31 Mar -1.8 20:10:10 WNW 56
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
In case you don't have a big pickup to tow your gooseneck trailer.
Here's an accident that hasn't happened yet . . .Class lll Hitch Install
Wouldn't you love to see how the trip went, reckon he ended up doin' some off roadin' somewhere. Check the 'hills' in the background.
She's hitched up and ready t o roll!! Amazin' how the extra weight smoothes out the ride. Needed to air up the rear tires a bit ('bout 160 psi).
Added some heavy-duty chain for extra support on the tailgate, (note the 'Heavy-Duty 'S' hooks to attach the chain) Also paid-up for some BIG 5/16 sheet metal screws to attach the frame to the tailgate. Yep, prob ably overkill, but didn't want the possibi lity of having an axerdent.
Most of the time was spent on the front porch whittling down that MASSIVE 4x4 to fit precisely into the ball mount receiver. Note: The 14'x14' piece of 3/8' plywood on the underside of the tailgate to distribute the load more evenly. 'YOU CAN'T BE TOO SAFE, YOU'AL L !!'. B'gosh it costs a little more, but jeez, you just can't be too safe.
Thanks Rich!
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Wouldn't you love to see how the trip went, reckon he ended up doin' some off roadin' somewhere. Check the 'hills' in the background.
Thanks Rich!
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Monday, March 30, 2009
News From The Observatory
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
ISS Tonight
30 Mar -1.9 19:47:28 NW 52
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Bat Hung On For a Ride Into Space
A small bat that was spotted blasting off with the space shuttle and clinging to the back side of Discovery's external fuel tank apparently held on throughout the launch.
NASA hoped the bat would fly away before the spacecraft's Sunday evening liftoff, but photos from the launch now show the bat holding on for dear life throughout the fiery ride.
"He did change the direction he was pointing from time to time throughout countdown but ultimately never flew away," states a NASA memo obtained by SPACE.com. "Infrared imagery shows he was alive and not frozen like many would think ... Liftoff imagery analysis confirmed that he held on until at least the vehicle cleared [the] tower before we lost sight of him."
Officials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., where Discovery launched from a seaside pad, said the bat's outlook after launch appears grim.
"Based on images and video, a wildlife expert who provides support to the center said the small creature was a free tail bat that likely had a broken left wing and some problem with its right shoulder or wrist," NASA officials said Tuesday. "The animal likely perished quickly during Discovery's climb into orbit."
Because the Kennedy Space Center is also home to Florida's Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, NASA's launch pads are equipped with several countermeasures, including warning sirens, to ward off birds and other wildlife. NASA also relies on radar to make sure large flocks of birds won't be struck by the shuttle during liftoff.
But the bat on Discovery's tank did not budge, even after engine ignition.
The bat was perched between one quarter and one third of the way up on the north side of the fuel tank, which is the side that faces away from the orbiter. NASA estimated the surface temperature of the tank at that location was between 58 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, even though the canister was filled with super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
In the hours before Discovery's liftoff, NASA's Final Inspection Team (called the "ICE team") investigated whether the creature would pose a risk to the shuttle if its body impacted the orbiter's sensitive heat shield tiling. Ultimately, NASA officials signed a waiver confirming that the bat was safe to fly with.
"The bat eventually became 'Interim Problem Report 119V-0080' after the ICE team finished their walkdown," the memo said. "Systems Engineering and Integration performed a debris analysis on him and ultimately a Launch Commit Criteria waiver to ICE-01 was written to accept the stowaway."
This isn't the first time a bat has attempted to travel into space. Another bat was seen clinging to the side of the external tank attached to the shuttle Endeavour on its STS-72 flight in 1996. That one maybe have been a bit more cautious, though: It flew away to safety right before launch.
Coincidentally, an astronaut aboard that flight, Koichi Wakata of Japan, also flew on Discovery this week, making him the first spaceflyer to share two rides with bats. Discovery's STS-119 mission is headed to the International Space Station to drop off the final segment of the lab's backbone truss and set of solar array panels.
NASA officials said a bat also set down on the external tank for the shuttle Columbia during its STS-90 mission in 1998. That bat also flitted away to safety during liftoff, they added.
source....
NASA hoped the bat would fly away before the spacecraft's Sunday evening liftoff, but photos from the launch now show the bat holding on for dear life throughout the fiery ride.
"He did change the direction he was pointing from time to time throughout countdown but ultimately never flew away," states a NASA memo obtained by SPACE.com. "Infrared imagery shows he was alive and not frozen like many would think ... Liftoff imagery analysis confirmed that he held on until at least the vehicle cleared [the] tower before we lost sight of him."
Officials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., where Discovery launched from a seaside pad, said the bat's outlook after launch appears grim.
"Based on images and video, a wildlife expert who provides support to the center said the small creature was a free tail bat that likely had a broken left wing and some problem with its right shoulder or wrist," NASA officials said Tuesday. "The animal likely perished quickly during Discovery's climb into orbit."
Because the Kennedy Space Center is also home to Florida's Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, NASA's launch pads are equipped with several countermeasures, including warning sirens, to ward off birds and other wildlife. NASA also relies on radar to make sure large flocks of birds won't be struck by the shuttle during liftoff.
But the bat on Discovery's tank did not budge, even after engine ignition.
The bat was perched between one quarter and one third of the way up on the north side of the fuel tank, which is the side that faces away from the orbiter. NASA estimated the surface temperature of the tank at that location was between 58 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, even though the canister was filled with super-cold liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
In the hours before Discovery's liftoff, NASA's Final Inspection Team (called the "ICE team") investigated whether the creature would pose a risk to the shuttle if its body impacted the orbiter's sensitive heat shield tiling. Ultimately, NASA officials signed a waiver confirming that the bat was safe to fly with.
"The bat eventually became 'Interim Problem Report 119V-0080' after the ICE team finished their walkdown," the memo said. "Systems Engineering and Integration performed a debris analysis on him and ultimately a Launch Commit Criteria waiver to ICE-01 was written to accept the stowaway."
This isn't the first time a bat has attempted to travel into space. Another bat was seen clinging to the side of the external tank attached to the shuttle Endeavour on its STS-72 flight in 1996. That one maybe have been a bit more cautious, though: It flew away to safety right before launch.
Coincidentally, an astronaut aboard that flight, Koichi Wakata of Japan, also flew on Discovery this week, making him the first spaceflyer to share two rides with bats. Discovery's STS-119 mission is headed to the International Space Station to drop off the final segment of the lab's backbone truss and set of solar array panels.
NASA officials said a bat also set down on the external tank for the shuttle Columbia during its STS-90 mission in 1998. That bat also flitted away to safety during liftoff, they added.
source....
Sunday, March 29, 2009
I Stand Corrected!
The Adams NAPA was open this morning, just like JR suggested to me that it was. But not for much longer. The young guy that owns it has been bought out by the co-op. He said that once they move it into the old True Value building and take it over, then it will most likely NOT be open on Sundays anymore.
The brakes are fixed, for now. All the other brake lines look like they could blow out at any moment, but I did buy extra just in case. Anyway, with Mrs. Reverend running the brake peddle and me laying under the truck working the bleeder screws, we got every last drop of air out of it. The brakes feel like factory original once again!
Now maybe I'll head out in the woods and do some cutting, while the stupid snow melts again.
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
The brakes are fixed, for now. All the other brake lines look like they could blow out at any moment, but I did buy extra just in case. Anyway, with Mrs. Reverend running the brake peddle and me laying under the truck working the bleeder screws, we got every last drop of air out of it. The brakes feel like factory original once again!
Now maybe I'll head out in the woods and do some cutting, while the stupid snow melts again.
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
News From The Observatory
Finally, on Friday night we had clear skies! I was able to complete a couple pictures I've been working on, and make progress on a few others.
Unfortunately the brakes went out on my truck yesterday morning, so I've been busy working on that and haven't had any time to upload anything. I'm still working on the brakes. But right now I'm waiting. Since I live IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, where the auto parts stores are barely open half a day on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays, I am waiting until after 9:00am to travel away from THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE to get to a store that is open for business. I don't like spending money in Adams anyway, if I don't have to. They don't seem like they want the business very badly.
In case you were foolish enough to miss it! 3/27 Moon.
The Beehive Cluster.
The Flame Nebula. It's real faint, next to the leftmost bright star in this image. I think if I spent more time on this one, it might come out better. Unfortunately Orion is moving out of position for my observing site now, until next year.
This is the Flame Nebula cropped from a full size, brighter version.
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Unfortunately the brakes went out on my truck yesterday morning, so I've been busy working on that and haven't had any time to upload anything. I'm still working on the brakes. But right now I'm waiting. Since I live IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, where the auto parts stores are barely open half a day on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays, I am waiting until after 9:00am to travel away from THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE to get to a store that is open for business. I don't like spending money in Adams anyway, if I don't have to. They don't seem like they want the business very badly.
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Computer programmer from Finland has lost finger replaced with USB drive
A computer programmer from Finland who lost his ring finger in a motorcycle accident has had it replaced with a USB drive.
Jerry Jalava has built a special prosthetic finger which contains computer storage for photos, movies and other useful files.
While the prosthetic looks like a normal finger Jerry can peel it back from the 'nail' and plug it into the USB slot on his computer using it as an additional hard drive.
The software developer from Helsinki lost his finger last summer after crashing his one week old Ducati Monster 696 motorbike.
He was rushed to Helsinki Hospital where he was examined by a hand surgeon who said they were unable to save it and amputated half of the finger.
When Jerry told doctors what he did for a living they joked he should have a USB 'finger drive' but that was good enough for him, and he set about making one.
Using a traditional prosthetic finger Jerry has been able embed a 'USB key' - like the ones used in traditional flash drives - giving him the world's only two gigabyte finger.
The finger is not permanently attached to his hand meaning it can be removed when plugged into a computer.
"It is not attached permanently in to my body, it is a removable prosthetic which has USB memorystick inside it," said Jerry.
"When I'm using the USB, I just leave my finger inside the slot and pick it up after I'm ready."
Jerry said he is already thinking about upgrading his faux finger to include more storage and wireless technology.
"I'm planning to use anther prosthetic as a shell for the next version, which will have removable fingertip and an RFID tag," he added.
source....
Jerry Jalava has built a special prosthetic finger which contains computer storage for photos, movies and other useful files.
While the prosthetic looks like a normal finger Jerry can peel it back from the 'nail' and plug it into the USB slot on his computer using it as an additional hard drive.
The software developer from Helsinki lost his finger last summer after crashing his one week old Ducati Monster 696 motorbike.
He was rushed to Helsinki Hospital where he was examined by a hand surgeon who said they were unable to save it and amputated half of the finger.
When Jerry told doctors what he did for a living they joked he should have a USB 'finger drive' but that was good enough for him, and he set about making one.
Using a traditional prosthetic finger Jerry has been able embed a 'USB key' - like the ones used in traditional flash drives - giving him the world's only two gigabyte finger.
The finger is not permanently attached to his hand meaning it can be removed when plugged into a computer.
"It is not attached permanently in to my body, it is a removable prosthetic which has USB memorystick inside it," said Jerry.
"When I'm using the USB, I just leave my finger inside the slot and pick it up after I'm ready."
Jerry said he is already thinking about upgrading his faux finger to include more storage and wireless technology.
"I'm planning to use anther prosthetic as a shell for the next version, which will have removable fingertip and an RFID tag," he added.
source....
ISS Tonight
29 Mar -2.2 20:50:06 WNW 69
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
Saturday, March 28, 2009
ISS Tonight
28 Mar -1.7 20:26:10 NW 44
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
- Quads, hailing from Grand Marsh Observatory atop Elk Castle Hill
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