<p>It’s amusing that plastics have permeated nearly every inch of the only planet that’s ( currently) habitable?</p>
<p>I heard a British naval officer on the BBC using that line about a needle in a haystack: “We are not looking for a needle in a haystack now. We are trying to confirm the location of the haystack so we can start looking then.”</p>
<p>I love the breaking news, “developing story” headline on CNN recently: “Boeing 777 will struggle to maintain altitude once the fuel tanks are empty.” Got some real geniuses at CNN working that angle.</p>
<p>So much for the conspiracy theorists thought that the co-pilot was trying to send a coded message in his last words, by being a little casual and saying, “All right, good night.” Apparently he made a standardized radio call after all. If they can get something minor like that wrong, makes you wonder if anything the Malaysians have released is accurate.</p>
<p>Who is paying for all this searching? The Malaysian government? The flights and ships seem to be primarily Australian. Of course, if the plane can be found, it would be important to know what caused the crash which would benefit everyone. But as I recall the Air France search was done and presumably financed by Air France. </p>
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Makes you wonder if their most recent version of the call is accurate. 
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<p>Actually makes you wonder if the assumption that this plane is at the bottom of the Indian Ocean is accurate.</p>
<p>I cannot imagine the torture of the families. How awful to wonder if their loved one experienced pain or fear…at the same time wondering/hoping that the plane has landed somewhere. But when you entertain that thought, you have to wonder if they are being tortured by someone and/or suffering a worse fate than instant death from a plane crash. Awful awful awful. </p>
<p>The search for the plane could go on for years. I wonder how long CNN is going to view this as virtually the only news story worth following.</p>
<p>I couldn’t resist. </p>
<p><a href=“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - TV Series | Comedy Central US”>The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - TV Series | Comedy Central US;
<p>A Chinese search ship picked up a pulse signal with 37.5 KHz frequency. </p>
<p>The cargo manifest was released last week. This article discusses the amount of lithium batteries reported in the cargo.
<a href=“Lithium-Ion Batteries Aren’t Safe to Fly”>Lithium-Ion Batteries Aren’t Safe to Fly;
<p>"…Last week’s release of the cargo manifest by the Malaysians has not helped to give us a clearer picture. Far from it, in fact. Originally, the Malaysians said that the battery consignment weighed 440 pounds. However, the manifest shows a far larger consignment weighing 5,400 pounds in total, alongside a warning that “a flammable hazard exists.” It has now emerged that the batteries were but one part of a consolidated package that also included radio accessories and chargers. "</p>
<p>“…What matters in the case of a shipment like the one aboard Flight MH370 is how they are packed – the kind of separation there is between each battery and the total mass.”</p>
<p>“…Despite some reporting to the contrary, there is no ban on the bulk shipment of lithium-ion batteries in cargo on passenger flights in the United States.”</p>
<p>That looks like a pretty thorough article. He seems to have really researched the lithium battery issue. I don’t think we should ship lithium batteries on passenger or cargo aircraft, not unless they have some completely fireproof containers that are specifically made to contain lithium battery fires, automatically. I don’t know if there’s anything out there like that yet. Blows me away that with all the problems with lithium batteries, they actually put some large ones in the 787, an airplane that is going to be flown on long flights over the ocean.</p>
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<p>At what level of volume or density of lithium batteries would you set the limit? Remember that lots of passengers bring lithium batteries with them on airplanes in their carry-on or checked baggage, embedded in mobile phones, laptop computers, and tablet computers.</p>
<p>I’m not an expert, I don’t know what level is safe, but the problem has not yet been individual lithium batteries from computers. It has been larger quantities of batteries shipped together. I think it would be a good rule to have all passengers who are bringing lithium batteries bring them in their carryon bags, as it is much quicker to realize that a fire is starting from your backpack than from your checked luggage. Unless, of course, they were able to completely protect the baggage are from lithium battery fires. I wish there was a way they could be either not shipped on airplanes at all, or in completely safe containers. I’m sure this could be a policy, but with the airlines, it’s always about money. Maybe it will be in the future, if enough accidents are attributed to batteries.</p>
<p>I still think the scenario of a zombie plane makes the most sense. </p>
<p>Pretty amazing that they went ahead with the lithium batteries for the plane. I would have hoped there would have been years of testing these in a plane. Guess not. As usual, it all comes down to people making money.</p>
<p>It was interesting to note in the article that Boeing encased the batteries in a stainless steel box that would not allow a fire. Not sure how that works.</p>
<p>Anyway, I wonder if there should be a box in the cabin where a smoking phone or computer could be throw into to stop or prevent a fire. Don’t know what that would be but its a thought.</p>
<p>At least it would be something…</p>
<p>I am having a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea that the lithium batteries had anything to do with the disappearance of Flight 370. The fact that the plane went missing at precisely the time of the “hand off” between Malaysian ATC and Ho Chi Minh ATC is just too coincidental. I am on the “human intervention” band wagon. And why is it taking it so long for them to come to some conclusion about the Bay of Bengal issue?</p>
<p>“Anyway, I wonder if there should be a box in the cabin where a smoking phone or computer could be throw into to stop or prevent a fire. Don’t know what that would be but its a thought”.</p>
<p>I think that’s a really good idea. Seems like they could find a place to put that. In lieu of having something like that, though, the best place to put a burning or overheating item (should you be able to get this far), is in the lavatory sinks. They are completely metal.</p>
<p><a href=“Fighting Fires Caused By Lithium Type Batteries in Portable Electronic Devices”>http://avstop.com/news/lithium_batteries.htm</a></p>
<p>Looks like the sink and water would work just fine according to the above article.</p>
<p>Not again!!!</p>
<p><a href=“Malaysian passenger plane crashes in Ukraine near Russian border -Ifax”>Malaysian passenger plane crashes in Ukraine near Russian border -Ifax;