Blog #4 Sank by a Mirage?!!

On April 15, 1912, the H.M.S. Titanic struck an ice berg and sank. It was one of the biggest disasters of its time. In February of 1992 I sat down in the high school library and began my research on the Titanic, for my senior term paper. Little did I know that I would follow the Titanic's story from that point onward. I have watched just about every documentary that has been produced about the disaster. They have always ended with the questions “Why did the lookouts not see the ice berg until it was too late, and why did the ship in the distance not render aid?” 

                In April of 2012 National Geographic followed Tim Maltin on his journey to test his theories and try to reconstruct the events that lead up to the disaster,Titanic case closed. What he finds is that is that the best answer to the mysteries was due to a mirage.  Most people think that mirages only happen in the desert. However, there are also mirages on the open water. They can create a false horizon line. Sailors call this a soft horizon.  Over a great distance a mirage can give the illusion that a steady light can flicker.

                Tim reviews the survivor testimonials as well as comparing several different captains’ logs from other ships that had been in the area where the Titanic sank. He discovered that there were several commits about refraction.  He concludes that the conditions were perfect for this soft horizon.  The lookouts of the time used the stars of the night skies to make out the outline of an iceberg usually giving them enough time to warn the pilot. However, with a soft horizon the skyline is not where it should be therefore, the lookouts did not see the iceberg until it was too late.

                This soft horizon made it difficult for a signal light operator to decipher weather a light in the distance is flashing Morse code or if it’s just the flickering from the refraction. This was the reason Tim gives for the other ship not coming to the Titanic’s aid when it was signaled.

                There were several areas that “if” could have saved the Titanic. If the lookouts had requested the captain to slow down due to the difficulty of seeing with a soft horizon. If the Telegraph operators had made a stronger attempt to contact each other. The design of the ship meant that, if the Titanic had struck the iceberg head on then she would have remained afloat, and might even been able to limp to a near port.

                They claimed that the Titanic was unsinkable; because they believed that there design was good. However, you have to always keep in mind no matter how strong or how well built our visions are, mother nature will remind us that she is still more powerful.

Imagine what you will know tomorrow.

Tommy Lee Jones’ charter, K, is talking to Will Smith’s charter about what he might know tomorrow. First he says that fifteen hundred years ago the people knew the earth was the center of the universe, and five hundred years ago people knew the earth was flat. He ends with the statement “imagine what you will know tomorrow.” What we know about anything is usually with the help of technology.

                Fifteen hundred years ago it was easy for people to believe that the world was the center of the universe due to natural observation of how the sun, moon, and stars traveled across the sky. However, wit invention of the telescope in the sixteen hundreds, Galileo Galilei began charting the starts movements in the sky and determined that the earth was not the center of the universe.  The commit that we knew the earth was flat may not have been correct due to the fact that the telescope helped most of the astronomers during Galileo’s time began to spread the round earth theory. 

The advances of technology have given us the ability to know more about anything we choose to know about. We can use computers to search the internet for a page were someone posted what they know, Thus knowledge can be passed within minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technology has given business the ability to have customers around the world. The use of aircraft can get a business product any were in the world.

 

 

   Children are using computers to gain knowledge before they ever start school. Children stat playing video games as soon as they start to develop the coordination to recognize shapes.

 

 

 

 

 

Technology has made it possible for people to get recognized for their talents. With the use of video recording someone who can sing several different parts to a song can record each part and then tie them together as one performance. Technology has made it possible for home buyers to find a new home across the country and know if there are any stores near the home. Photographs of neighborhoods taken from space can give a home buyer a feel for the area they wish to move to.

 

 

 

 Technology has given delivery drivers an easier time finding their customers. Most delivery drivers use Guidance position systems to get directions to the location of their delivery.

The ways that technology advances means that the commit that Tommy’s charter makes: “Imagine what you will know tomorrow.” just might include the previous line about being alone on this planet.

 

Crown Tournment post #2

                In my first post I talked a little about my hobby, the SCA. This past weekend Arizona’s kingdom held the semi-annual crown  The tournament is a double elimination tournament: therefore, each fighter gets to fight at least twice. There are two classes of fighters one is the knights, they have proven their mental and have been recognized by their peers. The second class is the fighters who have not yet obtained knighthood. Keep in mind that there is more to being a knight than just being a good fighter.

tournament. Every 6 months a tournament is held in order to decide who will reign as king. The best fighters in the kingdom gather with their best armor and their consorts. Each fighter fights for the honor of making their consort the queen.

                I am not a knight, however I normally fight in this tournament. It gives me a chance to face fighters that I normally would not get a chance to fight. I also use it as a gage of how well I am doing as a fighter. I chose not to fight this time around due to my school schedual. If I had managed to win the day I would not be able to do the position justice, for the demands of school would take all my focus. Hay, I could have a good day.

                The list of fighters for this crown was long. There were forty seven fighters on this season’s list. The pagentery started with each fighter introducing themselves and their consorts to the current crown. The next step was for the fighters who are not yet knights to challenge the knights. The challenges set the first round of the tournament, and the fallowing rounds are set by the minister of the list. The rounds progress with great fights, and acts of valor and chivalry.  A fighter might give his opponent a second fight to avoid any question about the winner, or give his opponent a chance to catch his breath during a long fight. The end of the day brings three fighters to the final round.

                His majesty declares that since all three fighters have had one loss each, that the first to defeat the other two will be the victor and crowned prince until their coronation. The fighters then gather their heralds and retainers, and make ready for the final round. The heralds introduce their respective fighter and their consorts with all of their accomplishments. The heralds do this as would Chaucer, from the movie A Knight’s Tale.

                The first fight is between Duke, Sir Craven, who has reined a king four other times, and he fights for the honor of his lady, Duchess Elzbieta. Craven faces Baron, Sir Morgan, who has made it to the finals of crown several times, and fights for the honor of his lady, Baroness Elizabeth. The fighters start by saluting and honoring the current crown. Next fighters salute and honor their consorts, and as a show of chivalry each fighter salutes and honors his opponent’s consort. Then the fighters salute and honor each other. Finally the King calls the fight to begin. The knights fight honorably, but only one can be victorious. Duke, Sir Craven wins the first fight.

                The second fight Duke, Sir Craven must face Sir Franbald, and he

Craven vs Morgan

Craven vs Franbald

fights for the honor of Baroness Irina. The fighters give their salutes, and then the king starts the fight. Once again the knights fight honorably, and Duke, Sir Craven stands victorious.

                The day was enjoyable and the fighting was spectacular. It does not matter if I am fighting or just watching crown tournament is always an event worth going to.  

Craven and Elzbieta