Gone away

Leaving for Switzerland tonight (friday, the 17th) and won't be back until the 4th of October.  I guess that means there is a stong possibility that I won't be doing an update until I get back, but I promise for good stuff when I return.

Cheers,

-d

Time

You know, when I started blogging a few months ago, I had delusions of grandeur, thinking that I would be able to update a few times a week.  Then I realized that what I was blogging about didn't all fit together.  Having a post about the devil or whatever doesn't really fit right after a post about my newest daughter, so then I decided to break up into two parts:  The 29 minute mark, where I talk about stuff that I like music and movies and whatever is on my mind, and Helpful daddy, where I do get to mention about my kids and food and other family type stuff.

What I didn't realize was that keep two independent blogs was tough, but keeping two blogs with two kids is extra impossible.  So where I say up in the header "updated a couple times a week" is really a pipe dream.  I am happy when I am able to update once a week for each of the blogs.  Sometimes, when I have a quick post like this, it is easy, but other times, when I want to rant about something, it may take a little while longer, and with kids wanting attention, that makes it much more difficult.

So, long story made too even longer, I am not able to post a couple of times a week, but more like whenever I my kids will allow me for extra time (which, I am guessing is when the eventually move out of the house)

-d

Bad Idea - Sticking a Knife in a Socket

Have you ever wondered what would happen in you stuck a knife into a socket?  Come on, don't be like that, I know you have thought about it, and really, who hasn't.  Everyone always wants to do what they are told that they can't, and I am pretty sure everyone has been told not to put anything onto a wall outlet.  But the real question is "why shouldn't I? I mean, what is the worst that can happen?"  So starts a new segment I like to call "Bad Ideas."

                                         Tom Bloom (c)

So why is it a bad idea to put a knife, or wet fingers or anything conductive into a wall socket, and what would happen if you did? Well, as we all know, there is electricity flowing through the wires in the wall, and when you plug something into the wall, to completes the connection or circuit and allows the electricity to power the appliance that is plugged in.  The wires themselves, are essentially harmless until the circuit is complete.  Electricity always wants to be grounded, and the human body is a good conductor of electricity due to us being mostly water sacks. That is why a bird can sit on a wire;  there isn't enough voltage drop across their bodies and they are not connected to a ground source.

So if you stuck an un-insulated knife into a wall socket, you will complete the circuit, and essentially the electricity will flow through you and ground itself.  Depending on where you are in the world will dictate how much is going to flow through you.  If you are in North America, you will get 110V, 60Hz, whereas, in Europe, you will get 220V and 60Hz.  You would feel a pulse going trough you at the same frequency of the electricity, around 60 pulses per second (which is a Hertz), and there could be serious injuries or even death.  So long story short, it is a bad idea.  For more information, check out howstuffworks

Incidentally, it is possible, though not recommended, to stick a metal object into a socket and not get electrocuted so long as the handle of the object is well insulated.  The insulation acts as a barrier to prevent electrical shock.  That is why you can handle appliances that are plugged into the wall and not feel the wrath of the electrical current.

-d