Isolated Blurt Thread

[cloudy]

Next tourney is two weeks from yesterday. Defending a title, so wish me luck.

 

[Stella_Omega]

There is the deepest, darkest cloud sitting on the L.A.Basin and it does not want to get up and go away.

Very unusual weather...

 

[_Lynn_]

I need a good luck charm. Or a magic wand.

 

[Mandy57]

I can explain it to you, I can't understand it for you.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I wonder what our planet's actual broadcast radius out into the universe actually is, for our various TV and radio signals.

 

[OzoneRed]

I wonder what our planet's actual broadcast radius out into the universe actually is, for our various TV and radio signals.

Radio and television signals travel at the speed of light: one light year per calendar year. So our broadcast radius, in light years, is equal to however many years we've been broadcasting. I'm too lazy to look that up.

A light year is about 6 trillion (6,000,000,000,000) miles.

 

[YoursSINSerely]

God! (Goddess!) What am I doing wrong?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Radio and television signals travel at the speed of light: one light year per calendar year. So our broadcast radius, in light years, is equal to however many years we've been broadcasting. I'm too lazy to look that up.

A light year is about 6 trillion (6,000,000,000,000) miles.

So there is no deterioration in signal strength over distance or time? None of the particles between here and there degrade it in any way? How about the effects of gravity and magnetism across the galaxy?

 

[SweetMaj]

Why do I even bother.

 

[OzoneRed]

So there is no deterioration in signal strength over distance or time? None of the particles between here and there degrade it in any way? How about the effects of gravity and magnetism across the galaxy?

Yes, the signal gets weaker with distance, and yes, interstellar dust will partially block the signal. Our detectable broadcast radius depends on the sensitivity of the detectors. One of the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) projects analyzed radio waves from space, looking for intelligent signals. Apparently, the scientists who ran the project thought that broadcasts were detectable over a pretty long distance. Wikipedia has some pretty good articles on SETI-related projects.

As I understand it, magnetism will have no effect on the signals. Star strength and black hole strength gravitational fields will bend signals in their immediate vicinity, but won't slow them down. The speed of light in a vacuum is a constant 186,000 miles per second.

I have to say that I've just about reached the limit of my knowlege on this topic. I'm neither an atomic physicist nor an astronomer. I'm just an ordinary guy who's read some Scientific American articles, and watched some Discovery Channel programs.

I suppose that if there are some relatively near-by intelligent aliens out there, they may have watched the same programs.

 

[Handley_Page]

I wonder what our planet's actual broadcast radius out into the universe actually is, for our various TV and radio signals.

So there is no deterioration in signal strength over distance or time? None of the particles between here and there degrade it in any way? How about the effects of gravity and magnetism across the galaxy?

Well now,
Are we talking detectable and decodable signals or just the existence of a signal in the Galactic mush? Yes, the signal will degrade proportional to the distance travelled. IT works in space the same way it works on Earth; the further away you are, the lower the received signal.

There's a satellite called Voyager still transmitting (just) and it is out well beyond Pluto last time I looked. It's transmitter is very low powered but we can detect (and, for the most part) decode its reports. It's been gone only 40 odd years, I think, but we have made better receivers to pick up the signals, which handles the degradation of signal due to distance.

So the answer to your question is "Something in excess of 40 light years" [as far as we know so far]..

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Well now,
Are we talking detectable and decodable signals or just the existence of a signal in the Galactic mush? Yes, the signal will degrade proportional to the distance travelled. IT works in space the same way it works on Earth; the further away you are, the lower the received signal.

There's a satellite called Voyager still transmitting (just) and it is out well beyond Pluto last time I looked. It's transmitter is very low powered but we can detect (and, for the most part) decode its reports. It's been gone only 40 odd years, I think, but we have made better receivers to pick up the signals, which handles the degradation of signal due to distance.

So the answer to your question is "Something in excess of 40 light years" [as far as we know so far]..

That makes it sound like Voyager is traveling at light speed (which it isn't).

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Today is the eight year anniversary of when I started learning shaolin kung fu.

Tomorrow is my nephew's eight birthday.

What a weird night that was...

 

[mynameisben]

I suppose that if there are some relatively near-by intelligent aliens out there, they may have watched the same programs.

Or, those same aliens may have watched Jersey Shore and concluded there is no intelligent life on Earth.

 

[maggot420]

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish he’d go away...

When I came home last night at three
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall
I couldn’t see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door...

Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
Oh, how I wish he’d go away

~H.Mearns

 

[maggot420]

That makes it sound like Voyager is traveling at light speed (which it isn't).

Voyager is not travelling at the speed of light but its radio transmissions are.

 

[TxRad]

Which is faster, the speed of light or the speed of dark when you turn out the light?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Which is faster, the speed of light or the speed of dark when you turn out the light?

Dark takes a second to engulf a room because of all of the light reflecting off of everything until it is completely absorbed.

__

What makes people think driving 10 mph under the speed limit is acceptable?

 

[oggbashan]

Tea catastrophe

Today we went to a supermarket some distance away specifically to buy a particular brand of tea bags that my wife likes, and has been using for over 10 years. We last bought some from that supermarket in late June or early July.

There were no packs on the shelf, no gaps where they should be, no shelf edge label and when we asked the staff it isn't on the store's computer stock list.

I've just searched the net. The factory that produced the tea bags burned down in 2005. Our purchase a couple of months ago was from the stock produced before the fire.

Now I've got to try to find any old stock in other supermarkets in the chain because no one else has stocked it since 2001, and my wife has got to find another brand to like.

Tea times will be fraught for the next few weeks.

Og

PS. I drink instant coffee.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Yesterday was my eight year anniversary of starting kung fu, and today I feel like I did after that first day...

 

[trysail]

The only airplane that was ever built around a gun:



http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=i19QF7Efayi8

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=i6awa2tWqRls


The A-10 Thunderbolt II has excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and is an highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. The aircraft can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000-foot ceilings (303.3 meters) with 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometers) visibility. The wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.

The Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems, or NVIS, goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. The pilots are protected by titanium armor that also protects parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than did previous aircraft.

The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.

The Thunderbolt II can be serviced and operated from bases with limited facilities near battle areas. Many of the aircraft's parts are interchangeable left and right, including the engines, main landing gear and vertical stabilizers.

Avionics equipment includes multi-band communications; Global Positioning System and inertial navigations systems; infrared and electronic countermeasures against air-to-air and air-to-surface threats. And, it has a Pave Penny laser spot tracker system; a heads-up display to display flight and weapons delivery information; and a low altitude safety and targeting enhancement system, which provides constantly computed impact and release points for accurate ordnance delivery. There is also a low-altitude autopilot and a ground collision avoidance system.

The A-10 is currently undergoing the precision engagement modification, which adds upgraded cockpit displays, moving map, hands on throttle and stick, digital stores management, LITENING and Sniper advanced targeting pod integration, situational awareness data link or SADL, variable message format, or VMF, GPS-guided weapons, and upgraded DC power. Precision engagement modified aircraft are designated as the A-10C.

The Thunderbolt II can employ a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general purpose bombs, cluster bomb units, laser guided bombs, joint direct attack munitions or JDAM), wind corrected munitions dispenser or WCMD, AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, rockets, illumination flares, and the GAU-8/A 30mm cannon, capable of firing 3,900 rounds per minute to defeat a wide variety of targets including tanks.

Background
The first production A-10A was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., in October 1975. It was designed specially for the close air support mission and had the ability to combine large military loads, long loiter and wide combat radius, which proved to be vital assets to the United States and its allies during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Noble Anvil.

The upgraded A-10C reached initial operation capability in September 2007. Specifically designed for close air support, its combination of large and varied ordnance load, long loiter time, accurate weapons delivery, austere field capability, and survivability has proven invaluable to the United States and its allies. The aircraft has participated in operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch, Provide Comfort, Desert Fox, Noble Anvil, Deny Flight, Deliberate Guard, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

General Characteristics
Primary Function: A-10 -- close air support, A-10C - airborne forward air control
Contractor: Fairchild Republic Co.
Power Plant: Two General Electric TF34-GE-100 turbofans
Thrust: 9,065 pounds each engine
Wingspan: 57 feet, 6 inches (17.42 meters)
Length: 53 feet, 4 inches (16.16 meters)
Height: 14 feet, 8 inches (4.42 meters)
Weight: 29,000 pounds (13,154 kilograms)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 51,000 pounds (22,950 kilograms)
Fuel Capacity: 11,000 pounds (7,257 kilograms)
Payload: 16,000 pounds (7,257 kilograms)
Speed: 420 miles per hour (Mach 0.56)
Range: 800 miles (695 nautical miles)
Ceiling: 45,000 feet (13,636 meters)
Armament: One 30 mm GAU-8/A seven-barrel Gatling gun; up to 16,000 pounds (7,200 kilograms) of mixed ordnance on eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations, including 500 pound (225 kilograms) Mk-82 and 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms) Mk-84 series low/high drag bombs, incendiary cluster bombs, combined effects munitions, mine dispensing munitions, AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided/electro-optically guided bombs; infrared countermeasure flares; electronic countermeasure chaff; jammer pods; 2.75-inch (6.99 centimeters) rockets; illumination flares and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.
Crew: One
Unit Cost: Not available
Initial operating capability: A-10A, 1977; A-10C, 2007
Inventory: Active force, A-10, 143 and A-10C, 70; Reserve, A-10, 46 and OA-10, 6; ANG, A-10, 84 and OA-10, 18

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/web_020925-F-9999s-0033.jpg


http://www.af.mil/information/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=70


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f5/GAU-8_meets_VW_Type_1.jpg/800px-GAU-8_meets_VW_Type_1.jpg
​

 

[oggbashan]

Golf Club Dress Code

Today I went to a reunion of my wife's family at a golf club near a relation's home.

We had booked a carvery lunch for 18 people.

We caused consternation when we arrived because not all of the men were wearing socks. It was an incredibly hot day for early October in England so some of us, not me, were wearing sandals or trainers without socks, and some of us had not tucked our shirts into our trousers/shorts.

This is against the club's rules for their dining room. Shoes and socks are required, and shirts must be worn inside trousers. They had only recently relaxed the dress code. A couple of months ago jackets and ties were required.

The head barman was worried that the club members would be upset by our unconventional appearance. He didn't have the authority to change the rules or relax them but the manager was due shortly and the head barman would consult him.

When the manager arrived, he too couldn't relax the rules but he spoke to the Golf Club's Secretary, who agreed that as some of us had come a considerable distance from not just within the UK but from other countries in Europe, that as long as we were discreet about going to the dining room, he would deal with any complaints from the membership.

One of the family, a former club member who had never had a meal in the club's dining room so was unaware of the previous and current dress code, made a point of finding the Club Secretary to personally thank him for the concession. Unfortunately he was one of the most casually dressed men (although he had bought a pair of socks from the club's shop) but his thanks were gratefully accepted.

There is NO dress code for women. Anything goes...

Afterwards, when we had left the clubhouse, the former club member admitted that he had been startled by the rules. He owns a large chain of restaurants and has never tried to insist on dress standards for his customers.

Although some of us had inadvertently broken the rules, the club secretary's sensible decision made our faux pas less than the disaster it could have been.

PS. We also broke another rule. We used mobile phones to acquire socks from relations en route to the venue. Mobile phones are not allowed to be used anywhere in the club's grounds.

What century does the club live in?

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

We caused consternation when we arrived because not all of the men were wearing socks. It was an incredibly hot day for early October in England so some of us, not me, were wearing sandals or trainers without socks, and some of us had not tucked our shirts into our trousers/shorts.

This is against the club's rules for their dining room.

Being sockless is against the rules? I don't think I've ever encountered that!

I was recently at a rehearsal dinner at a swanky restaurant, and about half the men wore loafers with no socks. It's astounding to me that they would have been barred, given the rest of their apparel.

Then again, they were all from L.A., and they were kind of assholes. Perhaps your club is on to something....

There is NO dress code for women. Anything goes...

I've benefited from this many times, especially in high school, when the dress code for girls was much, much looser than it was for boys.

That said, it annoys the hell out of me. Ever notice that while male symphony members are usually dressed in tuxes, many of the women look like they donned a cheap, black cotton dress for the evening?

 

[TheeGoatPig]

One month away from going to Vegas

 

[maggot420]

Being sockless is against the rules? I don't think I've ever encountered that!

I was recently at a rehearsal dinner at a swanky restaurant, and about half the men wore loafers with no socks. It's astounding to me that they would have been barred, given the rest of their apparel.

Then again, they were all from L.A., and they were kind of assholes. Perhaps your club is on to something....



I've benefited from this many times, especially in high school, when the dress code for girls was much, much looser than it was for boys.

That said, it annoys the hell out of me. Ever notice that while male symphony members are usually dressed in tuxes, many of the women look like they donned a cheap, black cotton dress for the evening?

I love those black cotton dresses. Well, to be honest its the girl playing the violin in the dress that does it for me.
Although i must admit to being easy to please :d