We actually used a DoD analog ballistic computer a few times to pin point some sources based on the impact. It was very useful in eliminating ‘impossible’ locations to speed up the search for the real sites. The US battleships still had mechanical versions in their command centers until they were mothballed after Southeast Asia, as the available vacuum tube versions were too large and couldn’t survive in the environment.
]]>The Arithmetic Lines
The innermost scales of the instrument are called the Arithmetic Lines from their division in arithmetical progression, that is, by equal additions which proceed out to the number 250. It is a linear scale generated by the function f(n) = Ln / 250, where n is an integer between 1 and 250, inclusive, and L is the length at mark 250.The Geometric Lines
The next scales are called the Geometric Lines and are divided in geometric progression out to 50. The lengths on the geometric lines vary as the square root of the labeled values. If L represents the length at 50, then the generating function is: f(n) = L(n / 50)1 / 2, where n is a positive integer less than or equal to 50.The Stereometric Lines
The Stereometric Lines are so called because their divisions are according to the ratios of solid bodies, out to 148. One of this scale’s applications is to calculate, when given one side of any solid body, the side of a similar one that has a given volume ratio to the first. If L is the scale length at 148, then the scale-generating function is: f(n) = L(n / 148)1 / 3, where n is a positive integer less than or equal to 148.The Metallic Lines
These lines have divisions on which appeared these symbols: Au, Pb, Ag, Cu, Fe, Sn, Mar, Sto, (Gold, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron, Tin, Marble, and Stone). From these you can get the ratios and differences of specific weight found between the materials. With the instrument set at any opening, the intervals between any correspondingly marked pair of points will give the diameters of balls (or sides of other solid bodies) similar to one another and equal in weight.The Polygraphic Lines
From the given information, the side length and the number of sides, the Polygraphic lines yield the radius of the circle that will contain the required regular polygon. If the polygon required has n sides, then the central angle opposite one side will be 360/n.The Tetragonic Lines
Tetragonic Lines are so called from their principal use, which is to square all regular areas and the circle as well. The divisions of this scale use the function: f(n) = L(31 / 2tan(180 / n) / n)1 / 2, between the values of 3 and 13.The Added Lines
These Added Lines are marked with two series of numbers, of which the outer series begins at a certain mark called D followed by the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on out to 18. The inner series begins from this mark D, going on then to 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, also out to 18. They were used in conjunction with the other scales for a number of complex calculations.
This instrument was in use until the late 19th Century. Galileo proved to be an astute businessman as well as Scientist (in several disciplines), Engineer and Inventor. He sold the instrument, with a good manual, for 50 lire and offered a course in the use of the instrument for 120 lire. π He made much more money from the tutoring than the selling of the instrument.
Anyway, to get back (somewhat) on topic… π
The stupid Oakland cop’s don’t know how lucky they are that Mr. Kayvan Sabeghi decided to remain peaceful, even while they were rupturing his spleen! I have to say, I would not have been. The first pig to swing a baton at me would have had his neck broken, and to hell with the consequences. I worked with Rangers in Cambodia, and I know what they are capable of. Mr. Sabeghi has my utmost respect and envy at his control.
There is a vid and screen cap’s posted here:
Hereβs the Army Ranger the Oakland Police Brutally Attacked
Thinking about Cambodia and the Rangers and German and other special forces we worked with, I’m sure most people would be surprised to know that the weapons we carried included crossbow’s, bow’s, tomahawks and slings (and I had a special composite quarterstaff as my preferred close quarters weapon). Silence was golden on most of those missions. Though, the crossbows, bow’s, arrows and bolts were nothing at all like what you see in moves etc. The bolts and arrows were carbon fiber, and the heads were quickly detachable with several variants available, such as smoke (or signal), explosive screamers (a loud noise in flight, that exploded on contact, designed to sound like an incoming artilary shell. Not much of an explosion, but more than enough after the noise to scare the cr*p out of anyone nearby and make them run for cover), anti-personnel, armour piercing, explosive, incendiary, chem etc. The armour piercing head could go through two Rhino’s side-by-side, and made short work of any kind of body armour or even a modern hull of an APC. Slings were used to send a munition further than was possible to throw. Though it took a lot of practice to use them well! We had special small and varied grenade type rounds for them. See… we are not all *gun nuts*! π π
I would have thought Bryan, you would prefer a GBU-28 to carpet bombing the NYC police HQ. π A bit more *surgical* and precise I would think, no? π
And, speaking of which… You know about this I presume? (From Sep. 26, 2011):
Why did Obama give bunker-buster bombs to Israel?
Lovely. *sigh*
Hiya LadyMin… long time, no see… etc. π I guess everyone’s busy just trying to survive these days. I know I am. π
]]>Bryan, one would think it would be Un-American to oversee the wholesale destruction of books but here we have the city that was vigorously waving the flag and shouting USA not too long ago doing just that.
I think they crossed a line when they attacked the books. It definitely roused me from a period of political apathy.
]]>It is definitely a good thing that I no longer have targeting ability because carpet bombing the NYPD police headquarters would probably cause concern. We both suffer from ‘morality’. They 1% apparently are keeping the ‘cure’ for that ‘affliction’ for themselves.
It isn’t just ancient history, Steve. The antipathy of the South towards giving ‘people of color’ access to knowledge is well documented. It follows the old laws making it a crime to educate slaves, for the same reason – fear of knowledge.
Yeah, Lady Min, Salman Rushdie stopped just short of a direct comparison between Bloomberg and the Ayatollah Khomeini. How Bloomberg can make any claim of respecting the First Amendment after destroying books, is beyond me, but he does it.
That’s sounds about right, Hipparchia. Money always outweighs everything else with local officials.
]]>But more directly to your topic… among many other feats, Archimedes designed the siege defenses against the Romans’ repeated attempts to lay siege to his home city of Syracuse. His machines never failed, but through human carelessness on a festival day (and maybe a bit too much mead?) the city was eventually breached and Archimedes was among those killed, in 212BC. Sometimes, perhaps always, you have more to fear from people than from technology!
]]>I worked my way through grad school assisting in libraries (when my course load as a TF was too light). The librarians taught me many things, but one thing that never came up, three decades ago when I was an assistant, was “What does one do when the FBI shows up with a National Security Letter… or worse yet, without one… demanding library users’ circulation histories delivered to them in absolute secrecy?”
But these days, being a librarian means being a practicing civil libertarian, at some risk to one’s own person. Do not think your strength is unappreciated!
]]>i figured they were waiting on some secret legal memo from the obama administration, absolving all cities of any blame [and the $$$$$$ consequences] for any police actions.
]]>Yup, they have now managed to piss off Librarians and the book publishing industry too. Today Publisher’s Weekly had an article about the People’s library and said they had arrested two librarians who were trying to protect the 5,000 books that were tossed into the dumpster. What next, light them on fire? Every day I feel more and more like I’m living in some dystopian science fiction novel.
]]>“Uncivilized hordes hate libraries, and always have.”
True. Though it’s more accurate to say that what they truly fear is anyone but them acquiring *knowledge*. “Knowledge is power” after all. π
“Fahrenheit 451” anyone? I sometimes wonder if Ray Bradbury was being prescient when he wrote that in ’53. perhaps he just understood the cyclic nature of history, and that it’s bound to repeat. π
]]>I was very well trained however, for most of my early life really. *shrug* Unfortunately (in this case anyway), intense training tends to stick. I had to learn to deal with it. The really crazy thing is, I had to learn a high level of self control during the 90’s after a couple of incidents when my body reacted (or over-reacted) to what were basically innocent attempts at *being funny*. One was when I was at a BBQ one evening, and my friend thought it would be amusing to see how I’d react when he snuc up behind me and pretended to strangle me. About a half second later, he was sailing through the air straight towards the fire pit. Luckily for him, my mind reacts almost as quick as my muscles, and at the last second before I released him, I managed to pull down enough so that he hit the ground before the fire. He was lucky, just a few bruises and a slight concussion. It’s truly not a wise idea to try practical jokes on me. They tend to backfire. Needless to say, I got few invitations out after that *Shrug* I’m better able to control that kind of thing now, but I still get the nerve’s firing and muscle twitches when I sense, see or hear something that might be a threat.
I learned to use so many different kinds of weapons, I honestly couldn’t say how many. I know almost all firearms, and what their spec’s are and pro’s & con’s of each. Heck, I even had to learn their history! For eg, I know that the Israeli Jericho handgun is actually a copy for the excellent Czech CZ-75 (which I carried for a time. It’s a very flexible, accurate and deadly handgun). In fact the Springfield P9 used by some US police forces is a copy of the CZ-75, but not as good and modded for a .40S&W 10-round mag, instead of the usual 9mm 15- round mag (or, I think it’s been upgraded to 16 now, was 15 when I had one). π
Part of my problem is that I still have several friends who still work in those circles, and sometimes they like to get a bit chatty with me. A friend at DSTO here delighted some years ago in telling me about a great new project for an advanced Aussie selective-fire weapon called AICW VX3, jointly designed with Metal Storm and Tenix Defence. Anything designed with those two companies is gonna be lethal as hell! It’s in service now in the SF here (with SAS etc), even though *officially*, it’s still only a “3rd generation technology demonstrator” My friend invited me over a couple years ago to *play* with the new toy, but I would have had to renew my clearance and travel interstate. A PITA that I decided wasn’t worth it.
Still, I have to admit that these days, occasionally… I do wonder if my decision to *cease and desists* was actually the correct choice. *shrug*
So, there ya go. I’m, *mostly*, harmless these days. π π
heh…
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