Drop speed... or terminal velocity

"The terminal velocity of this skydiver is about 200 Km/h (124 mph)".

          - Neil Ardley, in "Dictionary of Science", Dorling Kindersley

Life by the drop

Regarding yesterday's article, it made me realise I'm in a constant crisis situation. And, opposed to that idea, there are people who live life by the drop. Actually, this reminds me of a beautiful acoustic song (where he uses a slide, not a bottleneck):

"Hello there, my old friend,
not so long ago it was 'till the end
We played outside in the pouring rain,
on our way up the road we started over again

You're livin' a dream, wo you on top
My mind is achin', Lord it won't stop
That's how it happens, livin' life by the drop

Up and down that road in our worn out shoes,
talkin' 'bout good things and signin' the blues
You went your way, I stayed behind
We both knew it was just a matter of time

You're livin' a dream, wo you on top
My mind is achin', Lord it won't stop
That's how it happens, livin' life by the drop

No wasted time, we're alive today
Churnin' up the past, there's no easier way
Time's been between us, a means to an end
God it's good to be here walkin' together my friend

You're livin' a dream, wo you on top
My mind is achin', Lord it won't stop
That's how it happens, livin' life by the drop
That's how it happens, livin' life by the drop
That's how it happens, livin' life by the drop"

          by Stevie Ray Vaughan in "Life By The Drop"

This song is from Vaughan's 1991 postomous recording, "The Sky Is Crying" (Epic Records, EK-47390).


Stevie Ray Vaughan (1954~1990)

Halftime = Half Time ?!

I disagree with the term midlife crisis.
But I do agree there are times (more than once in a lifetime) when we want grasp/reach things that are completely new to us.

And maybe that makes us feel unsatisfied with our present life. That's not a crisis, quite au contraire.

In any case, find more: www.halftime.org.

Half full

Place a glass on a flat surface and pour half a glass of water into it. Now, sit back and look at it. Just relax and observe it. Now for that age old question. Is the glass half full or half empty?

Think about it. The ideas behind this question is that someone with a positive attitude will see the glass as half full, while someone that has a negative view of life will see it as half empty. Which one is right? As we will see, they are both wrong!

It is best to do this part of the experiment outside or in the bathtub, as you will probably spill some water. (What fun would it be if you didn't splash a bit?) Fill the bucket about 3/4 full of water. (Is it 3/4 full or 1/4 empty?) Put one of the glasses into the bucket and allow it to fill with water. Once it is filled, turn it upside down. Both the optimist and the pessimist would have to agree that the glass is now full of water.

Take the second glass and hold it upside down, above the surface of the water. Lower it into the water, keeping it upside down. Push it down under the surface of the water. If you did this carefully, there should not be any water in the glass. That means that it is empty, right? No! If it was empty, the water would move in to fill the glass. Something is in the glass, taking up the space. What is it? Air, of course. If you tip the glass to the side, some of the air will spill out and bubble up to the surface. You can even catch these bubbles in the other glass, letting you pour the air from one glass to the other.

Let half of the air spill out of the glass and then look at it carefully. Is the glass half full or half empty? Neither, right? It is half full of water and half full of air. That means that the glass is always full, which to me sounds like a much more positive outlook, although it is better to have it full of .....oh, say....a chocolate milk shake. I am positive that I would like that.

          in a "Discovery Center Museum" article [...]

Half empty

A well-known proverb states: an optimistic would say a glass is half full, while a pessimist would say it is half empty. What would people of different professions and walks of life say?

The government would say that the glass is fuller than if the opposition party were in power.

The opposition would say that it is irrelevant because the present administration has changed the way such volume statistics are collected.

The philosopher would say that, if the glass was in the forest and no one was there to see it, would it be half anything?

The economist would say that, in real terms, the glass is 25% fuller than at the same time last year.

The banker would say that the glass has just under 50% of its net worth in liquid assets.

The psychiatrist would ask, "What did your mother say about the glass?"

The physicist would say that the volume of this cylinder is divided into two equal parts; one a colorless, odorless liquid, the other a colorless, odorless gas. Thus the cylinder is neither full nor empty. Rather, each half of the cylinder is full, one with a gas, one with a liquid.

The seasoned drinker would say that the glass doesn't have enough ice in it.

And I...
I'd say the glass is 100% full.
To be prooven. Tomorrow.

Happy Birthdate !

Happy birthdate !...

1913 Vido Musso [sax/clarinet, Benny Goodman]
1917 Sandy Block [jazz bassist]
1934 Bob Bogle [guitar, The Ventures]
1942 William Francis [keyboards, Dr. Hook]
1942 Barbara Lynn [US singer]
1942 Raymond Philips [keyboards, Nashville Teens]
1944 Jim Stafford [musician]
1946 Ronnie Milsap [blind US singer]
1959 Sade aka Helen Folasade [singer]
1960 Mark C. Deren [DJ, Mark From Holland]
1962 Paul Webb [bass, Talk Talk]
1965 Maxine Jones [singer, En Vogue]
1970 Brendan O'Hare [Teenage Fanclub]
1976 Stuart Fletcher [Seahorses]
1979 Aaliyah [R&B vocals/actress]
1981 Nick Valensi [guitar, Strokes]

And to everyone born on this day.
No exceptions.

Happy Birthday, War !!!

On January 15th, 1991... the Gulf War started. But did you know the US had war games in California Mohave desert in February 1990, almost a year before the military coalition attacked Iraq?

But that's another story.
Today, I'll have some light shed on the 1991 "Desert Storm". Or so I think...

"On August 2nd, 1990, Iraqi military forces, on orders from President Saddam Hussein, invaded and occupied the small country of Kuwait. The Persian Gulf War of 1991 (from January 16th to February 28th) was fought to expel Iraq and restore Kuwaiti independence.

The war introduced several technologically advanced weapon systems. As well, the United States forged a broad-based international coalition that confronted Iraq militarily strategy.

The military coalition consisted of: Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Honduras, Italy, Kuwait, Morocco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Korea, Spain, Syria Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

The war also was financed by countries that were unable to send in troops. More than $53 billion were pledged and received. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were the largest donors. Switzerland also contributed to the allies, this after being neutral during both World War I and World War II.

The attack on Kuwait by Iraq caused the United Nations Security Council to pass several resolution to close Iraq from International trade. The Security Council wanted President Saddam Hussein removed his troops from Kuwait and to distroy nonconventional weapons. Read about two of the most importaint ones: Resolution 660, first resolution after the attack, and 678, to use all necessary means to free Kuwait".

It is said that over 10,000 Iraqi soldiers were killed on their retreat with their white flags held high. But that's another story.

More than a decade later, this still was the (perfect) excuse for a country to invade another regardless of a United Nations resolution. This happened after the country opened its borders to international observers that were looking for mass destruction weapons. Not found then (as reported by Hans Blix, the UN chief weapons inspector). Still unfound today, during/after the subsequent invasion.

What are the consequences ?!
Who paid for them ?!

Let me add some facts:
1) the crude oil price (US$/bbl) in 1990 was around $23.75 (considering the infation, something like today's $34) but the actual price is a little over $62, which means that we're paying $28 (some 90% more that we should) in speculation;
2) in the USA, the president requested a budget of $4,110,000,000 for the Department of Homeland Security (some 7% more than last year and over 100% more than in the mid nineties); for example, suitcases must travel unlocked in airplanes, even after they're inspected inside the airport (the basic passenger right of privacy is being denied here, or am I wrong?);
3) in 2004, the US presidential administration intended to seek about $70,000,000,000 in emergency funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2005, pushing total war costs close to $225,000,000,000 since the invasion of Iraq in early 2003. Adding the cost of Afghanistan from 2001 to the invasion of Iraq, and it's over $300,000,000,000. Notice how the White House always neatly omits that year and a half in Afghanistan to keep the "sound byte totals" down. Of this $300 Billion, so far, the largest share has gone to US corporations (military, security), one way or the other, with the second chunk going to our troops (who should be first) and the smallest chunk to reconstructions and populations.

All is left to say is: Happy Birthday, War !!!
You have really made an impact on our lives. All of our lives, regardless of geographic position, skin colour, gender or creed.

Don't confuse my words with the truth. This is merely my interpretation and a collection of facts.

Visit www.whodies.com, www.the7thfire.com, www.thenausea.com, www.reopen911.org and more you can find online for other opinions and photos.

Oooops... I failed on writting only about "Desert Storm". Maybe everything's connected or maybe I'm just keen on conspiracies. But weren't the 1991 and 2006 preseidents related in some way ?!... Or am I dillusional in any way ?

Blame it on my mind.
Always wandering.