Under French «judiciary order (l'ordre judiciaire)» law plaintiffs can petition a public prosecutor to bring a case, such as this one, that contains both criminal as well a civil complaints. The test for murder (manslaughter in this case) is not dissimilar to US law, and the ruling in this phase was there wasn't enough evidence to meet the test (similar to the US "reasonable doubt" test with motive, intent, malice, opportunity, etc. satisfied). However the judge ruled that there was enough evidence (similar to the US "preponderance of evidence" test in civil cases) to conclude civil liability. The next phase is to calculate the damages due to the plaintiffs. So this isn't finished yet. Although the plaintiffs don't get a criminal prosecution they sought, they will still have the two defendants held liable in the civil action. No big conspiracy here.

(Written on 04/21/2023)(Permalink)

Some cool numbers: At +65,000 feet MSL, the speed of sound is about 300 meters/second. If fuel capacity is not limiting for this exercise, traveling at hypersonic speeds (usually considered Mach 5 or above) at that altitude you would cover about 15 football fields per second. You would cover the air distance of Boston to San Francisco in about 48 minutes. Half that time at the max speed in Top Gun: Maverick (before the flight was cut short). Pretty cool.

(Written on 03/17/2023)(Permalink)

I can't remember when it was, but I had a similar experience with the captain of a 737 on a Boston to O'Hare flight. He really put a lot of effort into the narrative. I thanked him as I disembarked in Chicago. I had always hoped others had listened and done the same. Thanks for helping bring this semi-forgotten memory out of my archival storage!

(Written on 03/17/2023)(Permalink)

I'm not sure the safe action program applies in this case. The issue was a violation of some controller's instruction, with the violation detected by the controller in real-time (with some automated systems), and corrected by the controller in real-time (telling Delta to stop their TO roll), not in the realm of voluntary reporting of an undetected incident. This seems to be in the NTSB's jurisdiction for investigation. Besides, the NTSB only provides recommendations. It has no legal authority to impose those recommendations. Their probable cause opinions are inadmissible in court or other legal proceedings under the Federal Aviation Act, which make reluctance to be recorded a bit puzzling, unless their employer uses the incident against them.

(Written on 02/17/2023)(Permalink)

Actually it is exactly about seizing private assets. There have been seizures of everything from luxury megayachts to private planes, to bank accounts. Assets have even be seized in Switzerland - and that has never happened. If there is no reconciliation on the part of the sanctioned, these assets belong to the government imposing the sanctions.

(Written on 03/11/2022)(Permalink)

Please educate me on the "career ending" side effects of mRNA vaccines and the probability of their occurrence versus the probability of severe outcomes of COVID-19. I am just one of those "I'll" educated "Leftist commies" that needs these things explained to me. In my uneducated ways I calculated that you have about a 1.6% chance of death if you contract COVID-19 in the USA (that's 16,191 deaths in a million cases). The rate has been decreasing as post infection treatments have improved (e.g. monoclonal antibodies and ritonavir and molnupiravir more recently). I am not going to get into Long COVID, but I can tell you this: it is real and we learn more about its devastating effects on patients - young and old - every day. Now, if you get an mRNA vaccine, you have a 0.00334% chance of dying as a result of the vaccination (or about 33 deaths in a million vaccinations). Some people who died after getting vaccinated might not have died because of the vaccine. The VAERS data probably over

(Written on 11/20/2021)(Permalink)

A colleague of mine from years ago had just transferred departments and needed to meet his new boss in Dallas. He was cutting it close on time, and being days before on-line checkin and bag drops meant he was very late once he got through security after checking himself and his bag at the ticket counter. He had to dash through the terminal to make his flight and just made it before the door closed. The flight attendant told him to take any open seat "we are pushing back" as soon as he got on. Later, he is at the baggage reclaim to retrieve his checked bag, but no luck. Goes to the airline's baggage desk and explains his bag wasn't on the flight and asked when he might expect it. The gentleman at the desk looks at his claim check and boarding pass: "you think you're in Dallas right now? This is Denver!" Great first impression for his new boss!

(Written on 06/12/2021)(Permalink)

I like it... However, the actual center of the universe is 42.3467° N, 71.0972° W

(Written on 06/12/2021)(Permalink)

Robert: I am happy to give you a tour of the COVID-19 lab I work in, and the ICU ward we largely support for COVID testing. You can walk through without your mask, and I'll keep mine on.

(Written on 12/04/2020)(Permalink)

Joe is absolutely correct. The claims will be made and argued, and the decision will come by judge alone or judge and jury (under Preservation) on the facts and merits of the arguments. At the end someone, or entity, will be accountable for the outcome, and the decision is not negotiable, although resolution could be negotiated prior to trial, or even afterwards to avert ongoing appeal. Appeal is not a negotiation. These are your rights and before making ignorant claims about lawyers (and I am not one, just a patriot citizen, unlike people who throw our rights under the bus) remember that rights not exercised are often denied.

(Written on 08/28/2020)(Permalink)