I really don't like the twice yearly ritual of changing clocks. It is totally irrational.
Daylight Saving Time doesn't. We have exactly the same amount of daylight today one way or the other. Here is a link to my earlier post suggesting we go back to the system before railroads - every place has its own local time based on the sundial.
Computers can handle that.
Another approach to Oriental Standard Time has already been implemented by some local citizens - abolish clocks and wrist watches.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Election Problems In Other States
North Carolina has completed early voting. In Pamlico County, we expect a few more absentee votes between now and election day. So far, 4,382 Pamlico County voters have cast ballots. That number constitutes about 46.35% of our registered voters.
No one can know how many more will vote next Tuesday. If the last presidential election is any guide, there should be at least 2,500 additional votes cast. Maybe more.
Rain is forecast for Tuesday.
But that rain will be nothing compared to the challenges facing voters and election officials in New York and New Jersey. Where will people vote? How will they get there?
New Jersey officials have decided to allow electronic voting.
In the meantime, some voters are planning to sue the Ohio Secretary of State for allegedly installing experimental software between county vote tabulation equipment and the state tabulators.
In North Carolina there is a little carping about a handful of voting machines out of calibration. In Pamlico County, we have never had a voting machine lose calibration during an election.
At election time, I'm happy to be here.
No one can know how many more will vote next Tuesday. If the last presidential election is any guide, there should be at least 2,500 additional votes cast. Maybe more.
Rain is forecast for Tuesday.
But that rain will be nothing compared to the challenges facing voters and election officials in New York and New Jersey. Where will people vote? How will they get there?
New Jersey officials have decided to allow electronic voting.
In the meantime, some voters are planning to sue the Ohio Secretary of State for allegedly installing experimental software between county vote tabulation equipment and the state tabulators.
In North Carolina there is a little carping about a handful of voting machines out of calibration. In Pamlico County, we have never had a voting machine lose calibration during an election.
At election time, I'm happy to be here.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Next Tuesday's Election In Oriental
In case you hadn't heard, next Tuesday is a presidential election. Many voters in Pamlico County have already cast their votes, perhaps as many as half of all likely voters. We won't know until all the ballots are in.
Holding an election involves a lot of people. Not only the voters but also the most politically active and dedicated members of the community. About 50 poll workers. Anywhere from 40 to 80 poll observers inside the polling places to observe the proceedings. Perhaps ten more "runners," to pick up lists of voters at each polling place at 10:00, 2:00 and 4:00. Citizens giving other citizens rides to the polls. Each party will staff its headquarters to analyze turnout and encourage those who have not yet voted to do so. There may be another 100 party representatives greeting voters outside the buffer zone, offering information about their party's candidates. There will be representatives of candidates and candidates themselves among the greeters.
In short, perhaps 200 to 300 of the county's most dedicated citizens may be involved in election activities. Many will not leave the polling places until after the votes are counted, perhaps 8:00 pm, perhaps later. And it is likely to be after 9:00 before the county's final vote total is available at the court house.
A high percentage of these dedicated citizens, including two members of the County Board of Elections, reside in Oriental and continue to follow town affairs.
The Oriental Town Board of Commissioners apparently seem oblivious to the schedule. Once again, they decided to have the November town board meeting Tuesday evening while the election is still going on.
I didn't succeed in getting the November meeting moved when I was on the Town Board, but I still see no reason not to reschedule meetings instead of holding them election night.
It's a shame we can't seem to get that done.
Holding an election involves a lot of people. Not only the voters but also the most politically active and dedicated members of the community. About 50 poll workers. Anywhere from 40 to 80 poll observers inside the polling places to observe the proceedings. Perhaps ten more "runners," to pick up lists of voters at each polling place at 10:00, 2:00 and 4:00. Citizens giving other citizens rides to the polls. Each party will staff its headquarters to analyze turnout and encourage those who have not yet voted to do so. There may be another 100 party representatives greeting voters outside the buffer zone, offering information about their party's candidates. There will be representatives of candidates and candidates themselves among the greeters.
In short, perhaps 200 to 300 of the county's most dedicated citizens may be involved in election activities. Many will not leave the polling places until after the votes are counted, perhaps 8:00 pm, perhaps later. And it is likely to be after 9:00 before the county's final vote total is available at the court house.
A high percentage of these dedicated citizens, including two members of the County Board of Elections, reside in Oriental and continue to follow town affairs.
The Oriental Town Board of Commissioners apparently seem oblivious to the schedule. Once again, they decided to have the November town board meeting Tuesday evening while the election is still going on.
I didn't succeed in getting the November meeting moved when I was on the Town Board, but I still see no reason not to reschedule meetings instead of holding them election night.
It's a shame we can't seem to get that done.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The Greatest Generation?
Tom Brokaw called the generation who lived through the depression and fought World War II "the greatest generation."
I wish he hadn't.
They accomplished amazing things, but they weren't the greatest.
The greatest generation were their leaders. Born in the 19th Century, inspired by the Civil War Generation but determined to do better, forged on the anvil of World War I. Admirals Leahy, Nimitz, King, Halsey, Kimmel (who might have been great); Generals Vandegrift (USMC), Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley, MacArthur,Hap Arnold, Doolittle. This was the generation who completed the design of the profession of arms that was set in motion by the likes of Mahan.
Equally important were the civilian leaders who matured in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by America's move out into the world after the Civil War. They found it perfectly natural that America should be involved in China, Russia, Europe, and Latin America. They were schooled for it and accustomed to it. Men like Roosevelt, Hull, Knox, Stimson and others.
But wars rightfully belong not to those who plan them and lead them, the strategists, but to the GI's. The grunts. The sailors, soldiers and young officers who led them into battle, often with little idea of the aim of their effort beyond the next hill, the next ship or plane encountered, or the target in their periscope.
They are the ones who have to make it work.
Both groups are essential, but the generals and admirals can plan in perpetuity. If the soldiers and sailors can't make it happen, it won't.
My look at World War II has concentrated on the naval war in the Pacific. Surface warships are what I know best. But I am also fascinated by the inter service cooperation throughout the war. Cooperation between Navy and Marine Corps is not surprising. Marines have been proud to call themselves "soldiers of the sea," and they belong to the Department of the Navy.
But we forget how closely the Navy and Army cooperated during the war. Not only in the Doolittle raid. The Army was involved in Guadalcanal. The services worked together to invade Normandy. Army aircraft flew from Navy aircraft carriers from as early as May, 1941 to the end of the war. Army aviators used the Norden bombsight, designed by and for the Navy. The Navy flew B-24's and other planes designed for the Army. In the Southwest Pacific, Army pilots attacked ships with Navy torpedoes fitted to their B-26's. The Navy evacuated MacArthur from Corregidor.
This was cooperation, not competition. OK, there might have been a bit of friendly competition. Like the Army-Navy game. But when there was a job to do, they did it together.
Sailors know some things civilians don't grasp. They know they are all in this together. If a ship sinks, everyone goes down with it. Even if one survives, he has lost shipmates, his home, and the ship itself, which is more than just a floating steel box. It is, for as long as sailors are aboard, the center of their lives and the core of the most intense experience they will ever have. A shared experience.
Each sailor depends on his shipmates for his very survival. If the electrician's mate doesn't keep up the batteries in the battle lanterns, men won't be able to find their way when battle damage destroys the electrical distribution system and the lights go out.
If the Water King (usually a first class petty officer) lets boiler water chemistry get out of tolerance, a boiler tube might fail, killing shipmates operating the boiler. It could slow the ship and bring it under attack. If the radar operator isn't vigilant, an enemy ship or plane might attack without warning.
It isn't about rugged individualism. It is about working together.
And none of it is for profit.
I wish he hadn't.
They accomplished amazing things, but they weren't the greatest.
The greatest generation were their leaders. Born in the 19th Century, inspired by the Civil War Generation but determined to do better, forged on the anvil of World War I. Admirals Leahy, Nimitz, King, Halsey, Kimmel (who might have been great); Generals Vandegrift (USMC), Marshall, Eisenhower, Bradley, MacArthur,Hap Arnold, Doolittle. This was the generation who completed the design of the profession of arms that was set in motion by the likes of Mahan.
Equally important were the civilian leaders who matured in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, influenced by America's move out into the world after the Civil War. They found it perfectly natural that America should be involved in China, Russia, Europe, and Latin America. They were schooled for it and accustomed to it. Men like Roosevelt, Hull, Knox, Stimson and others.
But wars rightfully belong not to those who plan them and lead them, the strategists, but to the GI's. The grunts. The sailors, soldiers and young officers who led them into battle, often with little idea of the aim of their effort beyond the next hill, the next ship or plane encountered, or the target in their periscope.
They are the ones who have to make it work.
Both groups are essential, but the generals and admirals can plan in perpetuity. If the soldiers and sailors can't make it happen, it won't.
My look at World War II has concentrated on the naval war in the Pacific. Surface warships are what I know best. But I am also fascinated by the inter service cooperation throughout the war. Cooperation between Navy and Marine Corps is not surprising. Marines have been proud to call themselves "soldiers of the sea," and they belong to the Department of the Navy.
But we forget how closely the Navy and Army cooperated during the war. Not only in the Doolittle raid. The Army was involved in Guadalcanal. The services worked together to invade Normandy. Army aircraft flew from Navy aircraft carriers from as early as May, 1941 to the end of the war. Army aviators used the Norden bombsight, designed by and for the Navy. The Navy flew B-24's and other planes designed for the Army. In the Southwest Pacific, Army pilots attacked ships with Navy torpedoes fitted to their B-26's. The Navy evacuated MacArthur from Corregidor.
This was cooperation, not competition. OK, there might have been a bit of friendly competition. Like the Army-Navy game. But when there was a job to do, they did it together.
Sailors know some things civilians don't grasp. They know they are all in this together. If a ship sinks, everyone goes down with it. Even if one survives, he has lost shipmates, his home, and the ship itself, which is more than just a floating steel box. It is, for as long as sailors are aboard, the center of their lives and the core of the most intense experience they will ever have. A shared experience.
Each sailor depends on his shipmates for his very survival. If the electrician's mate doesn't keep up the batteries in the battle lanterns, men won't be able to find their way when battle damage destroys the electrical distribution system and the lights go out.
If the Water King (usually a first class petty officer) lets boiler water chemistry get out of tolerance, a boiler tube might fail, killing shipmates operating the boiler. It could slow the ship and bring it under attack. If the radar operator isn't vigilant, an enemy ship or plane might attack without warning.
It isn't about rugged individualism. It is about working together.
And none of it is for profit.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Loss of USS Hornet (CV-8) October 26 1942
I have been reading as many accounts of Hornet's sinking as I can find.
I keep wondering exactly why the ship was abandoned. Her sister ship, Yorktown, was lost at the Battle of Midway because of progressive flooding and loss of electrical power to drive the dewatering pumps. Yorktown reached a maximum list of 24 degrees before the decision to abandon ship the day after the battle at Midway. But Captain Buckmaster intended to put a salvage crew back aboard the following day.
I also learned from reading Yorktown's loss report that loss of electrical power was apparently due to the ship's electricians setting up the electrical switchboards in parallel. This meant that when torpedo damage destroyed the forward switchboard and killed the electricians in that space, the after switchboard shorted out whenever the emergency diesel generator tried to come on line. That's why electrical power was lost.
Long experience with damaged capital ships, going back to the bombing experiments promoted by Army Air Corps General Billy Mitchell, made it plain that slow progressive flooding was survivable with a crew aboard well trained and equipped for damage control.
To abandon ship prematurely was a death sentence (for the ship).
But I can find no evidence that Hornet had progressive flooding, even after the second Japanese air attack. The damage report here suggests the ship was on the verge of getting her steam propulsion plant back into operation.The ship's list never exceeded 14 degrees.
After the ship was abandoned, US destroyers tried to sink the ship with more than 500 rounds of 5-inch ammunition and with torpedoes without success.
The empty, blazing vessel was finally left adrift. Japanese navy ships attempted to take Hornet under tow and finally sank her with two large Japanese Long Lance torpedoes.
I also wonder why USS Enterprise, still in the vicinity and able to operate aircraft despite damage, didn't do a better job of protecting Hornet against Japanese air attacks.
It's hard to be certain that a better outcome was possible. I suspect so, but second-guessing officers who were there at the time is a hazardous undertaking. Still, I don't see why the ship was abandoned.
The accounts all say that when the ship's list reached 14 degrees, Captain Mason "knew the ship was doomed." How did he know? Did the Damage Control Assistant make an inaccurate calculation of reserve stability?
I keep wondering exactly why the ship was abandoned. Her sister ship, Yorktown, was lost at the Battle of Midway because of progressive flooding and loss of electrical power to drive the dewatering pumps. Yorktown reached a maximum list of 24 degrees before the decision to abandon ship the day after the battle at Midway. But Captain Buckmaster intended to put a salvage crew back aboard the following day.
I also learned from reading Yorktown's loss report that loss of electrical power was apparently due to the ship's electricians setting up the electrical switchboards in parallel. This meant that when torpedo damage destroyed the forward switchboard and killed the electricians in that space, the after switchboard shorted out whenever the emergency diesel generator tried to come on line. That's why electrical power was lost.
Long experience with damaged capital ships, going back to the bombing experiments promoted by Army Air Corps General Billy Mitchell, made it plain that slow progressive flooding was survivable with a crew aboard well trained and equipped for damage control.
To abandon ship prematurely was a death sentence (for the ship).
But I can find no evidence that Hornet had progressive flooding, even after the second Japanese air attack. The damage report here suggests the ship was on the verge of getting her steam propulsion plant back into operation.The ship's list never exceeded 14 degrees.
After the ship was abandoned, US destroyers tried to sink the ship with more than 500 rounds of 5-inch ammunition and with torpedoes without success.
The empty, blazing vessel was finally left adrift. Japanese navy ships attempted to take Hornet under tow and finally sank her with two large Japanese Long Lance torpedoes.
I also wonder why USS Enterprise, still in the vicinity and able to operate aircraft despite damage, didn't do a better job of protecting Hornet against Japanese air attacks.
It's hard to be certain that a better outcome was possible. I suspect so, but second-guessing officers who were there at the time is a hazardous undertaking. Still, I don't see why the ship was abandoned.
The accounts all say that when the ship's list reached 14 degrees, Captain Mason "knew the ship was doomed." How did he know? Did the Damage Control Assistant make an inaccurate calculation of reserve stability?
Naval Communications
A century ago, the US Navy was just beginning to use radio communications. Otherwise, ships could communicate with each other only within line of sight.
But signalling by Morse code was slow. Radio propagation might be intermittent due to weather, sun spots, Northern Lights, ionosphere changes and other poorly-understood phenomena.
A result of the slow speed and unreliability of high frequency (also known to civilians as short wave) naval communications was to impose controls over message length. Officers drafted naval messages as though they were paying for the transmissions out of their own pocket. Not just by the word, but by the letter.
Administrative communications were usually sent by mail, even though delays were frequent. If the matter was urgent, it might go by radio, but using a terse, telegraphic style. The task was not unlike that facing users of twitter.
Officers would often receive message orders to transfer from one duty station to another. A transfer message might say something like: "RELDET PROPORICH USS NEVERSAIL(BB-99) ARREPCODU." Translation: "when relieved, detached. Proceed to the port in which USS Neversail (BB-99) may be located. On arrival, report to the commanding officer for duty."
Another approach was to use prowords - brief words combining several words into one. My favorite was "UNODIR." As in: "UNODIR USS NEVERSAIL INTENDS PROCEED HONG KONG LIBERTY." Translation: "unless otherwise directed, USS Neversail intends...." This required skillful timing. If sent too soon the Commodore might reply directing otherwise. Sent too late (for example, if Neversail is already entering Hong Kong) might bring down the wrath of the gods.
The modern day of satellite communications has doubtless removed some of a commanding officer's former flexibility.
But signalling by Morse code was slow. Radio propagation might be intermittent due to weather, sun spots, Northern Lights, ionosphere changes and other poorly-understood phenomena.
A result of the slow speed and unreliability of high frequency (also known to civilians as short wave) naval communications was to impose controls over message length. Officers drafted naval messages as though they were paying for the transmissions out of their own pocket. Not just by the word, but by the letter.
Administrative communications were usually sent by mail, even though delays were frequent. If the matter was urgent, it might go by radio, but using a terse, telegraphic style. The task was not unlike that facing users of twitter.
Officers would often receive message orders to transfer from one duty station to another. A transfer message might say something like: "RELDET PROPORICH USS NEVERSAIL(BB-99) ARREPCODU." Translation: "when relieved, detached. Proceed to the port in which USS Neversail (BB-99) may be located. On arrival, report to the commanding officer for duty."
Another approach was to use prowords - brief words combining several words into one. My favorite was "UNODIR." As in: "UNODIR USS NEVERSAIL INTENDS PROCEED HONG KONG LIBERTY." Translation: "unless otherwise directed, USS Neversail intends...." This required skillful timing. If sent too soon the Commodore might reply directing otherwise. Sent too late (for example, if Neversail is already entering Hong Kong) might bring down the wrath of the gods.
The modern day of satellite communications has doubtless removed some of a commanding officer's former flexibility.
Problems With Education
One of my problems well into my eighth decade is that I have lived for more than a third of the nation's history. For most of that time I was paying attention.
When engineers test materials or products, they have two kinds of tests: destructive tests and non-destructive tests. I have believed for a long time that our national obsession with testing has led to widespread use of destructive tests on our children.
A letter posted on Diane Ravitch's blog lends support to my view. The problem is not created by teachers, but by an unholy combination of politicians, school administrators and charlatans in the testing industry (not to mention the industrial-education complex).
I'll have more to say about this after the election.
In the meantime, I reflect on the fact that I never heard a word about supposed failures of the school system until school integration began to actually happen. Is there a connection? You can bet on it.
When engineers test materials or products, they have two kinds of tests: destructive tests and non-destructive tests. I have believed for a long time that our national obsession with testing has led to widespread use of destructive tests on our children.
A letter posted on Diane Ravitch's blog lends support to my view. The problem is not created by teachers, but by an unholy combination of politicians, school administrators and charlatans in the testing industry (not to mention the industrial-education complex).
I'll have more to say about this after the election.
In the meantime, I reflect on the fact that I never heard a word about supposed failures of the school system until school integration began to actually happen. Is there a connection? You can bet on it.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Pamlico County Election Summary
Pamlico County voters cast 249 early votes today.
Earlier in the day, the Pamlico County Board of Elections met to review absentee ballots returned to date, accepting 99 as valid. Taken together with the previous total of 2,908 votes cast, as of October 30, Pamlico County has cast 3,258 votes, or 34.45% of the county's registered voters. Four more days of early voting remain before next Tuesday's election.
In another action, the County Board voted two to one in favor of adding four hours to next Saturday's early voting period. State law requires that the vote be unanimous, therefore it did not pass. Therefore early voting will end Saturday, November 3 at 1:00 pm.
In other election news, state officials decry extremely aggressive and hostile electioneering at some locations:
RALEIGH -- North Carolina voters are facing some obstacles as they cast their ballots from voter intimidation to election misinformation. Election officials said enough is enough.
“Some of it is mischievous,” said Gary Bartlett, NC State Board of Elections executive director. “Some of it is just mean-spiritedness.”
Bartlett said he is seeing more problems during this year's early voting cycle than he has seen in his previous 20 years in elections.
“There have been fights that have broken out and there have been arrests made,” said Bartlett.
In fact, Bartlett sent a letter to all county board of election directors this week, warning them of problems he has seen throughout the state.
“There is really nothing we can do as staff,” says Wake County Board of Elections Deputy Director Gary Sims, “because if it is within that 50 foot we can stop it. But outside that 50 foot all we can do is make sure that we have an obstructed way for the voters to get to the polls.”
Voting site locations aren't the only concerns. Letters were sent out to targeted voters throughout the state from two outside groups.
The letter asks: What if your neighbors knew whether or not you voted?
In some cases, News 14 Carolina viewers said it showed they did not vote in the last election, when they actually had, and they said this tactic alarmed them.
For its part, one of the groups sending the letters, Americans for Limited Government, sent News 14 Carolina a statement saying: "...Using publicly available information, we have been able to identify voters who have a tendency to vote but for whatever reason have failed to do so at the most critical moments. We unapologetically urge these voters to exercise their right to vote, a goal which we are confident everyone applauds."
But election officials said voters from around the state are upset that these letters are circulating.
“We do know that it has upset a lot of people and there has not been anything positive said about that,” said Bartlett.
Early voting continues through Saturday. Election day is Nov. 6.
Earlier in the day, the Pamlico County Board of Elections met to review absentee ballots returned to date, accepting 99 as valid. Taken together with the previous total of 2,908 votes cast, as of October 30, Pamlico County has cast 3,258 votes, or 34.45% of the county's registered voters. Four more days of early voting remain before next Tuesday's election.
In another action, the County Board voted two to one in favor of adding four hours to next Saturday's early voting period. State law requires that the vote be unanimous, therefore it did not pass. Therefore early voting will end Saturday, November 3 at 1:00 pm.
In other election news, state officials decry extremely aggressive and hostile electioneering at some locations:
RALEIGH -- North Carolina voters are facing some obstacles as they cast their ballots from voter intimidation to election misinformation. Election officials said enough is enough.
“Some of it is mischievous,” said Gary Bartlett, NC State Board of Elections executive director. “Some of it is just mean-spiritedness.”
Bartlett said he is seeing more problems during this year's early voting cycle than he has seen in his previous 20 years in elections.
“There have been fights that have broken out and there have been arrests made,” said Bartlett.
In fact, Bartlett sent a letter to all county board of election directors this week, warning them of problems he has seen throughout the state.
“There is really nothing we can do as staff,” says Wake County Board of Elections Deputy Director Gary Sims, “because if it is within that 50 foot we can stop it. But outside that 50 foot all we can do is make sure that we have an obstructed way for the voters to get to the polls.”
Voting site locations aren't the only concerns. Letters were sent out to targeted voters throughout the state from two outside groups.
The letter asks: What if your neighbors knew whether or not you voted?
In some cases, News 14 Carolina viewers said it showed they did not vote in the last election, when they actually had, and they said this tactic alarmed them.
For its part, one of the groups sending the letters, Americans for Limited Government, sent News 14 Carolina a statement saying: "...Using publicly available information, we have been able to identify voters who have a tendency to vote but for whatever reason have failed to do so at the most critical moments. We unapologetically urge these voters to exercise their right to vote, a goal which we are confident everyone applauds."
But election officials said voters from around the state are upset that these letters are circulating.
“We do know that it has upset a lot of people and there has not been anything positive said about that,” said Bartlett.
Early voting continues through Saturday. Election day is Nov. 6.
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