# MMP - GT's Airport Adventures or, Paris-CDG, an airport that comes with a manual **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** mmp\ **Created:** [January 9, 2006, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135 "2006-01-09T10:59:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/281 "2006-01-15T00:55:56Z")
Just returned from our friend’s house and watching the Seahawks vs. Redskins game. I cannot believe the Seahawks won. They started out really well, drove right down to the end zone and ended up fumbling the ball. Things looked grim for awhile (three fumbles in all), but somehow the Seahawks pulled it off and won 20 to 10. I’m still gonna be a cynic and say they’ll lose next week’s game. We have dinner reservations in a couple of hours, so I need to cook something up for the kids so they don’t nosh on junk food all day. My daughter is feeling much better, thank goodness. She tells me she’s back to feeling normal. It’s rare when she becomes sick, so I take her very seriously when she tells me she isn’t feeling well. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/282 "2006-01-15T00:58:42Z")
**FCM** - i peeked at your other pics - I hadn’t seen the magic[levitating cat](http://groups.msn.com/FairyChatMom/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=179) before. eerie. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/283 "2006-01-15T01:13:30Z")
**anyrose** - eerie ain’t the half of it! She’s a bit of a nut case, too - fond of head-butting and patting our noses with her front paw. And she likes to lick us - either she’s grooming us or tasting us in case we die in our sleep… ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/284 "2006-01-15T04:05:38Z")
**FCM,** that cat’s kinda spooky. But what am I saying–I have a demon bunny with red eyes. At least she doesn’t hang out on top of cabinets. If I found her on top of a cabinet, that might freak me out, just a little. > [@gardentraveler](#): > > But of course…lessee: Lindt truffles, an assortment of Ritter Sport flavors, several types of Dove and Ghirardelli, and Hershey bars, with and without almonds. Did I miss anything? Not to make you jealous or anything, but I got a big box of Joseph Schmidt truffles for $8 yesterday! I love sidewalk sales. If you’ve never had Joseph Schmidt truffles, they’re huge and oh, so good! **Taters,** I’m glad **Tater Chip** is feeling better! I just made a cherry pie with coconut crumb topping. I’m not a pie expert, but I think it’s going to be yummy. I made a little mini-pie with some leftover cherries, and it was mighty tasty! **taxi,** that gown is gorgeous, but my advice is not to buy the first thing you see that you like. Unless you really, really love it. Strange thing for me to say, because I’m usually very impulsive, but usually you’ll find something you like better if you keep looking. **rigby,** congrats on the excellent test scores! We knew you could do it! (Like Tony Little says, “Yoooooooouuuuuuu caaaaaaan do iiiiiiitttttt!!!” But he’s a very strange man) ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/285 "2006-01-15T12:04:11Z")
> [@Spatial Rift 47](#): > > **indecisive1** , that formula is used any time you have an equation of the form: ax[sup]2[/sup] + bx + c = 0, where a, b, and c are just numbers and x is the variable. The quadratic formula is a quick and dirty way to solve for x. So if I have: > > 3x[sup]2[/sup] + 2x + 7 = 0, > > the quadratic formula tells me that x = [-2 +/- (-40)^1/2]/6. No, no, no, **Indecisive** asked what’s if for? To be told it’s for whenever one is accosted by the equation above is not enough. WHEN would anyone actually use it? is his (her?) question? When designing a new sewer system? Circuit board? Grocery store shelf layout? What? There is a certan beauty to quadratics and a certain satisfaction to solving one, but _what are they for?_ I will NEVER in my life, spontaneously generate the need for such a formula? Or will I /do I and just don’t know it? Is THIS the missing piece to my life? Do tell. **Magic Eyes** --thanks and thank Tony Little for me (who or what is Lil Tony?) PS-because I never say when it is, work was very pleasant yesterday. Off for more today! ---
**Author:** ![indecisive1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/41988e/32.png) [@indecisive1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/indecisive1)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/286 "2006-01-15T12:22:36Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > No, no, no, > > **Indecisive** asked what’s if for? Yes, that’s what I had in mind. Math and numbers are way beyond me, though. Tony Little is a guy who has a line of fitness equipment. He’s rather goofy looking and acting. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/287 "2006-01-15T13:10:05Z")
Well, we did have a bit of a wind storm last night. Looks like we had 2 trees come down, plus one or two large branches and tons of little branches. The 2 trees were dead/dying pines, and both were small and far from the house, so no damage done. One large branch looks like it fell across the fence. Once it warms up, we’ve got some work facing us. woohoo. I’m hungry. I want breakfast. Wonder if I should make something or just make **FCD** take me out to eat…?? ---
**Author:** ![Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a8b319/32.png) [@Spatial\_Rift\_47](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spatial_Rift_47)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/288 "2006-01-15T18:06:03Z")
**indecisive1** , my apologies for misinterpreting the question. Blame it on my overactive Nerd Mode. Anyway, your basic quadratic equation pops up all over the place. 95% of all computer modeling uses an area of mathematics called linear algebra. Linear algebra uses matrices to solve immense systems of equations in a single step. When you do that step, known as taking the determinant, you end up with a polynomial equation called the characteristic equation. It’s tricks like the quadratic formula that allow those equations to be solved easily. Almost anything can be modeled in this way. Complicated circuitry, traffic patterns, aerodynamic performance, weather fronts, population fluctuations, heat flow, and so many more. You name it, it’s being modeled with linear algebra. ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/289 "2006-01-15T18:10:46Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Yikes. What sort of damage did they do? Bust out a load-bearing wall? Drive their truck into the corner of your garage? Only damage I did was coat the garage with greenish powder from cutting the flooring, plus the damage to my bank account for buying the stuff. > > As for the excess charges, they probably work on a “book rate” similar to what auto mechanics do. If your floor is 12½ x 15¼ feet, they say it’s not 191 square feet, but rather 191 divided by the number of square feet in a box of flooring, plus 15% for trimming, rounded up to the next full box, probably 11 boxes. And charge you labor for those 11 boxes. \ At least it’s not carpet. For this hypothetical floor, you’d be buying two 16 foot-long sections of carpet as the stuff is usually 12 feet wide, and you’ll wind up with a carpeted floor and an 11x16 foot leftover. The carpet install went fine. They were in and out in half a day, and it’s a great job they did. As for the hardwood guys, there were three of them, and the install was to be in our bedroom. They were supposed to show up 8 a.m. Monday morning. They didn’t get there until 10 o’clock, and immediately realized that they didn’t have the right tools. It took them two hours to get back to our place (from somewhere only a half hour away) with what they needed. After they started working, they took an hour break for lunch. So, by the time they started pulling down the first piece of wood, it was after 2 p.m. Within a half-hour they had blew out a junction box in the attic. (We were without lights in the bedroom for three days until I could get an electrician in to fix the problem (I had found it, but since I’m not a certified electrician, my word wouldn’t be good enough) and verify nothing else was damaged.) They had plugged all of their equipment (two sets of lights, a big box fan, shop vac, boombox (gotta have the Metallica playing when you install, don’t cha know) circular saw and a compressor) into the bedroom oulets only. When all of them were turned on at the same time, the current melted some wire nuts in a j-box in the attic feeding that room. And then they argued with us about it, saying they weren’t at fault. And we didn’t have a problem with them charging us full price to install a partially opened box - I understand that once it’s opened, it’s ours. But a never opened, full box? When they took back the box and refunded us the cost for that? And when it said in the contract that we would only be charged install fees for actual flooring installed? Uh-uh. Nope. Not gonna get away with it. They came back the next day (day 2) to finish up what should have been only a opne-day job, and were going to leave at 5 o’clock (after taking a two-hour lunch) with about a half-hour of work left to do. No way, Jose. My GF called not only their boss but also Home Despot, and complained loudly about the slackers. > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > I remember this formula, along with the dirty and the clean mnemonics for remembering the color order on resistors plus the dirty and clean ones for transistor characteristics. I can write out the chart, but I have no idea what it means any longer - I learned it over 30 years ago. > > Does anyone even use transistors any more?? I remember both mnemonics too. But the whole “Behind Victory Garden Walls” is such a poor substitute for “But Violet Gives Willingly.” I mean, c’mon, Violet is a color, and she was the town tramp in _It’s A Wonderful Life_. And I bought a couple of hundred transistors this week for one of our repair labs. They are pretty cheap now. We had a little bit of snow on the ground when I woke up this morning, and a lot of the same wind that **FCM** must have got. It’s our First Snow of the Winter!!! Of course, it’s only about a quarter-inch accumulated on the deck, and most of the stuff on the ground is gone by now. But hey, it’s still snow. I’ll take what I can get. Quadratic equation: I remember learning it in my Navy school, but in twenty years I never did use it much for work. Except for one time. A bunch of us, during a stay in one of the shipyards around here, went out for drinks after our shift. We, sailors and a few of the civilians would fit into agroup that may have been called “brainy” by those with a non-technical background, and we all ended up in a place called J. B.'s Gallery of Girls. Watching one of the ladies dance for us, I leaned over to one of the civilian engineers and said, “Sure, she looks good up there, but can she solve for _x_ in a quadratic equation?” Honestly that was the only time I used it in my job. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/290 "2006-01-15T18:59:20Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Well, we did have a bit of a wind storm last night. Looks like we had 2 trees come down, plus one or two large branches and tons of little branches. The 2 trees were dead/dying pines, and both were small and far from the house, so no damage done. One large branch looks like it fell across the fence. I lost power for a few hours. Luckily, it was early in the morning. Now I’m trying to work up the energy to go pick up a birthday present for a friend’s party tonight. I know exactly what to get, though, so it won’t take long. It’s just that it’s still windy out. SUsan ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/291 "2006-01-15T21:25:32Z")
[Another kitty picture](http://groups.msn.com/FairyChatMom/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=180) - we moved the tower from the dining room corner to the living room by the window. She climbed up and she’s been there some time now. In fact, at the moment, she’s sleeping on the top platform. And if you look for one of the other pics I linked to, you won’t find it - I had to delete one to add this one. I deleted the empty tower. I sewed the pleater tape on the the drapes, and we went out to buy the pleater hooks - but JoAnn’s was out of them. I know I have some somewhere - maybe I’ll go into the basement and search. Or tomorrow, I’ll call the other JoAnn’s and see if they have any. Other than that, we’ve done nothing today. So don’t go making me all guilty for doing a few chores, m’kay! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/292 "2006-01-15T21:40:39Z")
Wow - that looks really neat, **FCM!** Murray the cat looks like she’s reigning over her subjects. I’ve survived the invasion of the relatives and am now considering how to spend the remainder of the weekend. We had fun. Went and had dinner with friends last night, opened presents this morning, had breakfast, had another friend over, had lunch at Panera, played computer games as well as checkers and then they went home. And it’s not even too terribly messy. Well, I think I need to go look for the next book club book. Can’t even remember what it is. Hope the library has it because I only have about a week to read it… GT ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/293 "2006-01-15T22:04:04Z")
Memphis trip is over, but I’ll fill you in on the rest of the details later. In the meantime, I’m trying to find a recipe for krem brool, but I went and got a double boiler and ramekins and a blowtorch, and all of these recipes just tell me to put it in a casserole dish, cook it in the oven, and then use the broiler to brool it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/294 "2006-01-15T22:22:09Z")
> [@indecisive1](#): > > Tony Little is a guy who has a line of fitness equipment. He’s rather goofy looking and acting. [Bobblehead Tony](http://www.tonylittle.com/detail.aspx?ID=117)–are ya scared yet? He’s in a Geico commercial, and he just can’t stop twitching his butt. It’s a little bit disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Ashes\_Ashes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@Ashes\_Ashes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashes_Ashes)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2006, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/295 "2006-01-15T23:53:47Z")
Told you them candles were powerful things! Okay **taters** , for general good things you needs you a red candle for protection and strength. Light blue for happiness and opportunity, green for luck and money. Pretty much just assemble yourself a rainbow of candles since none of 'em are bad. \*\*Rue \*\* reminded me that he needs a brown candle. They’re for animal healing and _gnomes_. How perfect is that? I think my tan candle is defective though. Oh my cats are healthy, but nary a gnome to be found. **anyrose** , if you weren’t so nice I’d have to hate you for that Ghost reference. Crunchy crackers but I _loathe_ that scene. I don’t care how sexy some guy is; you switch off the damned wheel and _then_ go at it. A million years later and I still get leering yahoos when I demonstrate how to throw a pot. Nobody mention Hungry Hungry Hippos either, 'kay? Which reminds me, I was going to say you should be careful and not fall into your kiln **Bumba** , but then I saw it was a little cute one so you’re probably safe there. It’s very embarrassing, and painful, to fall into a kiln while cleaning it out. Nobody mention that either thanks. Gah **MagicEyes**! That guy is icky-doodle. Though I wonder how he sleeps. Does he actually lie down and close his eyes or does he stand in a corner with his eyes open? He’s just too tightly wound to blink, much less close his eyes for eight hours is my thinking. **Swampy** beat me to the fried chicken tips. My Grammie liked a cast iron skillet for keeping a nice even heat. “Now don’t you crowd that pan child!” I wonder what she’d have thought of an electric skillet? Right now I’m making pot roast with nothing but the roast because I have no energy for shopping. Then I’m taking my crock pot to school and using it to melt wax for batik. I’m just a pressure cooker cook and can’t seem to adjust. Off to quilt now. I’m going out on the balcony since it’s 67 and sunny. More than eighty days with no rain. Shriveled like a little prune it’s made me, I swear. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/296 "2006-01-16T00:06:31Z")
> [@Ashes](#): > > **anyrose** , if you weren’t so nice I’d have to hate you for that Ghost reference. Crunchy crackers but I _loathe_ that scene. I don’t care how sexy some guy is; you switch off the damned wheel and _then_ go at it. A million years later and I still get leering yahoos when I demonstrate how to throw a pot. On the first day of each of my last 2 ceramics classes, Ghost references were made. Thankfully, most people got over it real fast. I can tell ya, if my sweetie came up behind my while I was working on the wheel and he tried anything, he’d get a goopy, clay-covered hand pushing him away, and some annoyed cussin’ and fussin’. I mean, really, when I’m creating, just _leave me alone!!!_ Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/297 "2006-01-16T06:44:29Z")
> [@chaoticbear](#): > > In the meantime, I’m trying to find a recipe for krem brool, but I went and got a double boiler and ramekins and a blowtorch, and all of these recipes just tell me to put it in a casserole dish, cook it in the oven, and then use the broiler to brool it. > > ☹ You might have better luck searching for [creme brulee](http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_32756,00.html). Oh, I see you seem to have the concept, (and a wacky spelling!) but using the broiler? Heavens, no! Creme brulee is one of those cool “guy” desserts that lets you use a propane torch in the kitchen! ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135/298 "2006-01-16T18:09:13Z")
**gotpasswords** , I don’t think that you were a Cool Kid when we discussed krem brool. **Mr. Swampington** decided that he wanted to say “creme brulee” [sic] without the accents. This made me, a fledgling francophone cringe. So he decided that it would be appropriate to make it even worse, just to bother me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mmp-gts-airport-adventures-or-paris-cdg-an-airport-that-comes-with-a-manual/339135.md?page=14)