Apollo 11

As of today, July 27, 2019, we are 50 years and one week distant from the Apollo 11 moon landing.  As I age, I guess I don't see 50 years as all that old, but when I was a boy of eleven, I am most quite certain that I thought fifty was old.  It was less than a year before the first moon landing that my Dad turned 50, and we children started calling him an antique. 

Apollo 11 Crew

Whether or not a person can be an antique is another story, but what we do know is that the nation was able to reach the moon with technology we can only marvel at, or shake our heads at today.  On the one hand, the computing power was quite small, some say 1300 times less than that of an I-phone 5.  Yet the computer was very reliable in part due to a technology of which I had never heard until recently reading the book Shoot for the Moon by James Donovan (2019, Little Brown).  I still do not understand how it worked, but it used a slim coiling of copper wire to provide some of the memory and do recall.  It was called the old lady device, because MIT, the developer of the computer, and NASA, had used old women that had once worked looms in textile factories of New England to loom the copper wire to the necessary configurations.  We all have dealt with, and still deal with software that has requires rebooting of the computer, or worse reloading. 

LM of Apollo 11

The departure from the moon of the top part of the lunar module (LM)  was time critical, due to the position of the command module piloted by Michael Collins.  Imagine, if Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were about to fire the ascent engine, and found out the LM computer was not working.  What would they do?  I don't think reboot was an option.  However, both were well trained engineers, and Buzz Aldrin was likely picked as the third person of the flight due to his expertise in math and science.  Aldrin had written his PhD dissertation  (1963) at MIT on lunar guidance, and it was titled: "Line-of -sight Guidance Techniques for Manned Orbital Rendezvous."  It is quite possible that if the computer failed Buzz would have pulled out his slide rule and completed the necessary calculations.  If a reboot was possible, one would hope the computer system would not take as long as a Microsoft operating system takes to boot up on a non solid state drive machine.

Cover of Aldrin PhD dissertation

To this day the Saturn V rocket is the most powerful machine ever created and used by man.  At the time of the space race, the then Soviet Union was preparing a large rocket, but it was never used after what were two failed tests.  NASA is currently developing a mega rocket that will be even larger, bureaucratically titled "Space Launch System (SLS)."  It was announced earlier this week that they will green test (green meaning testing for the first time) the engine before it is used to send un-crewed Artemis 1 to the moon in 2019.  NASA is hoping to, once again, land a person on the moon in 2024. Elon Musk, who perhaps was smoking too much weed, announced this week that he could get a man to Mars in two years.  The preparation and training required for the LM was extensive, so I cannot imagine how long it would take to prepare for landing on another planet.

Image of moon showing Walk paths of Apollo 11
Astronauts while on the moon 

As with people and machines things can go wrong.  As the LM was descending two computer error codes were received, generally indicative of insufficient memory, in which case the computer would prioritize what needed to be done.  The errors turned out to be related to the use of the rendezvous antennae landing at the same time as the other systems.  After a night of study MIT suggested they turn off the rendezvous antennae when ascending from the moon to avoid the same error codes.  Then there was Buzz Aldrin noticing a piece of black plastic on the floor of the LM amid the grime of the moon.  Looking around he noticed it came off the circuit breaker for the ascent stage firing.  Houston was told and they said they would get a work around, but Buzz simply noticed that he could probably use his felt tip pen to push the metal piece to get the proper connection.  That is what he used.  I am not sure if Houston created a work around.  Aldrin believes the breaker piece fell off when it was inadvertently knocked while he was getting on his gear for the moon walk.  The LM, as quoted by Jim Lovell character in Apollo 13, was not much bigger inside than a couple of telephone booths.  Thus, it was a tight space for what was  required. While it may have been small, the LM was well designed for its purpose--landing on the moon and allowing two men to leave its surface.

Aldrin saluting US Flag

Then of course, their was the iconic statement by Armstrong when he stepped on the moon, where he left out the word 'a".  Saying:  That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  Of course without the "a" between for and man, as Donovan says, the saying statement did not make sense.  I think most people have overlooked the missing syllable, although Armstrong was both praised and criticized for the statement that is in the history books.  Donovan quotes Armstrong as hoping "that 'history will grant me leeway for dropping the syllable and understand that it was intended'" for with out it Donovan quoted Armstrong as saying it would be "inane."  This makes me wonder what type of reception the statement would have received in polarized blogosphere we inhabit today.

Apollo 11 Crew on 45th Anniversary of Launch
l to r:  Collins, Armstrong, Aldrin

When speaking to Armstrong and Aldrin while they were walking on the moon President Nixon ended his short conversation with: "For one priceless moment in the whole history of man all the people on this Earth are truly one--one in their pride in what you have done, and one in our prayers that you will return safely to Earth." Mike Collins would comment after the astronauts completed a month long tour around the world that people would comment: "We did it."  A collective we.   One in six persons watched the moon landing on television, and it probably would have been more except that the Soviet Union, China, North Korea, to name a few countries, would not televise the event.  Russian cosmonauts were allowed to watch the landing and they would toast their American counterparts after seeing the historic walk.  As I write this, I think back to that midsummer day over 50 years ago and find that I am perhaps now more in awe of what was accomplished at that time than when I was eleven. 

Glamping

Glamorous camping has a portmanteau--glamping.  As many readers of this blog know my spouse and I purchased a small tear drop camper of which we took delivery in early June.  This past week we took our fourth camping trip--a three night trip to northwest Wisconsin at the Eau Galle Recreation area, which is on a man-made lake, owned and operated by the Army Corps of Engineers.  Until this year, always having tent camped, we have our ways of doing things, and to get full use of the camper could require us to change some of our common routines, although I don't see that occurring for all things.

Our First Camping Electrical Connection, Notice Surge Protector at Power Pole

The Eau Galle campground has electricity at most all sites, and the cost of an electric site is only $4.00 more than non-electric.  Given the few non electric sites, we chose a site that provided electric hookup.  This was our first trip using an electric hookup.  In preparation for this, I purchased a used surge protector (used by the prior owner on eight camping trips last year) to guard against electric issues that could hamper camper operation, or damage the electrical system.  Funny thing is, I have talked to five persons that own campers, some of whom I do not know, and only one used a surge protector.  Yet, this piece of equipment is perhaps the most commonly mentioned item to purchase after getting your camper.  

Heating our First Pot of Water in the T@B

After buying the surge protector we hooked up to shore power, off of our house to see how well the small fridge cools down when connected to shore power.  It takes a few hours, but it gets cool,  The fridge can run off the battery, but it could quickly drain the battery, so the other main option is propane.  Both propane and battery, so I hear, lack control of the temperature.  On the way up we put two half gallon jugs of frozen water with some cold beverages in the fridge.  The ice stayed frozen and on Tuesday night moved that ice to the cooler and the cooler ice to the fridge.  

View of Beach from Overlook near Campground

Yet, our experience with glamping did not end at the fridge.  Twice, to make sure the stove worked, we heated water on the propane stove in the camper.  It worked well.  Wednesday night we used heated water from the camper water heating system to wash dishes.  We filled up our dish pans from the outdoor shower unit.

Part of Crystal Cave

Yet, our glamping experience got real when we ran the air conditioner for a few minutes on Monday night.  It was a hot and humid day, and the temperature in the camper when a thunderstorm started was approaching 90 degrees, so while the thunderstorm was raging outside, we were playing Yahtzee inside when the camper which cooled down to the set temperature of 76 degrees in a short period of time by running the air..  As the thunderstorm moved along temperatures dropped so we did not need the air conditioning later in the evening or at night.  In fact, that was the only time it was used. One of the reasons we purchased the small camper was to get better shelter during rain events, and we have had rain during all of our camping trips so far this year.  Two have involved thunderstorms.  

The Ghost of Crystal Cave

But, camping is not the experience of using a tent or a camper, it is what you do with your time on the trip.  Besides being visited by and visiting relatives on my wife's side and swimming at the beach we hiked, read and visited Crystal Cave in Spring Valley, the small town whose football stadium is on the other side of the dam that provides the lake.  Three main experiences stuck with us on this trip, however.  First, was a Tuesday morning hike down (and back up) the ridge my wife and I ended up near a finger of the lake and watched as two bald eagles flew around the area one so close we could easily hear its wings flapping in air, perhaps 60' above us.  Second, was the amount of fireflies present in the evening, it was alike a million points of light.  My wife referred to them as fairies.  She misses them as the number is not as great at home as at Eau Galle.  We had a few fireflies when we camped at Frontenac State Park and  we noticed how the Minnesota fireflies light differently than those in Wisconsin.  Finally, our excursion to Crystal Cave was well worth the admission.  My wife is on the shorter side, and I think there was only one occasion where she had to duck, making me think she should have gone into spelunking instead of nursing.  Although her nursing skills have come in handy.

Stalactites, which remind me of Jaws 

While caves can be tight, the Command Module used in the Apollo missions was also small.  This week is also the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and the first moon landing by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins.  While our camper has a TV, we forgot the remote, and directions, so we did not have a chance to do the required high definition television search for channels, although the only time we probably would have watched TV was during the storm Monday.  When my wife was a child her family and some relatives would camp for two weeks straight during the summer.  In 1969 their annual excursion coincided with the moon landing.  To not miss such an historic event  they took a television along to watch the moon landing.  My wife recalls the family setting the tv up at a park shelter.  Televisions back then were not the light weight devices of today.  As for me, I watched it at home and recall taking a photo of the tv screen as Neil Armstrong was on the moon, but that photo did not turn out.   

My Wife's Art Work Commemorating the Moon Landing

On our camping trip this past week we found some sidewalk chalk wet on the side of the camp road on Tuesday morning, following the one inch rain Monday evening.  On Wednesday evening my wife did some art work near the shower building which commemorated the moon landing.  I later added a couple memorable phrases from that historic event.  As Michael Collins has said, people around the great earth would say to him:  "We did it." 1969 followed the riots of 1968, and war protests were still going strong.  Yet, this one event drew the whole world together for a brief moment.  Camping or glamping, it was an event in 1969 not to be missed.

Crystal Cave

 Images by author, July 2019

missed.

Of Finger Nails and Pangolins

On the Friday before Father's Day, I broke a good part of my right thumb nail.  What you never realize, until something like this happens, is how important a nail on a finger is.  This seemingly innocuous piece of the body obviously has a purpose, and you quickly find that out when it gets broken.  Little things matter. Yet there is a connection between our finger nails and an animal on the verge of extinction.

The uneven  fingernail break was so far down I was unable to cut it off far enough to get rid of the sharp edge.  As the finger nail started to grow back the sharp edge would get caught on clothing and would further break.  Finally, this week it started to break again, but I found that it had grown sufficiently for me to cut it straight to get rid of the jagged edge.  Yet, it is still not to my desired length.  I never realized how important it was to every day activities, like flossing your teeth, getting your keys in and out of your pocket, and other mundane tasks. It was hard to untie knots when you lack a thumb nail in which to help grab and pull out part of the rope, cord or string.

Pangolin

Fingernails are primarily composed of a hardened protein called keratin.  This protein is also found in our hair and skin. While our skin is supple and malleable, to a degree, the scales of African and Asian pangolins that cover much of their body, but for the soft underbelly, are also composed of keratin.  Rhino horns are also composed of the same compound.  Yet, pangolins and rhinos are losing their battle with humans due to illegal hunting.  In Africa the pangolins are often a delicacy, and in Asia their numbers have dwindled to such a large degree that Asians, particularly the Chinese have an illicit trade involving pangolins.  Pangolin scales are said to be prized in certain Chinese traditional medicinal products.  However, an eastern medicine expert, as reported in National Geographic (06 2019) believes that pangolin scales can be easily replaced by other items that do not cause death to an animal.  While China has banned the import of the pangolins, they often look the other way, so while illegal it is allowed.  I suppose saying it is illegal is a way for them to garner favor with Western democracies. Another occasion where one cannot trust the Chinese, and where they are, yet again, the major country leading to the extermination of another animal.

Demand for Pangolin Scales has put the animal on
the path to extinction

Rhinoceroses are killed simply for their horn.  Why?  Because the Chinese and other Asian cultures view them as an aphrodisiac.  Given that fingernails, pangolin scales and rhino horns are primarily composed of keratin, whey can they not simply gather finger nails and crush them for use in their traditional medicines to increase their sexual desires.  Why kill a rhino or a pangolin?  The neat thing about fingernails is that most people keep them trimmed so there would be plenty of supply.

The next time I trim my fingernails, or break one, I should find some traditional Chinese medicine source and send it to them as keratin for their concoctions.  Or, better yet some sex shop in China could sell fingernails to serve in lieu of rhino horn extract.  Who  would have thought that there was a connection between an animal that is more like an armadillo or anteater would share something in common with the human finger? 

For the Birds

Due to my retiring in the middle of last year, this May , and early June I was home during the day for a good part of the day.  During this time frame I was able to see in the backyard that are normally not present, and which my wife had told me about in prior years.  Most could probably nest in southern Wisconsin, but  they have chosen to move on to other locales and our back yard was but a brief stopping point.  Usually their presence in the yard was less than one week, but those few days were filled with the joys and colors of God's great creation.  

Indigo Bunting

Indigo Bunting

My wife told me the Indigo Bunting appeared last year and so we anxiously awaited its return to our yard, even if for a brief perhaps two day stay.  A deeper blue than the sky, perhaps it is the color of the deep blue sea. 

Cat Bird

The Cat Bird and its grey morning-coat foliage also appeared.  We also had the Cow Bird, but I was not able get a photo of that bird.

Rose Breasted Grosbeack\

The Rose Breasted Grosbeak I think hung around slightly longer than the other transitory birds.  This bird is in a device usually above the feeder to protect the feeder from squirrels, but we had little luck with its true purpose.  It was in storage for years.  Birds are very messy and they drop so much seed that it made for plenty of food for squirrels, rabbits and probably raccoons and other nocturnal animals which we do not see.  This year we decided to invert the squirrel feeder protector and let it catch the feed they flip off their plate.  We have had some success, but need to dry it out when it is soaked by our rains that seem more common than not.  I have gone through much less bird feed this way.

Baltimore Oriole, female

Baltimore Oriole

Baltimore Oriole, male

A year or two ago we had the Baltimore Oriole, as we did again this year--both male and female.  They too not chose to make a home in our yard,, but are not uncommon in southern Wisconsin.  My wife likes to put out some grape jelly and you can see the female in a container over that contains the jelly.  If memory serves correct, the Cow Bird was also attracted to the jelly.

Female Baltimore Oriole 

We also have colorful birds that remain for the season or year.  These include, but are not limited to: Goldfinch, Cardinal and Blue Jay.  We also have hummingbirds, but they leave very quickly that often by the time I grab a camera they are gone.  The humming bird feeder hangs off an eve to the house and they seem quite attuned to activity nearby even if it is in the house.  A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was seen just the other day after what seemed like a long absence.  Hummingbirds had nested in a neighbors tree, but that Ash tree came down a few years ago so I am not sure where they now nest. 

Goldfinch

Cardinal

House Finch

It is interesting watching birds move around and about.  Bird houses provide nice shelter.  But, bird houses make me wonder where and how the birds nested before houses were built?  Are there now more than before since the houses are often designed to protect the resident bird, say Bluebird, from predator birds?  While Blue Jays are rather interesting to look at they act like a bully, pushing other birds away. For all I know maybe the small birds are their dinner.  Of course, there are larger predator birds like a Cooper Hawk.  A few years ago we had several juvenile cooper hawks in the yard and I suspect that accounted for the disappearance of small birds such as finches for much of the summer.  One day I watched as a Cardinal would appear at the feeder and a cooper hawk would swoop in only to be denied when the cardinal quickly made a bee line a few feet to the nearby magnolia bush.  So, it goes with the circle of life.  When the Cooper Hawks moved on in the late summer the small birds returned once again. Don't get me started about cats which are often the demise of song birds.  It is rather ironic that cat lovers may also be bird lovers.  They seem to know what is in the neighborhood.  Perhaps they have a bird neighborhood watch program that would rival that of any human watch program.  We are all part of the wonders of nature, of which even though we may not appreciate, does not mean we should not be conservation minded.