Friday, October 20, 2006

my Chronicles from the Sprawl (18/n) - Lost in Translation

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I saw this billboard in the L'Enfant Plaza metro station, in Washington. A few dictionaries and encyclopedias latter I haven't figure out yet the meaning of the word "score" in this context.

Satellite Photo:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=38.88390,-77.024964&ie=UTF8&om=0&t=k&z=17&ll=38.883901,-77.024964&spn=0.004126,0.013475



(

a photo of the Lincoln Memorial - and link to the Satellite Photo - is here:

http://lasers-in-the-jungle.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-chronicles-from-sprawl-15n.html

)

UPDATE:

"A group of twenty units is often referred to as a score"

cf. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20_(number)

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Victoria Opportunity

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I bet the "Opportunity" will be around between 6 and 12 months

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

A question of kilotons (kt)

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As can be seen from the pictures is very difficult to confirm with seismological data explosions below 2 kt even with close seismic stations. Seismology easily estimate the magnitude of the explosion/earthquake, but not its nature. Morever good results could take a couple of weeks to publish.

Keep in mind that North Korea has an tradition of announcing achievements nobody else managed to see.

(see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwangmy%C5%8Fngs%C5%8Fng )

I believe that a small robotic plane, charged with chemical detectors, lunched by the US from S. Korea or from the sea will be able to detect nuclear explosions with less then ONE kt (even if underground).

Saying that I must add that, in my opinion

(a) any exposition below 2 kt (some will say 10kt) is probably a failure because large quantities of chemical explosives (in the range of 10 - 20 t) are typically used in crude devices to detonate the plutonium in the 2kt - 20kt range, except if highly sophisticated technology is available to detonate small amounts of plutonium with small amounts of explosives.

(b) using chemical explosives to simulate a SMALL nuclear explosion is insane, costly and dangerous (but possible). We are speaking of 1-2 kt of conventional explosives that could be coupled with a plutonium device, just in case it works or not, keeping always below seismic decrimination (i.e. 1 - 2kt)

(c) China in between a rock and a hard place. If it supports Pyongyang, as it usually does, Taiwan will have a REALLY nuclear bomb in less then 2 years (Japan, South Korea and the Republic of China could develop a fission bomb in less then 6 months, including lunching capacity).

(d) In 2 weeks those matters would be much more clear.

more links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_weapon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_North_Korean_nuclear_test

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea_and_weapons_of_mass_destruction

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_North_Korean_nuclear_test

Saturday, September 30, 2006

Victory!

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Don't be fooled by the picture, the crater, known as "Victoria Crater" is approximately 750 meters wide (about 7 football fields) and 70 meters (the height of a 20 stories building) deep.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Friday, September 22, 2006

my Chronicles from the Sprawl (16/n) - Watergate I & II

The Watergate Complex is linked to at least two very known presidential scandals.

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Photo 1: The "Watergate Hotel" (Watergate complex).

Photo 2: 700 New Hampshire (Watergate complex). In the background, the "Kennedy Center for Performing Arts".

Satellite Photos:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=38.89955,-77.05548&ie=UTF8&z=19&ll=38.89955,-77.05548&spn=0.001031,0.003369&t=k&om=0

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=38.893972,-77.036605&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=0&z=19&ll=38.898097,-77.054753&spn=0.001031,0.003369&iwloc=A

Link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Lewinsky

Saturday, September 16, 2006

my Chronicles from the Sprawl (13/n) - Washington DC in Science Fiction I

Film: The Day The Earth Stood Still (aka Klaatu barada nikto)

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Photo 1: The Ellipse as seen from the top of the Washington Monument (the White House is near the center of the picture).

Photo 2: The Ellipse in a frame from the film.

Satellite Photo:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=38.893972,-77.036605&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=38.893972,-77.036605&spn=0.004125,0.013475&t=k&om=0

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

my Chronicles from the Sprawl (10/n) - Smithsonian II

National Museum of Natural History (Washington, DC)

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Photo 1: Dinosaurs

Photo 2: Washington Smithsonian Museums - as seen from the top of the Monument.

Satellite Photo:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=38.891171,-77.025871&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=0&z=17&ll=38.891175,-77.025876&spn=0.00415,0.013475

Saturday, September 09, 2006

my Chronicles from the Sprawl (8/n) - Nine Eleven

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Ground zero through a protective wire mesh laid in place, probably, by the reconstruction workers.

(advanced topic for signal processing: lookout for Nyquist's - De Moivre's - patterns at different magnifications).

Satellite photo:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40+42+41.32+N+74+00+43.92+W&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=40.711478,-74.0122&spn=0.004042,0.013475&t=k&om=1

Thursday, September 07, 2006

my Chronicles from the Sprawl (7/n) - Imagine

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Photo 1: Strawberry Fields Memorial

Photo 2: Dakota Building (entrance)

Imagine
John Lennon

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

Satellite photos:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40.77573,-73.97526&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&z=17&ll=40.775732,-73.97526&spn=0.004038,0.013475

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=40.77637,-73.97665&ie=UTF8&z=17&ll=40.776374,-73.976655&spn=0.004038,0.013475&t=k&om=1

also of interest:

http://www.centralparknyc.org/virtualpark/southend/strawberryfields


[ In July to October, 2006, I plan a series of posts celebrating the 20th anniversary of the William Gibson "Sprawl Trilogy". This is one of such posts. To find the other posts just search for the link near the upper right corner of any page of this blog. Click HERE for more details ]