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Posted on 08/05/2004 5:47:31 PM PDT by HairOfTheDog
Eleventh Thread: Wedding Edition: The Hobbit Hole XI - No One Admitted Except on Wedding Business!
New verse:
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Upon the hearth the fire is red, |
Still round the corner there may wait |
Home is behind, the world ahead, |
Yep, although it was not primarily a power plant... its primary purpose was producing material for nuclear weapons. If I'd gone to work there I would have had to wear a dosimeter badge to measure my exposure to radioactivity.
Oh, darn, you guys are no fun at all! ;)
That's the Satsop Nuke plant. Never generated even a single Watt of power... apparently now they are renting out the premises to people who actually *can* figure out how to make money.
It's a long story, and a classic example of a state-operated clusterfu**. The only comment necessary is contained in the acronym-to-beat-all-acronyms... the Washington Public Power Supply System. The acronym is, of course: WPPSS (pronounced Whoops).
It is so classic-- it belongs in some sort of acronym hall-of-fame. :-)
Not really... Satsop was never a functional plant. Perhaps you're thinking of Hanford? Or did I jump into the convo at the wrong place, as I am wont to do.... ?
Yup! ;) I was just telling Penny about a job interview I had at an actual, functioning nuclear plant.
Maybe you can help me, then... there's this friend of mine in Nigeria that's promised to deposit $25M in my account and it hasn't showed up yet. I'm sure it's just a glitch in the system somewhere...
Hehehe...Miss Cat has found a moth to chase.
First is a neat product called e.grips. It's a thin, "grippy" plastic flim that "non-skids" just about anything. It comes in a variety of colors, in either custom shapes, like the Palm Pilot, or generic. It has increased the "non-slip" abilities of both pocket knives and the Palm.
Next is the Thermo-Tux cooling "beanie" for the GI kevlar helmet. I've removed the suspension system from the helmet to show how the thing attaches. It might have been easier just to velcro it in place in the assembled helmet, but I wanted folks to get an idea of how it goes together.
The ambient temperature in the basement was 66 degrees. Tap water was also 66 degrees when I poured it on the three strips. The strips have to be thoroughly wetted, which changes the crystals inside into some sort of gel. Although 66 doesn't seem cold, you can tell by the expression on my face that it's a bit of a shock when that helmet goes on top of a hot head.
I used my laser thermometer to measure all temperatures. After about 30 seconds on my head, I took off the helmet. The three strips had gone from 66 to 74 degrees in that short a time. This indicates that they have the ability to conduct heat away from the head rapidly.
A better test would have been to wear the helmet while outside cutting the lawn, but I'm not sure how the neighbors would take to my new headgear. I estimate that this gizmo would keep your head noticeably cooler for a couple of hours, as long as you can find a source of cool water. Iraqi tap water is probably 100 degrees right now, so unless you have some refrigerated bottled water, benefits would be minimal. Freezing is said to be best, but putting an ice-cold helment on my head doesn't appeal to me, and big freezers are probably hard to find in Iraq.
The head-cooler is $22, about our cost for a Hobbit Hole knife. The same company makes a mesh vest based on the same principle, for $50. Besides the cooling and cushioning, the mesh is supposed to provide better air circulation under the body armor.
Unless there's a great hue and cry from the Hobbit Hole to provide this cooler to the troops, I propose to end the field test with just this one article.
More geekiness when it happens.
Heh, more fun that 'photon light tag'? Nice rain we're having, from radar looks like it'll be here for awhile. Kinda nice.
Watching Amazing Race? The non-dwarf cousin says, "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die". I say, die already. They're really bad this episode. They ought to be eliminated for nastiness.
I'm rooting for Chip and Kim and the moms.
I'm downloading it but with my dialup it'll be like a half hour before I can watch it :)
300wm; good geekiness I may add. the no slip grip stuff looks 'vey' interesting, lots of applications.
Many years back I had a mesh type t-shirt to wear under my 2nd chance, supposed to be cooler, more uncomfortable than the vest alone as I recall.
I have used the 'soaker' bandanas, they do work so I think the helmet coolers would work fine, depending on the ambient humidity.
LOL! I just shouted that at the TV!
Very cool, Mister Mag... that looks like a completely functional thing.
As it would happen my company is working on some nifty stuff for cooling people in hot places-- but not in the way that this product appears to work. I searched our public site for it and can't find it... so I guess I shouldn't say anything more on the subject until I can make sure it is releasable.
But no matter... what I'm thinking of doesn't compromise that idea, but rather might complement it rather nicely. that looks like a good and useful solution to a serious issue.
Fabulous pic with you in that helmet! Great test report! Even if you don't really want to buy more of the stuff!
Freezing is said to be best, but putting an ice-cold helment on my head doesn't appeal to me
Boy, it appeals to me as hot as it is here right now! I have been known to take a wet towel and freeze it for awhile, long enough for it to freeze but still be bendable, and wear that around my neck mowing the lawn!
Putting that frozen thing on your head would be a great hangover reliever, not that I ever need that.
Oh, man... nobody on this show has ever watched, say, "The Mummy", have they? "What's a scarab? A sword?"
I'd never get on that show. I've got a positive IQ.
Kinda nice to see Charla telling Mirna to hurry up, for a change.
If it ever goes public, convince your company to donate some to us, so we can give it away and get them good public relations vibes.
I have doves fighting outside in the yard.
Ironic huh?
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