DISASTER

 AARRRGH, blather, Gah.  15 Responses »
Aug 082010
 

I just got a call from the techs: they were only able to recover a portion of the data from the hard drive before it failed utterly. I asked about what transferred over… turns out that what I needed most (basically the bulk of my aerospace research) DID NOT get transferred before the end.

The only option left is to take it to some sort of specialist to see if they can recover the data; I gather this is a task that can cost THOUSANDS.

fffuuu.jpg

OK, so there’s not a whole lot that I can do here. i basically have two options:”

1) Abandon all hope of data recovery for the damaged drive. Try to rebuild the database from DVD backups… which I was not nearly diligent enough with. Lots and lots of data will be simply lost. I will have to spend a *lot* of time digging through various sources to try to recover a boatload of reports and whatnot.

2) Take the drive to a data recovery service, which means a trip to Salt Lake City and probably a vast sum of money in order to get full recovery (if possible). Money being something I have in *negative* quantities just now.

So, here’s my thought. The two main folders that I really *really* want to get back are “reports” and “images.” Several thousand PDF and PPT reports of aerospace interest, and thousands of aerospace images collected from numerous sources. Also a lot of personal items and whatnot, plus the complete collection of every photo I’ve ever taken (fortunately, these are backed up on DVD… a *lot* of DVDs). So assuming I can get the drive backed up, and assuming it costs a lot of money (thousands seems likely), I can burn DVDs – a lot of ’em – to those who “invest” in the recovery effort. The DVDs would include all the “reports” and aerospace “images.” A couple hundred gig, I think. Investment amount is unclear, but would probably be in the range of $500 – $1000, depending on level of interest and cost of the recovery. I could also burn this onto a portable hard drive for those interested in shipping one along.

None of this is certain yet. Could be that they can’t recover a damned thing, which would be a major problem for me. But if they can, and if you’re interested in helping and getting a massive block of data, let me know, send an email.

 Posted by at 6:40 pm

6- and 8-Man Apollo Capsules

 drawings, projects, spacecraft  1 Response »
Aug 082010
 

(Sadly, the report that I snagged these from is currently stuck on the external hard drive with “issues.” Hopefully it’ll all work out fine and I’ll be able to dig up the details and post ’em in anyone’s interested. If it doesn’t work out fine… I blame you, dear blog reader, for not emptying out your bank account and sending me the funds to have a double-redundant backup system prior to this. Anyway, what I recall is this…)

Two North American concepts (circa 1972, plus or minus) for “rescue Apollo” capsules. The six-seater could be carried by a Shuttle , attached to a space station, and used as a re-entry life boat for up to six crew. The eight-seater would be an orbit-only life boat… pretty much the uncomfortablest Apollo ever, with eight unshowered schmoes crammed in it, waiting for resuce that might be a week or three away. Bleah.

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8manapollo.gif

 Posted by at 5:55 pm

Oh, this is *exactly* what I needed…

 AARRRGH, blather  7 Responses »
Aug 082010
 

So I fire up my computer and plug in the 1 terabyte Western Digital external hard drive that has all my goodies on it… and watch as the little blue light sadly fades away. The computer did not recognize that anything was hooked up to it. The drive now seems to be deader’n hell. So, at a time when I don’t want to leave the house for fear of burning gas money, I now have to drive my ass up to Logan and hope the computer techs can recover the data off this thing.

Friggen’ *wonderful.*

 Posted by at 11:39 am

Sikorsky VTOL C-130, Part 1

 aircraft, drawings, projects  1 Response »
Aug 082010
 

A 1964 preliminary study for the USAF Flight Dynamics Laboratory by Sikorsky Aircraft produced five designs for a VTOL logistics transport capable of carrying 20,000 pounds 1,800 nautical miles. While it doesn’t come right out and say it, it is clear from the sketches that the fuselage  (and in some designs, parts of the wings) comes from the Lockheed C-130. Whether that means that Sikorsky would have eventually proposed to modify the Hercules, or was just using the fuselage for preliminary studies and would have eventually designed an entirely new fuselage, is unclear.

The first design was a fairly conventional all-jet version with swept wings and lift-jet pods. Pitch control in hover was aided by a fan buried in the tail.

v-c-130-1.gif

 Posted by at 1:53 am

“Life Unworthy Of Life”

 AARRRGH, blather, dumbassery  2 Responses »
Aug 072010
 

Throughout history there have been words or phrases that were perfectly good words or phrases, but which quickly fell into disuse due to sudden unfortuante associations. One cannot bring up a “final solution” without raising eyebrows, even if it’s a final solution to a math question on a test. Or describe a happy person as “gay” or a strange person as “queer” or a good idea as “progressive,” because those words have been co-opted for meanings entirely different from their original meaning. Another phrase one cannot use is “life unworthy of life,” since the Nazis used it in propaganda calling for the extermination of the mentally ill, the tarded, or just those very, very nervous. But despite the unfortunate association, there are times when “life unworthy of life” seems a perfectly apt description. Attend:
Suit charges Upper St. Clair officials made rape victim ‘bait’

The girl’s attorneys contend that two girls were raped in the stairwell that afternoon, including their client.  … 

They claim that several school administrators knew by mid-January that the boy was sexually harassing several girls and had sexually assaulted more than one.

But following the incident, the girl’s attorneys contend in documents, the suspect sent the girl this text message:

“im soo sry i didn’t mean 2 make u cry. i’m cant believe i just raped u well bout time u read dis i mite b dead.”

So he’s not just a multiple rapist… he’s a stupid multiple rapist. Find him a cliff.

 Posted by at 12:15 am

Buy My Stuff!!!

 AARRRGH, blather, dumbassery  9 Responses »
Aug 062010
 

Gah.

If you’ve been pondering when to buy large quantities of my products, now would be a really good time. I didn’t have enough money in my bank account today to buy peanuts and catfood.

I friggen’ hate begging, but I hate being broke, too. I’m still waiting to hear back regarding the job out in Maryland; if it comes through, I’ll be financially golden. If it doesn’t (and signs aren’t exactly spectacularly promising), there don’t appear to be many other prospects.

 I have another new product line due out within the next few days: Dirt Cheap Documents. Fifty cents a pop. Not a lot of money, but there’ll be a lot of ’em.

Here’s a sale: buy $20 or more of my aerospace prints, and forget about the postage. Just make sure to mention that You Saw This Ad.

 Posted by at 3:50 pm

Sigh.

 AARRRGH, dumbassery  15 Responses »
Aug 052010
 

People suck.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/844335–south-african-reserve-s-last-rhino-butchered-for-her-horn?bn=1

Poachers have butchered the last adult rhinoceros at a South African game reserve, cutting off her horn and letting her bleed to death, the chief game ranger says.

“We’ve had rhinos here for 20 years,” Japie Mostert told the Star on Thursday from the Krugersdorp Game Reserve, 60 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. “She was the last one.”

The nine-year-old rhino at the 1,400-hectare reserve was likely attacked by poachers who hovered in a helicopter, shot her with a tranquillizer dart then leapt out and sliced her horn off with a chainsaw, Mostert said.

 Posted by at 7:17 pm
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