S. and European authorities have been on heightened alert for Islamic extremists traveling from western nations to Syria and then returning home as potential terrorists. The checks at U.S. airports won't apply to every flier and will be used more sparingly than at overseas airports. Other procedures, including different kinds of pat-downs and shoe checks, won't be brought to U.S. airports. Added checkpoint procedures have the potential to create airport delays. During the new security examinations, screeners may ask that owners power up some devices, including mobile phones. Devices selected for this screening that can't turn on won't be permitted to board. The traveler may also undergo additional screening. British Airways also warned transfer travelers not to deplete power on devices during the first part of their journey.

[indyfan31]

So, first we weren't allowed to turn them on, now we have to.

Nothing new, gate personnel in Germany made me prove that my carry-on camera gear did in fact take pictures.

[Insomniac]

So this tells me that people could build explosives into an electronic device that is undetectable to x-ray. Wouldn't all that turning it on prove is that it isn't filled with only explosives?

For my work, we've traveled with hardware that work off bench supplies. This could be fun...

[Gnam]

East of Cleveland in Newbury, Ohio is a private collection (junkyard) of WWII airplanes assembled by one man, Walter Soplata, who started collecting in the 1950's. The article is seven years old, and Mr. Soplata passed away in 2010.


The Soplata Airplane Sanctuary

Despite his humble beginnings as the penniless son of Czech immigrants, my father, Walter Soplata, amassed an extraordinary collection of warbirds. He grew up fascinated by airplanes during the Great Depression, using whatever money he could scrape up to build balsa model aircraft. When World War II broke out, a stutter disqualified him from military service.

Dad took a job in a Cleveland, Ohio scrapyard, junking thousands of warplane engines that were suddenly declared surplus. In this job, he foresaw the near extinction of the nation’s historic aircraft. He felt he had to take action.

http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/the-soplata-airplane-sanctuary-22000009/?page=1
http://spirit.eaa.org/news/2010/2010-12-09_soplata.asp
http://s28.postimg.org/67ne5g9cd/p5685.jpg


Photos:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/howaboutthat/10935544/In-pictures-World-War-II-fighter-aircraft-rot-in-abandoned-plane-graveyard.html?frame=2959118

Family photos:
http://spirit.eaa.org/apps/galleries/gallery.aspx?ID=416

Here's an aerial view: Google maps (https://www.google.com/maps/place/Main+St,+Newbury,+OH+44065/@41.4691037,-81.2198874,76m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x88310c520bdcd143:0x376d4 e38b715798)

[Napoleon]

^^

That is maybe a 15 minute drive from where I am at. I wonder how hard it is to get back there?

Edit, and a friend of mine lives right in that area with the several lakes, maybe 1/4 of a mile away, tops.

[SteveH]

Farnborough Air Show bans thrilling maneuver as Airbus and Boeing jets aim to impress (http://blogs.seattletimes.com/boeing/2014/07/16/dueling-test-planes-for-airbus-and-boeing-at-farnborough-air-show/)

669


On the opening day of the Farnborough Air Show, the Boeing 787-9 did a spectacular touch-and-go in the afternoon flying display, coming down and touching the tarmac as if to land, then powering up and climbing steeply away.

On the second day, the Air Show authorities banned that maneuver.

“They got red-carded,” said Airbus test pilot Frank Chapman, speaking on a tour of his A350 flight test jet on Wednesday.

He said the airport authority won’t allow either Airbus or Boeing to do it again this week.


interesting comment to the full article...

The selling scenario this maneuver proves (which hasn’t been shared with the general public) is precisely what Brad Pitt and inevitably all humans will experience once the Zombie Apocalypse occurs: When you need to get outta’ dodge quick, and the majority of your useable runway is bogged down by reanimated human corpses, fly with Boeing.Any video of Airbus performing the same?

[Gnam]

Before there was a B-52 bomber, there was the B-36 Peacemaker.
For scale, the smaller plane is a B-29 Superfortress.

http://s12.postimg.org/6c0otyhml/B_36aarrivalcarswell1948.jpg

The plane had six 28-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major engines.
This guy just restored one.


Cold War bomber engine draws a crowd

St. Helena resident and businessman Mike Nieman bought the engine from a collector two years ago and spent a full year getting the needed accessories, including building an oil tank, mounting it securely on a car trailer and learning how to start it.

To start the engine, it takes Nieman two hours to go through a checklist of 30 items, including checking the chains that hold the engine on the trailer, its tires, electric brakes, propellers, propeller nuts, exhaust and flame dampeners. "Just to get it to start without it hydrolocking is a chore," Nieman said. "There's a lot to do to start it, so you don't ruin it."

http://napavalleyregister.com/news/local/cold-war-bomber-engine-draws-a-crowd/article_edfb3c9b-6966-579e-8f98-1bceaeb8169a.html


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7Fe45fQpVk

[SteveH]

So what if someone placed a nuclear reactor in a B-36? Well for one thing, you'd call it a NB-36. And you'd hope it never crashed.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_fTkgJJI4#t=1012

plot twist: the Russians did it

[SteveH]

Airbus files patent for saddle seats on planes (http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/17/travel/airbus-saddle-seat-patent/index.html?hpt=hp_t2)

670

:rofl:

[Gnam]

Do they use chains for seatbelts? :D

http://s24.postimg.org/7pehwh5h1/Galley_Slaves.jpg

[SteveH]

To go along with the parking theme (http://www.offcamber.net/forums/showthread.php?18267-Images-of-Interest&p=327471&viewfull=1#post327471)in the images thread....

This Car-Parking Robot Puts Valets on the Street (http://www.bloomberg.com/video/this-car-parking-robot-puts-valets-on-the-street-CgF~P9HgS6ySwQq4bd0N6g.html)


July 24 (Bloomberg) –- Finding a parking space can be very stressful. Now a German company is making this a problem of the past. A robotic system named Ray can now park and retrieve your car. Serva Transport Systems Chief Technology Officer Leopold Meirer explains how it works. (Source: Bloomberg)

follow the link above for the video

[datachicane]

Do they use chains for seatbelts? :D

http://s24.postimg.org/7pehwh5h1/Galley_Slaves.jpg

First class isn't so bad.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sMxE4eU6Ayk/ThccylNRlFI/AAAAAAAAVXU/SDSENf9xz2o/s1600/mchristian2.jpg

[Gnam]

In these troubled times any story with a happy ending is of interest.


Child plays in traffic, drivers protect and rescue

http://nypost.com/2014/08/04/boy-saved-by-guardian-angels-after-driving-atv-on-highway/

:thumbup:

[TravelGal]

Big news in the travel world today as Norwegian Cruise Line buys Prestige Holdings for $3.03. billion. A rather convoluted tale of who owns whom but suffice to say that Oceania and Regent will now come under the NCL umbrella. Much the way Princess and Holland America (among others) sail under Carnival Corporation. It remains to be seen whether this is a good thing for passengers of the upscale lines or not.

[Gnam]

The Hunger Artists

When writers become famous, it is easy to forget that they were once obscure, and sometimes very poor.

One little-known field where our greatest writers marked time while waiting for their ship to come in was financial analysis. Such luminaries as Marcel Proust, James Joyce, Emily Dickinson, Henry James, Simone de Beauvoir, and Gabriel García Márquez all worked as financial analysts for major brokerage houses in the United States, England, France, Switzerland, and (in García Márquez’s case) Caracas and Puerto Vallarta. Their job was to collate raw materials supplied by the firm’s top research analysts and write them up in clear, levelheaded reports that were then sent off to wealthy investors. In effect, they were hired as ghosts.

Usually, these jobs did not last very long. :D

http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/hunger-artists_803515.html

[TravelGal]

Sortation? I thought some of you reading this might fly Southwest into LAX from time to time. As long as they don't get rid of the "Back Lot Deli" I'm good with the commotion. It's the best value and food at LAX, including the new Tom Bradley terminal!

A groundbreaking ceremony took place at LAX yesterday for the start of the $508 million Modernization Program for Terminal 1. The modernization of the aging terminal, built in the early 1980s, is expected to transform the entire Passenger experience from the curb to the gate, and will include a new 12-lane security screening checkpoint; a fully automated checked-baggage inspection and sortation system; a new and expanded dining and retail collection featuring activated gate hold rooms with lounge-style seating; refurbished arrival/baggage claim area; replacement of the passenger boarding bridges; renovations to airline support office space; modernized aircraft parking/apron pavement and hydrant fueling system; improvements to the building facade; and relocation of the main terminal entrances to the west end of the building to ease traffic congestion. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018 and will be phased to minimize inconvenience to Customers, Employees, and guests. Southwest is the only airline to use Terminal 1. In 2013, Southwest was the fourth busiest airline at LAX based on Passengers enplaned, serving more than 7.4 million Passengers, or 11.1% of the airport's total passenger volume.

[indyfan31]

Sortation? I thought some of you reading this might fly Southwest into LAX from time to time. As long as they don't get rid of the "Back Lot Deli" I'm good with the commotion. It's the best value and food at LAX, including the new Tom Bradley terminal!

A groundbreaking ceremony took place at LAX yesterday for the start of the $508 million Modernization Program for Terminal 1. The modernization of the aging terminal, built in the early 1980s, is expected to transform the entire Passenger experience from the curb to the gate, and will include a new 12-lane security screening checkpoint; a fully automated checked-baggage inspection and sortation system; a new and expanded dining and retail collection featuring activated gate hold rooms with lounge-style seating; refurbished arrival/baggage claim area; replacement of the passenger boarding bridges; renovations to airline support office space; modernized aircraft parking/apron pavement and hydrant fueling system; improvements to the building facade; and relocation of the main terminal entrances to the west end of the building to ease traffic congestion. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018 and will be phased to minimize inconvenience to Customers, Employees, and guests. Southwest is the only airline to use Terminal 1. In 2013, Southwest was the fourth busiest airline at LAX based on Passengers enplaned, serving more than 7.4 million Passengers, or 11.1% of the airport's total passenger volume.

I've made more than a few trips through Terminal 1. I didn't realize I was being "enplaned" every time. Where do I write to complain about this? :confused:

BTW, I think this'll be a nightmare from the day the first orange cone goes up. :irked:

[TravelGal]

Favorite email of the day (at least for some of you buzzards):

AMA Waterways offering "Beer Themed Cruises." Looks like only two. Surely the demand will be higher than that! March 31 and December 14, 2015. see amawaterways.com

[TravelGal]

Here's another one. I don't know why I think you guys are such lushes. New York State is organizing bus tours upstate from near Grand Central Station (where else?) First one is winery/brewery/distillery tours set for Oct 18, 25, and Nov 1. Reservations strongly advised. Other themes to be advised. See iloveny.com/bus/ This is the best, innovative idea I've seen in tourism for a while. Read: It's ABOUT TIME.

[Elmo T]

This on my high school alma mater:

Pennsbury Changes Grading System (http://levittownnow.com/2014/10/13/pennsbury-changes-grading-system/)


If a high schooler doesn’t turn an assignment in at Pennsbury High School, they’ll get a 50 percent. Until recently, they would have received a 0 percent.

New math? :confused:

[chop456]

I wonder if that's how they do it in Japan, Scandanavia, Germany, etc.

We're doomed.

[Andrew Longman]

When I was in "prestigious" Princeton High School I happily got As and Bs in English classes but didn't really learn anything about writing. I would read the comments on my papers and often didn't know what they meant. What does "strange syntax" mean? :)

When I got to a not so prestigious college I was promptly told I didn't write very well and was drawing Cs. It may be common now, but I guess it was new at the time, the college English department had a requirement you had to turn every paper in twice and it was given two grades. The second time was required to fix any mistakes. If there was one comma out of place and you didn't fix it, you got an F for the second grade, regardless of what you got the first time. There was also plenty of help offered in the library to tutor you on fixing your mistakes.

I found the learned me real good. :gomer:

It also encouraged me to change my major from Wood Technology (wood shop teacher) to Philosophy/Psychology, which might not have been a good move.

[Don Quixote]

I had the exact opposite experience from Andrew. I went to a crappy high school. However, I ran through a phalanx of three English teachers that terrorized the students and demanded perfection. You never finished a writing assignment until it was perfect, even if it took ten iterations. Then off to The Ohio State University, and I was way ahead of the other students. Math, physics and chemistry was another matter, I didn't learn anything in high school. Now I am the grammar Nazi in the office who terrorizes the young'ns.

edit: remember at 7th gear when you typed Nazi, it came out ****?

[dando]

edit: remember at 7th gear when you typed Nazi, it came out ****?
It used to here as well, but I think one of the forum updates nrc installed changed. Good to know I can now call you a Nazi and not have it bleeped. :gomer:

[cameraman]

Yeah but ***** whale, okay fine Physeter macrocephalus, still gets bleeped.:irked:

[Don Quixote]

703

[Elmo T]

10/30 is "Mischief Night" in these parts. Kids soap windows, throw corn at houses, toilet paper trees, etc. In very rare circumstances, we see brush fires. Nothing like the fires in Detroit or Camden from past years - but no doubt those cities will be busy tonight.

Didn't know "Mischief Night" was such a regional thing. :saywhat::confused:

http://i59.tinypic.com/29woapi.jpg

[Tifosi24]

The yellow portion in Central Iowa would be called Beggar's Night. The other fun thing growing up there is that kids won't get candy unless they tell a joke.

[Gnam]

Californians do not throw corn.

[cameraman]

October 30 is just another day in Utah. Nothing happens and you would likely get arrested or shot if you tried anything:saywhat:.

[TravelGal]

People are posting pictures online of road signs around here saying "$100 fine. No silly string." You can't even been seen carrying it. Jeez. As one poster put, "talk about an invitation" >smirk<

Hallowe'en is a big deal in our house. Love to see the little kids in the costume-du-year or the traditional princesses and Darth Vaders. We usually get about 100 kids and buy candy for 300. That why we have a job finishing it up before the next year rolls around. I tried to be careful this year because Friday usually means more organized parties and fewer trick or treaters. I bought the candy before we left. In getting it out today, it looks like I only have enough for 200. :laugh::laugh:

[chop456]

A "Please Take One" sign taped to a big empty bowl and set on the front porch.


You're welcome. :D

[TKGAngel]

This morning I learned that NY State Troopers conduct a 'pumpkin patrol', monitoring overpasses over the 90 to avoid mischief and other things getting thrown onto the road. I had no idea that this was legitimately a thing.

And why would one throw corn at a house? :confused:

[Elmo T]

And why would one throw corn at a house? :confused:

Its the hard feed corn - like the corncobs used for Fall displays. And it makes noise. That was the harmless thing kids did versus soaping windows or throwing eggs.

As for Detroit:

Detroit experiences fiery Angels' Night; official arson count pending (http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2014/10/detroit_experiences_fiery_ange.html)

[SteveH]

Presently it is windy, rainy and just had sleet/ice balls. If that keeps up, there won't be many out tonight. Otherwise, it's kind of fun to pour a drink and hand out candy to the neighbor kids and then get a pizza afterwards. The weather is not to improve so it might be just drinks and pizza tonight. Which isn't so bad, either.

[nrc]

Here they do Trick or Treat or Beggars Night on a week night. I think that's so that the little pranksters have school the following day and (hypothetically) can't be out too late getting into mischief.

[dando]

Here they do Trick or Treat or Beggars Night on a week night. I think that's so that the little pranksters have school the following day and (hypothetically) can't be out too late getting into mischief.

MORPC forged an agreement with the 'burbs on this corner of town to avoid Fridays and Saturdays due to high school and tOSU football. That appears to have gone by the wayside since Powell is having Beggar's Night tonight, and Dublin Coffman (10-0, #3 in the state) played UA last night.

[TravelGal]

I look here two to ten times a day. I look at my LinkedIn account two to three times a week. Just happened to see this. Not that anyone here is going to apply but it was nice to see a job in racing actually available. Operations Manager, Exotics Racing - Fontana, CA. Posted 21 days ago

[TKGAngel]

8,000 LED Balloons used to recreate the Berlin Wall.

http://www.wired.com/2014/11/8000-glowing-balloons-recreate-berlin-wall

[TravelGal]

8,000 LED Balloons used to recreate the Berlin Wall.

http://www.wired.com/2014/11/8000-glowing-balloons-recreate-berlin-wall

Kudos to the artists and the people who approved this. I'll do some research on it. Those under, say 35, hardly remember what it was like, I'm sure. Not allowing the cars to pass through the installation was an inspiration to bring home what younger Berliners what their families had to deal with.

[TravelGal]

After 8 weeks away, I'm trying to catch up with some of my travel agent daily briefings. I thought the cognoscenti here might appreciate this, assuming you hadn't already seen it. From Feb 19 edition.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation has announced that the G650ER recently set two city-pair records while flying around the world in one stop. The G650ER took off from White Plains, New York, with three passengers and four crew members on board. It flew 6,939 nautical miles/12,851 kilometers eastbound to Beijing at an average speed of Mach 0.87 for a total flight time of 13 hours and 20 minutes. The aircraft then flew eastbound 6,572 nm/12,171 km to Savannah, accomplishing the mission at an average speed of Mach 0.89 for a total flight time of 12 hours. The aircraft landed both times with fuel in excess of National Business Aviation Association instrument flight rule reserves. The G650ER provides a combination of speed and range that is creating history and setting records. Pending approval by the U.S. National Aeronautic Association, the city-pair records will be sent to the Federation Aeronautique Internationale in Switzerland for recognition as world records. In addition to the two pending records, the G650ER set two speed records during flight testing in 2014. The aircraft flew from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, in 14 hours and 58 minutes. The G650ER then flew from Hong Kong to Teterboro, New Jersey, in 14 hours and 7 minutes.

[Gnam]

How big does your wallet have to be buy a GS 650ER?

http://s16.postimg.org/yu6z6ok6t/gulfstream_jet_G650_ER_passion4luxury_luxury_blog. jpg

<----------------------------------- This BIG. ----------------------------------->

[cameraman]

Just $66.5 million.

A Boeing 737-900er will set you back $99 million.

[Elmo T]

Smithsonian acquires Parliament-Funkadelic Mothership (http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/smithsonian-acquires-parliament-funkadelic-mothership/2011/05/18/AFHMvj6G_story.html?postshare=1011426116152744)

[Elmo T]

Boeing has patent on "force field" technology?!

Method and system for shockwave attenuation via electromagnetic arc (http://www.uspto.gov/web/patents/patog/week11/OG/html/1412-3/US08981261-20150317.html)

http://i62.tinypic.com/2dqkak1.gif

[TravelGal]

From the ARTA E-News:

FAA Clears First 3D-Printed Part To Fly In GE Commercial Jet Engines
A fist-sized piece of silver metal that houses the compressor inlet temperature sensor inside a jet engine has become a symbol for big change in jet engine design. The housing for the sensor, known as T25, recently became the first 3D-printed part certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly inside GE commercial jet engines. GE Aviation currently is working with Boeing to retrofit more than 400GE90-94B jet engines for Boeing's 777 planes with the 3D-printed housing. Made from a cobalt-chrome alloy, it protects the temperature sensor's delicate electronics from icing and punitive airflows inside the engine.

Hmmmm.

[dando]

From the ARTA E-News:

FAA Clears First 3D-Printed Part To Fly In GE Commercial Jet Engines
A fist-sized piece of silver metal that houses the compressor inlet temperature sensor inside a jet engine has become a symbol for big change in jet engine design. The housing for the sensor, known as T25, recently became the first 3D-printed part certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly inside GE commercial jet engines. GE Aviation currently is working with Boeing to retrofit more than 400GE90-94B jet engines for Boeing's 777 planes with the 3D-printed housing. Made from a cobalt-chrome alloy, it protects the temperature sensor's delicate electronics from icing and punitive airflows inside the engine.

Hmmmm.

Good Lord... :\

[Elmo T]

Why the San Francisco Fire Department Uses Handmade Wooden Ladders (http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a15120/san-francisco-fire-department-wooden-ladders/)


I knew they used the wooden ladders - didn't know they were making their own.

[Don Quixote]

This is worth a click. Soviet abandoned space shuttle program.

http://petapixel.com/2015/06/14/photographer-captures-the-ruins-of-the-soviet-space-shuttle-program/

[Elmo T]

This is worth a click. Soviet abandoned space shuttle program.

http://petapixel.com/2015/06/14/photographer-captures-the-ruins-of-the-soviet-space-shuttle-program/

Cool and incredibly sad to see it sit there. Watched a show on their moon program last week. Again, sad to see aspirations pushed off to a dusty hanger. We both should be doing more than floating around in low earth orbit some 50 years later.

[TravelGal]

According to the LA Times, this is beer week. You have been notified.

[KLang]

According to the LA Times, this is beer week. You have been notified.

I thought every week was beer week. :confused:

:)

[Elmo T]

OK this made my morning :rofl::rofl:

Police apologize for raunchy helicopter broadcast in Winnipeg (http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/23/americas/winnipeg-police-helicopter-apology-canada/index.html?eref=edition)


A red-faced Winnipeg Police Department is apologizing over an explicit conversation between two officers overheard by a few residents in Manitoba, Canada.

Well, "overheard" might not be the appropriate term, given that the sexually explicit conversation was actually broadcast over a loudspeaker.

And "a few" residents may be understating it as well, since the loudspeaker was affixed to a helicopter patrolling a wide swath of the city at the time.

[datachicane]

I love Oregon.
Men attacked by beaver:

http://koin.com/2015/06/26/men-attacked-by-beaver-swimming-in-deschutes-river/ (http://koin.com/2015/06/26/men-attacked-by-beaver-swimming-in-deschutes-river/)

Wasn't that many years ago we had a surfer get torn up pretty good by a sea otter.

[Kiwifan]

I love Oregon too, can't wait to get back there. Amazing scenery, awesome people and great food. There is a joke out there somewhere about your story but I can't remember how it goes. :D

[datachicane]

I love Oregon too, can't wait to get back there. Amazing scenery, awesome people and great food. There is a joke out there somewhere about your story but I can't remember how it goes. :D

Yeah, I've got a pretty good idea what the basic gist of the joke is.

Hard to forget the day when, as a young lad, it dawned on me that I was in the Beaver State, in the Cherry City, hanging out in Bush Park (the city's most important). Ah, to be 13.

[SteveH]

The Really Big One (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one)
An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when.



In the Pacific Northwest, everything west of Interstate 5 covers some hundred and forty thousand square miles, including Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Eugene, Salem (the capital city of Oregon), Olympia (the capital of Washington), and some seven million people. When the next full-margin rupture happens, that region will suffer the worst natural disaster in the history of North America. Roughly three thousand people died in San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake. Almost two thousand died in Hurricane Katrina. Almost three hundred died in Hurricane Sandy. FEMA projects that nearly thirteen thousand people will die in the Cascadia earthquake and tsunami. Another twenty-seven thousand will be injured, and the agency expects that it will need to provide shelter for a million displaced people, and food and water for another two and a half million. “This is one time that I’m hoping all the science is wrong, and it won’t happen for another thousand years,” Murphy says.

Holy crap, read this article. Mind numbing destruction.

[Napoleon]

^^^

You know Steve, we are lucky to perhaps live in the safest part of the country. We have plenty of water and when it comes to mother nature about the worst we get are tornados, and as bad as they are they really can only cause limited damage (well unless sharks are involved). We don't have big fires, rising sea levels from climate change will not destroy our homes, etc.

[indyfan31]

^^^

You know Steve, we are lucky to perhaps live in the safest part of the country. We have plenty of water and when it comes to mother nature about the worst we get are tornados, and as bad as they are they really can only cause limited damage (well unless sharks are involved). We don't have big fires, rising sea levels from climate change will not destroy our homes, etc.

My response to the tornado vs earthquake argument has always been this:
If your house gets hit by a tornado your stuff (and probably your house) will be in the next county.
If your house gets hit by an earthquake the house and its belongings will be right were your left them, in one big pile. :\

[datachicane]

The Really Big One (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one)
An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest. The question is when.




Holy crap, read this article. Mind numbing destruction.

Geeze, we covered this in my college geology classes 30 years ago. It's a reasonably well-known fact here in the PNW, with decades-old programs for seismic refits for schools and public buildings, beefed-up building codes, tsunami evacuation routes and notification systems for coastal areas, etc., etc.

Why this is suddenly newsworthy pretty much escapes me, aside from the 10-minute attention span of the viral infotainment industry.

[TravelGal]

Why this is suddenly newsworthy pretty much escapes me, aside from the 10-minute attention span of the viral infotainment industry.

Bingo. The San Andreas is old news as is the monster development approved to be built on top of it in Hollywood.

[cameraman]

If you talk to any seismologist you'll discover that there are faults all over the place so yeah this story is just restating what is already known by a limited subset of folks. Salt Lake City is the same way, the Wasatch Fault runs along the east side of the valley (it's the reason there is a valley) and there have been major shifts both north and south of Salt Lake along it in the past 1000 years or so. So the prevailing theory is the fault line is under major pressure directly under SLC. Studies have shown that past earthquakes along this fault have been huge. It does not show a history of many smaller 5.0s, it seems to store the energy up for a single 9.0 blowout. So if the historical trends are correct, one of these days the Salt Lake Valley is going to get hammered by an epic earthquake. It seems to be a when not an if situation. But we don't get hurricanes or epic winter storms and our tornados come once every 50 years and are F0s at worst. So pick your risk group...

[Andrew Longman]

I recall concern in SLC that the waste pile (more like a mountain) from the Kenecott mine could "run out" many miles in an earthquake. Perhaps all the way to South Jordan. The thing is no one really knows. There isn't a pile that big anywhere that's weathered an earthquake the size SLC is due so the modeling is sketchy. Seems folks should be ready to "run from the hills"

[TravelGal]

The thing is no one really knows.

Word.

Good to see you back on the board Andrew. :thumbup:

[TKGAngel]

It's July 29th. There's still a giant snow pile in Buffalo, complete with weeds growing out of the top of it.

http://gizmodo.com/theres-still-a-giant-pile-of-unmelted-snow-in-the-middl-1720716236

For reference, this is snow that fell in November.

[Elmo T]

Manatee in the Delaware River PA/NJ (http://levittownnow.com/2015/07/29/officials-manatee-spotted-near-falls-twp/)

Ok - this was an unexpected read today!


A manatee, also known as a sea cow, was spotted in the Delaware River Tuesday afternoon.

The large animal was spotted by a New Jersey resident in Bordentown, across from the old US Steel facility in Falls Township, Tuesday afternoon. New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Larry Hanja confirmed that a conservation officer confirmed the sighting and captured an image of the manatee by the I-295 bridge.

[TravelGal]

Two articles, one following the other, in my morning newsletter.

Airbus Files Patent For 'Ultra-Rapid' Aircraft Twice As Fast As Concorde
The aircraft manufacturer has filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a supersonic, "ultra-rapid" plane with a maximum speed of Mach 4.5, which equates to four-and-a-half times the speed of sound, more than twice as fast as the Concorde. The ambitious concept features turbojets, ramjets and a rocket engine. The turbojets would propel the aircraft at takeoff before giving way to the rocket engine, which would power the plane vertically, reaching supersonic speeds. Once the plane reached its desired altitude, the ramjets would kick in and propel the plane horizontally. Because the plane would be traveling vertically while achieving supersonic speeds, the resulting boom would be minimized. Passengers aboard the ultra-rapid aircraft would be traveling while comfortably ensconced in hammock-style seats.

On the other end of the spectrum (PS these are mainly for the Pacific and Asian carriers)
Boeing Updates Specs, Squeezes In More Seats
Boeing announced it has updated the technical specifications of its aircraft to reflect the way airlines use them and also the trend toward heavier passengers, seats and cargo. The plane maker stressed that the aircraft themselves have not changed. Instead, the specifications were altered a few days ago to better reflect their actual performance. Unfortunately Boeing increased the seat count on its main wide-body planes, the 787 and 777 to ten across as airlines were ordering them with mainly two class configurations. Seat counts for the narrow-body 737s remain unchanged. Boeing also cut the range for all of the planes, with the recently introduced 787-9 falling the most, by 665 nautical miles.

[nrc]

I love stories of men who overcome all kinds of obstacles to retrieve old warbirds. Unfortunately this is not one of them. In fact, I kind of wish I hadn't watched it. So of course I thought I'd share. :(


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u4YBwjQTds

[Kiwifan]

Bugger. :cry:

[SteveH]

Alex Zanardi takes class victory at Ironman World Championship (http://formulaspy.com/formula-1/formula-1-news/zanardi-takes-class-victory-at-ironman-world-championship-19479)


The ex-Jordan, Minardi, Lotus and Williams driver took part in the annual Ironman World Championship, finishing first in the ‘PC’ (Physically Challenged) category.

796

watch this (https://vimeo.com/105550166)

[dando]

:thumbup: :thumbup:

[TravelGal]

From today's ARTA Agent News:
Boeing Claims To Have Made Lightest Ever Metal
US-based Boeing claims to have created the lightest ever metal, known as the Microlattice. It's so incredibly light and flexible because it's 99.99% air. Boeing says the metal is "light enough to balance on top of a dandelion, while its structure makes it strong". The aircraft manufacturer is already talking about how it has the potential to be used in aircraft design and other vehicles. Boeing and Airbus are constantly talking up their competitive prowess in aviation engineering, the latest being the A350 vs the Dreamliner debate. But far beyond the current technical capabilities of these two aircraft manufacturers, both of which have been in development for years, there is a further need for technology that can help the airline industry in the future.

[dando]

From today's ARTA Agent News:
Boeing Claims To Have Made Lightest Ever Metal
US-based Boeing claims to have created the lightest ever metal, known as the Microlattice. It's so incredibly light and flexible because it's 99.99% air. Boeing says the metal is "light enough to balance on top of a dandelion, while its structure makes it strong". The aircraft manufacturer is already talking about how it has the potential to be used in aircraft design and other vehicles. Boeing and Airbus are constantly talking up their competitive prowess in aviation engineering, the latest being the A350 vs the Dreamliner debate. But far beyond the current technical capabilities of these two aircraft manufacturers, both of which have been in development for years, there is a further need for technology that can help the airline industry in the future.

http://money.cnn.com/2015/10/14/news/companies/boeing-lightest-metal/

[dando]

Shizz...

http://mashable.com/2015/10/15/little-tikes-drivable-car-ebay/?utm_cid=mash-com-fb-main-link#hr1nPeB_ZuqG

:)

[dando]

https://www.rt.com/news/321492-jetpack-soars-statue-liberty/

:eek: :thumbup:

[TravelGal]

https://www.rt.com/news/321492-jetpack-soars-statue-liberty/

:eek: :thumbup:

I'm surprised they allowed him to do it. It must have taken almost as long to get the clearances as it did to develop the technology.

[TravelGal]

Drone Maker To Limit Flying Over Sensitive Areas
The world's largest drone maker, DJI, is rolling out a software update to its drones designed to limit flying over sensitive areas like prisons and airports. The drone company currently uses geofencing, a software feature that acts as a virtual barrier, to completely prevent its drones from flying over "no-fly-zones," which are mostly airports and Washington, D.C. The update, which will come with new DJI drones later this year, expands the list of restricted flight locations to include prisons and power plants. There have been many reported incidents of drones dropping drugs over prison yards. It also includes an update to the DJI app, which drone operators use to do everything from plot flight paths to track flight data, that will temporarily restrict flying over areas impacted by natural disaster, stadiums while major events are in progress, among others.

[dando]

Drone Maker To Limit Flying Over Sensitive Areas
The world's largest drone maker, DJI, is rolling out a software update to its drones designed to limit flying over sensitive areas like prisons and airports. The drone company currently uses geofencing, a software feature that acts as a virtual barrier, to completely prevent its drones from flying over "no-fly-zones," which are mostly airports and Washington, D.C. The update, which will come with new DJI drones later this year, expands the list of restricted flight locations to include prisons and power plants. There have been many reported incidents of drones dropping drugs over prison yards. It also includes an update to the DJI app, which drone operators use to do everything from plot flight paths to track flight data, that will temporarily restrict flying over areas impacted by natural disaster, stadiums while major events are in progress, among others.

My 'drones'...

http://www.kmart.com/flutterbye-fairy-flutterbye-purple-flying-stardust-fairy/p-004W005707437001P?sid=KDx01192011x000001&gclid=Cj0KEQiAg7ayBRD8qqSGt-fj6uYBEiQAucjOwVLWVqtW8n7flW6QHvbe3d1bL664udt0O33G IWbF7vkaAlDN8P8HAQ

:)

[TravelGal]

Let's be sensible out there. Everyone's nerves are on edge. From today's ARTA E-news (and other outlets, no doubt)
Flight Diverted After 'Suspicious Behavior' By Southwest Airlines Passengers
"Suspicious behavior" by several Southwest Airlines passengers prompted officials to divert the flight according to the FBI. The Southwest flight was en route from Indianapolis to Los Angeles when it was diverted to Kansas City "out of an abundance of caution," said Bridget Patton of the FBI Kansas City field office, "based upon suspicious behavior displayed by several passengers." Southwest Airlines said the flight crew "made the decision to divert to Kansas City in response to several passengers who did not follow Crew instruction upon takeoff and continued to exhibit suspicious behavior inflight." The people "in question" were deplaned, and three people were taken to be questioned. The remaining passengers were also deplaned and K-9 teams searched the plane, Patton said. The plane was then re-boarded and the flight continued. she said. Southwest said the plane landed safely in Los Angeles about one hour behind schedule. The three passengers were questioned and then rebooked to continue on a later flight, the FBI said.

[TravelGal]

I'm posting this in case hover boards are on some gift lists and some domestic airlines decide to follow suit. British Airways has become the latest airline to ban popular hover boards from its flights. The battery powered boards, which are set to become the number one gift this Christmas, are believed to represent a fire risk due to a lithium-ion battery, which is volatile at altitude. Other airlines to ban hover boards include Air France, Emirates and Etihad.

[TravelGal]

Didn't take long ^^^^.

Delta announced Thursday that it would ban hoverboards from flights, the latest airline to do so based on risks associated with the devices' lithium batteries. Like Delta, Hawaiian Airlines and Jet Blue also do not allow hoverboards on the plane.

According to CNBC, United allows hoverboards in carry-on and checked luggage if they meet size limits and FAA guidelines. [so far]

[dando]

Didn't take long ^^^^.

Delta announced Thursday that it would ban hoverboards from flights, the latest airline to do so based on risks associated with the devices' lithium batteries. Like Delta, Hawaiian Airlines and Jet Blue also do not allow hoverboards on the plane.

According to CNBC, United allows hoverboards in carry-on and checked luggage if they meet size limits and FAA guidelines. [so far]

Considered those for the DDs, but then I saw the $$$ tag. :eek: Then I started seeing the reports on the fires. :thumbdown: Surprised (or not) that I haven't seen the media tie this in with the Dell exploding batteries issue. :saywhat:

[TravelGal]

Considered those for the DDs, but then I saw the $$$ tag. :eek: Then I started seeing the reports on the fires. :thumbdown: Surprised (or not) that I haven't seen the media tie this in with the Dell exploding batteries issue. :saywhat:

I hadn't seen those reports but it only makes sense. The sad part is the reason many of "us" (not kids) would want them would be for easier sightseeing on trips. Having them banned from airlines does not facilitate this. :) Yesterday was the first time I happened to see a price for them. Nearly collapsed! I'll wait till they get to $99 for the pair. :laugh:

[dando]

I hadn't seen those reports but it only makes sense. The sad part is the reason many of "us" (not kids) would want them would be for easier sightseeing on trips. Having them banned from airlines does not facilitate this. :) Yesterday was the first time I happened to see a price for them. Nearly collapsed! I'll wait till they get to $99 for the pair. :laugh:

http://www.cnet.com/news/heres-why-you-cant-take-your-hoverboard-on-a-plane/

Exploding batteriers. :(

[TravelGal]

Caveat Emptor

The Opposite Of First Class: Last Class
The UK's Independent adds it all up. It will therefore come as no surprise that airlines have introduced a new category, albeit an informal one, for their worst seats, known as "last class". Passengers who pay the absolute minimum for their plane ticket can expect to find the seats closer together, with extra fees for window seats or for changing flights. "Last class" seats have been introduced by major airlines to compete with their budget counterparts such as Ryanair and EasyJet. American Airlines recently said it will offer tickets with "less frills" but at a far cheaper price. Delta Air Lines has a 'basic' economy class ticket, with no refunds or upgrades. While the term is not official, it is used by those in the aviation industry to refer to seats that are a grade below those in economy class. Last class seats are likely to be found at the back of the plane, where it is noisier, or by a toilet. Passengers with these tickets often cannot make changes, get a refund or choose their seats in advance. "The airlines that really need to meet their bottom line in a big way are going to push the limits of what they can get away with. Airlines will always appeal to the "lowest common denominator" and some seats "not much more than a park bench". Frontier was even charging for window seats in last class. Last class passengers may be given a number to call if there is a problem with their flight, rather than helped to re-book in person. They could be given completely separate helplines to those who have paid more. Fees to change last-class tickets can be high, with add-on fees for checked-in baggage and on-board food.

[TravelGal]

The reason I unfailingly read this newsletter can be explained by noting the "editorial comment" in the last sentence.
For all you bored business travelers:

Ultimate Window Seat Design Patent Unveiled
Aeropace engineering company Windspeed Technologies is patenting the design for a pair of seats set into a capsule on top of an aircraft. The bubble will sit just behind the wings, allowing two passengers uninterrupted 360-degree views of the skydeck sky bubble. The canopy will be made of the same high-strength material used in the windows of fighter jets. Meanwhile, the seats will either rise up from inside the plane in a transparent pod via a lift system, or be accessed by stairs. A statement from Windspeed Technologies said: "The uniqueness of the design is that it allows passengers to safely position themselves at a safe semi-external location of the
aircraft while enjoying a thrilling view. "In addition, GPS systems will be integrated in the design of the platform and seats to provide the viewer with real-time position and flight information. The rotatable seats will come with seat-belts and the complete SkyDeck will be designed to withstand all load requirements of the FAA." The company said that the design would cost airlines between US$8 million and US$25 million to install on each aircraft with a retrofit requiring the aircraft to be grounded for three to four months for installation and testing. It would also require an airline to place an order.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/new-window-seat-design-patent-unveiled

[nrc]

Yow. Looks like scenes from "The Towering Inferno." At least the word so far is that the number of casualties is small.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/12/31/huge-fire-engulfs-hotel-in-downtown-dubai/

[TravelGal]

UK Theme Park To Build World's First Virtual Reality Rollercoaster
Riders on the rollercoaster, which has been named Galactica, will wear virtual reality (VR) headsets for the duration of the three-minute experience, with the digital images of spaceflight timed to coincide with the ride's twists and turns. According to Alton Towers, the Oculus Rift-style virtual reality headsets will allow riders to feel like they are wearing spacesuits as they're taken on an "exciting space adventure." The headsets track the motion of users' heads and translate those movements into images on their built-in screens - allowing users to naturally look around the virtual world while feeling totally immersed. Galactica will be the Staffordshire theme park's first big new ride since a rollercoaster accident in June seriously injured five people when their car collided with another stationary car. Two of the injured had to have legs amputated as a result of the crash.

[Napoleon]

This is one of the more astounding stories I have heard in a while. It ran this weekend on This American Life (Act One of the first link) and is the Pro Publica story at the second link.


http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/577/something-only-i-can-see

https://www.propublica.org/article/muscular-dystrophy-patient-olympic-medalist-same-genetic-mutation

[SteveH]

This is one of the more astounding stories I have heard in a while. It ran this weekend on This American Life (Act One of the first link) and is the Pro Publica story at the second link.


http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/577/something-only-i-can-see

https://www.propublica.org/article/muscular-dystrophy-patient-olympic-medalist-same-genetic-mutation


absolutely amazing :thumbup:

[TravelGal]

Swede Becomes First Person To Board A Plane With Just A Wave Of His Hand
Andreas Sjostrom boarded a flight from Stockholm to Paris in late December without a boarding pass or even his phone. He had a microchip implanted in his hand with his frequent flyer identification number on it. As throngs of weary travellers streamed through one of Europe's busiest travel hubs, the female security guard at Stockholm Arlanda Airport looked up at Andreas Sjostrom, confused. Somehow, without a boarding pass or even a smartphone, Sjostrom had managed to activate her scanner, and the system was telling her to let him in. He's the first person in the world to get on a plane this way, sailing through security, then into the Scandinavian Airlines lounge and onto his flight to Paris.
He said "Just the feeling that I carry something that cannot run out of batteries because it's not battery-powered, it's awakened by the reader when I come close to it, and I can't lose it, I am actually carrying the right to travel. You can strip me of everything and the system will let me in anyway." The 43-year-old is a frequent flyer on Scandinavian Airlines. He bought a kit online and had the airline encrypt his EuroBonus number, used to keep track of bookings, on what's called a near field communication (NFC) chip. He then had a nurse inject the chip into his hand. And when he placed it over the scanners at the airport, the machines could read the data. Obsessed with technology as a child, Sjostrom said he learned to program when he was 10 years old and wrote an essay at 13 entitled "Happiness is to write code that does good things." He says he does worry about privacy and possible misuse of implanted microchips, but notes he has similar concerns about using his smartphone or laptop.
The chip came from a Seattle-based website called Dangerous Things. Founder and CEO Amal Graafstra said the company sells a variety of implantable transponders, based on the same concept as microchips for pets. The most popular model goes for about $100 (U.S.). Graafstra has a chip implanted in each hand, using them to do everything from getting into his house to starting his motorcycle. It eliminates the need for keys, which he calls one of the "three burdens," the other two being a phone and a wallet/purse.

[Elmo T]

Apollo 11 "graffiti" found during conservation work (http://blog.nasm.si.edu/behind-the-scenes/apollo-11-the-writings-on-the-wall/)



During the course of a project to produce a detailed 3D model of the Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, we were able to observe and record some hand-written notes and markings in areas of the spacecraft that have been hidden from view for more than 40 years.

[Tifosi24]

This is one of the more astounding stories I have heard in a while. It ran this weekend on This American Life (Act One of the first link) and is the Pro Publica story at the second link.


http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/577/something-only-i-can-see

https://www.propublica.org/article/muscular-dystrophy-patient-olympic-medalist-same-genetic-mutation

I read the article and it was fantastic! It's especially profound when you have a child with a chromosomal condition.

[TravelGal]

We have to many international travelers in the group, I thought I would post this from today's ARTA Agent News. I wonder if this will turn into something a la Southwest with the rush to push the button for the place in the line?
London Gatwick has launched a Premium Passport Control service to "provide a swift arrivals process". Use of the exclusive lane costs £12.50 per person and, to minimise waiting times, is limited to 50 passengers per hour. Anybody can use the service, which LGW has launched in conjunction with the UK Border Force, and not just business and first class passengers. It is available to EU and non-EU passengers from 0600 until 0000 daily, except on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Passengers must book online between three months and 24 hours in advance.
Gatwick will opened its new North Terminal departures level this month.

[Elmo T]

Philly PD tells Kanye they are hiring. :rofl:


We R hiring,@kanyewest! Starting salary of $47,920; u could be debt-free by the year 3122!
— Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) February 18, 2016


http://6abc.com/entertainment/philadelphia-police-to-kanye-west-were-hiring/1205685/

[Insomniac]

Philly PD tells Kanye they are hiring. :rofl:




http://6abc.com/entertainment/philadelphia-police-to-kanye-west-were-hiring/1205685/

That's a lie. They didn't count all the OT and pension! :D

[SteveH]

Meet the New Raspberry Pi 3 — A 64-bit Pi With Built-in Wireless and Bluetooth LE
(http://makezine.com/2016/02/28/meet-the-new-raspberry-pi-3/)

[datachicane]

Meet the New Raspberry Pi 3 — A 64-bit Pi With Built-in Wireless and Bluetooth LE
(http://makezine.com/2016/02/28/meet-the-new-raspberry-pi-3/)

Heard about this coming from the FCC docs last week, didn't think it would hit the market this quickly.

That's an incredibly smoking deal- same price as the RPi 2, the onboard wifi carves $10-$15 off the build price of most networkable projects, and a 1.2ghz vs 900mhz processor, Bluetooth, and extra USB slot as pure gravy. I almost pulled the trigger on a couple yesterday morning, unsurprisingly it sold out by afternoon.

[SteveH]

Sir George Martin passed away
http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/09/entertainment/george-martin-obit/index.html

RIP

[Napoleon]

^^^

Sad news. I am a huge Beatles fan and could go on for an hour all the things that happen to line up for them to put them in a position to unequivocally be considered the biggest pop act of all time, but one of the really big ones is they really got the right person at the right time to be their producer/arranger/in essence co-songwriter/A&R guy/sometime uncredited musician/advocate with EMI. Without George Martin they never would have made it as big as they did.