Old Sailors' Almanac

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY

Week 51, 2019

Previous Week   December 16, 2019 - December 22, 2019  Next Week

Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon on December 22, 1942

Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon on December 22, 1942

Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon: On this day Adolf Hitler signed the order for mass production, when Albert Speer assumed final technical data would be ready by July 1943. However, many issues still remained to be solved even by the autumn of 1943.

The V-2 (German: Vergeltungswaffe 2, “Retribution Weapon 2”), technical name Aggregat 4 (A4), was the world's first long-range guided ballistic missile.

Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon on December 22, 1942

The missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine, was developed during the Second World War in Germany as a “vengeance weapon”, assigned to attack Allied cities as retaliation for the Allied bombings against German cities. The V-2 rocket also became the first man-made object to travel into space by crossing the Kármán line with the vertical launch of MW 18014 on June 20, 1944.

Research into military use of long-range rockets began when the studies of graduate student Wernher von Braun attracted the attention of the German Army. A series of prototypes culminated in the A-4, which went to war as the V-2. Beginning in September 1944, over 3,000 V-2s were launched by the German Wehrmacht against Allied targets, first London and later Antwerp and Liège. According to a 2011 BBC documentary,[6] the attacks from V-2s resulted in the deaths of an estimated 9,000 civilians and military personnel, and a further 12,000 forced laborers and concentration camp prisoners died as a result of their forced participation in the production of the weapons.

As Germany collapsed, teams from the Allied forces - the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union - raced to capture key German manufacturing sites and technology. Wernher von Braun and over 100 key V-2 personnel surrendered to the Americans. Eventually, many of the original V-2 team ended up working at the Redstone Arsenal. The U.S. also captured enough V-2 hardware to build approximately 80 of the missiles. The Soviets gained possession of the V-2 manufacturing facilities after the war, re-established V-2 production, and moved it to the Soviet Union.

Library Of Congress / Wikipedia / Encyclopedia Britannica / National Archives.gov / BBC / Engineering and Technology History (ETHW).org / Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum / History.com / Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon on December 22, 1942 (YouTube) video


A Jimmy Buffett Sailor's Christmas

The Old Salt’s Corner

Sailor's Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas a calm night at sea,

We nestled in our racks for a Holiday Routine.

When from the ventilation there came such a clatter,

We jumped from our bunks to see what's the matter.


When from the vent fell this big dust covered dude,

He was dressed up in red with a bad attitude.

Yelling, “Those ducts are all filthy!” as he brushed off his clothes,

“Don't just damn stand there, where's the DCPO?”


He arose from the deck, then he peered all around,

Then from his mouth came a bellowing sound.

”This berthing's a disgrace!” then he called us by name,

“Now Boatswain, Now Corpsman, please explain!”


This was not the Santa I remembered from youth,

He smelled of cheap whiskey, he was rough and uncouth.

”Now, look here you bastards” he said as he strolled,

“You'd best trice this place up, or you'll get nothing but coal!”


“You'll make this space pretty, military, and neat!”

Then he looked down at our boots that lay right near his feat.

”Well, what do we have here?” he said with a frown,

“Who the hell polished these? Recruit 'Buster brown'?!”


He walked around slowly, he missed not a mark.

He even spotted dust bunnies, right there in the dark!

”You've got high dust and low dust, and that overhead it needs cleaning!”

We all stood dumbfounded as his words kept on streaming.


“Which man here is senior!?” Then asked St Nick,

“You'd better shit me and answer…and SHIT ME ONE QUICK!”

The First Class stepped forward, his heart pounding hard,

“Now look right here shitbirds, this asshole's in charge!”


“These racks will be tight! This damn deck it will shine!

I don't want to hear bitching! I need not hear you whine!”

So we gathered our foxtales, our buckets, and swabs,

We all worked all in silence to finish the job.


It took almost an hour finish our space,

He just sat drinking coffee and stuffing his face.

Then on re-inspection he explained with a huff,

“Now this is more like it! Now you’re not so screwed up!”


We all stood there smiling, awaiting our gifts,

But Santa just snapped out “What's the matter dumb-shits!?”

“Get back to your racks! This will be my last warning!

Just like on shore, the gifts come in the morning!”


It seemed like eternity until reveille sounded,

We threw back our curtains as all our hearts pounded.

But what were our gifts? For what did we suffer?

A pallet of rags and a shiny new buffer!


Attached to our new buffer, we found a short note,

We all gathered 'round to see what he wrote.

“Next year at Christmas, best have all your shit wired!”


Signed:

Fair Winds

S.C. Clause

BMCM (Retired)

A Sailor's Christmas - Jimmy Buffett video


“I’m Just Sayin’”

“I’m Just Sayin”

“Don't forget that I cannot see myself;

that my role is limited to being the one who looks in the mirror.”

“There is small merit in mocking goodness,

tweaking charity;

it is much more comic to deprive people of their petty little existence

for no reason at all

for a lark.”

“There’s no reason to live,

but there’s no reason to die, either.

The only way we can still show our contempt for life is to accept it.

Life is not worth the bother of leaving it.

Out of charity, one might spare a few individuals the trouble of living, but what about oneself?

Despair, indifference, betrayal, fidelity, solitude, the family, freedom, weight, money, poverty, love, absence of love, syphilis, health, sleep, insomnia, desire, impotence, platitudes, art, honesty, dishonor, mediocrity, intelligence

- nothing there to make a fuss about.

We know only too well what those things are made of,

no point in watching for them.”

~ Jacques Rigaut


“Thought for the Day”

“Thought for the Day”

“The robbed that smiles,

steals something from the thief.”

“Love sought is good,

but giv’n unsought is better.”

“Our bodies are our gardens

o which our wills

are gardeners.”

~ William Shakespeare


“What I Have Learned”

“What I Learned”

“The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.”

“You’re never too important

to not be nice.”

“Don’t compare your life to others.

There’s no comparison

between the sun and the moon.

They shine when it’s their time.”

~ Anonymous


Second Hand News

Second Hand News (Links to Articles from Week 51 - December 16, 2019 - December 22, 2019)

Top News Stories - Photos (Washington Examiner) President Trump basked in the adulation of supporters in Michigan, assails impeachment-happy 'swamp' as House Democrats voted to impeach himFormer Obama doctor: Biden is 'not a healthy guy’Seventh 2020 Democratic primary debate - things to watch

House votes to impeach President Trump for obstruction of Congress and abuse of powerTrump slams impeachment as 'eternal mark of shame' on DemocratsHouse Rep. Matt Gaetz: Democrats disdain Trump supporters as 'smelly Walmart shoppers'

Uprising: 90% of Virginia counties become gun ‘sanctuaries,' expanding movement to nine statesMcConnell selling Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Senate as perfect platform for 2024 White House runAmazon, Netflix, and Starbucks paid $0 in 2018 federal income taxes Washington Examiner

Top News Stories - Photos (Daily Mail) 'Crazy Nancy Pelosi's House Democrats have branded themselves with an eternal mark of shame' Donald Trump unleashes at rally as he is impeached calling his trial a 'perversion' and telling his supporters to vote her 'the hell out of office'Donald Trump is IMPEACHED on TWO charges: Three Democrats defect as House votes 230 to 197 to charge him with 'abuse of power' and 229 to 198 with 'obstructing Congress''You view democracy as your enemy!' Trump sends six-page letter to Nancy Pelosi on eve of impeachment vote

Nancy Pelosi SILENCES cheering Democrats with a flick of her wrist after ordering them not to celebrate Trump's impeachment - but grinning Squad member Rashida Tliab can't hide her delight Donald Trump channels Uncle Sam with cryptic tweet to his fans saying the Democrats are 'after YOU' and he's 'just in the way' after becoming the third president to be impeached

Hunter Biden's baby mama Lunden Roberts accuses VP's son of refusing to come clean on his finances - as it's revealed his new wife is pregnant with his fifth childNine of the 20 richest counties in the US are in the Washington DC suburbs as the capital outstrips Silicon Valley in earning power

Federal Appeals Court delivers blow to Obamacare ruling 'individual mandate' that requires people have health insurance is 'unconstitutional'ACLU calls for tampons and other feminine hygiene products to be placed in MEN'S bathrooms to achieve 'menstrual equity' for transgender and non-binary individuals Daily Mail UK

How Much Weight Would Santa Gain From Eating Milk and Cookies?

Mr. Answer Man Please Tell Us: How Much Weight Would Santa Gain From Eating Milk and Cookies?

This is a simple question for the Factor Label Method. This method, also known as dimensional analysis or unit analysis, make problems a breeze. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in doing seemingly hard math problems like this one. Here’s how you use it:

1. Write your given “1 Santa Claus” - on the left side of your paper

2. Write your desired answer “pounds” - on the right side of your paper

3. Make a chain of units from left to right (no numbers required).

4. Fill in the numbers

5. Multiply by all the tops (numerators)

6. Divide by all the bottoms (denominators)

7. Clean up

In just 7 simple steps you’ve got an answer. Here’s my answer. (Note: I assumed a cookie has 200 calories and a glass of milk has 100 calories. Your results will vary based on the type of cookie. I also assumed around 2 billion houses.) Here’s my Factor Label Method:

How Much Weight Would Santa Gain From Eating Milk and Cookies

Answer: 400,000,000 pounds.

How Much Weight Would Santa Gain From Eating Milk and Cookies?

One of the best things about mathematics of this kind is that, by approximating in this way, you can see the magnitude of your answer. This answer is 400 million pounds, but it might be 300 or 500 million, depending on your assumptions.

But for the real world, the Factor Label Method is the next best thing to magic.

ForbesQuaraSpoon UniversityWikipediaHow Much Weight Would Santa Gain From Eating Milk and Cookies? (YouTube Search) video


NAVSPEAK aka U.S. Navy Slang - U.S. Navy

NAVSPEAK aka U.S. Navy Slang

Hot box: Ship's engines are lit off, but ship is not underway. Refers to the shape of a gas turbine module.

Hot Dog: A sexually active male sailor.

Hot Racking or Hot Bunking: Submariners share racks. When one goes off, the other takes his place (three men share two racks). In the aviation community, “hot racking” refers to an individual who has not taken a shower before retiring to his bunk, usually after working a 12-hour shift on the flight deck.

Hot Wash: An immediate after-action or exercise critique.

HR Puff and Stuff: A nickname given to Hospital Corpsmen who regularly appear for duty in a disheveled manner with their uniform in disarray. It is a combination of a rank (Hospital Recruit, the most junior Hospital Corpsman rank) and a name that connotes the obesity and stresses placed on the uniform of just such an overweight and careless sailor. Also used as an admonishment to junior Corpsmen and Dental Techs in order to motivate them to perform regular uniform maintenance.

HTC: Known as a Hull Tech Chief or slang for “Head Turd chaser” or “Home Town Civilian”, a term designated to any active-duty sailor about to retire.

HT Punch: A mythical tool newbies are asked to fetch from the engineering spaces. They usually return with a sore arm, courtesy of a Hull Technician who is in on the joke.

Hummer: Slang for the E-2C Hawkeye, mostly for the sound of its props. May also be used to describe a blowjob.

Humped the bunk: Screwed up. Also known as pounded the pooch or popped the puppie.

Wiktionary.org


Just for MARINES - The Few. The Proud.

Just for you MARINE

Hollywood Marine: Marine who has graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, stemming from rivalry between the two recruit depots (the other being Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island).

Homeslice: Person, often a sarcastic overture to civilians from a drill instructor; from the terms homie and homeboy.

Homesteading: Remaining at one duty station for an extended tour or consecutive tours.

Honcho or Head Honcho: Person in charge, from the Japanese word for “boss”, “hanchō”; also a nickname for Okinawan taxi drivers.

Hooch: Field living quarters. Also tied into the term Hooch maid, which referred to a woman in Vietnam who would clean the dwellings of soldiers, which were deemed “hooches”.

Hot-Shit : Sarcastic reference to an overly arrogant person..

Horse-cock Sandwich: Any sandwich or meal created using an unknown or mystery meat. Often, specifically, sliced balogna. Occasionally served as breakfast meat.

House Mouse: Recruit tasked with cleaning and performing domestic chores in drill instructor-only areas. See also DI hut.

Housewife: Girlfriend; also sewing kit.

HQMC: Headquarters Marine Corps.

HUA: (Hoo-ah - Not to be confused with OOOOO-RA!!) Heard, Understood and Acknowledged..

Hump: Carry or lift a load, originally an Australian term meaning “to carry one's swag”,; also a forced march carrying full equipment loads.

Hurry up and wait: Expression denoting inefficient time management or planning, often when a senior rushes a unit into a situation too fast that subsequently makes them wait. This can refer to the period between receiving a Warning Order and actually implementing an Operations Order.

Huss: To give a helping hand, so named because the H-34 Choctaw helicopter's utility configuration was designated as the “HUS-1 Seahorse”, leading to Vietnam-era Marines that needed a medical evacuation helicopter to ask for or to be “cut a huss”.

Wikipedia.org


Naval Aviation Squadron Nicknames

Naval Aviation Squadron Nicknames

HM-15 Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15 (HM-15) - nicknamed the “Blackhawks”

United States Navy - Naval Air Station - Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia: January 2, 1987 - Present.


Where Did That Saying Come From

Where Did That Saying Come From?

Where Did That Saying Come From? “The female of the species is more deadly than the male”

The female of the species is more deadly than the male:

 Meaning: Women are dangerous. The phrase implies that women are more dangerous than men, likening them to animal species in which the female is more powerful or aggressive than the male.

In many animal species, the female is poisonous and the male is not, and, by analogy, women are more dangerous than men.

History: A well-known line from Rudyard Kipling's poem The Female of the Species, 1911:

“When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,

He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.

But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.

For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.”

Phrases.org UK


Science & Technology

Science & Technology

Science & Technology

How wildfires trap carbon for centuries to millenniaScientists develop novel nano-vaccine for melanomaPower generation achieved by a self-assembled biofuel cellPhysicists measure how electrons in transition metals get redistributed within fraction of optical oscillation cycleLessons of conventional imaging let scientists see around cornersQuantum dots capture speciation in sandplain fynbos on the West Coast of South AfricaScientists create artificial catalysts inspired by living enzymes

Phys.org / MedicalXpress / TechXplore
Bizarre News (we couldn’t make up stuff this good – real news story)

Bizarre News (we couldn’t make up stuff this good - real news story)

Doctors Remove 526 Teeth from Boy's Cheek

Doctors Remove 526 Teeth from Boy's Cheek

Doctors removed 526 teeth from the right cheek of a 7-year-old boy in Chennai, India, according to a Times of India report. Doctors who performed the surgery suggested that radiation from mobile towers might have been the cause, but there's reason to be skeptical.

The extra teeth were growing in a sort of sack embedded in the boy's jawbone. They were all a half-inch or smaller (0.1 to 15 millimeters) in size, according to the Times, and had crowns, roots and enamel coatings, just like normal teeth.

The boy's parents first noticed something was wrong when that region of his cheek began to swell painfully, according to the Times. As the swelling got worse, they took him to a series of doctors but got no answer, until the physicians at Saveetha Dental College imaged the boy's face and found the tiny teeth. [10 Do's and Don'ts to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer]

Doctors Remove 526 Teeth from Boy's Cheek

The boy's condition is called a “compound composite odontoma”, according to the Times. A 2014 paper in the journal Case Reports in Dentistry described compound composite odontomas as relatively common, benign, slow-growing tumors that are usually detected in dental X-rays long before they cause any symptoms, and they are usually removed without incident.

The doctors cited in the Times of India story said this boy's case involved more embedded teeth than they were aware of in any other reports. However, the only lasting effect in this case should be some missing molars that can be artificially replaced as the boy gets older, the doctors said.

Those doctors cited genetics and radiation from cell towers as likely causes of the boy's symptoms. The American Cancer Society (ACS) says that while little research has focused on the health effects of cell towers, the structures are likely far too low energy to cause any significant uptick in radiation exposure. In addition, the ACS points out, the radio waves that come from cell towers have relatively huge wavelengths, up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) long — too wide to easily mess with the microstructures of cells. Shorter-wavelength forms of radiation, like ultraviolet rays from the sun, which are narrow enough to fit inside cells, pose a much more significant threat.

The 27 Oddest Medical Case Reports

5 Dangerous Vaccination Myths

7 Odd Things That Raise Your Risk of Cancer (and 1 That Doesn't)

Live Science (08/05/2019) video


Second Hand News

Second Hand News (Links to Articles from Week 51 - December 16, 2019 - December 22, 2019) - Part Deux

CORRUPTION CHRONICLES - Mainstream Media Scream: (Watch Dog On-Line Publications) CORRUPTION CHRONICLES: IG Report Shows Trump is a Crime Victim, Big Court Hearing on Clinton Emails

“Investigating the Investigators:” Verdict First, Evidence Never - Coup Cabal Abused Trump with Illegal Spying & NOW Impeachment

NewsWatch: Did Obama Appointed Ambassador Press Ukraine Prosecutor to NOT Investigate Biden and Hillary-Linked Soros Activities?

Trump Administration Picks Mexican Partnership Over Terrorist Designation to Fight Cartels Though Country’s Top Cop Was on Sinaloa Payroll

Billions for Social Justice College Courses; “Queer Arabs in the U.S”, “Power, Racism and Africana Liberation” Judicial Watch

Top News Stories - Photos (John Batchelor) The Horowitz report demonstrates that the Schiff memo "lied" in 2018. audio  

Any power can be abused. Even including Congress’s. audio  

Brexit defeats socialism in 2019 and points to the Republicans defeating socialism in 2020. audio  

The contracted smearing of Lokhova and Flynn, 2016-2017 audio   2 of 4 audio   3 of 4 audio   4 of 4 audio   John Batchelor (12/16/2019)

© CEASAR CHOPPY by cartoonist Marty Gavin - archives Ceasar Choppy's Navy! “© CEASAR CHOPPY” by Marty Gavin

SONG FACTS

“I Feel Fine” - The Beatles 1964

“I Feel Fine” - The Beatles
Album: Past Masters, Volume One
Released 1964 video

The first note of this song marked the first time feedback was used on a major release. It was created when John Lennon leaned his electric guitar against an amplifier and Paul McCartney played a note on his bass, creating a strangely appealing feedback loop. The band thought it sounded great, but in this pre-Hendrix era, feedback was considered a technical malfunction and not an artistic enhancement. Fortunately, their producer George Martin was always open to new ideas and agreed to insert it at the beginning of the song. “He'd let us experiment like nutty professors”, McCartney said of Martin.

An early Beatles track, “I Feel Fine” lyrically is a simple love song about a guy who is crazy about his girl. It's not Shakespeare, but it's effective:

She's so glad, she's telling all the world

That her baby buys her things, you know

He buys her diamond rings, you know

John Lennon wrote the majority of this song, which borrows from the “Watch Your Stepvideo by the American blues musician Bobby Parker.

In 2008, Parker told the Forgotten Hits newsletter:

“I've been in litigation for close to 55 years about some of this material that was stolen from me. They had 'Watch Your Step' on John Lennon's Jukebox and then that went out all over the country on PBS Television and people heard about it. John Lennon said how he had 'borrowed' that guitar part for HIS record, and pretty soon everybody knew about 'Watch Your Step.' I go over to England now and that's all they wanna hear, they don't even care about the new stuff I'm doin'. I'm out there playin' with Buddy Guy and Robert Gray, and they just wanna hear 'Watch Your Step' from John Lennon's Jukebox!”

The refrain is typical of Lennon's songwriting, with the three long notes: “I'm so glad”. The sudden explosive refrain in harmonies is similar to Giovanni Gabrieli's grand concerto “In ecclesiisvideo, an early baroque-music-piece.

There is a very faint sound at the end of the song that was rumored to be barking dogs. It's actually just McCartney goofing around.

The Beatles included this in their setlist when the toured the U.S. in August 1965. Prior to their famous Shea Stadium appearance on August 15 video, they taped a performance of this song and five others for an Ed Sullivan Show episode that aired September 12 video.

The group made two music videos for this song as part of a one-day shoot where they banged out takes for four others as well. These were not high-concept films: just the band having some fun while lip-synching the tracks. The first “I Feel Fine” video got pretty goofy, with Ringo riding a stationary bike. For the second, the band simply sits down and eats lunch. This later version wasn't released until 2015 when it was included on the 1+ collection video.

The Ventures incorporated the riff into their surf rock instrumental version of “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeervideo on their 1965 Christmas album.

In America, this knocked “Come See About Mevideo by The Supremes from the top spot. “I Feel Finevideo stayed for three weeks, at which point “Come See About Mevideo returned to bump it off.

The Beatles, official site (The Official Top 50 biggest selling Beatles singles revealed) / Rock & Roll Hall of Fame / Billboard / All Music / Song Facts / Ultimate Classic Rock / Wikipedia

Image: “Past Masters, Volume One (album)” by The Beatles


Trivia

Trivia

● If H. Ross Perot is ever elected President, he will undoubtedly be the richest man ever elected to this office. Who were the wealthiest people to become President adjusted for inflation?

Answer to Trivia

● Although it's the fifth largest state in area (over 120,000 square miles), it contains the least water of any state (233 square miles). Which state is this?

Answer to Trivia

● The color chartreuse is basically a combination of which two colors?

Answer to Trivia

● What science studies the structure and history of the earth?

Answer to Trivia


Jeopardy

A Test for People Who Know Everything

From the Jeopardy Archives Category - “IDIOMS AROUND THE WORLDS” ($200)

“If someone gets upset in France, this condiment “got up his nose” - Dijon, I expect.”

Answer for People Who Do Not Know Everything, or Want to Verify Their Answer France Travel Planner

From the Jeopardy Archives Category - “IDIOMS AROUND THE WORLDS” ($400)

“The Cheyenne ask, “are you still riding the goat?” to see if you are still on the outs with this person.”

Answer for People Who Do Not Know Everything, or Want to Verify Their Answer Cheyenne Language.org

From the Jeopardy Archives Category - “IDIOMS AROUND THE WORLDS” ($1,000)

“In Russia if you're kidding me, you're hanging noodles from my ears; we use this idiom related to a lower paired body part.”

Answer for People Who Do Not Know Everything, or Want to Verify Their Answer Phrases.org UK


Answer to Last Week's Test

From the Jeopardy Archives Category - “WEATHER IDIOMS” ($200)

“Stated otherwise, this metaphor might be “pouring down Manx & Affenpinschers”.”

● Answer: Raining cats and dogs. Library Of Congress

From the Jeopardy Archives Category - “WEATHER IDIOMS” ($400)

“Standing in the relative peace of the beach, you'd experience this idiom of impending turmoil.”

● Answer: The calm before the storm. Science How Stuff Works

From the Jeopardy Archives Category - “WEATHER IDIOMS” ($1,000)

“To take attention from another; it literally happened to a guy who came up with a stage audio effect.”

● Answer: To steal one's thunder. Phrases.org UK


Joke of the Day

Joke of the Day

“A Lady Comes Home From Her Doctor's Appointment”

Joke of the Day

A Lady Comes Home From Her Doctor's Appointment

A lady comes home from her doctor's appointment grinning from ear to ear.

Her husband asks, “Why are you so happy?”

The wife says, “The doctor told me that for a forty-five year old woman, I have the breasts of a eighteen year old.”

“Oh yeah?” quipped her husband, “What did he say about your forty-five year old ass?”

She said, “Your name never came up in the conversation.”