This post is for Monday June 18, 2007
School yet again. It feels like forever since we've been to class, I was very much looking foward to seeing everyone that didn't come on our trip with us.
First order of business: get tests back. I was pleased because I did fairly well.
Next, the challenge problem. Now I know I've talked to you about Dr. Diller's great fame and incredible resume, but here a little more.
So Dr. Diller was called in as the head authority in the McDonald's case in which a elderly woman sued for her coffee being too hot. This was a landmark case. So we were asking Dr. Diller about how he was chosen to become the authority on the case, and he replied very humbly, "Well if you look up heat transfer, my name will probably come up more than any other name." We all loved it.
First order of business: get tests back. I was pleased because I did fairly well.
Next, the challenge problem. Now I know I've talked to you about Dr. Diller's great fame and incredible resume, but here a little more.
So Dr. Diller was called in as the head authority in the McDonald's case in which a elderly woman sued for her coffee being too hot. This was a landmark case. So we were asking Dr. Diller about how he was chosen to become the authority on the case, and he replied very humbly, "Well if you look up heat transfer, my name will probably come up more than any other name." We all loved it.
He proceeded to tell us about the case and how the incident happened. The coffee was around 185 degrees Fahrenheit, and the woman suffered 3rd degree burns. She was in the hospital for over 3 months and had multiple skin grafts. It was pretty gruesome. So the woman's lawyers called in Dr. Diller to analyze the case. Basically Dr. Diller proved that coffee at that temperature will cause severe burns and possibly could be fatal in extreme cases. There was also a study done in which people where surveyed for ideal coffee temperature. The general consensus was that they preferred their coffee at temperatures much lower than 185 degrees fahrenheit. At around 145 degrees Fahrenheit, Dr. Diller showed that burns resulting in a spill would be less than a 1st degree burn if even that. The McDonald's coffee was being served way over temperature. McDonald's experts tried to discredit his findings saying that he wasn't qualified to make this sort of analysis. But the judge overruled them, saying he was more than qualified for this case. The McDonald's VP of quality on the stand simply dismissed the elderly woman's case, saying that she is smallest fraction of 1% of the people who have McDonald's coffee who manage not to burn themselves. The jury found McDonald's in the wrong and awarded the elderly lady the over $2 million dollars, McDonald's equivalent of 1 days profit off coffee sales. As well, they were required to lower the temperature at which their coffee was served.
In class, we did the same analysis he did, and got the same answer. It was really interesting.
After lunch, we saw some Churchill students out playing cricket, so we decided to go out an throw the frisbee. Fun.
Today for dinner, Garrett, Michael, and I are to have dinner with Dr. Diller over at Clare Hall. We had time to kill after class, so Garrett, Kacie, and I went to a local park to throw the frisbee around some. Fun.
Dinner was fantastic, and I was happy because I got more than enough food. Over dinner we talked to Dr. and Mrs. Diller about pretty much everything. They are really very kind and easy going people. We also asked Dr. Diller about some of the other cases that he's been called in to act as a expert witness for. It was just amazing to hear some of the things that he's been called in for over time. He still recieves calls all the time regarding burn victims. He's also submitted reports on burn analysis to various journals. It's incredible the amount he's already accomplished. I don't really understand how he finds time for it all between this, the cases, writing books, research, running a department, and playing squash. Apparently Dr. Diller is an avid squash player. I've never played so maybe I'll start picking it up and challenge him to a game.
We left around 9ish and headed back home. Then, I met Clair, Natalie, Kacie, and Rebecca and we tried to go bowling. Except there was an hour and a half wait. On a Monday night. Are you serious. Apparently the only thing to do in Cherry Hinton is go bowling. Lame.
Instead we headed to the city centre and walked around for a while. It was fun to watch the college students get dressed up in tuxes and dresses and walk around to go to their end of the year proms. The atmosphere was really great. There were lights everywhere, people sitting and laughing, other stuff. Near the river, Clare and King's College set up sort of like a fair for the students. There were bumper cars, moon bounces, food stands, other stuff. Many of the students had hired punts that took them by candlelight to their proms. Nice. We overheard today that there would be fireworks at night, so we found a spot on a bridge over the river (Cam) and waited. It got really packed on this bridge. The fireworks were amazing. They played like Harry Potter, Gladiator, and I think Queen in the background. Nice.
Then we went home. I don't remembered what happened after that but I passed out sometime around 2-ish.
-James
In class, we did the same analysis he did, and got the same answer. It was really interesting.
After lunch, we saw some Churchill students out playing cricket, so we decided to go out an throw the frisbee. Fun.
Today for dinner, Garrett, Michael, and I are to have dinner with Dr. Diller over at Clare Hall. We had time to kill after class, so Garrett, Kacie, and I went to a local park to throw the frisbee around some. Fun.
Dinner was fantastic, and I was happy because I got more than enough food. Over dinner we talked to Dr. and Mrs. Diller about pretty much everything. They are really very kind and easy going people. We also asked Dr. Diller about some of the other cases that he's been called in to act as a expert witness for. It was just amazing to hear some of the things that he's been called in for over time. He still recieves calls all the time regarding burn victims. He's also submitted reports on burn analysis to various journals. It's incredible the amount he's already accomplished. I don't really understand how he finds time for it all between this, the cases, writing books, research, running a department, and playing squash. Apparently Dr. Diller is an avid squash player. I've never played so maybe I'll start picking it up and challenge him to a game.
We left around 9ish and headed back home. Then, I met Clair, Natalie, Kacie, and Rebecca and we tried to go bowling. Except there was an hour and a half wait. On a Monday night. Are you serious. Apparently the only thing to do in Cherry Hinton is go bowling. Lame.
Instead we headed to the city centre and walked around for a while. It was fun to watch the college students get dressed up in tuxes and dresses and walk around to go to their end of the year proms. The atmosphere was really great. There were lights everywhere, people sitting and laughing, other stuff. Near the river, Clare and King's College set up sort of like a fair for the students. There were bumper cars, moon bounces, food stands, other stuff. Many of the students had hired punts that took them by candlelight to their proms. Nice. We overheard today that there would be fireworks at night, so we found a spot on a bridge over the river (Cam) and waited. It got really packed on this bridge. The fireworks were amazing. They played like Harry Potter, Gladiator, and I think Queen in the background. Nice.
Then we went home. I don't remembered what happened after that but I passed out sometime around 2-ish.
-James
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