Rain rain

[altivo]

We had planned to go out for dinner and shopping, but the gloomy cold rain at sunset put us both off and we stayed in. Watched Ken Burns' documentary on the Shakers, which I'm sure I'd seen before on PBS but Gary didn't remember it. Certainly a fascinating but melancholy story, and missing 25 more years of history since it was made in 1984 and featured interviews with three surviving Shaker women.

We decided that we want to see his Brooklyn Bridge documentary, and Lewis and Clark. Looking at those on Netflix I also added Thomas Jefferson and the one on the history of broadcast radio. Not for all at once though.

Weather sounds unpleasant for the entire weekend. I should stay in and weave, and maybe cook soup or something like that. We shall see. Gas prices are rising so fast that I'm inclined to drive nowhere that isn't essential. I'm worried about the effect on the prices of groceries though, not to mention hay if this continues.

Comments

[avon_deer.livejournal.com]

With you on the gas prices. They are now so high here, that I heard overheard neighbour openly wondering if it's worth him driving to work. This is now a very serious situation; if it's making a median earner (such as me) itch, how badly is it hurting those with less wealth, like my neighbour? And there are a fair few people like him in the UK.

[altivo]

Right. Even though the price of fuel is lower here than in UK or EU, the situation is ultimately more serious because most of the US has no alternative transportation structure at all. The oil cartel has us by the throat and balls and there is very little that can be done about it. Food prices are already rising at an alarming rate, driven by transportation costs.

The signs are obvious that government doesn't care, either. I don't know how much news reaches you about the struggles in Wisconsin against a Republican government and legislature determined to gut labor and trade unions of their bargaining rights, but it's a dismal situation. As I understand federal law, the Wisconsin governor has violated it and is trying to bypass it, but no federal action is being taken at all. This will only be remedied through court action that is likely to take years. Meanwhile, the suffering increases among the majority of US citizens who are not hyper-wealthy.

New York analyst Howard Davidowitz said this week that there is really no "economic recovery" at all. What is being trumpeted as a recovery is actually just the continued increase in wealth of some 20% of the population at the expense of the other 80%. The bankers, stock brokers, and corporate magnates hold all the power now over government, justice, and economy, and are simply continuing with their business as usual policies.

It seems to me that the 20th century was a brief aberration. The world economy and social structure is returning to wanton capitalism and laissez faire greed, the horrible structure that has held sway for centuries.

[avon_deer.livejournal.com]

That is what worries me also. However I think I am more disappointed in how such a regression is being applauded, rather than met with derision.

[altivo]

The "applause" is partly a canned laugh track. It was created by media manipulation and the spewing of distorted emotional junk that has acted as a red herring to keep people from seeing the real truth of the situation.

In the US, the Bush administration developed this to a fine art and their supporters bought control of media outlets to help promote it. You've heard of Fox News, of course. The only reason the Republicans lost control in 2008 is the fact that they overstepped in their greed and triggered an economic collapse. None of them were hurt financially, but they lost enough face that even an empty shell like Obama could push them out with promises of reform.

As has been pointed out repeatedly of late, though, voters tend to vote emotions rather than serious consideration. They voted for Obama but when he tried to do precisely what he promised they suddenly got scared. He was actually changing a few things. Nowhere near as much as he had promised, but some of it. They were stricken with panic, fueled by those right wing controlled manipulators, and the backlash brought Republicans back into control. Now we see the consequences.

Wisconsin voters elected a Republican legislature and a union-busting governor. Now those officials have set out to do just what they promised to do: break the backs of the working class and take away what ability they have to defend themselves against the predations of the wealthy. You VOTED for this, Wisconsin. You really did. Now you'd better get off your fat asses, turn off Fox News, and do something about it before the banks own you completely. It's coming, you asked for it, and it's going to take hard work to stop it now.

A poll this week shows that 68% of Wisconsin voters disapprove of Walker's actions. At least half of those voters must have voted for him, unless the vote counting machinery in the state is utterly corrupt and dishonest.

It's quite possible that Republicans have once again overstepped themselves on this, and that national response to the abuses in Wisconsin and those being pushed in Congress will once again turn them out of office, but I have little hope of that. Voters here have the memory of jelly. By 2012 they will have forgotten this whole thing, even if Walker succeeds and other states follow his example.

Meanwhile it doesn't look to me as if the UK is in any better shape. Cameron is off the deep right end, the Lib Dems have completely sold out their principles and become his pet dogs, and a ridiculous farce of a royal wedding is being used to keep the public distracted from the destructive actions of the government.

[hrrunka]

I hope the weather's improving. Gloomy wet weekends are no fun.

This afternoon I've been watching the APRS track of iHAB 3, a balloon launched from Ottumwa earlier today. I'm wondering, given its apparently rather slow ascent and relatively rapid eastward motion, what its chances of landing in Lake Michigan are...

[hrrunka]

Hmmm... At present this view gives a slightly better historical track, as the balloon's been in the air for several hours. At the moment it's over Belvidere, and looks as if it's wondering whether to follow I90 to Chicago or to head across country to Marengo and Woodstock... ;)

[altivo]

Coincidentally, just as I read your comment and popped up the track, the balloon is passing very near here. In fact, it's perhaps five miles due south of me right this minute.

Look for the village of Union on the map. Due north of it is an east-west route marked "176" in white ovals (state highway) and between the two ovals is a yellow county road that goes due north, then takes an abrupt jog to the east before continuing north in a more meandering way. At that first jog, about halfway to where it turns north again, is where our little farm is located. (You may have to order the information balloon from Google to go away, as it covers this up.)

[hrrunka]

I mentioned it at least in part because I recognised a few names you've mentioned, and figured it wasn't that far from you. ;)

At present the balloon's descending rapidly. Presumably its chute will start having an effect soon, and then it'll drift on the wind for a bit, but it looks as if it might land on terra firma rather than in the lake... maybe.

[altivo]

Yes, I see the rapid descent. For a while it was really sailing at speeds of more than 100 mph and 30000 feet up, but it's headed in near Johnsburg I think.

[hrrunka]

Yep. It turned South as it got close to ground, and seems to have ended up somewhere between Johnsburg and McHenry. Still half a chance it ended up in water, though...

[altivo]

Given the state of everything here today, I'd give better than half a chance that it landed at least in a puddle. There are lots of lakes over that way, and smaller ponds, but most of what's there is muddy farm fields. I presume someone will make an attempt at recovery, and they'll probably succeed.

[hrrunka]

Seems it landed conveniently near someone's front door, as marked on this aerial photo. I presume that means it was recovered successfully.

[altivo]

Or was run over by some spoiled suburban brat with a tricycle. ;p

Hopefully the position report was accurate and it didn't go into one of the numerous swimming pools shown in that image.

[hrrunka]

There's a bit more detail on the flight's website now. Photographs there show the payload hanging in a tree, and being recovered. Also some suburban brats. ;)

[altivo]

Those kids are somewhat older than what I was picturing. I keep hoping to see them post a textual summary, though. The diagrams and stuff are interesting but I'm only guessing at what they mean.

I did notice once you tipped me off to watch the track that the balloon was at quite a high altitude, over 78000 feet. Then it started to drop pretty rapidly. I assume that the helium began to leak, perhaps due to the balloon's skin developing a rupture at that altitude.

They seem to have accomplished nearly twice the distance originally anticipated, though. All in all, pretty impressive.

[hrrunka]

One of the balloon crew reported (in #highaltitude on FreeNode):

"iHAB-3 was a floater, staying aloft for 6 Hours - 26min, reaching a burst altitide of 79,102ft and traveling 234 miles down range. We received signal reports of the 20 metre beacon from accross the United States and Canada. Many operators from Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin had the opportuinity to make contacts via the VHF simplex repeater."

It's arguable whether they actually got the balloon to float (as that usually implies it stays at a more or less constant altitude for a while) but they did manage to get it to rise very slowly. There was quite a bit of anxiety during the flight about whether it'd come down in Lake Michigan, and much relief when it didn't.

Eventually balloons burst, usually when they can expand no further in the thinning atmosphere, though sun and cold have some influence too, especially on longer flights. Other balloon flights I've monitored have burst between 75 and 110 thousand feet up, so this was on the low side of average, height-wise, but was also aloft rather longer than average. Once the balloon bursts the payload tends to fall very rapidly until the air gets thick enough for the 'chute to slow it down.

The chase crew were at the landing spot about twenty minutes after the balloon landed, and apparently the six kids got a finder's reward of ten bucks each... ;)