Nice people thread part 4 - sugar and spice and all things

GDB2222

Wheezy wrote: »

- Safety. The Proton bit of your debit card is not PIN protected, you insert it at the vendor's terminal and simply press 'OK' when the amount is displayed. Why take the risk if the same shop would accept a PIN card with no extra transaction costs.

Is the point that it's like cash, so you don't charge it up with too much money, and if someone steals your proton card it does not matter very much? Not having to enter and verify a PIN saves time.

zagubov

silvercar wrote: »

Son has a friend who is chipped for diabetes. Constantly monitors his sugar levels and lets him know if it hits danger levels.

I never realised things were getting that advanced. I had heard about a lecturer at maybe Reading Uni who implanted an ID chip in his arm to open doors for him. Heard there was a chain of bars (Bar Soba) which was offering to implant chips in customers to use as credit for drinks. Not sure I really like where all this could be heading :eek:

zagubov

Wheezy wrote: »

That's what I do after an advert break.
"To dream the impossible dream! lalalaa" (Honda)
"Maybe tomorrow I'll want to settle down! lalalaaa (Dulux)
"Go compare! Go compare!"

Somehow Mrs Wheezy still loves me

It's too late for me.

My head's still ringing with
"John Colier, John Collier,, the Window to Watch!"
and "Lipsmackingthisrstquenchingacetastingmotivatinggoodbuzzing cooltalkinghighwalkingfastlivingevergivingcoolfizzing.Pepsi". :eek:

LydiaJ

GDB2222 wrote: »

The real problem is that as little as 60mA can cause the heart to fibrillate, whilst even the lowest power devices are protected by 3 amp fuses. So, you'll expire long before the fuse goes bang. RCDs are set to trip at (IIRC) around 20mA.

Which is why RCDs are particularly important for things like lawnmowers, where there is a risk that the accident will bring you directly into contact with the live, rather than via a casing that could be earthed as part of the design.

RCDs are newer technology, though. My new consumer unit has all the circuits protected by them, which is great, but my old one didn't, and there are plenty of places with old style consumer units, or even fuse boxes. Until every home and workplace has upgraded its circuitry to include RCDs, it's better for manufacturers of appliances to go on attaching earth wires to metal casings and wiring them to the third pin in the plug.

Remember, the earth wire does not rely on the fuse to protect you. Because the earth wire is so much lower resistance than a person, the person is shorted out, and the current goes down the earth wire. It's the same as the reason why you're safe inside a car if it's struck by lightning, even if you are touching the metal of it. (Look up "Faraday cage" if you want to know more.)

lostinrates

I must have hummed several hundred ,miles now today,..stupid me doing my own ear worm.


My advert one is an italian one....Its toecurlingly embarrassing to find your self bopping along in a supermarket to the music you are singing from an advert about cheese.

this isn't the same one, but the same tune, as the one that got me ''hooked''.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmZ28NIQPbM

lostinrates

Oh, and regarding earths...should I get one for me? I was wearing shoes with rubber soles.

Oh dear, I sound a right state...singing cheese songs, in synthetic clothing and shoes with rubber soles.

zagubov

LydiaJ wrote: »

. It's the same as the reason why you're safe inside a car if it's struck by lightning, even if you are touching the metal of it. (Look up "Faraday cage" if you want to know more.)

I always though the rubber tyres of a car prevented it being a good conductor- and that's why they build up such a charge on them. I well remember getting static charges when pushing my kids around in pushchairs.

The little "lightning conductor" tails that some cars trail on the ground- I've seen them at the back behind the tyres. Presumably they're to stop charge building up. Surely in a storm they'd make the car a target for lightning. I know you're safe inside but wouldn't there be electrical circuits in a car that would get fried in a lightning strike?

michaels

Car Lightning

LydiaJ

michaels wrote: »

Car Lightning

Fabulous. I'll be using that clip in class and recommending it to the rest of the physics department. Thanks michaels. :T

zagubov

michaels wrote: »

Car Lightning

thanks, that answers it for me exactly. The car'll be fine (at least a German one would be). I suppose anyone putting their key in the lock at the time of the strike would be toast.:eek: