Chat

[pommystuart]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Polar vortex reversal.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/202 ... c_news_web

[espross]

I was reading an article in the NY Times on the collision

Steering a cargo ship beneath a bridge isn’t easy even when the engine is running. The captain can’t slow down too much because the ship needs a certain amount of speed to be steerable.

That reminded me of a recently seen comment about steerage way in one of our logs.

Clearly it is not a new problem:
STEERAGE-WAY. When a vessel has sufficient motion in the water to admit of the helm being effective.
From The Sailor's Word-Book - published in 1867

While we’re on the subject of semantics, under maritime law this encounter is an allision rather than a collision, as it involved a moving ship and a stationary one.

From Webster’s,

al·li·sion noun

Definition of ALLISION

1 obs : the action of dashing against or striking upon
2 : the running of one ship upon another ship that is stationary —distinguished from collision

Origin of ALLISION

LL allision-, allisio, fr. L allisus (past part. of allidere to strike against, fr. ad- + -lidere, fr. laedere to hurt) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at lesion

Generally the object struck (in this case the bridge) is not found to be at fault, but occasionally ship owners can prove in court that the object was at least partly at fault by impeding navigation. That is unlikely to come up in this case, but the liabilities for the shipowner’s insurers are enormous so you never know—

https://gcaptain.com/maritime-word-of-the-day-allision/

[pommystuart]

Nice one Eric.
Nice to see hear read about something I did not know , but not sure how long it will remain in the memory banks.

[Michael]

Ditto! For learning something and for forgetting it sooner than later.

[pommystuart]

Something I saw this time ago, it was a cruise ship had been built on the inland side of a big bridge.
The vessel had to lower its stack and go full speed to get the drag downpull which lowered the ships height just enough to get under the bridge.

Video of it passing under the bridge with 2 feet to spare.
https://youtu.be/kfgWWloOHY8

[Michael]

[arboggs]

Ooo thanks, Eric. Now I have a new word to play with!

[Randi]

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Kindness is always fashionable, and always welcome.
-Amelia Barr, novelist (29 Mar 1831-1919)

[pommystuart]

Ooo thanks, Eric. Now I have a new word to play with!

Don't hit anybody or object with that new word.

[espross]

Something I saw this time ago, it was a cruise ship had been built on the inland side of a big bridge.
The vessel had to lower its stack and go full speed to get the drag downpull which lowered the ships height just enough to get under the bridge.

Video of it passing under the bridge with 2 feet to spare.
https://youtu.be/kfgWWloOHY8

Wow. Running one's ship at full speed so that it squats low enough to fit under a bridge seems like a risk not worth taking.

But here's a similar effort I do approve of...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiv0fxFcV3I

Why not?

[Randi]

Phew!!!

[espross]

Ooo thanks, Eric. Now I have a new word to play with!

Don't hit anybody or object with that new word.

You're welcome! Kind of a fun one, right?

[pommystuart]

Easy when the bags are hanging out and I see them being pulled in BUT how did they get out in the first place?

[pommystuart]

From Readers Digest.

1. Believe nothing and trust no one this April Fools’ Day.
So it’s just like any other day.

2. How is April Fools’ Day like a huge open mic night?
Millions of people go out of their way to demonstrate how unfunny they are.

3. Why was the donkey annoying his friend?
It was April Mules’ Day.

4. Excuse me, sir. Do you think they named April Fools’ Day in your honor?

5. You should know that no one understood it was an April Fools’ joke.
No one expected you to have a sense of humor.

6. A and C were going to prank their friend … but they just letter B.

7. What is a prankster’s favorite toy?
Silly String!

8. What’s the April Fool’s lucky card in the deck?
The Joker.

9. April Fools’ Day is the favorite holiday of which animal?
The silly goose!

10. What do you call a realistic prankster?
A practical joker.

11. Which day is the worst to propose on?
April Fools’ Day.

12. A couple of pranksters broke into the local police station and stole all the lavatory equipment.
A spokesperson was quoted as saying, “We have absolutely nothing to go on.”

13. Who needs April Fools’ Day when your whole life is a joke?
April fools.

14. Who needs a day for the fools?
I’m surrounded by them all year.

15. I’m going to pull an April Fools’ Day prank on my landlord by not paying rent.
Just kidding—rent isn’t due today!

16. Why was everyone so tired on April 1?
Because they just finished a long 31-day March.

17. Babies born on March 31 are the easiest to prank on April Fools’ Day.
They were literally born yesterday!

18. Joke’s on you, April Fools’ Day.
I can be fooled any day of the year.

19. April Fools’ Day is a great day to pull pranks.
Except on me, if you’re smart.

20. What’s the biggest difference between Thanksgiving and April Fools’ Day?
On one you’re thankful, and on the other you’re prankful.

21. Why can April jump so high?
It’s spring!

22. How can you tell when April is happy?
It has a little spring in its step.

23. How did the skeleton know that April showers were on the way?
He could feel it in his bones.

24. What do you call a sunny day that follows two rainy April days?
Monday.

25. Why do eggs like April Fools’ Day?
They love practical yolks.

26. What monster plays the most April Fools’ jokes?
Prankenstein.

27. Did you hear about the guy who swapped the labels on the pumps at the gas station?
It was an April Fuels’ joke.

28. Which day of the year do monkeys like best?
The first of Ape-ril.

29. What’s a stepladder’s favorite holiday?
April Stools’ Day.

30. What did April Fools’ Day say after it won an award?
Prank you.

31. What’s one bone a prankster doesn’t want to break on April Fools’ Day?
The humerus.

32. What do you say when it’s raining chickens and ducks on April Fools’ Day?
It’s fowl spring weather.

33. What do you call a hammer bought on April 1?
An April tool.

34. When shouldn’t you plant spring flowers?
When you haven’t botany.

35. Why don’t eggs play April Fools’ pranks?
They might crack each other up.

[Randi]

[Morgan]

Stuart, you have outdone yourself!

[Maikel]

Warning Flat Earth believers: the Earth isn't flat.
But it's time to come clean: it isn't round either.
New ESA Earth Observation data reveals out planet is egg-shaped.

https://twitter.com/esa/status/1774680212753522751

[pommystuart]

Nice one Maikel.

[Randi]

Just reading a cheery article in the New York Times: One Satellite Signal Rules Modern Life. What if Someone Knocks It Out?

I thought people here would appreciate this countermeasure:

The U.S. Naval Academy resumed teaching sailors to navigate by the stars.

---

Which reminded me of:

I recall, from my time working on a military airfield many years ago, that a Canadian Argus long range patrol aircraft was well out over the Atlantic at night and she lost all her electronics. The navigator liked taking star shots for practice and was able to navigate back to their base in Greenwood Nova Scotia. Before that time the crew would mock him for doing things the old way when it wasn't really necessary, what with all the technology. After getting them back to base, they never mocked him again. In fact, other navigators were encouraged to brush up on those old skills. ;D

[Morgan]

As a kid, I remember seeing ECHO and TelStar passing by. We were out in the open prairie far enough away from Chicago lights to see them occasionally, though which was which would be hard to tell. There's a lot up there now!