Continuing Galileo's Leaning Tower of Pisa Experiment

According to history, Italian Scientist Galileo having dropped two objects of differing sizes and weights found that the heavier ball hit the ground first, but only by a little bit. Except for a small difference caused by air resistance, both balls reached nearly the same speed. And that surprised him. It forced him to abandon Aristotelian ideas about motion. Galileo discovered through his experiment that the objects fall with the same acceleration, proving his prediction true, while at the same time disproving Aristotle's theory of gravity (which states that objects fall at speed proportional to their mass). Because Galileo died, he never finished his work, I became part of a human endeavor to continue these experiments. I managed to conduct a few science experiments serving in engineering spaces at sea in my time. After having properly set the initial conditions for the experiment, I postulated that anyone: - either standing on a machinery room platform that was suspended over any inaccessible area of engine room bilge or machinery room foundation, or transiting between same, - who was handling a small metallic object, such as a nut or a writing pen, - would suddenly lose their grip on that object at the precise moment they reached apogee. Defining the apogee as the highest distance between the object and the bilge. The experiment showed that the descent of this object would occur in such a manner to avoid a straight path: - taking at least 4 ninety-degree turns during the descent, and - finally coming to rest in a location of the where no light was shining or - where water in the bilge was at its deepest. The object would not be located until: - you had spent countless hours looking for it everywhere else, - had missed an entire meal, or - had given up all hope for its recovery, or - managed to acquire a suitable replacement. While I served in the Navy, it was proven to my satisfaction that this experiment was repeatable. My understanding is that experiment had been continued by countless others.

Remember Everyone Deployed

To mention Remember Everyone Deployed or R.E.D. I'll stick with my union label, Navy. Did you know that just before Christmas of 2020, the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), its escorts and its embarked air wing began its second deployment in a year? Yes. It's a so-called double-pump deployment, that highlights how the Navy carrier’s force is under strain with too few hulls available to meet the demands of combatant commanders. This year, carrier operations are at their highest rate in a decade with several carriers unable to deploy currently in maintenance availabilities. The strike group and the air wing have been in isolation since mid-November ahead of the deployment. The TR CSG is deploying with two escorts from the earlier 2020 deployment – guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (DDG-52) and guided-missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG-59) as part of Destroyer Squadron 23. The CSG will also include the destroyer USS John Finn (DDG-113). On the East Coast, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group plans to deploy early next year for its own double-pump deployment. At least they were in port for Christmas and New Year’s.

Another Christmas Carol

Imagine the life a Boiler Technician at Christmas as seen through a child’s eyes. Here's one I'd call USS Midway's Christmas Carol. The USS Midway is now a museum in San Diego. Some say the ship is haunted by the Ghosts' of Christmas Past. T’was the night before Christmas …as USS Midway is conducting night flight operations. While steaming with Condition III watches set, and her Battle Group in formation somewhere in the South China Sea, one of the Operations Specialists in CIC reports a target bearing of 180 astern of the ship to be designated as skunk Charlie. The Air Ops Officer tells the tower that a Friendly inbound could be Santa Claus, there was a note from CTF 77 and Seventh Fleet in the Air Plan on Christmas Eve. Given that information, the TAO evaluates the contact as friendly and is status updated for the Battle Group using NTDS, and since he recognizes Santa’s IFF is squawking code 7600 in Mode 3, the TAO lets him inside the perimeter of Midway’s BARCAP. He hums the tune of Silent Night while ordering Weapons Tight. Warning White. Now, everyone in CIC is excited. They all know that Santa’s call sign is HO3 (standing for Ho-Ho-Ho) and CATCC now has the skunk Charlie identified as a friendly, given permission and instructed on a special landing procedure. The crew in Pri-Fly are amazed by the AIR BOSS to hear that CAG already knows that NATOPS has a procedure for a sled to make an arrested landing when it has no tail hook to land. The OOD maintains Fox CORPEN. On the flight deck, as a precaution the barricade is rigged, but it’s not needed. Santa steers his reindeer like a centurion, as the CATCC uses signal lights as the LSO directs him to use a Case III approach. Rumors fly around the Airwing that Santa has never bolter’d in the history of Naval Aviation. Like magic, Santa stays on perfect glide slope, and his sled catches the two wire, and he is directed by a Yellow Shirt over to the area just forward of the Crash and Smash crew. The Handler on station at the OUIJA board in Flight Deck Control puts Santa’s sleigh on deck in Fly 2, just outside the foul line. The Purple Shirts are ordered to get something to feed his reindeer. Oddly, they notice that Santa has three reflective letters “FTG” that are written across his back. As his sled gets chocked and the tiny reindeer each get chained with tiny chains to the deck by the Chain Gang in Blue Shirts, Santa leaps from his sled and flies to top of the island, where Santa finds himself and his red duffle bag perched on the top of the funnel. The Ordnance Handling officer exclaims “Well, at least he isn’t here to inspect our ordnance program” so the Weapons Officer lets him go without escort. The signalman standing watch on the 08 level sees Santa. Surprised, he just watches Santa for a signal. A wink of his eye, and placing his finger next to his nose, Santa enters the uptakes and snakes his way down to the seventh deck where one of boilers is cold-iron, down for cleaning. He emerges seconds later in the Fireroom 3A and finds the asbestos-lined stockings carefully hung across the burner front. He then walks over to the 3M system preventative maintenance system (PMS) schedule and sees that almost everyone in the fireroom has completed the PMS. But Santa sees that there is one of those monthly PMs that haven’t been completed by Fireman (FN) Timmy and it will go out of periodicity today. Santa frowns because he knows that a missed check would certainly keep the ship from getting the Battle “E.” Checking it twice to find out who was naughty or nice, he reads the names of the sailors from the tagout log. Here, Santa is again disappointed to find that FN Timmy hasn’t even properly tagged out the system. Reaching into his bag, Santa gets out a pen, then fills out a PMS spot check form, and leaves it in the Stocking of FN Timmy for him to sign. Santa then checks the naughty list and adds FN Timmy’s name to it. A wink of his eye, and placing his finger next to his nose, Santa exits the fire-room through the uptakes and snakes his way back to the top, and returns to the sled waiting on deck. He is directed by another Yellow Shirt, taxis his reindeer over to Number #2 CAT, as the reindeer hooves throws sparks across the deck at night as they are brought up to full-military power, he gives a crisp salute. The Catapult Officer returns his salute, and then gently touches the deck. As the catapult fires, Santa quickly disappears on his way to another ship in Midway’s Battle group. It’s now Christmas morning. As the 04-08 watch is relived, FN Timmy arrives in the fireroom to stand his watch as the Messenger. The BTOW, BT1 Burns sees those gifts that Santa has given his watch. Happily, it looks like Santa gave everyone a brand new pair of nice leather work gloves, that will keep their hands from being burned by heated valve handwheels that tend to get hot while steaming. Everyone that is, except for FN Timmy. FN Timmy reaches into his stocking and produces the PMS Spot Check form that Santa left. Bad news. FN Timmy is told by BT1 Burns to report to main control. Soon, the B-Division Officer, LT Waters, who is standing watch as the EOOW, has read Santa’s PMS Spot Check report. The Lieutenant is very displeased and the Main Propulsion Assistant (MPA), Lieutenant Commander Whitesteam, is notified. The MPA places FN Timmy on report. Handing the papers to Commander Hammer, the Chief Engineer (CHENG). FN Timmy’s chain of command is notified about his lapse in completing his PMS and the improper use of the tagout procedure. CHENG tells the XO, Commander Flyington, and they both understand that Midway’s competition for AIRPAC Battle E is all but lost. The XO calls up the ship’s CO, Captain Krampus and delivers the bad news. Within the hour, they all gather on the Forecastle to sing Christmas Carols with the Chaplain as a planned event to boost morale. The singing continues until Captain Krampus arrives. He doesn’t like to hold Mast on Christmas but this will be an exception. Captain Krampus is in a bad mood about the Battle E and says that he wants to get this over, quickly. FN Timmy’s case is heard right away, judgement is past, non-judicial punishment is awarded. He orders his Legal Officer that a lesson be given by taking some of his FN’s money. FN Timmy is awarded a reduction in rate to E-2, forfeiture of half a month pay for a month, and he is sentenced to confinement in the brig, to be placed on rations of three days Bread and Water. The Personnel Officer in Admin makes a page 13 entry in the Service Record for FN Timmy. As they walk off the Forecastle to have dinner, the SUPPO has prepared quite a feast for them all. The Master-At-Arms escorts Timmy to Medical where he gets a pre-confinement physical, and then they all go to the brig. Later, FA Timmy sits alone in his cell very sad. Only given Bread and Water rations for a Christmas dinner instead of the fine meal the rest of the crew enjoys. The thin pieces of bread Timmy can eat have been cut into snowflake shapes by some of cooks in the Bake Shop. While standing in his cell of Midway’s Brig, Fireman Apprentice Timmy wears his dungarees as he considers this year’s Christmas gift…and the Marines that are guarding him help by singing “Blue Christmas” This story you have just read is not true. The information may have come from reliable accounts, but the names and circumstances have been changed to amuse the innocent. It closes with this Holiday greeting. Merry Christmas to all.

Digital Books or Paper Books?

I would prefer to read a paper book, but it's great to have a digital book to read when the moment allows.

Final Countdown or Top Gun?

The movie "The Final Countdown" filmed on USS Nimitz was more than just that aviation fueled “Top Gun” movie that was filmed on USS Enterprise, because at that time we really gave the “Bear a Scare” in the Med. It was known that our ship’s engines could provide at least the 30 knots of wind over deck to launch and recover, and every BTU of catapult steam was brought to you by those people down in the ship’s Reactor and Engineering Departments.

What I've been Up To Lately

Consistent with my blog, I haven't been acquiring new technology per se... More like using the same technology in a more secure computing environment. While I could say that Windows 8 and 8.1 were a complete bust, the Windows 10 idea is at least focused more on security.

The Day the iPod Died

Apple devices are pretty reliable. I was annoyed when my iPod sometimes disconnected or the speakers “cut out” while driving using the Infiniti audio connector. Infiniti Help to the rescue! I found that tech bulletin recommended to replace cable if iPod cuts out during playback intermittently. I looked carefully, in the user manual for your vehicle. I ordered a cable, but I should have double checked it for warnings and checked it after it arrived! The right one I intended to use was Nissan/Infiniti (2007 onwards) with the part "284H2-1BA0B" in the vehicle user manual, but it turned out to be the ordered one was the wrong one; it was a "284H2-ZT50A" and wiped my iPod. This was the original 6th Generation iPod classic 160 GB, originally purchased as a refurbished for $249 from apple after they lowered the price added a 1 yr warranty, and free shipping. The iPod wiped when wrong cable used! Bummer! It could cost me alot of money, depending on what it takes to fix it. They just discontinued making and selling them from Apple, so I'm buying a refurbished model and considered sending my busted iPod in for a refurbished one to spare. Moral of this story: If you are not sure or the user manual doesn't call anything, please check it with your local dealer. The Business: On September 9, 2014, Apple discontinued the iPod Classic. The sixth generation 160 GB iPod Classic was the last Apple product in the iPod line to use the original 30-pin iPod connector and the Click Wheel. According to Tim Cook speaking at WSJD Live, the iPod Classic was discontinued because the parts were unavailable and a redesign was unwarranted given the small amount of consumer interest in the product. According to speculation by Wired, the 6th generation was, as of 2014, expected to be the final form of the iPod Classic that helped Apple achieve its success in the 2000s. Ars Technica speculated in 2011 that the iPod Classic was nearing its end, and the site’s readers generally agreed it would not still be produced in 2013.The Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in 2013 revealed no new iPod Classic and Apple was not expected to produce another one. Production of the iPod Classic continued in low volumes as a stop-gap measure to clear out and monetize inventory of unused stand-alone parts. However, three months after its discontinuation, the sixth generation iPod Classic has seen its price increase by up to four times its original retail price on eBay due to increased demand by music fans. iPod classic 6th generation 160GB model support requested from Apple Customer Care: It looks like your product is not covered for complimentary technical support. Pay us $29 just to chat with someone about repairing it at Apple. My thoughts--no way I'll do that. I guess the good news is I had to get a new iPod Classic 160 GB, so I purchased a refurbished for $275 on Amazon. Added a 3-year warranty from Square Trade, another $29. At least it's better than spending it on a chat with Apple Care. To me, it's worth it since just a Mainboard replacement for iPod Classic 7th Gen, costs $189.99. To get a replacement main board for the iPod classic 7th gen 160 GB model and has a moderate difficulty level to install. Now what to do about the "old one". I got a Ca$hPod Quote and they would buy this non-functional ipod for $50. I decided that I could accept it could be sold for more if fixed. Went for a diagnostic service. Order the diagnostic testing service from our website by adding to your cart. Only charged for return shipping. Sent the iPod device to aRepair Service Center using my own packaging for $8.A computer technician determined the problem with the iPod, a logic board and battery. The repair quote was 2-3 days after they received it. Other repairs to consider: Mainboard for iPod Classic A1238 costs $99. This has a moderate difficulty level to install. Get a replacement battery for the iPod classic $20, the 160Gb has a 850mAh package. This has a moderate difficulty level to install. More battery life on a maximum charge! 1-year warranty with a 30-day return policy, as Self-Installed part or for Professional installation. If I did not approve the repairs, they offered to buy the device for salvage value or send it back. In the Seventies, the Don McLean Album "American Pie" had a song, "The Day the Music Died" about some music artists Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper, the subjects of the song, who 56 Years ago, were killed in a Plane Crash. This was 1959, when Rock and roll was just getting started when it suffered its first tragedy. Three of the biggest and brighest stars — Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson, known as the Big Bopper — were killed in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa. As the story goes, on a package tour, Holly, after one of the shows on Feb. 3, 1959, Buddy Holly decided to charter a plane from nearby Mason City to Fargo, N.D., just across the state line from their next gig in Moorhead, MN. The plane, a Beechwood Bonanza, had room for only three passengers — Holly and his band — and the pilot, Roger Peterson. Holly’s bass player, future country legend Waylon Jennings, gave up his seat to Richardson, who was ill. According to Jennings’ autobiography, Holly teased his bass player by saying, “Well, I hope your ol’ bus freezes up.” Fatefully to which Jennings responded, “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes.” There are conflicting stories as to how Valens wound up in the third seat. Tommy Allsup, Holly’s guitarist, claimed that he lost a coin flip to Valens in the dressing room. Dion was one of the opening acts, and won the coin toss, but balked at paying the $36 for the flight — and gave Valens the seat. Then around 12:55AM on Feb. 3, the plane carrying Holly, Richardson and Valens took off in a snowstorm with strong winds. But the plane traveled only a few miles before crashing, killing all four men instantly. The federal investigation would rule that even though the weather played a large role it was due to pilot error.