The totally off-topic thread

[mannej]

On a tenuously related note ...

For his 18th birthday, I bought a nephew an advanced driving course from the RACT (it was more a present for his parents ... I gave him other stuff as well). I asked about what sort of things they do, and I was amazed to find that stuff like skid control and recovery wasn't part of it. When I asked why, the reply was that they teach the students to drive defensively, so they won't get into a skid. When I asked "but what if they do ...." there was no reply.

I checked back later, in case I got the wrong info, but one of the senior chaps in the driving skills area confirmed it and said it had nothing to do with insurance etc, just that they taught very good defensive driving skills.

How dumb is that? Sort of like saying "We aren't going to provide doctors, because you are being taught healthy living habits."

That is quite contrary to the advanced driving course I undertook a while back. The skid pad was good fun!

 

[NZflygirl]

Where is it? I lost it.

The thread on the antonov plane that landed in Perth! Saw it on the news yesterday and was thinking "how come all those other people knew and I read AFF and didn't know?!" I would have been one of the many thousands of ogglers had I known!

 

[jukebox333]

For those who don[t like mysteries, here's a few answers:

"Mr Vogel said Worsley Alumina made the decision to use the Antonov to bring the generator to Perth as it needed it to arrive sooner than the six or seven weeks the company would have had to wait for a ship to deliver it from Europe.


"It made better sense from a risk management perspective to quickly bring it in aboard the Antonov, " he said


"It minimised the risk of a potential refinery shutdown if something went wrong with an existing on-site generator while a replacement was still coming in by ship," he said.


Mr Vogel said only the Antonov aircraft had the capacity, lift and reach to successfully transport the generator to Australia.


"The most challenging part of the project was ensuring the generator was effectively anchored into position for its flight." he said.


"There were plenty of calculations to ensure that it wouldn't move in-flight - not even a millimetre. - it was almost welded to the floor."


Mr Vogel wouldn't reveal the exact cost of bringing the cargo in aboard the Antonov except to say "it was in the seven figures".

Certainly would be been an interesting business case to assess!

 

[rainbowgirl]

Is this list the 193 UN member countries plus the 2 UN observers (Palestine and Vatican City) or is there a different country with new status?

I'm guessing there are mixed definitions for the term country. I'm guessing the 195 doesn't include the protectorates or semi-independent nations.

I read stories about an island where it was unsafe to land as the inhabitants were known to attack people who visited the island. I'm wondering whether drones have been used to film recent conditions on this island or perhaps automated robots to explore the undergrowth before they get crushed.

 

[Cossie]

There is a site called MTP - On the Road to Everywhere but they go to extremes, to say the least. They reckon there are 875 parts, how deep do you want to drill?

What happens when countries break up, Yugoslavia, Soviet Union, or when they disappear, DDR for example, if you have been to the Sudan, part of which is now South Sudan, one country or two? Been through Yugoslavia before the breakup? How do you count that?

What about unofficially recognised countries like Somaliland or Puntland? Very hard to be definitive!

 

[JohnK]

South Sudan was the last new one IIRC. What is the recent addition?

Is this list the 193 UN member countries plus the 2 UN observers (Palestine and Vatican City) or is there a different country with new status?

I was looking at this source which agrees is a little confusing.

The US Government recognises 195 countries while the UN member countries are as posted above.

 

[anat0l]

A "versus" question: which do you prefer to use in the shower - liquid body soap, or bar (solid) soap?

 

[Pushka]

A "versus" question: which do you prefer to use in the shower - liquid body soap, or bar (solid) soap?

Liquid soap is not soap. The only good thing about liquid soap is that it leaves less residue on shower screens.

 

[Foreigner]

Seen at city hotel bar:

 

[GarrettM]

A "versus" question: which do you prefer to use in the shower - liquid body soap, or bar (solid) soap?

Bar of soap. Always.

 

[anat0l]

Liquid soap is not soap. The only good thing about liquid soap is that it leaves less residue on shower screens.

If it isn't soap then what is it? Skin conditioner?

In any case, it appears to be something which is used in place of (bar) soap to achieve more or less the same purpose.

 

[rainbowgirl]

A "versus" question: which do you prefer to use in the shower - liquid body soap, or bar (solid) soap?

If I recall correctly, you were the one who started the ironing question and then didn't get around to explaining why you asked and what you did with the results and opinions shared.

I prefer bar soap. Everyone else in the family uses liquid QV Wash due to allergies.

 

[TomVexille]

If it isn't soap then what is it? Skin conditioner?

In any case, it appears to be something which is used in place of (bar) soap to achieve more or less the same purpose.

I'll go with "body wash"

 

[anat0l]

If I recall correctly, you were the one who started the ironing question and then didn't get around to explaining why you asked and what you did with the results and opinions shared.

I prefer bar soap. Everyone else in the family uses liquid QV Wash due to allergies.

I did start it; it was mainly just an interest point, viz. "water cooler conversation" as it were. Sorry, should state purpose, though had it been for some reality study or something, I would have fronted up that fact either at the beginning, or near the end of the trailing off of the responses (i.e. if stating upfront would bias the field).

In response to the ironing question, I don't get any joy out of ironing. I would prefer not to do it, but the reality is unless I stuck to permanent press / silk shirts (not common nor appropriate at all times) and poly-blend trousers (the shiny material stuff, also not always appropriate), ironing is a fact of life. It takes me 8-10 minutes per pair of pants or shirt to iron.


As for soap, I use bar soap at home, but mainly because I use either Dove creme bar or papaya soap bar. At some stage, to go through the toiletries I collected from travels, I did end up using liquid body soap (e.g. Hilton etc.). I also use liquid soap on the road in my amenity kit as it is too difficult to carry a used bar soap.

 

[rainbowgirl]

Thanks for clarifying matters.

The only time I use liquid soap is when using up free supplies from holidays.

 

[Pushka]

If it isn't soap then what is it? Skin conditioner?

In any case, it appears to be something which is used in place of (bar) soap to achieve more or less the same purpose.

Thats a good question. I have no idea. .
For bar soap on holidays, take a small ziploc bag.

 

[anat0l]

I guess some people prefer liquid soap over the bar of soap because the former is more "hygienic". That is, you don't want to use the same soap (or surface of the soap) to wash your face, torso, under your arms, etc. etc., let alone if that soap is used by more than one person (or guests)... how valid those kinds of arguments are about germs (or even whether that's a big deal anyway) is debatable.

 

[Moindardt]

I guess some people prefer liquid soap over the bar of soap because the former is more "hygienic". That is, you don't want to use the same soap (or surface of the soap) to wash your face, torso, under your arms, etc. etc., let alone if that soap is used by more than one person (or guests)... how valid those kinds of arguments are about germs (or even whether that's a big deal anyway) is debatable.

This is a funny one because we have had it come up with groups of parents quite a few times, predominately because the mothers insist on liquid soap and a lot of boys were having body odour issues. It, generally speaking, appeared to be men preferred bar of soap and women liquid and mainly related to the washing of armpits and nether regions. A number of doctor's insisted that for boys, unless they have really good personal hygiene and can manage themselves, they needed to use a bar of soap. I don't know about people on here, but my boys were very similar to their peers and never take hygiene seriously, hence they have to use soap. The older one has eczema and the doctor said it is fine so long as he just uses it on his armpits and groins and, from a hygiene perspective, is not required other places unless dirty/greasy/sweaty etc.

Personally I never feel clean with liquid washes or dove soap. Would even prefer a block of solvol to them and have on many occasions.

 

[JohnK]

I bought some eggs last week and when I opened the carton they were all red. :shock:

 

[mrs.dr.ron]

You can say :shock: again !!