is this thing broken?

It's been quiet of late. Just Jim and Richard bantering about World problems...

Should I post more practice essays?

Been off the mainland all week. I designed a new mold (series of molds) on my laptop the first day, but after that I did vacation things.

I saw Jim and Richard talking about post apocalyptic retribution, but I wasn't interested enough to setup Usenet on the mail client on my laptop.

I'll just say this. Some of the former Royal Marines who have worked with and trained with US forces have a much higher estimation of US military capability than Richard seems to. One such claimed on YouTube seems to think the US could hold their own against the rest of the world. I don't think that's true, but I do think it might take the whole world or nearly the whole world to take us down. Conquering the US mainland for occupation would require nuclear annihilation. Because of the size of the USA it might still be a challenge. We would have the best armed partisan forces in the history of the world. Literally "an American with a rifle behind every blade of grass" (quote - not mine), and atleast one jack of all trades capable of bringing ideas to life in every town, borough, and village. Even the smallest little communities so small they aren't even incorporated (or draw the attention of direct bombing hits) has somebody who can "fix things" if its worth it.

If Jim & Snag survive the first strike look out. Invaders will have to deal with both Hell and high water.

If Jim & Snag survive the first strike look out. Invaders will have to deal with both Hell and high water.

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Don't count on much here. As I near 80 rotating the tires has become a tiring task, mostly for getting down and up. I'm taking a break after one side. Maybe I should invest in power tools instead of practicing roadside changes.

Nowadays people just whip out the Cell Phone and call 911. Get some smoke to come out from under the hood and other people will call for you😉

You don't have to do much. Just tell the youngster doing the work.

Connect the load cell here. Connect the magnetometer here. Mercury and mechanical tamper switches go in last, and the last thing you connect is the latching circuit, and no matter what you do don't flip the power switch until you are sure it where you want it and it won't move.

Nowadays people just whip out the Cell Phone and call 911. Get some smoke to come out from under the hood and other people will call for you😉

-- Leon Fisk Grand Rapids MI

------------------------------ If I keep lifting and heaving (within old man limits) I may put off the time when I become 'normal' (average). I upgraded AAA to the 100 mile tow etc, and saved more on my insurance by dropping its 25 mile tow.

A 1/2" Magnum Holeshooter has much more torque to spin the scissors jack than my cordless Dewalt. I suppose I only have to prove that the tools I carry in the car are adequate once. As usual the jack to drill chuck adapter was shop made.

A used Bronco Sport I examined had a non-original full sized spare in the well. That's rare. What's less rare is snowstorms during my holiday trips out of state, when I DON'T want mismatched tires that brake differently.

The larger Bronco (not Sport) can have a 4WD Auto mode that allows driving on mixed dry and icy pavement, like limited-slip AWD, in addition to the regular 4WD that locks the axles together like my Ranger. The Net hasn't been helpful with details. Does anyone have experience?

When I bought the Ranger they told me a woman had kept hers in 4WD on pavement and destroyed the drive train in 20,000 miles. Mine lasted in 2WD until slightly after the warranty ran out, when the lubed-for-life U joints ran out of lube, and life. The replacements have grease fittings and are fine at over 150,000.

Connect the load cell here. Connect the magnetometer here. Mercury and mechanical tamper switches go in last, and the last thing you connect is the latching circuit, and no matter what you do don't flip the power switch until you are sure it where you want it and it won't move. Bob La Londe

---------------------------------------- Much of the custom equipment I built was intensively but not extensively complex or physically large, a one man job. When a project was big enough to need several assemblers the documentation usually broke it down to match, such as assembling and wiring a control box after all the individually numbered wires had been run into it. This was before DIN rail when the relay sockets etc had to be individually bolted to the back plate and the wires terminated with crimp lugs. Doing everything myself saved enormously in documentation, test and debugging time. Perhaps quick delivery was why the small NH company won a large share of the GM and Chrysler automotive electronics test station business. Only Ford designed their own, in-house.

You are welcome ;-)

Problem is, I am laid-up with 'flu or if not, a particulary 'orrible common-cold.

I was busy doing things and things in the garden and in the outbuilding

- given we could only have days before the weathr turns and working outdoors becomes "difficult" (we get endless drizzle here in winter) - and things were looking good. Getting things done I had never done before. And actually looking forward to being in the outbuilding. Even the boarding so far of the roof-space has got so much lighter "stores" off the floor. Next day I'd have run my new circular saw along the plywood and had all the intended boarding done. Actually, i would have cut an extra board which cannot remain there, and use it to shuffle things back-and-forth as I free boards now known to be to size to bring down and paint. I think bright white underside is going to increase the light in at the benches, etc. All things like building a welding bench, etc. - that could be done indoors as the winter weather comes slanting in off the Atlantic. Radiant paraffin heater making the things just how you'd want it. How the mind sees projects when you are in happy space.

Feeling well enough to sit-up, but even with central-heating on, have woolly hat on and second duvet wrapped around me and over my head.

So, on this juncture, wishing you all well and apologising for not keeping-going "angels dancing on pins" and "optimum number of bars on a

Hopefully re-emerge soon.

Regards, Rich S

I am not sure this represents any thought I have. The "European elites" (sic.) are around Donald Trump like a litter of kittens around the mother cat all pleading their need is greatest, trying to get "Uncle Donald" / "Uncle Sam" to come in and fight wars for them - because they cannot "fight their way out of a paper bag".

Problem is, I am laid-up with 'flu or if not, a particulary 'orrible common-cold.

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I wish you a speedy recovery, for all that's worth. I can't successfully wish myself one.

We have an outbreak of a type not included in the yearly shot, H3N2 sub K. I've been wearing an N95 mask and gargling with prescription Chlorhexidine Gluconate left from dental implant surgery. It seems considerably more effective on budding mouth sores that appear after shopping trips than over-the-counter mouthwash.

The worst I caught was RSV before the vaccine came out, my throat was so sore for several weeks I literally couldn't speak. After the shot I seem to still catch and fight off light cases of it, or something.

Sounds tough - best wishes

I really wanted to get to that flight propulsion engine. Must be some sort of jet - which is a heat-engine. Therefore... The Carnot Cycle shows us the efficiency of the engine has a thermodynamic limit set by how hot is the high-temperature end and how cold is the low-temperature end. It trails no fission debris, so the nuclear reactor is encapsulated. So - the external hot surface of the reactor encapsulation must get rather hot... Materials engineering challenge?

BTW - anyone got a good link or resource to how ramjets work?

Best wishes, Rich Smith

Some have (in theory) agreed to up their spending in their own defense since DJT threw a tantrum on that subject.

I really wanted to get to that flight propulsion engine. Must be some sort of jet - which is a heat-engine. Therefore... The Carnot Cycle shows us the efficiency of the engine has a thermodynamic limit set by how hot is the high-temperature end and how cold is the low-temperature end. It trails no fission debris, so the nuclear reactor is encapsulated. So - the external hot surface of the reactor encapsulation must get rather hot... Materials engineering challenge?

BTW - anyone got a good link or resource to how ramjets work?

Best wishes, Rich Smith

--------------------------------------- My simple intuitive take: The intake transforms high air velocity into low velocity pressure (like a sail), which pushes outward against the walls, forward against the diffuser and rearward against the flame, which can resist the inlet pressure through inertia because it increases the mass (added fuel) and velocity (high temperature) of the exiting exhaust gas.

The unbalanced pressure against engine metal in front but against only hot gas behind is thrust, like the recoil of a gun where the forward pressure acts only on the freely exiting bullet.

Per Newton, F=MA. F is from the combustion chamber pressure, MA from the expanding exhaust.

The recoil force of a garden hose nozzle is from a similar unbalanced pressure and acceleration. The recoil is much less without the nozzle though the volume flow rate may be greater.

A nuclear reactor creates exhaust pressure by increasing only the temperature to accelerate the air, similar to the added thrust from the Mustang or Spitfire radiator. Hydrocarbon fuel also increases the mass and its hydrogen doubles the oxygen to water vapor volume. C + O2 -> CO2, 4H + O2 -> 2 H2O.

Complex:

Some have (in theory) agreed to up their spending in their own defense since DJT threw a tantrum on that subject.

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I read a General's leadership lesson on how some people respond to reason (Khrushchev, actually), others only to threats (Putin). Trump learned the effective degrees of their use in the combat arena of NYC real estate, as well as that a good deal satisfies both parties. Clearly his loudest critics misrepresent or just don't understand at all what he's doing. They are so surprised when he succeeds where no Democrat had gone before.

Being an easily angered A-hole is the standard New York defense mechanism, down to the lowest store clerk or waiter. I had to learn it wasn't personal and to ignore it.

Khrushchev saw that JFK was hopelessly struggling and offered a secret way out of the Cuban Missile Crisis that traded removing his missiles from Cuba for ours from Turkey. The missiles had been Guevara's idea and as part of the deal Castro shipped him off to lead irrelevant rebellions in Angola and Bolivia.

My simple intuitive take: The intake transforms high air velocity into low velocity pressure ...

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The combustion chamber can't increase pressure because then air wouldn't flow into it, but it can provide enough inertial resistance toward the rear to maintain the pressure of the intake air. How to create pressure without equal drag is beyond my education. Wings easily produce more than ten times as much lift as drag, more than 30 times for sailplanes.

ICBMs did not neutralize our advantage of widely distributed foreign bases because they served many functions unavailable to the USSR, importantly land based surveillance. This is an example of the USSR's struggle to match us from within their own territory:

Somehow that escaped the attention of protesters.

Make sure you have adequate ventilation with the paraffin heater unless it vents the exhaust outdoors, a CO alarm is also a good idea.

Thx - plenty of ventilation in outbuilding. Yes CO monitors totally recommended when indoor use.