Random musings…

As a former navigator, I have always been intrigued by the Antikythera mechanism, first found in 1905.  There is a ‘new’ update on the findings and modeling that is definitely worth watching, although it’s 30 minutes long. It is HERE.  And it looks like it comes down to prime numbers! Simply amazing leap in the research, thanks to the new x-rays and 3D imaging.

 And the cancel culture strikes again! Rather than accepting that not everyone can be number one, a prof at Georgetown Law has been kicked to the curb for this on a PRIVATE Zoom call…

“I hate to say this — I end up having this, you know, angst every semester — that a lot of my lower ones are Blacks. Happens almost every semester,” Sellers says.

“Mmm hmm,” Batson says and nods.

“And it’s like, oh, come on,” Sellers continues. “Get some really good ones, but there are also usually some that are just plain at the bottom. It drives me crazy.”

“Yeah,” Batson says as Sellers shakes her head.

“So, I feel bad,” Sellers adds.

Full article HERE and HERE.

In the hypocrisy anyone category, NOW it appears Pelosi et al. want to jump in and overturn an election…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she believes there is a possibility that duly elected Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), can be unseated by Congress. 

Full article, HERE.

Then there is the continuing hostage situation in the capital… The fence is still up, and I’m beginning to think the National Guard troops are now the hostages… sigh

The Department of Defense is reportedly considering issuing involuntary activation orders to keep National Guard troops stationed at the U.S. Capitol.

The deliberation on a mandatory activation of reservists comes just one day after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he will be extending the National Guard troop’s time stationed at the U.S. Capitol until May 28, following a request from Capitol Police.

Full article, HERE.

Anybody want to bet ‘which’ states will get involuntary activation orders???

My guess is the first two will be Texas and Florida.

And in the ‘aren’t they nice’ category, the Dutch are now going to allow 451 containers of shelf stable product to get to commissaries in Europe (these include baby food, formula, canned meats, and other things)

BUT they are trying to enforce an old agreement dating back years to pressure the new administration.

The restrictions applying to dry food products with any animal-derived ingredient mean that suppliers have to go back and document the origin of the animal. For example, if there is a seafood component in the dry food product, the supplier has to document the waters that the fish swam in and the fishing boat that caught the fish. The origin of the milk in baby formula must be documented.

Full article, HERE.

Comments

Random musings… — 14 Comments

  1. In France, restaurants have to have the entire chain of the life of a product and they have to keep those records for three years. It go right back to the farm where something was grown or an animal raised. When you buy groceries they have to post the country of origin of the product. And if you go to the open air markets, they have to post the grade of the vegetables. I like these rules as I have seen a lot of crap looking stuff being sold in the US. I don’t want to buy frozen crawfish from China but it’s hard to tell where it came from.

  2. A mathematician is trying to prove that all odd numbers are prime. “1 is prime, he says, 1+2=3, which is prime, 3+2=5 which is prime, 5+2=7, which is prime, therefore by induction for any prime number N, N+2 is also prime.

    A physicist chimes in. “I have proved this experimentally. 1 is prime, 3 is prime, 5 is prime, 7 is prime, 9 experimental error, 11 is prime, 13 is prime…

    An engineer then leans over and says “no, no, no. You are making it too complicated. 1 is prime, 3 is prime, 5 is prime, 7 is prime, 9 is prime…”

  3. Gerry- Damn good question…

    PE- France is one of the few that does that. Italy doesn’t or didn’t as late as 2015.

    Hereso- LOL

  4. Great video on the Antikythera mechanism. I can see how they applied the primes as simple math working the elliptical orbit into working epicycles for calculation. Very elaborate circular slide rule, great for open-sea celestial navigation.

    Made me think, though, about the origin city for the mechanism, how many were made, and the fate of the others. If you build one, you can certainly build spare gears, blocks, plates, etc. Pushes a lot of things farther back than might be considered.

    • Mankind continues to astound me in its ability to achieve in even rough circumstances.

      Unlike the Ancient Astronaut idiots, that think the V2 and any other rocket advances have to be based on alien tech. Even though all the advances are very well documented and all based on incremental steps verified by much testing. Oh, the theory was sound and ‘proven’ mathematical back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, but actual application and understanding? That’s all skull and body sweat. No aliens involved. Jerks.

      Seriously, Man in its finest can achieve wonders beyond our dreams. And even beyond our understanding today.

    • “If you build one, you can certainly build spare gears, blocks, plates, etc. Pushes a lot of things farther back than might be considered.”

      Not so fast, there.
      With machine tools, and especially precision measuring instruments, replicating parts should be a no-brainer. However, when parts are essentially hand made/formed, duplicating them becomes a laborious endeavor. Without tooling and measuring, duplication of that system would be just as expensive as the first one.

      Frankly, anyone capable of designing and fabricating that system is probably able to make a clock. That is about 95% of a really high end clockwork action.

  5. Wouldn’t surprise me to find that the inventor went down with that ship. Maybe taking it to “court” to show a patron, or find a buyer. It strikes me that a rich person/group had to be supporting him while he was making this assembly. That is not something that could be whipped out in a long weekend.

  6. I think this is the first surviving Mechanism found, not the only one made. Watching the video I was struck by the amount of documentation found on the front and back covers that helped guide the latest attempt at reproduction. If one person build and operated the system they would know what all the markings meant.

    I think the Mechanism was built in quantity but was kept as a secret way to predict the future. Brass and bronze were valuable metals so broken Mechanisms would have been recycled as scrap over time.

  7. Will- I didn’t think about that, but definitely possible.

    Phil- Thanks!

    Rick- That is also a good point.

  8. Saying the Antikythera was “first found in 1905″ would lead one to believe it has been ” found” more than once……

  9. On the Antikythera device:
    You KNOW that they made more than one of these.
    I just can’t wait until one day they find another one, in better shape.