[SOC] Nothing much

[Paul Bartlett]

Hi all,

I just remebered this anecdote. I don't think I've posted this before but if
I have then it just confirms my truly SOC status. It's a tale of SOC
proportion...

Some years back, they were developing the 'high speed train' here in the UK.

There was some concern as to the ability of the windscreen (windshield) to
withstand birdstrike. An American organisation was contacted (I think it
might have been NASA) and advice sought.

The advice was to test the windscreen by firing a dead chicken from a cannon
at it at 50% over the maximum speed that the train was likely to attain.

The experiment was duly performed. The chicken punctured the windscreen
without trouble, removed the (dummy) driver's head and embedded itself in
the control panel behind the driver.

Somewhat discomfitted, the engineers went back to the Americans for
clarification and advice.

Advice received: Defrost the chicken first.

Paul ;-)