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  1. Re:now technology on An 8,000 Ton Giant Made the Jet Age Possible · · Score: 1

    I love these old machines. Here the sturdy cast iron Royal Typewriter. They work nearly forever and give your fingers a little workout as you use it. I myself have an old Royal that I got off eBay used by this guy's mom then put into a garage forever. Its the kind with a glass panel on each side. Need to clean everything up just like you did.

    Then I had a Sears Kenmore lawnmower once that was magnesium and clearly forged by a nifty fifty or its variant.

  2. Re:Stifling regulations and old timers on Happy World Amateur Radio Day · · Score: 1

    Thanks for your cogent comments and replies. I LOVE the idea of being able to fix your own electronics (vs buying another). After building an electronic kit you have the ability to detect and fix many obvious electronic problems.

    And please any AARL old timers around this thread. Would you help train a novice? Would you support a novice? Myself and others need this.

  3. Re:No Indeed good sir on What Is the Most Influential Programming Book? · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Agreed, a little known book for C++ from the ground up. Is an extremely well organized book "Starting Out With C++" by Gaddis. Dietel and Dietel C++ is manageable but its a thicket of information that makes it tough for some (I have gone through Deitel C++ and Dietel Java). There are a thousand books on C++ and probably a thousand squared number of paths to learning C++. Whatever your C++ journey, have fun!

    The C classic is wonderful The C Programming Language Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie.

    Knuth is computer philosophy. Makes your soul shine. Treat it like philosophy, read it at leisure and think hard about every word on every page.

  4. POGO PROBLEM? on Bezos Discloses Failure of Blue Origin Rocket Test Flight · · Score: 1

    POGO oscillation used to be a problem with rockets. Wonder if those POGO sputters from the Blue Origin picture were the problem or not? One might think that today's rockets like Blue Origin are so sophisticated that they are happy with POGO oscillation. The Wiki article is below. Would appreciate any knowledgeable insight on this.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogo_oscillation

  5. Re: Cube root on Could You Pass Harvard's Entrance Exam From 1869? · · Score: 1

    Yes the cube root is trivial. You can do cube roots in your head. See pp209-211 of "Secrets of mental Math" Arthur Benjamin & Michael Shermer.

    As to slide rules cube roots there are the K and D scales - some basic slide rules do not have K and D scales.

    Hope this helps some,
    Jim

  6. Re:Nope on Could You Pass Harvard's Entrance Exam From 1869? · · Score: 1

    Future Latin teacher?

    What kind of background in school are you using for this? Classes books etc? I know a Judge where I live who majored in classical studies (and has a great background). Now he's a civil judge.

    Also what is your favorite study method for Latin and etc? FYI I made mp3 from a Ralph McInerny cassette that came with "Lets Read Latin". This is Ecclesiastical Latin which is like modern Italian and Spanish. I could create a CD out of the mp3 for you if you want.

    Jim

  7. Re:Nope on Could You Pass Harvard's Entrance Exam From 1869? · · Score: 1

    Vieux, happy you still have your dad's Greek primer (bet its Attic Greek). I have a Latin grammar from 1930 and the classic languages haven't changed much.

    My dad and his friends studied and knew Greek. And conversed with each other occasionally in Greek (late night at parties). But they were college facility too. Phd's every one of them. Every one of them knew Latin too.

    Personally I think we should have a good grasp of a foreign language, math through calculus, statistics, philosophy. Also knowing a few jokes and a daily read of a national news paper. And have a good background for your day job stuff. Kind of a rounded person we can talk to (and not tech school curriculum). My two cents worth.

    Right now I am trying to learn Latin and Greek. Pronunciation is the interesting part here. Plimseur for the Greek (modern pronunciation).

    All the best,
    Jim

  8. Re:One more reason to not do metering. on AT&T's Metered Billing Off By Up To 4,700% · · Score: 1

    Sounds good, would it be OK to post your schematics and details on construction? I think double checking everything is necessary today.

    Thanks,
    Jim

  9. Re:small on What Happened To the Bay Bridge? · · Score: 1

    I am only replying to save this as a placeholder for this segment/thread. Fascinating little tidbit. I would like to hear a lot more of how "hey!" thinks (about anything). An interesting mind there.

    Thanks!

  10. Re:Some cheap cameras can do it on Software To Flatten a Photographed Book? · · Score: 1

    That's a Nikon CoolPix 5200. p38 in the manual.
    "Scene Mode" "Copy"

    "Copy provides clear pictures of text or drawings on a white
    board or in printed matter such as a business card."

    "Colored text and drawings may not show up well in the final picture"

  11. Re:Weirdly working - not working DSL on AT&T Makes Its Terms of Service Even Worse, To Discourage Lawsuits · · Score: 1

    2A that's NOT a staple but a straightened out paper clip. I use this to poke it into the reset hole in the back of the DSL modem. This erases the stored userid and password.

  12. Weirdly working - not working DSL on AT&T Makes Its Terms of Service Even Worse, To Discourage Lawsuits · · Score: 1

    My DSL has experienced these local solvable issues.

    1. Lots of intermittent line failure. The wire from my DSL modem to the wall corroded. A look using a magnifying glass showed significant corrosion of the four wires that plug into the wall. A new cable from Fry's fixed this.

    2. My DSL modem. Netopia if you want to know. Fails occasionally.

    2A. When its working go to DOS and find the modem's address.
    DOS
    nbtstat
    Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 172.32.0.254 (get this ip address)

    2A. I have a staple to reset via that hole in the back of the DSL modem.

    2C. I type http://172.32.0.254/ which brings up a little web page from
    the DSL modem I go to the setup tab and type my DSL modem's userid
    and password. Your modem may vary.

    Hope this helps!

  13. Re:Speaking of Class-Action Suits on AT&T Makes Its Terms of Service Even Worse, To Discourage Lawsuits · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    I have had ATT for about three years now.

    First I got ATT BASIC DSL like you have. Same speed as you only my down was ~750kbs and UP ~350kbs. That was via copper physical medium to the switching station. I was just inside the max distance. I think I had the last or only copper connection. An ATT guy living below me could not order a an ATT DSL connection.

    BEWARE THE ATT PRO UPGRADE! Had connection issues not related to ATT (long story omitted). ATT tech said oh you need to go fiber instead of that crummy old copper. The ATT repair tech was great. She even showed me the nearby HVAC underground switching station.

    UNANNOUNCED PRICE INCREASES. Yes fiber is faster and used to cost $20 a month. This month Aug my ATT long distance was cut about a third. But my internet DSL was raised to $30. Guess what? The changes cancel each other out. By the way ATT told me about long distance but DID NOT TELL ME my internet was going up.

    So I wonder. What happened to market competition? Where else can I go for cheaper phone and DSL service? Better than a total of $84/month.

    Thanks

  14. What do these scores mean? on Playing a First-Person Shooter Using Real Guns · · Score: 1

    What's "expert"? The list of qualifications. Then more please on your 221 and 7 out of ten experience. 7 out of 10 what's?

    For example in my little world of high power rifle.

    A Individual classification
        High Master 97% or above
        Master 94%-96.99%
        Expert 89%-93.99%
        Sharpshooter 84%-88.99%
        Marksman below 84%

    B targets and sizes

        200 yard target
        Aiming black
        x ring 3"
        10 ring 7"
        9 ring 13"
        Rings in white
        8 ring 19"
        7 ring 25"
        6 ring 31"
        5 ring 37"

        300 yard target
        Aiming black
        x ring 3"
        10 ring 7"
        9 ring 13"
        8 ring 19"
        Rings in white
        7 ring 25"
        6 ring 31"
        5 ring 37"

        600 yard target
        Aiming black
        x ring 6"
        10 ring 12"
        9 ring 18"
        8 ring 24"
        7 ring 36"
        Rings in white
        6 ring 48"
        5 ring 60"

    What are your target values, the size of the 10, 9, 8, etc rings?

    Thanks,
    Jim

  15. Re:big oil is not stupidly evil on Company Claims Potential Magnification In Bio Fuel Production · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The parent comment is not insightful as graded. Please downgrade to 1.

    Reason is I have worked in the petroleum production business. Oil is here and there in certain strata under the ground. Sometimes like in the East Texas Oil field its a puddle 3,300 feet under the ground. Cheap to extract. Other wells cost upward of 20 million to drill so their associated costs are much higher. Even more so if the well is far offshore. Finally an oil company is in business to produce the stuff. They never ever hoard oil. It may appear that way because come oil is more expensive to produce than a current price per barrel indicates.

    Think back last Summer when oil price per barrel was extremely high $147. Every energy project was golden. Every expensive well could be turned on. Boone Pickens could invest in wind turbines because at $147 his expensive wind turbines were competitive.

  16. Re:And Distillation Columns are Small? on The Rocky Road To Wind Power · · Score: 1

    I suppose the difference between windmill shipment and distillation column shipment are the destinations.
    A petro chemical plant is situated near highways. And same probably for the distillation column manufacturer.

    But windmill destinations are way out in the boonies through small towns and smaller roads.

    Thanks,
    Jim

  17. Re:My -2 cents observation better transport design on The Rocky Road To Wind Power · · Score: 1

    Yes, I suppose those help a little bit. Especially those guys carrying something that juts up like the elbow of a digging machine screeching to a stop.

    That hit yesterday was physics to the max powerful. Somewhere amongst the road litter of cement chunks there is a bow shaped piece of that armor strip.

    Have a great weekend,
    Jim

  18. Re:My -2 cents observation better transport design on The Rocky Road To Wind Power · · Score: 1

    In the USA (here TX only), I have not seen much construction like you describe. Especially the height warning signs. Most highways here have two height signs and a fairly generous clearance. But no specialized IR light interruption warning signs. And certainly no sacrificial beams. In lieu of sacrificial beams, TXDOT found that the pillars were vulnerable so care was put in directing wayward trucks away from the support pillars.

    Thanks,
    Jim

  19. Re:Railroads on The Rocky Road To Wind Power · · Score: 1

    Your picture and description is excellent. But I suspect that the largest wind turbines might easily the width of a railroad track (something like 12 feet).

    I think your suggestion to air lift might be interesting. If weight is not exceeded. If a heavy lift helicopter can lift about 45,000 kg /99,208 lbs /49.6 tons.
    http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/helicopters/q0284.shtml

    Thanks,
    Jim

  20. My -2 cents observation better transport design on The Rocky Road To Wind Power · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Observations,

    These are very special hauling requirements, so they require a much more specialized design. I am uneasy about that generic hauling truck trailer shown in the picture.

    1. If the blades are 50 yards long, then designing a hauling truck like an old fire engine ladder truck might be better. Those had a rear cab and movable wheel carriages in the back.
    2. Also the trailer design in the picture is horrible regarding height. Design a trailer with lengthwise side support that allows blades to travel four or five feet lower. This could also incorporate hydraulic lifting to raise the trailer over bumps and low spots. Think lowrider cars that jump up.
    3. Additional tires on the truck and trailers to distribute weight and save the roadways. Heavy equipment haulers here in TX once in a while have as many as 50 wheels per tractor\trailer(s). For max wheels see this site (the bottom picture).
    http://www.goodtransportationinc.com/
    4. I hope for low interstate overpasses that trucks could exit, then take the service road up, over (and adjacent) to the interstate then return to the interstate.
    5. And a lead car with laser height and side measurement device to alert the hauling convoy of incorrect, changed, or terrain shifted height/side measurements.

    I know this is blitheringly obvious. But plan and triple check. Just yesterday in Dallas a large fork lift plowed into a 14 foot 5 inch clearance underpass and thoroughly shattered the first cement beam.
    http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/wfaa/latestnews/stories/wfaa090722_wz_tootall.6696c458.html

    Thanks,
    Jim

  21. Re:Wow! on NASA Successfully Tests Orion's New Crew Escape System · · Score: 1

    Excellent observation! Its classical wacky EXACTLY like a Rube Goldberg invention.

    Thanks for the comparison,
    Jim

  22. KISS principle violated? What am I missing? on NASA Successfully Tests Orion's New Crew Escape System · · Score: 1

    I agree with others here that the MLAS appears to be overly
    complex. Too many things need to happen. I prefer the "KISS"
    philosophy.

    As a backup system this is good.

    I liked the earlier Apollo escape system. Fire rockets, drop the
    rockets, deploy parachute. They did the same type tests viewable
    in "The Mighty Saturns" (see web link below). However This
    system might not be practical with the larger and heavier module
    being used today.

    "The Mighty Saturns" Spacecraft Films
    http://www.amazon.com/Mighty-Saturns-Saturn-Extended-Collectors/dp/B0001NBM5I

  23. Re:Is Sat-Nav Destroying Local Knowledge? on Is Sat-Nav Destroying Local Knowledge? · · Score: 1

    Here in Dallas TX laughable GPS directions always had fancy cars turning RIGHT onto a non usable non road bridge with a road block in the middle. Viewable on GoogleEarth at 32.92185 -96.7644 They would zoom along confidently, signal the turn, then stop. Time after time!

    I have not seen cars doing this in the past six months, so GPS directions have improved.

    Good luck,
    Jim

  24. Re:Happens in business also on When Your Backhoe Cuts "Black" Fiber · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nothing so exotic. And this was Dallas TX. We were guys. Guys don't and never did use maps. Just keep on driving.

    It was no doubt extremely valuable. A geographical seismic map. Probably of some area they were thinking of leasing. Oil drilling is serious money. Money to drill but much more money comes out of the ground.

    Thanks

  25. Happens in business also on When Your Backhoe Cuts "Black" Fiber · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Way back when I graduated college and started work for a major USA oil company.

    The IT department had a neat graphics printer. Oil companies generally have a lot of money resulting in great toys. One of the experienced IT developers said; "Watch, this graphics printer prints the coolest maps!". That map had printed just an interesting six inches on its way to 30". Then security showed up. Confiscated the map. Shut down the terminal and printer. And wrote everyone up. Security said about ten words. Then left. We looked at each other mystified and shrugged.

    Oh yes, the oil company could and did hire all sorts of experts. Those security folks likely had serious experience.

    Thanks,
    The J