Doc,

It's a good read - second time someone has posted that link in the last few days. Oak Ridge did other important R&D during the cold war that is also applicable to today. I've refrained from participating in the plastic-and-tape rock throwing so far because I already decided that it was ill-informed crap. Having previously been in charge of about 80 senior scientists and engineers, I know that people are people (strong opinions) about all sorts of things, but only real research (like the Oakridge folks did) yields useful information.

Someone recently suggested one of Dean Ing's books, "Pulling Through". Ing's book is fiction, sure, but setting any politics or PC stuff aside, it is mostly based on good science. But the other half of the book by Kearny and associates isn't even remotely fiction - it is solid, hard-earned, factual information. Most of that is 'N/A" to the present concerns; some of it is VERY applicable. I've read - have in my library - other "hard-science" publications from the Oakridge boys and similar outfits, and there is useful information in them as well, even though the focus is on other situations. (Yeah, I've made a couple of KFMs - years ago - and they WORK - far more accurate/useful than any readily available geiger counter, and that is truth that I personally verified with calibrated emmiters. Ing's fiction accurately depicts some of the "things to watch out for" when making/using a KFM... hmmmm... maybe other things in that fiction are things to consider as well, such as ventilation... food for thought...)

In Bill's defense - I've been up close to that Mayor in a crisis (not that he even noticed me at the time), and he is a tough, effective mayor when the chips are down. Sure, he and the Chief are politicians <shrug> I personally do not like his politics, but give him his due - he made some pretty good decisions in a past crisis and probably will in the future if circumstances call for it. Also... winter storms are a reality in the windy city, and the hot topic a few days ago was supposedly aimed at the East coast, not Chicago - I can sort of understand his sneer, even tho I disagree with his "dissing" the advice of the other agencies - thus tossing the baby out with the bath water.

In my opinion, Daly is the kind of mayor who would readily order the explosive demolition of buildings with people potentially in them to save many other people and buildings... very ruthless. I do not admire him, but he is not taken lightly. Too bad he didn't explain his disdain for the advice...

On a lighter matter - gee, the combination of poly sheeting and duct tape is soooo adaptable to so many uses, why would anyone NOT have it on hand? Sheesh, it's kind of fun to play around with! FWIW, I greatly prefer 4 mil poly for general use and 6 mil for rugged use. After that, it gets too darned expensive and even 6 mil is pretty heavy, weight-wise. And don't just get a roll of "clear" - the black has other uses, and the two together have many more. As for duct tape - caveat emptor. 3M stuff sets the standard. The discount stores carry a lot of crap duct tape. I have occassionally found Chinese-made duct tape at an incredible bargain price that is fully the equal of 3M in adhesion and coating, but it pays to examine the tape before buying. There are some other North American-made duct tapes that are the equal of 3M, but I don't recognize the brand names - it's possible that they are re-branded 3M, anyway.

Anyone else ever made a boat that safely carried three people across a large body of water with cardboard, limbs, visqueen, and duct tape? Like I said in a previous post, the MacGiver character would have a brain lock-up with the possibile uses of poly sheeting and duct tape, hehehe...

Regards,

Tom
"Minds are like parachutes... they both work best when open..."