Tales of Interest

[dando]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-jerry-seinfeld-cars-sold-porsche-auction-20160314-story.html

Apparently TG or Maniac went on a buying spree. ;) :eek:

[TravelGal]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/gossip/la-et-mg-jerry-seinfeld-cars-sold-porsche-auction-20160314-story.html

Apparently TG or Maniac went on a buying spree. ;) :eek:

SHHHHH. ;)

[dando]

SHHHHH. ;)

I'm waiting for this sale.

http://www.nbc.com/jay-lenos-garage

I love his appearances on Last Man Standing.

:)

[dando]

Rusty getting his pizza...via robot. :eek:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/03/18/dominos-trials-pizza-delivery-by-robot/?sf22771336=1

[TravelGal]

March 18 in the San Fernando Valley.

831

[Napoleon]

^^^

Light snow for me

[SteveH]

March 18 in the San Fernando Valley.

831


What is this green stuff? Mostly brown here.

[dando]

March 18 in the San Fernando Valley.

831

You're mocking us, aren't you? :p ;)

[nrc]

Humanoid robots. They're not just for Skynet anymore.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/16/could-you-fall-in-love-with-this-robot.html

Creepy.

[dando]

Humanoid robots. They're not just for Skynet anymore.

http://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/16/could-you-fall-in-love-with-this-robot.html

Creepy.

Siri or Cortana comes to life. Hello Google... ;)

[TravelGal]

For all you business travelers out there (or your children depending upon development time. ;) ) No news on the noise or environmental factors from today's ARTA Agent Email:

Branson 'To Offer Cheaper, Faster Transatlantic Flights Than Concorde'
Sir Richard Branson has signed an option to buy 10 supersonic jets, which he claims will cut the journey time between London and New York down to 3.5 hours. His Spaceship Company has partnered with pilot and former Amazon executive Blake Scholl, whose company Boom is building a prototype of the jet. According to the Guardian, The Spaceship Company will provide engineering, design and manufacturing services, flights test and operations. Several other companies, including Airbus and the US space agency NASA are also building supersonic aircraft, but Scholl claims his is likely to be the first to market as it doesn't require any new technology. He claimed Boom will be able to offer transatlantic flights for $5000 return, much less than Concorde, to allow business executives to commute across the Atlantic. It will offer 40 seats in two rows either side of the aisle and cruise at 60,000 feet at speeds of 1,451 mph, which is a shade faster than Concorde. The Spaceship Company has options on the first 10 aircraft, but Scholl claimed he has signed a letter of intent with a major London-based airline which also wants to buy his jets.

[SteveH]

Every 11-year-old in Britain is getting a free mini computer (http://www.sciencealert.com/every-11-year-old-in-britain-is-getting-a-mini-computer)


You've probably have heard of the Raspberry Pi - the barebones computing unit beloved by DIY hackers and coding enthusiasts everywhere. Well, now there's a similar device on the market: it's called the BBC Micro Bit, and every 11-year-old kid in Britain is about to get one for free.

Imagine what this will do.

[G.]

Every 11-year-old in Britain is getting a free mini computer (http://www.sciencealert.com/every-11-year-old-in-britain-is-getting-a-mini-computer)



Imagine what this will do.

The volume of new pr0n apps is going to be off the friggin charts!

[SteveH]

The volume of new pr0n apps is going to be off the friggin charts!

Well online porn is widely credited for advancing ecommerce, so that might not be a bad thing.

[dando]

The volume of new pr0n apps is going to be off the friggin charts!

What is the pr0n of what you post? :gomer: ;)

[nrc]

Guy just misses Darwin award, blows leg off shooting a lawnmower packed with Tannerite.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-29/georgia-man-blows-own-leg-off-while-shooting-at-lawnmower-filled-with-tannerite

[Napoleon]

If you happen to be attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer and need a place to stay, the boyhood home of Jeffrey Dahmer, and site of his first murder, is available for rent (and trivia, the owner was a member of the Waitresses):

http://www.cleveland.com/rnc-2016/index.ssf/2016/03/you_can_rent_jeffrey_dahmers.html#incart_river_hom e_pop

[Gnam]

Guy just misses Darwin award, blows leg off shooting a lawnmower packed with Tannerite.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-29/georgia-man-blows-own-leg-off-while-shooting-at-lawnmower-filled-with-tannerite

Too many video games where secondary explosions don't cause health damage. :gomer:

[cameraman]

Guy just misses Darwin award, blows leg off shooting a lawnmower packed with Tannerite.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-29/georgia-man-blows-own-leg-off-while-shooting-at-lawnmower-filled-with-tannerite

This line I do not understand.
Pressley was airlifted to a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, the Washington Post reports.

A "full recovery" and "leg blown off" are not generally used in the same sentence.

[TravelGal]

NOOOO idea where to put this but it was posted by the famous DrDjOMusic and was the funniest April 1 article I've seen.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/04/01/1-osu-forced-to-abandon-scarlet-and-gray.html

[dando]

If you happen to be attending the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer and need a place to stay, the boyhood home of Jeffrey Dahmer, and site of his first murder, is available for rent (and trivia, the owner was a member of the Waitresses):

http://www.cleveland.com/rnc-2016/index.ssf/2016/03/you_can_rent_jeffrey_dahmers.html#incart_river_hom e_pop

Meh. I want the A Christmas Story hizzy. :gomer: ;)

[dando]

NOOOO idea where to put this but it was posted by the famous DrDjOMusic and was the funniest April 1 article I've seen.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/life_and_entertainment/2016/04/01/1-osu-forced-to-abandon-scarlet-and-gray.html

Unfortunately it's true. Don Q. is burning his sweaters as we post. :gomer: :D ;)

[nrc]

This line I do not understand.

A "full recovery" and "leg blown off" are not generally used in the same sentence.

I wondered about that. Does it mean his leg really wasn't blown off? Did they re-attach it? Do they expect it to grow back?

[cameraman]

I wondered about that. Does it mean his leg really wasn't blown off? Did they re-attach it? Do they expect it to grow back?

Other reports have his leg amputated below the knee. I suppose one can "fully recover" from amputation surgery in that you have a well formed stump...

[dando]

I wondered about that. Does it mean his leg really wasn't blown off? Did they re-attach it? Do they expect it to grow back?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLdk2C25Z14

[nrc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLdk2C25Z14

Classic. "Right as rain in a couple of days!"

[TravelGal]

From the Nerdist. Sometimes you just gotta love the Brits. Boaty McBoatface, it is. At least for the moment.

http://nerdist.com/internet-declares-boaty-mcboatface-best-name-for-research-ship/

[cameraman]

This thing is pretty amazing...

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/map_age_guide.png

[Gnam]

When I heard an F-16 crashed during the commencement ceremony at the Air Force Academy, I expected a smoking hole in the ground.
http://www.denverpost.com/2016/06/02/thunderbird-crash-colorado-springs/

This is how a Thunderbird crashes. :cool:

http://i67.tinypic.com/24ozthl.jpg

[SteveH]

Blue Angel went down today, also. (http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/02/politics/military-plane-crash/)

One fatality.

[KLang]

When I heard an F-16 crashed during the commencement ceremony at the Air Force Academy, I expected a smoking hole in the ground.
http://www.denverpost.com/2016/06/02/thunderbird-crash-colorado-springs/

This is how a Thunderbird crashes. :cool:



I was on a summit behind the academy with a group of hikers watching the show this afternoon. Interesting vantage point looking down on the show.

Bizarre coincidence a Blue Angel down about the same time.

[Gnam]

I was on a summit behind the academy with a group of hikers watching the show this afternoon. Interesting vantage point looking down on the show.

Bizarre coincidence a Blue Angel down about the same time.
Yes. Looking down on airplanes is unnatural.

http://i67.tinypic.com/wjhrfm.jpg

[Napoleon]

This is how a Thunderbird crashes. :cool:

That is honestly almost impossible to believe, a true one in a million type of thing. It is not as if the pilot brought the plane down since he had bailed. BTW, on the news they just showed that the President, who was at the commencement ceremony, shook the pilots hand afterwards.

[datachicane]

Here's a higher res version of the very cool xkcd map age guide:

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/map_age_guide_large.png

[Elmo T]

That is honestly almost impossible to believe, a true one in a million type of thing. It is not as if the pilot brought the plane down since he had bailed. .


F106 at NMUSAF - "Cornfield Bomber" (http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/MuseumExhibits/FactSheets/Display/tabid/509/Article/196408/convair-f-106a-delta-dart.aspx)


The aircraft on display was involved in an unusual incident. During a training mission from Malmstrom Air Force Base on Feb. 2, 1970, it suddenly entered an uncontrollable flat spin forcing the pilot to eject. Unpiloted, the aircraft recovered on its own, apparently due to the balance and configuration changes caused by the ejection, and miraculously made a gentle belly landing in a snow-covered field near Big Sandy, Mont. After minor repairs, the aircraft was returned to service. It last served with the 49th Fighter Interceptor Squadron before being brought to the museum in August 1986.


http://i63.tinypic.com/25hpt80.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/14a98y.jpg

[Tifosi24]

That maps sequence is amazing. I was, and still am to a certain extent, a giant geography and history nerd as a kid. So, my parents have seven globes and three wall maps stored at their house (can't wait until I move into a bigger house), although with various other atlases. The process presented is a little different than mine, but it is pretty close. I would always start from the "Big French Blob in West Africa" and go from there. I can't recall, but I think the oldest globe I have is pre-World War I, perhaps late 1890s. Not very impressive but pretty good for a kid in Iowa rummaging through flea markets and farm auctions.

[Gnam]

I thought this map might be a seagull. Now I know for sure. :laugh:

[KLang]

That is honestly almost impossible to believe, a true one in a million type of thing. It is not as if the pilot brought the plane down since he had bailed.

From what I've read in the local news this should not be that hard to believe. The pilot did exactly as trained to perform when losing the engine. Steer away from stuff on the ground and raise the nose before punching out.

[Napoleon]

KLang, but what does that have to do with the plane basically landing itself in one piece. So many things have to fall into place for that to happen. The odds just have to be unbelievably high for that to happen, I don't care what the pilot did.

[KLang]

KLang, but what does that have to do with the plane basically landing itself in one piece. So many things have to fall into place for that to happen. The odds just have to be unbelievably high for that to happen, I don't care what the pilot did.

He was about to land, the plane didn't have that far to go down. With the nose up it glided down to the ground.

[Insomniac]

He was about to land, the plane didn't have that far to go down. With the nose up it glided down to the ground.

Wouldn't there need to be a fair distance between the plane and the ground for the ejection to be successful/safe? Also, now I'm curious if the pilot could've just landed it.

[nissan gtp]

Wouldn't there need to be a fair distance between the plane and the ground for the ejection to be successful/safe? Also, now I'm curious if the pilot could've just landed it.

modern ones can work at zero altitude and zero speed.

[cameraman]

Wouldn't there need to be a fair distance between the plane and the ground for the ejection to be successful/safe? Also, now I'm curious if the pilot could've just landed it.

There's what, a >50 year gap between those two cases of a plane surviving such a landing. Those are odds I would not want to stake my life on.

[Insomniac]

There's what, a >50 year gap between those two cases of a plane surviving such a landing. Those are odds I would not want to stake my life on.

Makes sense. I'm going with plane was unstable, pilot got out and it somehow stabilized enough to glide/skid.

[datachicane]

Well, it's legal in Oregon, but not in this quantity...

Portable toilet discovered full of pot in Rogue River park

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/08/portable_toilet_discovered_ful.html#incart_2box

http://image.oregonlive.com/home/olive-media/width620/img/pacific-northwest-news/photo/20899352-mmmain.jpg
(http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2016/08/portable_toilet_discovered_ful.html#incart_2box)

[Gnam]

Firefighting just got EXTREME!

Boeing wants to fight wildfires with artillery.


Its idea is to contain forest fires by shooting shells filled with fire-retardant. Each shell, according to the patent, could pack one to six gallons of the material.

Safely positioned dozens of miles away from the fire, artillery cannons such as the field howitzers last seen fighting in the Iraq war, could relentlessly bombard the fire with two rounds per minute.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3759665/Boeing-wants-fight-forest-fires-ARTILLERY-Patent-reveals-radical-concept-blast-blazes-howitzers.html

Elmo's new fire truck. :cool:

https://s22.postimg.org/z4le4o729/0067_DD0900000258_3759665_image_a_19_147220316842. jpg

[cameraman]

Firefighting just got EXTREME!

Boeing wants to fight wildfires with artillery.



Elmo's new fire truck. :cool:

https://s22.postimg.org/z4le4o729/0067_DD0900000258_3759665_image_a_19_147220316842. jpg

Seriously? A C-130 or P-3 carries 3000 gallons, the DC-10s carry 12,000 gallons, MD-87s carry 4000 gallons, CL-215 is 1300

Two thousand shells or one planeload.

And how much shrapnel is that going to spread over the forests? Whatever they make the shells out of it has to be strong enough to get shot out of a howitzer.

[dando]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVQ8byG2mY8

:gomer:

[Elmo T]

Firefighting just got EXTREME!

Boeing wants to fight wildfires with artillery.

Elmo's new fire truck. :cool:



Wow - this looks exactly like the output of a bunch of firefighters "brainstorming" crazy ideas. :saywhat::saywhat:

I had to reign in a group that wanted to convert an armored personnel carrier in a fortified mobile air monitoring vehicle to be used during a WMD terrorist event. On paper is sounds cool, but the reality and practicality are questionable.

I was ready to write this off as a similarly silly idea, but MAYBE there could be a time this cannon could be useful. Can we write a scenario where this would be more effective than current firefighting measures? Absolutely. But is it worth the cost? Not so sure.

The idea of cranking off a few rounds towards a remote but small fire seems really bad. Risk/Benefit and all.

Reminds me of the Jet Axe I used to read in the CB Colby books as a kid. Sounded good on paper, looks cool, reality - not so much.

Explosive Technology's Space Age Jet-Axe, Circa 1972 (http://www.tested.com/science/459059-explosive-technologys-space-age-jet-axe/)




Full patent info from Boeing (http://pdfaiw.uspto.gov/.aiw?PageNum=0&docid=20160216091&IDKey=C9727D8FDB30&HomeUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fappft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fn ph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO1)

[Insomniac]

Seriously? A C-130 or P-3 carries 3000 gallons, the DC-10s carry 12,000 gallons, MD-87s carry 4000 gallons, CL-215 is 1300

Two thousand shells or one planeload.

And how much shrapnel is that going to spread over the forests? Whatever they make the shells out of it has to be strong enough to get shot out of a howitzer.

They were brainstorming what to do with these: http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/09/army-to-congress-thanks-but-no-tanks/

[Gnam]

Fight fire with fire. What could go wrong?. :tony:

[cameraman]

Fight fire with fire. What could go wrong?. :tony:

They do that all the time, no howitzers required.

http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/fire-with-fire-2.jpg

[Elmo T]

They were brainstorming what to do with these: http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/09/army-to-congress-thanks-but-no-tanks/

To tie this into the SpaceX blast - I heard what sounded like the security & safety folks checking the pads for hazardous debris in their Bearcats. I had to check online to be sure and low and behold:

http://i67.tinypic.com/vg4f2q.jpg

[Napoleon]

Police Raid Amish Party (http://fox8.com/2016/09/06/police-raid-amish-party-in-ohio-field-73-arrested/)

[TravelGal]

Police Raid Amish Party (http://fox8.com/2016/09/06/police-raid-amish-party-in-ohio-field-73-arrested/)
:shakehead:

[cameraman]

Police Raid Amish Party (http://fox8.com/2016/09/06/police-raid-amish-party-in-ohio-field-73-arrested/)

Guess you guys aren't familiar with Rumspringa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumspringa

[Napoleon]

Guess you guys aren't familiar with Rumspringa.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumspringa

Come on, do you think I was born yesterday? On the morning news shows, that is, of course, first thing they mention. Still I don't recall something like this.

[nrc]

Removing kidney stones with a roller coaster...

http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2016/got-kidney-stones-ride-a-roller-coaster/

[Elmo T]

Removing kidney stones with a roller coaster...

http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2016/got-kidney-stones-ride-a-roller-coaster/

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Much better than the surgical alternative.

Not too long after I had a stone removed, I was at the neighbor's for a picnic. She knew I had been in the hospital for the stones. She said I made quite the recovery and asked me about the incision healing. I said there was no incision. This went back and forth twice until she finally asked how could they get the stone without an incision. :rolleyes:

At that point I decided to give her a very graphic description of the surgery. :saywhat::rofl:

[dando]

Removing kidney stones with a roller coaster...

http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2016/got-kidney-stones-ride-a-roller-coaster/

At 14, I thought I was about to drive my father to the hospital, and I had no clue how to drive a Karman Ghia stick. At the time, the 'cure' was ultrasonic based. Not very effective. :(

[nrc]

Neon stopped for 146 in a 70. That's some flyin' Tupperware...

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK6eSsrDkr_/

894

[Gnam]

Was it dropped out of an airplane?

Only way it could go that fast and be so ugly at the same time.

[EDwardo]

146kph?

[Gnam]

:laugh:

[TKGAngel]

The town of Yellville, Arkansas proves, God as our witness, that turkeys can fly. (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/turkeys-dropped-plane-arkansas-festival-dies-42667767)

[nrc]

The town of Yellville, Arkansas proves, God as our witness, that turkeys can fly. (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/turkeys-dropped-plane-arkansas-festival-dies-42667767)

Well, five out of six anyway. :D

[EDwardo]

The town of Yellville, Arkansas proves, God as our witness, that turkeys can fly. (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/turkeys-dropped-plane-arkansas-festival-dies-42667767)

Oh, the humanity!

[TravelGal]

There can be no doubt that "you guys" know more about this than I do. Any comments on this technology and its development? From today's ARTA E-News

North America's First Ever Flying Car School Opens
PAL-V announced the opening of the first ever Flying Car school in North America, in a day long event designed to introduce prospective customers to flying in a vehicle similar to the PAL-V Liberty Flying Car. ... "We are very excited to make this announcement today and even more enthused that we are going to be working with Gyroplane training guru, Phil Harwood and the IAPGT (International Association of Professional Gyroplane Training) to create standardized flight training programs around the world to ensure our clients are both safe and proficient at flying their PAL-V," said Robert Dingemanse, CEO of PAL-V. While pre-sales of the PAL-V Liberty continue in North America, the company expects that phase to be complete towards the end of the year. As a result it became necessary to commence flight training for their clients and establish a network of regional training opportunities in strategic locations in North America, the first of which will be in Utah. The PAL-V flying car uses gyroplane technology for stable and safe flight and as such, clients will be learning to fly on modern gyroplane equipment which is very popular with clients, very safe to fly and is becoming more accepted by the regulators in North America as a safe and popular alternative to fixed wing aviation.

[SteveH]

very cool....

895

[Gnam]

I like how it leans over in the turns.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgHSaNtAMjs

[TravelGal]

I like how it leans over in the turns.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgHSaNtAMjs

Biggest cockroach I ever saw. Thanks, Gnam. Much more than I knew before. "coming in 2014" eh? At least I'll recognize it when I see it flying into Van Nuys or driving the streets around here. Tesla is SO last year.

[nrc]

I like how it leans over in the turns.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgHSaNtAMjs

Just the thing for your post-apocalyptic Australian adventure. Gyro Captain costume sold separately.

[cameraman]

It's smaller than a dime in real life but it is still cool....

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CviCiG2XYAEm66t.jpg:large

[nrc]

It's smaller than a dime in real life but it is still cool....



That's a relief. On first glance I was concerned that it was coming to eat the the planet.

[TravelGal]

LOL! ^^^^

In other news--many of you use LAX or know people who do. Major changes coming in which airline is where. Combine this with better internal connections while still within security and things are, in fact, improving. I love the Cranky Flier. He makes graphics I understand. :D

http://crankyflier.com/2016/10/24/thanks-to-delta-more-than-two-dozen-airlines-are-switching-terminals-at-lax-heres-where-theyre-going/

[indyfan31]

Flying in and out of SNA once again reminded me of why I hate LAX, thanks TravelGal. :thumbup:

[SteveH]

Google co-founder’s reported ‘flying car’ spotted hovering in Hollister (http://www.montereyherald.com/article/NF/20161023/NEWS/161029863)

[Gnam]

Google co-founder’s reported ‘flying car’ spotted hovering in Hollister (http://www.montereyherald.com/article/NF/20161023/NEWS/161029863)
The highway mentioned at the end of the article passes through the airspace of two international airports, two regional airports, and an ANG/NASA airfield in the span of just 40 miles.

I await the shower of debris as they join the friendly skies. :p

[SteveH]

Permian’s Wolfcamp formation called biggest shale oil field in U.S. (http://www.star-telegram.com/news/business/article114931993.html)


One portion of the giant field, known as the Wolfcamp formation, was found to hold 20 billion barrels of oil trapped in four layers of shale beneath West Texas. That’s almost three times larger than North Dakota’s Bakken play and the single largest U.S. unconventional crude accumulation ever assessed, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. At current prices, that oil is worth almost $900 billion.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

[chop456]

Sweet! Time for me to cash in on the scrubland I own in New Mexico.

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/simpsons/images/b/bc/Slant_drilling.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120427144330


I will also award credit for "There's a NEW Mexico?"

[SteveH]

:D

[TravelGal]

BA Considers 'Digital Pills' To Improve Inflight Experience [Improve for WHOM?!]
British Airways is exploring the possibility of feeding passengers 'digital pills' that could wirelessly beam diagnostic health information to the crew. The 'ingestible sensors' could work alongside in-cabin sleep monitors and data from wearable technology and smartphones, says BA, to inform the crew when a passenger is hot, cold, hungry, asleep, awake, nervous or uncomfortable. The airline's vision is revealed in a patent application for a 'system and method for controlling the travel environment for a passenger' published by the Intellectual Property Office seen by the Evening Standard. The airline hopes its systems will 'provide information on the physiological state of the passenger and/or environment conditions in the vicinity of the passenger'. Technology inside cabins could include cameras tracking body movement and sensors monitoring climate, lighting, humidity, sleep, eye movement, heart rate and body temperature, it says. It could automatically adjust the climate when the passenger is asleep and recline their seat, or suggest an exercise routine to prevent fatigue. US firm Proteus Digital Health already offers a kit that consists of a pill that reacts on contact with stomach acid, a wearable patch, and smartphone app, said the paper.

[cameraman]

Yeah people are going to swallow sensors so the airline (aka big brother) can monitor them. Every conspiracy nut's brain is gonna explode.

How about just having a flight crew large enough to have crew who have time to walk down the aisles and talk to the passengers. ****wits.

[chop456]

Every conspiracy nut's brain is gonna explode.

That's v1.1 :ninja:

[gjc2]

Every conspiracy nut's brain is gonna explode.


I’m no conspiracy nut, but I’m not taking a pill an airline wants to give me.

[dando]

That's v1.1 :ninja:

Tin foil hats will fix that shizz. :gomer: :saywhat:

[Gnam]

I’m no conspiracy nut, but I’m not taking a pill an airline wants to give me.
C'mon, I'm sure they'll wash them before reusing them. ;)

[G.]

BA Considers 'Digital Pills' To Improve Inflight Experience [Improve for WHOM?!]
British Airways is exploring the possibility of feeding passengers 'digital pills' that could wirelessly beam diagnostic health information to the crew. The 'ingestible sensors' could work alongside in-cabin sleep monitors and data from wearable technology and smartphones, says BA, to inform the crew when a passenger is hot, cold, hungry, asleep, awake, nervous or uncomfortable. The airline's vision is revealed in a patent application for a 'system and method for controlling the travel environment for a passenger' published by the Intellectual Property Office seen by the Evening Standard. The airline hopes its systems will 'provide information on the physiological state of the passenger and/or environment conditions in the vicinity of the passenger'. Technology inside cabins could include cameras tracking body movement and sensors monitoring climate, lighting, humidity, sleep, eye movement, heart rate and body temperature, it says. It could automatically adjust the climate when the passenger is asleep and recline their seat, or suggest an exercise routine to prevent fatigue. US firm Proteus Digital Health already offers a kit that consists of a pill that reacts on contact with stomach acid, a wearable patch, and smartphone app, said the paper.

'Gal, did your travel list grab this from The Onion?

I wonder if this is just a distraction from the real goal.
"OK, nobody wants to take the pill. We understand that and accept it. There will no longer be a pill requirement to fly with us as long as the full cavity search comes back "clean". :p

[TravelGal]

'Gal, did your travel list grab this from The Onion?

I wonder if this is just a distraction from the real goal.
"OK, nobody wants to take the pill. We understand that and accept it. There will no longer be a pill requirement to fly with us as long as the full cavity search comes back "clean". :p

:laugh: Don't know where the editor got it. She reads about a dozen newspapers, websites, and travel mags every day. Probably 50 in total. She picks what she likes and what she thinks we should know. Not always the same thing. It seemed insane to me so I was hoping someone here could tell me for sure that it was a joke. (Sometimes she does that to keep us on our toes.) I just saw another post from an industry guru about a watch that will check our heart and let you book travel. Similar but at least you don't have to swallow it. :rolleyes:

[TravelGal]

Here's another. It's short on details. I'm hoping some of you are more informed about it.

Supersonic Jet Faster Than The Concorde Gets Its Public Debut
A skinny little airplane parked in a hangar of the Centennial Airport aims to revolutionize how people fly and reintroduce the world to supersonic flight. Boom Technology has spent two years designing a supersonic passenger plane with the financial economics the defunct Concorde could never achieve. A full-size mockup of a smaller test plane will be unveiled publicly soon. If all goes well in flight tests next year, the company will move ahead and build a full-size 45-seat aircraft that can travel 2.2 times faster than the speed of sound at a price on par with business-class tickets for a 3-hour-and-15-minute flight from New York to London.

[SteveH]

I've seen a few articles on it recently

Building On 50 Years Of Tech, The Boom Passenger Jet Will Leave The Concorde Far Behind (http://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/11/21/building-on-50-years-of-tech-the-boom-passenger-jet-will-leave-the-concorde-far-behind/#10c637e81b8c)

or watch the video...

nJkM-ykKRxg

[Gnam]

In addition to Boom, Lockheed and Boeing are looking at supersonic transport aircraft that can travel over land. Although the sonic boom can't be eliminated, they are working to reduce it to a "low boom".


Since the maximum acceptable loudness of a sonic boom is not specifically defined under the current FAA regulation, NASA and its aviation partners have been researching ways to identify a loudness level that is acceptable to both the FAA and the public, and to reduce the noise created by supersonic aircraft. Using cutting-edge testing that builds on previous supersonic research, NASA has been exploring “low-boom” aircraft designs, and other strategies that show promise for reducing sonic boom levels.

Previous research by NASA, the military and the aircraft industry has determined that a variety of factors, from the shape and position of aircraft components to the propulsion system's characteristics, determine the make-up of a supersonic aircraft's sonic boom. Therefore, engineers are able to tune or “shape” a boom signature through design to minimize the loudness of the boom it produces in flight.

https://www.nasa.gov/aero/centers_tackle_sonic_boom.html
https://s13.postimg.org/y439k1eev/supersonic_hi_alt_green_ex.jpg

[TravelGal]

OK, braniacs. I'm hearing this is the new geo app craze. See how much you REALLY know. https://geoguessr.com/

[Elmo T]

OK, braniacs. I'm hearing this is the new geo app craze. See how much you REALLY know. https://geoguessr.com/

One round - 11937 points. Not sure what that means, but I beat the guy who scored 11936. :thumbup:

[TravelGal]

One round - 11937 points. Not sure what that means, but I beat the guy who scored 11936. :thumbup:

I broke my rule and posted this before I played it. I think 11937 must be terrific. I'm on round one and have under 5000. Too many dirt roads. Sheesh. I thought it was more about where is the Eiffel Tower? :laugh::laugh:

[G.]

I saw a website on a panel truck with a website.JP on it - nailed it.
I saw a place with palm trees, and they drive on the wrong side of the road ( :p ). Either Ozzie or Kiwi. Look at the palm trees, see some wet mossy stuff. I've seen LOTR, so it must be NZ. Answer was really the far western tip of Oz, like, a billion miles away, for a score of 100 or so.

Exit. :D

[TravelGal]

I saw a website on a panel truck with a website.JP on it - nailed it.
I saw a place with palm trees, and they drive on the wrong side of the road ( :p ). Either Ozzie or Kiwi. Look at the palm trees, see some wet mossy stuff. I've seen LOTR, so it must be NZ. Answer was really the far western tip of Oz, like, a billion miles away, for a score of 100 or so.

Exit. :D

I hear ya but I can beat that. I got ZERO on one. I think you have to be a horticulturalist, not a traveler to win this game. :) (NB, Kudos for knowing LOTR was filmed in NZ though. Rusty would be proud of you.)

[Kiwifan]

I hear ya but I can beat that. I got ZERO on one. I think you have to be a horticulturalist, not a traveler to win this game. :) (NB, Kudos for knowing LOTR was filmed in NZ though. Rusty would be proud of you.)

Yes, well about that. Still haven't seen ANY LOTR. Sorry! Did have most of the actors in the shop tho, does that count? :)

Loved the wee game Gal. I thought I did ok but not as well as Elmo. Will try harder when it quietens down. Ha!

[TravelGal]

Those Kiwis are at it again. I didn't recognize anyone but Scott Dixon but I'm pleased that they thought he was important enough to include him. :thumbup: The newest Air New Zealand safety video.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11766433

[TravelGal]

App Reveals Wi-Fi Passwords For Airports Worldwide
A handy Google Map created by travel blogger and computer security engineer Anil Polat reveals wifi passwords from airports all around the world and is constantly updated with tips from travellers. As the list has grown in popularity, Polat has turned it into an app called WiFox. By clicking on the planes on the map, you'll discover that the passwords for various airline lounges are revealed. And if you're feeling like sharing the knowledge the next time you're travelling, send on that password. Polat, who hopes to visit every country in the world, has a blog called foXoMad, which aims to help people "travel smarter." His WiFox map is updated regularly, based on verified information submitted by travelers. It's available in iOS, Android, and Google Play.

I thought it was going to say it revealed passwords of all unsecured networks on the plane. That's coming, I'm sure.