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Entre citas de Borges, Evita bailaba con Freud
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| Anyone read about Operation Blackjack? |
[Jun. 21st, 2009|04:30 pm] |
So this is some weird shit I ran across yesterday, it was so fascinating that it had me up reading all of it for hours. I certainly don’t understand it all but it is a wild/scary ride.
Over at the UK Telegraph newspaper website is posted a comic book sideshow. Apparently there is no author or details for where it comes from, but it deals with terrorism/New World Order stuff and is full of all kinds of conspiracy symbolism.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturepicturegalleries/4220575/Blackjack.html
People became interested in the cartoon because it in itself is so freaky and at some point someone discovered secret codes placed inside the pictures and in the web page code - and then shit gets really weird - is this all some kind of viral marketing game taken too far, or is this truly the New World Order go command for imminent attacks. If you have time read the following threads from the conspiracy theory websites where people were/still are freaking out about it.
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message820262/pg1
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message818531/pg1
http://www.davidicke.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49212
To sum it all up, these attacks are suppose to happen tomorrow, 6/22/09, and people were freaking out at the UK Telegraph for why this shit is in their website. Someone has come forward and admitted it was just a game - admittedly in bad taste, and apparently the Telegraph is embarrassed at being had - OR is that what they want us to think and New World Order Operation Blackjack is still a go - will know for sure in a few hours.
BTW I start vacation tomorrow! |
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| Crazy as always |
[Jun. 1st, 2009|07:00 am] |
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By the way, I am so amazed that a person sitting in Michigan can contact a ship in the Indian Ocean and find a guy sitting in a Brazilian jail - all in the matter of hours.
Last month it was a missing sailboat, this month a missing person, next month....... I will do a big entry soon but it will be friends only, so email me if you are interested.
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| Birthday |
[May. 21st, 2009|02:05 pm] |
Just had my birthday and leaving a quick note here to my Mom, Dad, and to my Grandmother - I received your emails, thanks! Unfortunately we are on a Cse that is just at the limit for our internet reception and I was having trouble with Yahoo mail so I quit with that (I don’t even expect to be able to post this). Wish I could say my B-day was as great as you all wished it would be for me, but it wasn’t. We departed Fremantle, Australia and have been battling a storm (50kt relative winds) for the last day. I haven’t slept for 24 hours, have been seasick (for the first time in 4 years) - all in all miserable and exhausted. We had a fun port stop but as always when we get out to sea we look forward to relaxing, resting up, and getting back into our routine – that’s not happening, right now holding on so you don’t get tossed and hurt is the best one can do.
Some pics from Fremantle port stop - 54 days at sea without a drink!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82595&id=604623062&l=25df48bc9c |
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| Fremantle, Australia - boy do I need a drink |
[May. 12th, 2009|04:36 pm] |
We are sitting hove to in the lee of Rottnest Island for the night, science is finished, and the lights of Fremantle, Australia are glowing on the horizon at 20 nautical miles off. In the morning we will embark our pilot and we should be tied up at the dock by 0800. Everyone asks me what’s the longest I have been to sea, well this trip was it, by my arrival estimate this trip will have been 53 Days 03 Hours 42 Mins at 5458.2 Nautical Miles of actual cruising along the science line from Cape Town, South Africa.
( A little praise - “To the Captain, Officers, and Crew, and the Science Team” ) |
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| How low the mighty have fallen |
[May. 9th, 2009|10:16 am] |
Actually our Ordinary Seaman Joe Martino was never really all that mighty, but he was a really good guy and good friend who had sailed with us for many years. And then on one trip Joe, who was the lowest ranked guy on the ship, scored the cute Co-chief Scientist girlfriend and left the sailor's life for broader horizons - but oh at what a cost, here he is with Masako (his girlfriend) at his new job dressed up in costume as Madeline. Really Joe, was it worth it?
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| Cebu, Philippines, Easter Island, and Brazilian Martial Arts |
[May. 7th, 2009|08:11 am] |
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The powers that be decided that the pirate threat was too high for our Fall cruise so our East African work has been canceled. Our work area would have brought us well away from Somalia but a recent sharp increase in incidents of piracy in the waters of the Seychelles would have made us a prime target during station work in those waters. So now we eagerly await to see where we go, looks like I will get off the ship a week later than originally scheduled in the Port of Darwin, Australia (a hot but fun place for a few days). What was lost on one end of my vacation will be gained on the other as the replacement cruise being proposed will depart a few weeks later in September than the other cruise would have. The scientists want to do a long CLIVAR leaving Brisbane Australia, deadhead down to Auckland, New Zealand, commence science on a run to Easter Island, Chile, and end cruise in Valparaiso, Chile. A free trip to Easter Island, a true once in a lifetime destination hit twice in the last 10 years , oh yeah, I can handle that. So with the change in my ship schedule I was left with a vacation flight I needed to change. I was planning to spend a month in Cambodia doing some extreme motorcycling trips in newly accessible parts of the country, and another month traveling up from the south to the north of Laos. I had already picked up an inexpensive Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia flight, and now a decision would need to be made on how to change it. As I was considering what to do with this flight I had also been researching travel to Salvador, Brazil for 2010 winter Carnival, along with schools in Salvador and in the surrounding area for the study of Capoeira, the dance like Brazilian martial art form developed by Angolan African slaves 500 years ago. During my research I learned that the Island of Cebu, Philippines is the center for the study of Capoeira in Asia, and after a few sleepless nights of trying to figure out what I want to do, I decided to cancel my BKK to Cambodia flight - its off to the Philippines! And after a 19 year hiatus I'm going to get back into the martial arts!
The website for the schools in Cebu
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| Ghost boat - Jurij Sterk |
[May. 4th, 2009|04:54 pm] |
To whom it may concern:
The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Canberra, Australia has been advised on 29/04/2009 by the AMSA/RCC that the M\V Roger Revelle\KAOU located, contacted and boarded the yacht Lunatic owned by Slovenian yachtsman Jurij Sterk. The information about discovery of the Lunatic has been promptly reported to authorities in Slovenia and consequently to the family of Mr Sterk.
The Embassy has been also informed that yacht's log book and some personal effects have been recovered from the yacht. We are currently liaising with the AMSA/RCC to have all the items collected when the M\V Roger Revelle\KAOU arrives to Fremantle (WA) on 15/05/2009. After receiving them, the Embassy will have them immediately shipped to Mr Sterk's family via authorities in Slovenia.
In order to obtain more information about the situation aboard the Lunatic when contacted, the Embassy kindly requests the telephone number at which we could talk to the two crew members that boarded it. Please note that we have received the same request from Mr Sterk's son, Mr Igor Sterk.
Timely reply to our request will be highly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Charge d'Affaires a.i.
Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia
Canberra, Australia
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| R/V Roger Revelle I5 Weekly Report 07, 04 May 2009 from Jim Swift, SIO, Chief Scientist |
[May. 4th, 2009|02:35 am] |
Position 32.0 S, 101.3 E, 0530 Z (1230 local), 18.2 degC (65 degF), winds 7 knots from NE, on station 161
We have enjoyed another week of remarkably fine weather, continued trouble-free science, excellent ship support, and tasty food - after 45 days at sea there is still lettuce in the salad! Probably because we have been close to a ridge (the Broken Plateau) a couple of pods of 40 or more pilot whales passed close by earlier this week. The work lights are attracting some big squid during night CTD stations, and when the water is still you can even see flying fish on occasion. Plus there are the intriguing By The Wind Sailors, colony animals like miniature Portuguese Man-o-Wars, which float by, some with "left" sails and some with "right" sails, apparently so that various populations mix.
Abrupt station-to-station changes in the water properties we measure are rare during most east-west hydrographic sections, so we enjoyed uncovering the signatures of some interesting mid-depth anticyclonic eddy-like features around the flanks of the Ninetyeast Ridge and sampling a solitary cyclonic eddy centered in the Subantarctic Mode Water over the Southwest Australian Basin during the past week.
It's been a week of anticipation ... It's May, we have only 33 stations left to go, and the various cruise-time-remaining calculations indicate we are slightly ahead of schedule (as we should be, considering the wonderful weather over the past several weeks and perfectly-working equipment so far). We have a full day of sample analyses to complete after our final station is completed, but with Fremantle only 5-6 hours from that station, we might as well finish up the lab work at the dock. That plus the time gained from good luck gives rise to the cheery thought that we may be able to put ashore a bit early. Time will tell.
It's also been a week of sober reflection on what the sea can bring ... Last Tuesday, the Revelle brought up alongside a derelict ocean-going sailboat, the "Lunatic". (See attached photo) The autopilot, wind generator, and solar panels were evidence of a boat that had been well prepared for a long voyage. She had been rigged for heavy weather last, with shortened sails (now tattered) and a sea anchor deployed. Marine life was clustered on the lines and hull in the water. The first mate and one of the ABs boarded the boat, retrieved a log book and some other items, and then cut the boat loose. We sailed on our way, quiet and thoughtful. Thanks to the internet it took only a minute or two to learn that Slovenian sailor Jure Sterk was making his 2nd solo around-the-world trip, on Lunatic, but sadly had not been heard from since early January (though the boat had been spotted at least once before we found it). The recovered items will be returned to his family.
Finally it has been a week for asking "What's next for our program?". R/V Roger Revelle was scheduled to carry out our "I7N" western Indian Ocean transect from Oman to South Africa during September-October this year. At the start of the current cruise, the planned track for I7N was thought to be sufficiently offshore of Somalia to be safe from pirates. However, recently attacks have occurred around the planned I7N track, and so the I7N cruise, and one for another program on Revelle in that region, were cancelled last week. This cancellation threw the ship schedulers, the Oversight Committee for the CO2/Repeat Hydrography Program, and the funding agencies into overdrive to quickly work out an alternate plan that was scientifically valid, efficient, and generally sensible. As we work towards finishing this cruise, those ashore are working towards a decision about what comes next. |
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| The ghost boat Lunatic - Jure Šterk |
[Apr. 28th, 2009|05:52 am] |
He tried to be the oldest man to sail non-stop around the world in the smallest boat with no engine – he didn’t make it.
My lookout spotted the derelict boat at about 2 Nautical Miles on the bow only 3 minuets after relieving the watch (the 0800-1200 watch is now embarrassingly nicknamed eagle eyes for missing it). We learned from several internet news stories that we were the 2nd ship to pass the adrift sailboat, but we were the first to make a boarding, confirm there was no body aboard, and to recover the logbook and some of his personal photos to pass on to the family. The following is my report to Australian search and rescue authorities.
Dear RCCAUS
At 0602UTC, position Lat. 32-08S Long. 91-07E, we came alongside the derelict sail boat Lunatic. Our Chief Mate and one AB boarded the vessel and discovered no persons aboard. Dangerous conditions aboard the sail boat made extensive inspections impractical. Report forward V-berth was locked along with much disarray of gear in main cabin. Made recovery of logbooks and small personal effects such as photos which we will turn over to authorities on May 15 arrival in Fremantle.
Our internet search indicates the Lunatic is the vessel from the following report:
http://www.ukom.gov.si/eng/slovenia/publications/slovenia-news/8351/8385/
Thank you
Joseph Ferris
2nd Mate Research Vessel Roger Revelle
the derelict sailboat Lunatic
( More Pics ) |
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| Sea Shepherds to patrol waters off Somalia |
[Apr. 16th, 2009|09:39 am] |
April Fool's Day comes 15 day late to crew and scientists of the R/V Roger Revelle
Our Chief Mate (he asked me not to call him an "ultra right wing wingnut", so I wont but I will just quote him on his concern) cleverly cut and pasted the following onto an AP Associated Press internet news print out and posted on the mess deck and lab poster boards. Most of the crew and scientists fell for it, especially those unfamiliar with our tradition of editing satellite news printouts from our pre-internet days out here at sea.
Sea Shepherds to patrol waters off Somalia
As if the controversy and drama on the high seas off Somalia hasn't garnered enough world attention, Paul Watson, the controversial founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has thrown his hat into the ring. Watson informed world press on Tuesday of his organization's intentions to re-position their vessel the M/V Farley Mowat to the waters off Somalia. If all goes as planned, Watson predicts his ship will be plying the pirate infested waters by early May.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is not new to controversial actions. The black painted ships of the organization have often flown the black skull and bones pirate flag from their own masts while conducting "environmental actions" around the globe. "They (the Somalis) are really not pirates; it would be more accurate to call them Indigenous Environmental Warriors. They are the Coast Guard of Somalia's waters, what they are doing is claiming a shipping tax on foreign vessels crossing through their waters. Somalia has gotten a bad rap over the years it's the industrial western nations that brought this on themselves. Piracy is actually just a societal movement with many redeeming qualities-egalitarian, democratic, open to all creeds and races. Pirates were the first true socialists".
Whilst some may consider this latest news as just hyperbole and attempts for news coverage consider this; Watson has already got the support of some high powered opinion makers. Notables already signed on for the maiden voyage include Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas Zuniga, Arianna Huffington author of 12 books and founder of the Huffington Post, and a cadre of world press reporters including MSNBC correspondent Keith Olbermann. Asked for comments Huffington posted the following on her website: "Somalia would be a rich green verdant nation if not for the excesses of western nations. Man made Global Warming and the dramatic climate change it has created has made these people poor. It's really a question of what is right. We are the haves and they are the have not’s. They see all the detritus thrown overboard from wealthy western vessels washed onto Somalia's beaches - be it old tennis shoes, Cup o Soup containers, Snickers bar wrappers and they must ask themselves wow this is neat stuff, why don't we have Nike Air Jordan's in Somalia-all I have is Khat to chew on". Markos M. Zuniga claims that he has 4 tons of Cliff energy bars ready to be loaded aboard the M/V Farley Mowat. These along with condoms, food stuffs, and energy efficient light bulbs will be handed out on the high seas to any Somalis they encounter-be it fisherman or pirate. "I am in the works in trying to come to an agreement with a company like Sobee or a leading coffee store chain to get Khat infused tea and energy drinks into the western market-this worked great with Yerba Mate. This would give Somalia a chance for an export industry" stated Zuniga. International lawyers will also be aboard the Sea Shepherd vessel to offer assistance as needed to the Somalis they encounter.
Not to be left out of the mix, ex University of Colorado Professor Ward Churchill made another predictably incendiary comment on Somalia's pirate troubles: Churchill equates the crews of merchant vessels crossing through Somali waters as that of Nazi sausage wagon drivers who refuse to hand out sausages to the peasants of the town they drive thorough. "You have these floating Wall Marts driving by your home everyday but they never stop in your town".
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| R/V Roger Revelle I5 Weekly Science Report 02, 29 March 2009 from Jim Swift, SIO, Chief Scientist |
[Mar. 29th, 2009|02:53 pm] |
33°S, 37°E
1300 Z (1500 local)
25.5 degC (78 degF)
winds 6 knots from SW
We are now about 600 km from South Africa, just east of the Mozambique Ridge, having completed the 26th station of our CTD/hydro/carbon/tracer/LADCP crossing of the south Indian Ocean. Here in the Mozambique Basin, we are beginning some of the deepest casts of the cruise. Deeper casts take longer to complete, plus the stations to come are somewhat farther apart than those completed so far, and that combination is providing some welcome relief to the water sample analysts, who have been working flat-out to keep up with the more closely-spaced, shallower stations we do while crossing bathymetry.
Oceanographically, the most interesting aspect of the past week was our crossing of the Agulhas Current, which is the western boundary current of the South Indian Ocean. The Agulhas is a strong current, which has been of practical as well as scientific interest to participants on this expedition. During our sampling of the Agulhas during the CLIVAR/CO2 2009 reoccupation of WOCE Section I05, the near-surface currents measured by the shipboard ADCP reached speeds of over 2.0 m/s (about 3.7 kts) near the coast. This high velocity made stations challenging, but the officers and crew of the R/V Revelle overcame the impediment competently. On the continental slope, we were aiming to occupy a CTD station at every 500 m increase in bottom depth from the continental shelf break all the way down to the base of the continental rise. Since the current runs mostly parallel to isobaths, we would find our target depth, and then steam a few nm along that isobath upstream (roughly northeast) from the nominal station track. The officer on watch would then orient the ship properly with respect to winds, waves, and currents, after which we would begin our station, with the ship drifting southwest with the current during the station to minimize wire angle. By the time the CTD reached the bottom, the ship was usually pretty close to our target position on the section, and then moved past it as the CTD was brought back to the surface. During these cruises we generally try to sample to within 10 m of the bottom. However, when drifting along at over 3 kt, with far more wire paid out than there was depth below the ship, and uncertain bathymetry ahead, we sometimes settled for a 20-m gap. One oceanographic consequence of this strong velocity is that, with the admittedly very crude (and likely erroneous) assumption of zero velocity at the deepest common level of each station pair, the preliminary data yield and estimated volume transport of the Agulhas across the section was roughly 85 Sverdrups to the southwest (typical of other similarly derived estimates).
Another interesting feature associated with the Agulhas is the northeastward flowing Agulhas Undercurrent, a reversal in flow that is usually found deeper than 800 m, adjacent to the continental slope, below the core of the Agulhas. Since we have Eric Firing's trusty (except for a sticky mercury switch used for sensing vertical orientation) old 150-KHz broadband lowered ADCP on the CTD frame, we were able to measure the expression of this current in March 2009 as we crossed the Agulhas starting from near Durban. On this cruise the Agulhas Undercurrent was remarkable for its absence. While our data are very closely spaced (every 500 m of bottom change, and from 2 to 25 km in distance), we have not find any velocity structure that would merit the designation of Undercurrent in the preliminary LADCP data.
Our water sample data appear to be of outstanding quality, all systems are working well, the weather has been very good, and the officers and crew continue to provide outstanding support. We had to re-terminate the CTD cable one time, but lost no data and little time in the process. The only unwelcome news to report is that a highly unpleasant GI virus is making the rounds of the officers, crew, and science team. But at some point soon it will run out of new victims. Other than that, all is well. |
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