OK, the Straight Dope says a bunch of things, but the upshot is that I am right, and it's the grounding issue: [link] (This is a question on OK Cupid, and I've seen several people recently with a different answer, and started second-guessing myself.)
Inara: So, explain to me again why Zoe wasn't in the dress? Mal: Tactics, woman. Needed her in the back. 'Sides, those soft cotton dresses feel kinda nice. It's the whole... air-flow.
'Our Mrs. Reynolds'
Natter 65: Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, pandas, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Jesse - Mar 05, 2010 5:50:30 pm PST #13766 of 30001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
sarameg - Mar 05, 2010 5:51:22 pm PST #13767 of 30001
ION, why don't birds get electrocuted?
On what? Last time my 'hood lost power, I am told it was a squirrel completing an unauthorized circuit. Birds just land on insulated wires. Mostly.
DavidS - Mar 05, 2010 5:51:38 pm PST #13768 of 30001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
ION, why don't birds get electrocuted?
They're on the insulated wires instead of the charged/dangerous connectors?
::looks inquiringly for billytea::
Jesse - Mar 05, 2010 5:53:31 pm PST #13769 of 30001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Oh, sure, insulated wires. That also makes sense, and now I'll have to check and see if that was one of the answers.
tommyrot - Mar 05, 2010 5:54:22 pm PST #13770 of 30001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
The wires don't need to be insulated. As long as the birds don't touch anything else, they're OK.
People in helicopters sometimes repair high-voltage power lines - it's the same thing.
edit for clarity.
msbelle - Mar 05, 2010 5:54:33 pm PST #13771 of 30001
I remember the crazy days. 500 posts an hour. Nubmer! Natgbsb
I'm going to bed now, you can all stop posting.
sarameg - Mar 05, 2010 5:54:56 pm PST #13772 of 30001
Yeah, right.
Lee - Mar 05, 2010 5:56:32 pm PST #13773 of 30001
The feeling you get when your brain finally lets your heart get in its pants.
But now is our chance to try to be the nicest (after hours edition)
amych - Mar 05, 2010 5:56:59 pm PST #13774 of 30001
Now let us crush something soft and watch it fountain blood. That is a girlish thing to want to do, yes?
Last time my 'hood lost power, I am told it was a squirrel completing an unauthorized circuit.
My building at work has had several squirrel-transformer incidents. Also, lizard-transformer. Our shiny new very sensitive fire alarm system gets a good workout.
tommyrot - Mar 05, 2010 5:59:04 pm PST #13775 of 30001
Sir, it's not an offence to let your cat eat your bacon. Okay? And we don't arrest cats, I'm very sorry.
When I was a kid, we were once disrupted from watching Star Trek because of interference from our electric fence. I figured it had shorted out somewhere, causing increased interference with our TV. So I went out to look - I found a bird had landed on the electric fence (which they did all the time) but had grounded itself by touching the metal fence post at the same time. It's dead body was just sitting on the wire, leaning against the post. So I flicked it off (a leg stayed attached to the wire for some reason) and went in to watch Star Trek without the interference.
edit for clarity....