DISQUS

In the June 1981 Atlantic magazine, James Fallows published "M-16: A Bureaucratic Horror Story." It described how the Army's ordnance department, feathers ruffled from having foisted the unworkable (too heavy a caliber) SKS assault rifle on NATO over the protests of the British and others, who wanted a light-caliber round similar to what the Germans and Russians had used effectively in WW II, sabotaged the AR-15 by inserting three requirements over the frenzied protests of its designer, a genius named Stoner at Armalite.

The barrel twist had to be increased to improve accuracy 9but this halved lethality); the ammunition had to be changed to a dirty-burning compound from Olin (because it was similar to the powder used in other weapons); and an insertion-assist had to be added to force home recalcitrant rounds (this added zero to effectiveness, but increased cost and weight).

The original weapon, which can be bought from Armalite, is as good as the article says. But the Army still wouldn't back down from its mistaken specs, even after the hearings exposed the Ordnance dept.'s blunder. "The system" protects its own--and it recognized blood-brothers in the mediocrity and petty gamesmanship of the blunderers.

Fallows’ article isn’t available online yet, Fallows explains in his thread on the Atlantic’s site that articles from that date have to be scanned in and are still in a legal limbo. But you can obtain it by interlibrary loan—they may even make a free copy for you and mail it to you. Check with your library.

Driving seems very unlikely. But there was a chimp in S. Africa who was kept at a small RR station and had been trained to throw a switch. He did this for many years. (I've read this in two or three places, so it must be true.)

Seafarers traditionally wore a pierced earring (remember pirates?)--there was a superstition that it was good for health (vision?) in some way. So this would have been a natural progression.

Well, such a gadget has proven its practicality when the opposition consists of turkeys. Here's the blurb from the vendor:

"Stalker Shield is a flexible, metalised polyester reflective sheet that is held erect by a simple fiberglass rod framework. It's light, easy to setup and transport. Stalker Shield mirrors its surroundings making it a great blind or stalking shield that will change the way you hunt.

"Superior to other blinds because it mirrors the cover around you
If you hunt from a blind chances are that the blind is camouflaged with one of the popular tree/leaf camo patterns. They work just fine as long as you're hunting in among large tree trunks, sticks and leaves. But if you want to hunt in a stand of small popple, a corn field, a cattail slough, swamp grass, a hayfield, a bush pile etc. your camo blind won't blend in."

Here's the link:
http://www.sportclimbers.com/stalkerindex.htm

@ #7: "Note that the bottom plate comes off completely and isn’t attached by cable or chain ...."

This gadget might be a useful determent behind the cover-flap of a car's gas compartment, to deter siphoning.

Camouflage isn't the dead-on word: "soften" or "de-starkify" would have been more accurate. I think it's a terrific way for whimsical doodlers to lighten things up. Why not have polka-dotted fire hydrants, and swirl-striped bus-sign poles, for instance? I wish some doodlers could be commissioned to camouflage some of the stark, self-important public art works that are being strewn around.

My sister has got a smaller version for her cat. But it has a solid roof to keep out the rain.

Here's an item I urge you to keep your eye peeled for: The original story about the rocket car--the source of all the legends that followed.

I came upon this in a 1946 or 1948 magazine of that type that I'd bought at a yard sale. I tore it out and mailed it to the head of the organization that hands out the Darwin Awards: someone in London with an Indian name. (I've lost track of it now.) I unfortunately didn't make a Xerox copy.

Anyway, the story was a half-page item, half of it text and half a photo, of an old-timey boxy car with two JATO rockets strapped to it that someone--it may have been one of the armed forces--was using for testing, or for sport. I can't remember. I believe the location was in the southwest.

Here's another item from 1948 (or 1946) I urge you to keep your eye peeled for: The original story about the rocket car--the source of all the legends that followed.

I came upon this in a 1946 or 1948 magazine of that type that I'd bought at a yard sale. I tore it out about 7 years ago and mailed it to the head of the organization that hands out the Darwin Awards: someone in London with an Indian name. (I've lost track of it now.) I unfortunately didn't make a Xerox copy.

Anyway, the story was a half-page item, half of it text and half a photo, of an old-timey boxy car with two JATO rockets strapped to it that someone--it may have been one of the armed forces--was using for testing, or for sport. I can't remember.

So focus on those years and you may hit paydirt. I know there's a lot of interest in trying to nail down the origin of this tale.

I agree Segway seems to have found the perfect application.

What if they'd initially promoted it initially as only a golf cart, instead of a world-beater? Maybe it would have trended upward out of its beachhead and become a revolutionary product. Instead of following the opposite trajectory.