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Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Head in the clouds

I just got back from a business trip to San Diego. And although I think flying these days sucks, I kind of like looking out the window at the clouds. They almost makes you forget for a moment that you cooled your heels in the terminal for hours after two gate changes, endured surly flight attendants who sneered at you with disdain as they offered to sell you a $5 snack box when you complain about the stale pretzels. And you are almost able to shut out the drone of the captain or co-pilot or whoever it is in the cockpit who thinks it is important for the passengers to know what the airspeed is, your exact altitude and what mountain you are passing. Oh, and the clouds are nice to watch when the same crew member lets you know that "we are experiencing turbulence" as if you wouldn't have noticed the severe shaking and the surly flight attendants using the drink cart as a battering ram for unsuspecting elbows as they dash for their jump seats to buckle down until the pitching of the plane stops.

But the clouds are pretty.



3 comments:

R. said...

Did you know that water vapor and air behave as two separate materials occupying the same space because of the low densities inherent in gasses?

That's why you can have higher than 100% relative humidity - the air isn't a spit-rag that can only absorb so much drool. The air and water vapor are independent of each other and instead depend on temperature and pressure for their condition.

Uh, I think.

Time said...

That's funny, I think that was what one of the co-pilots announced during the flight, too.

JP (mom) said...

FP just got back from a biz trip too ... we're glad he doesn't have a job that requires frequent travel 'cause he doesn't handle these joys of travel too well. Love the photo! JP/deb