Watched the video. I don't know whether I should laugh or think it's lame. . ..
--The_Lex Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:43:26 -0400
Why not both?
--Kirk Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:30:08 -0400
I mean on the one hand it's white rap parody, which is always lame. On the other hand, watching Natalie push a little kid in a Queen Amidala outfit is hilarious.
--Kirk Thu, 01 Jun 2006 10:31:17 -0400
I don't know. . .there's just something about Natalie Portman putting on airs that just brings down the hilarity factor.
But yeah, I'll give you the Amidala part.
--The_Lex Thu, 01 Jun 2006 12:16:39 -0400
Did you mean Fahrenheit 451?
--Candi Thu, 01 Jun 2006 12:34:10 -0400
yeah, I guess I got so tied up in spelling Fahrenheit correctly...
--Kirk Thu, 01 Jun 2006 12:54:11 -0400
Just to be really dull, when I had to use a fire extinguisher it was more like 'Oh god, I hope this works, please put the fire out and don't burn everyone's flat to the ground'. Sorry.....;-)
--Catherine Thu, 01 Jun 2006 14:38:30 -0400
Reminds me of my old idea for a product "Tom's Dehydrated Firefighting Marbles".
Just add water, you see...
--Kirk Thu, 01 Jun 2006 14:41:21 -0400
1) I have to agree with Catherine that using one isn't as much fun as you might think cause you're kinda preoccupied at the time*.
2) That line in the Natalie Portman video is a ref to "Gangsta, Gangsta" by NWA. I dunno how much to read between the lines there, but that's just me.
--FB3 Thu, 01 Jun 2006 16:15:09 -0400
the one time i had a kitchen fire, i couldn't figure out how to pull the pin on my extiguisher to make the trigger pullable. boy, did i want and need to use it! why bother to have a trigger safety at all - presumably one keeps an extiguisher pretty much out of the way.
after that incident i did a trial run to learn how to pull the pin (redonk, i know) - but it's been a while. i think my new one is more user friendly while in panic mode!
--FoSO Thu, 01 Jun 2006 17:11:26 -0400
Most basic fire extinguishers don't spray foam-- in fact foam is mainly for building-sized systems. Your regular kitchen dealie blows a dry white powder all over the place. Small closed spaces where humans don't live (car hoods and other engine spaces) commonly use Halon, an gaseous agent that somehow screws with combustion.
--LAN3 Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:21:16 -0400
What about those biggish ones they have at school?
--Kirk Fri, 02 Jun 2006 00:31:23 -0400
If I had my own fire extinguisher two months ago, I'd still have the use of my index finger. So I bought one. It's only like $10. And I read the instructions, so I think I'll be able to use it in a pinch.
I understand that, once fired, they don't really keep their remaining charge reliably, to the point where they actually advise you not to test them beforehand. So having a safety on the trigger is probably a good idea, because triggering it accidentally would leave you without the use of that extinguisher later on.
On the other hand, in the book "Blink", I learned that humans can't really use their neocortex in times of great panic. That's why they advise you to rehearse dialing 911, because people who haven't make mistakes like dialing 411, or not pressing "Send" on their cell phone. It's left as an exercise to the reader how to do this without actually contacting the 911 operator, but fortunately at low arousal states, our neocortex can make short work of that.
--Nick B Fri, 02 Jun 2006 02:12:06 -0400
don't worry - i bought a new extinguisher after my test run. the new one's pin is in place, but just barely. next time, i think i've got the jump on my neocortex. ;)
--FoSO Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:18:53 -0400
Nick, I think it was your story that has put this into my mind. Sorry to hear about your finger, how bad is it?
--Kirk Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:57:23 -0400