Text 22275, 118 rader
Skriven 2009-03-23 09:05:00 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Michael Loo
Ärende: SNAGS 374  90323
========================
 -=> Quoting Michael Loo to Glen Jamieson <=-

 GJ> It is difficult to understand how the altimeter in that 737 that
 GJ> landed hard got to think that the plane was below ground level and so
 GJ> told the autopilot to shut down the engines.
 ML> It is, I believe, a tenet of elementary computing 101 that
 ML> such errors as divide-by-zero or result-out-of-domain are
 ML> handled promptly by a fixed routine.

So, blame the programmers.

 ML> Is there an internet site
 GJ> where the interesting technical details of aircraft accidents are
 GJ> published? 

 ML> After the final report is filed, the summary, including the
 ML> apportionment of fault, is posted at some US Government site
 ML> that is public but that I have no particular incentive to read.

I could try googling some of the more obvious clue words, but it is
likely that such a site would use non-obvious, government-speak words.

 ML> I believe that this is true of accidents where US carriers are
 ML> involved, the aircraft is of US origin or registration, there
 ML> are US victims, the accident occurs on US territory, or where
 ML> a US agency is invited to participate in the investigation.

I have noticed that aspect of aircraft accident investigations.
Sometimes there has been conflict between the findings of the aircraft
manufacturers and those of the airline or country where the accident
took place, with each trying to lay the blame on the other.
 

 ML> How often does MLoo check the
 GJ> weighing accuracy of his purchases?  (Glen sometimes does, using a
 GJ> cheap mechanical scale of doubtful accuracy.)

 ML> Every time, by hand. This was more effective when I was
 ML> spending more time lifting violin bows professionally and
 ML> was calibrated to within 0.5 g in the range of 50 to 70
 ML> grams, somewhat less accurate outside that range, but
 ML> hefting a package to see if its apparent and claimed
 ML> weights are compatible is still a routine for me.

Hmmm.  Better than 1%.  My hands are not calibrated that accurately.
Plus or minus 20% accuracy is about the best I can achieve.
 
 GJ> Because when I use it overseas the bank charges are lower than if I
 GJ> use my debit card.

 ML> Tip for US citizens: this is usually the other way round -
 ML> credit cards impose an usurious fee on top of a poor exchange rate,
 ML> whereas debit cards give the interbank rate while charging a fixed
 ML> fee (which, in the case of my bank, is refunded up to $4 as of now,
 ML> used to be $2).

My bank has a "foreign bank" fee on its Savings account, but not on
Credit.

 ML> Also, I keep a lesser amount of money in my credit
 GJ> card than the other, in case some nasty person manages to steal it, and
 GJ> I would lose much less than the amount in my debit account.

 ML> The way to solve this is to link your debit card to a smaller
 ML> account without overdraft protection. 

The next time I travel I will try taking a pre-charged debit card,
loaded for that purpose, and keep my others as reserve money.

Yesterday there was an affray at Sydney airport, with a fight between
bikey gangs and a man was bashed to death.  Other passengers were
quite upset.  That is more the sort of behaviour I would have expected
at Port Moresby's Jackson Airport.

The main news here at present is that a 70 year old high court judge
lied to try to get out of a $70 speeding fine.  Because of his high
legal status he has been found guilty of perjury and attempting to
pervert the course of justice, and has been sentenced to 2 years gaol.
That'll larn 'im!  Next time he will pay the $70.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Selsigen Morgannwg
 Categories: British, Sausage, Vegetarian, Cheese
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
      5 oz White or brown creadcrumbs
      3 oz Grated hard cheese
      1 sm Onion
      1    Egg
        pn Dry mustard
        pn Mixed herbs
      1 oz Butter
           Pepper and salt
 
  Mince or chop the onion very fine and soften in the butter before
  adding to the other dry ingredients -- it makes shaping the sausages
  easier. Separate the egg and bind the mixture with the yolk.  Divide
  into 6 small sausage shapes, molding with your hands, then roll in
  flour, dip into the lightly beaten egg white and finally roll in fine
  breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil until the coating is nice and crisp.
  Do not reheat in a microwave. (NOTE: when I have made this, I have
  not bothered with the "outer layer" of breadcrumbs, and it's worked
  fine -- I think that part is supposed to create a kind of outer skin.
  If you use pre-prepared crumbs, be sure they're not "seasoned" or
  else this will be way too salty!)
  
  a traditional Welsh recipe for "Glamorgan Sausages" and they suggest
  eating it with a "sharp and spicy" (by Welsh standards) sauce such as
  tomato sauce From: aalbrigh@ucla.edu (adam albright)
 
MMMMM
 
Birthday boy.  "Johan Sebastian, Mighty, Bach!" - Organ Morgan.
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

--- FLAME v2.0/b
 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)