Thursday - December 19, 2019

I feel taller already

US Finally Switches To International Foot After 60 Year Delay

Change is afoot for the official measuring stick used to size up big places in America. The reason? There are actually two different definitions of the 12-inch measurement known as a foot.

Some land surveyors use what’s known as the U.S. survey foot. Others use the definition that’s more accepted by the broader world: the international foot.

The difference between them is so tiny that you can’t see it with the naked eye on a 12-inch ruler. But over big distances, it matters. So, to reduce the chance for errors and confusion, the federal government has announced it’s finally giving the boot to the survey foot.

The international foot is the smaller one — adding about an eighth of an inch of difference when measuring a mile. That means the United States is 28.3 feet wider when measured using the international foot instead of the survey foot.

The change started in 1959, when the federal government mandated that everyone use the international foot but allowed surveyors to keep to the old U.S. survey foot for a while. That temporary reprieve has lasted 60 years, but it will finally end in 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology announced in October.

Surveyors in 40 U.S. states and territories still use the larger U.S. foot. The rest use the smaller international one.

In 1893, the U.S. government defined a foot as 1,200 meters divided by 3,937. Plug those numbers into a calculator and you get 0.3048006 meters. Those last three digits (and it goes on even longer if you want to be technical) are important. Don’t forget them.

In 1933, the international foot was invented. It was simpler: 0.3048 meters, exactly. Those last three digits just get eliminated.

But those digits kept bedeviling engineers. So in 1959, the U.S. government started the international switch and it will finish the job in 2022.

When it finally happens, the U.S. foot will be relegated to history, NIST’s Benham says, “just like a cubit.”

So they came up with the international foot as a mathematical convenience. And then took 3 generations to put it in place. Also, it was probably one of the first efforts to push the country towards metric.

Hey, maybe next week the government will define pi as exactly 3, which would make so much math so much easier.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/19/2019 at 11:56 AM   
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   Wednesday - December 18, 2019

And So It Begins

totally partisan vote.

They are charging him with “obstruction of Congress” and “abuse of power”.

And now the darkest chapter of our nation’s history begins.

While I have the greatest confidence in our President’s innocence and ultimate victory, I know that this is a crapshoot. The world has lost it’s mind, and anything can happen.

I am very disquieted. Whatever happens, Trump is now branded. Whatever happens, the Overton Window has shifted and impeachment is now an acceptable political weapon. Expect every single future President to be impeached. This is a failure of our nation. We are changed forever.

And thank the Democrats for spoiling the holiday season for everyone.

President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday night, becoming only the third American chief executive to be formally charged under the Constitution’s ultimate remedy for high crimes and misdemeanors.

The historic vote split along party lines, much the way it has divided the nation, over the charges that the 45th president abused the power of his office by enlisting a foreign government to investigate a political rival ahead of the 2020 election. The House then approved a second charge, that he obstructed Congress in its investigation.

The articles of impeachment, the political equivalent of an indictment, now go to the Senate for trial. If Trump is acquitted by the Republican-led chamber, as expected, he would have to run for reelection carrying the enduring mark of impeachment on his purposely disruptive presidency.

And President Trump immediately went on the offensive, speaking to a SRO crowd in Michigan.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/18/2019 at 09:20 PM   
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When The Alma Matters

One for all, and all for one, forever.

A pretty weird situation that needs to be nipped in the bud ... as an undergraduate 25 years ago I formed close bonds with the kids I fenced with. I heard today that one of those people - a guy now in his late 40s - is trying to hit on the 15 year old daughter of another of them, a gentle woman I cherished and always teasingly called my lioness. The guy was a bit odd back in the day, but he’s since become a delusional nut case. Harmless up until now, but a real pain in the arse with all his strange emails. But sending a Facebook message to the child’s mom, saying he wants to date her daughter when she turns 16, and reminding mom that that’s the age of consent, providing the daughter can prove it with her driver’s license ... is way over the top. EEEEW, and kind of frightening.

Lucky for us that any number of our crew have gone on to become lawyers. One of which this guy has harassed for years already.

Don’t mess with the lioness’s cubs. We will ALL come down on you.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/18/2019 at 01:42 PM   
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Christmas From Above

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules out of Yokota Air Base, Japan, delivers five Low-Cost, Low-Altitude humanitarian aid bundles filled with critical supplies as part of Operation Christmas Drop 2019 to the island of Woleai, Federated States of Micronesia, Dec. 10, 2019. In its 68th year, OCD is the world’s longest running humanitarian assistance airdrop training mission, providing critical supplies to 55 remote Micronesian islands like Woleai, impacting approximately 20,000 people across 1.8 million square nautical miles of operating area.

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam— “Santa 31 is headed your way!!”

For those on the island of Woleai in the Federated States of Micronesia and other islands throughout the FSM and the Republic of Palau, it’s radio calls like that from the North Pole at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, that make Christmas come a little early every year thanks to Santa’s C-130’s participating in Operation Christmas Drop.

“When we get that call saying it’s our drop day and word gets out, the island has a different feel to it,” said Allentino Riugiufmal, Northern Islands Central High School vice principal on Woleai. “The island just has this pure feeling of excitement that is shared across the community, like a child just waiting to see what’s under the tree.

“After the news is radio’d in its just a matter of time before the only C-130 we see all year long to grace our skies, delivering the bundles we’ve come to rely on throughout the years. When the day finally does come, and that plane is in the sky, it’s just like Christmas has come early.”

In now its 68th year, OCD has not only served as the world’s longest running airdrop training mission, providing critical supplies to 55 Micronesian islands like Woleia, but has also served as a coming together for elders and their communities on their respective islands across 1.8 million square nautical miles throughout the Pacific.

It is that gathering of the elders to determine who gets what goods that has created so many memories for all who have shared in the OCD magic, memories that have lasted almost as long as OCD itself.

“Every Christmas Drop is special for the island,” said Santos Bugoman, an 18-year resident of Woleai. “We all have our own memories of OCDs past. I got my first pair of shoes in one of my first Christmas Drops and it’s something I will always remember and cherish. I wore them until I had completely outgrown them and blisters were forming because they were too small. Maybe I was being just a little bit sentimental, but they were so special to me I didn’t want to let go of them.”

While memories of toys and shoes are what the children cherish, for the elders it is the food, medicine, and other supplies that have meant the most over the years.

The Woleai Atoll was occupied by the Japanese during WWII. The war brought vast destruction and death to this isolated little island group, but left behind a repairable 3000 foot runway. About 1000 people live on the atoll these days. It has a school, some electricity, one major road and even two vehicles.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/18/2019 at 12:13 PM   
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Ever Seen A 15 Year Long Time Out?

China: While Parents Shop For New Audi, Their Kid Damages 10 New Cars In Lot

A three-year-old child racked up quite the bill for her parents after a recent trip to an Audi dealership in China. Local news reports that the small child managed to get creative on a number of brand new vehicles while the parents shopped around the showroom floor. The child reportedly used a small stone to doodle on the fresh paint and sheet metal of brand-new Audi cars and SUVs, as the photos published by Guilin News show below.

The nightmarish scenario (for both parties), took place in Guilin, China, and while most of the models that were damaged weren’t included in the news report, it does mention that some of the vehicles heavily scratched included an Audi Q3 and new 2020 Q8, which start at $34,700 and $68,200 in the U.S. Measurements taken by the dealership show that some of the scratches were as long as four inches, and in most cases, there were multiples per vehicle.

...

Because the parents and dealership couldn’t initially reach an agreement for the damages, the Lingui District People’s Court of Guilin City got involved in the matter. The dispute was finally settled this month with the court ordering the parents pay the dealership $10,025, a number that albeit lower than the original sum, was reportedly tough for the parents to swallow.

If the parents were shopping for a $68,000 car in China, then they’re bloody rich. The courts should have made them purchase all the damaged vehicles. Justice, according to the old Chinese proverb “you break it you buy it.” But no ... 10 grand will barely cover the repair cost.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/18/2019 at 11:18 AM   
Filed Under: • CHINA in the news • Stoopid-People •  
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   Tuesday - December 17, 2019

Up In The Air Day

Today, December 17, is the 116th anniversary of powered human flight.

Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first successful flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft on December 17, 1903. Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven biplane 120 feet in 12 seconds near Kitty Hawk, NC.

...

Three more tests were made that day, with Wilbur taking the last flight 852 feet in 59 seconds.

The first flight achieved 6.82mph. Their last flight that day managed 9.85mph. So their airplane flew about as fast as a horse going for a spirited walk.

The development in flight went slowly in the first few years; it wasn’t until 1908 that Bleriot developed an airplane that could reliably fly 200m up in the air.  By 1911 most airplanes used ailerons to control roll instead of wing warping. Bleriot had put the up/down and left/right control surfaces at the back of the plane years before his amazing flight across the English Channel in 1909, but the whole panels moved; there was no vertical stabilizer and rudder, it was all rudder. Same for the horizontal stabilizer. Effective but very abrupt. This stabilator idea didn’t last long, but has resurfaced again with modern fighter jets. All it takes is computer control and powerful hydraulics to make it work smoothly.

Flaps weren’t invented until until the middle of WWI, first seen on the Fairey Hamble Baby. Flaps provide extra lift at slow speed.

So in less than 15 years the various powered flight ideas had coalesced into the form we recognize as conventional airplanes today. Sadly, within 7 years of it’s invention, the airplane had also become a weapon.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/17/2019 at 12:14 PM   
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winter wonderland

The latest storm system is slow, wet, and chilly. It’s just around the freezing mark, so we didn’t get any snow. We had freezing rain, but not a whole lot of it. And we’re going to get wobbly weather for the rest of the day and the rest of the week.

But right now, all the plants are covered with a thin glaze of ice. Nothing dangerous; no falling trees or power lines or slippery roads. Just a shiny crusting on every bit of nature out there. It’s very pretty. Cold, wet, fairly miserable, highly overcast, but pretty. For now.

2 cups of whole milk microwaved until it boils
another cup of whole milk microwaved while you’re making the recipe.
6 tbs sugar
5 tbs cocoa powder, perhaps 6
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

mix sugar salt cocoa in a medium pot. transfer in 1/2c hot milk. Stir until it’s sludge. do same with another 1/2c. add the rest and some vanilla, stir. Add next cup of boiled milk. Heat mugs in microwave 30 seconds. Add hot cocoa.
Makes a full mug of yum for 2. mini marshmallows optional.

Drink while looking out the window and praising the consumption of fossil fuels. Order take out and have it delivered.

The whole idea of civilization is to get as far away from nature as possible.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/17/2019 at 11:44 AM   
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The representative Representative

A New Jersey Take On Van Drew’s Switching Parties

He knew that his constituents didn’t favor impeachment and his stance on voting no on impeachment of Donald Trump would get him primary-ed by the Democratic machine in New Jersey next year. He is in a mostly conservative Republican district. He figured he would have a better chance of staying in Congress if he switched parties. If his district was more Democratic, he would remain a Democrat.

When he won election to Congress in 2018, his Republican opponent was considered a bit of a nutjob and not a good candidate. That combined with the anti-Trump fever that was sweeping the country in the mid-term elections provided Van Drew with the win. Van Drew has climbed his way up the political ladder from Fire Commissioner to Freeholder to Assemblyman to State Senator to Congressman. He’s not about to be a one-term Congressman and go back to being a dentist.

Jeff is 66 years old and would like to finish his long years of service in Congress for as many years as he can. It has nothing to do with love of Donald Trump or a change of ideology. No doubt, he’s done some polling in his district and knows the Trump-hating Democrats in power won’t let him stay for his NO-vote on impeaching the President. But his constituents favor the job Trump is doing so he had to make a choice. It’s a calculated political move to keep him IN Washington and OUT of his old patients mouths. That’s all.

Yes, his move is politically expedient. But he is representing the will of the majority of his constituents. I’m pretty sure that’s what he should be doing, and I’m also pretty sure that there is no fine print that requires him to commit political suicide by doing so. So he made the right choice.

Now let’s see how much of a Republican - even a “Jersey Republican” - he becomes. I seem to recall that a certain New Englander was elected as a Republican specifically to vote against obamacare. Which he did, and then went right back to being a Dem, in RINO clothing.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/17/2019 at 11:36 AM   
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   Monday - December 16, 2019

the bottomless deep

You really want to read this essay at The Intercept, and then back it up with this one at Flopping Aces, along with nearly everything else he posts.

This system of unlimited domestic spying was built by both parties, which only rouse themselves to object when the power lies in the other side’s hands. Just last year, the vast majority of the GOP caucus joined with a minority of Democrats led by Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff to hand President Trump all-new domestic spying powers while blocking crucial reforms and safeguards to prevent abuse. The spying machinery that Edward Snowden risked his life and liberty to expose always has been, and still is, a bipartisan creation.

Perhaps these revelations will finally lead to a realization about how rogue, and dangerous, these police state agencies have become, and how urgently needed is serious reform. But if nothing else, it must serve as a tonic to the three years of unrelenting media propaganda that has deceived and misled millions of Americans into believing things that are simply untrue.

None of these journalists have acknowledged an iota of error in the wake of this report because they know that lying is not just permitted but encouraged as long as it pleases and vindicates the political beliefs of their audiences. Until that stops, credibility and faith in journalism will never be restored, and – despite how toxic it is to have a media that has no claim on credibility – that despised status will be fully deserved.

Yes, and Devin Nunes was right all along.

And so was candidate Donald Trump when he was ridiculed for saying his campaign was being spied on and wiretapped.

Oh, and Secretary of State Hillary somehow simply forget to mention that Qatar had donated a million bucks to her “foundation”.

We don’t need Donald Trump. We need 10,000 Donald Trumps. We need Donald Trump raised to the Donald Trump power. The rot is top to bottom, coast to coast, left to right. Throw the whole damn thing out and start over, or boil it down to the essentials and keep the few honest and moral workers. Heh, that kind of implies that the Tea Party was right all along too. I knew that.

I’m feeling very revolutionary this week. Last week too. Just because I’m not posting much on this BS doesn’t mean I’m not paying it some attention. There are so many lies from so many liars that it’s a dark tunnel of spider webs. A coup, wrapped in lies, inside an enigma enema, but perhaps there is a key. That key is Leftist control.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/16/2019 at 11:34 PM   
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   Sunday - December 15, 2019

wonder what the cost for joining will be?

NJ Rep Ready To Switch Sides?

Democratic New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew informed his staff on Saturday about his intention to switch parties, Politico reported.

Several Democrats with knowledge of the matter told Politico that the question “was now when, not if, Van Drew was joining the Republican Party.” Meanwhile, multiple senior Democrats have tried unsuccessfully to reach the New Jersey lawmaker, Politico reported.

Van Drew had been under discussions with senior Trump administration officials about switching parties, according to a Saturday report from The New York Times.

A moderate Democrat who has been a firm opponent of impeaching President Donald Trump, Van Drew was reportedly considering the switch in part to avoid a Democratic primary challenge in his district.

An official announcement from the congressman could come next week. Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee cleared the way on Friday for a full House vote on impeachment, which could take place as early as Wednesday.

Congressman Van Drew represents the far southern end of the state, which is an area unlike anywhere else in New Jersey. No big cities other than Atlantic City, which hardly counts. Farms, a few factories, plenty of abandoned fisheries and whatnot. It’s the other Red corner of True Blue NJ. He’s been in the news several times lately, making pro-America statements about gun control, taxes, and other things.

PHILADELPHIA — Rep. Jeff Van Drew, the conservative New Jersey Democrat who is expected to soon become a Republican, found himself in an unfamiliar and troubling position in recent weeks: Watching support drop off from Democratic leaders in the state who had long tolerated his base-angering votes in the name of political expediency.

Van Drew, who served nearly two decades in the state Legislature, was never popular with the party’s progressive base in a state that’s turned increasingly blue. He voted against gay marriage, increasing the minimum wage and numerous gun control measures.

But none of that stopped the Democratic establishment from coalescing behind Van Drew as soon as the 2nd Congressional District’s longtime Republican incumbent, Frank LoBiondo, announced in 2017 that he wouldn’t seek reelection. That same day, power broker George Norcross — the undisputed if unofficial leader of South Jersey Democrats — issued a statement saying he encouraged Van Drew to run and was offering his full support.

But cracks in that support began to appear when Van Drew’s stance against impeaching President Donald Trump started affecting local elections in New Jersey and tanked his Democratic support in his district, which encompasses the southern tip of the state including Atlantic City. Van Drew made the national media rounds, even getting a supportive tweet from Trump after an appearance on Fox & Friends.

Sadly, NJ’s Senators are still the inept Cory Booker and the corrupt pedo Robert Menendez.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/15/2019 at 08:33 AM   
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   Friday - December 13, 2019

one against the managers once again

I could have sworn we just played these guys the other week. But we played them again tonight. Lost the first two games but won the third, which will take us to just below 50% in the standings.

I threw well and consistent, tossing a 201, a 199, and a 198 for a 598. Yeah, “missed it by that much”. But I’m not complaining. A 199 average for the night; I’m happy enough.

And then we made hot chocolate when we got home. Best use for organic whole milk ever. Yumm.

And now my hand is really tired and my fingertips are burning. Boo. Fuggit, I’ll be Ok in a day or three.

Posted by Drew458     on 12/13/2019 at 10:31 PM   
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Impeachment Vote Today?

How Auspicious: Dem’s Move Impeachment Vote To Friday The 13th

Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler postponed a planned impeachment vote late Thursday night, infuriating Republicans who were not consulted about the schedule change, and prompting ranking member Doug Collins to say, “This committee is more concerned about getting on TV in the morning than it was finishing its job tonight and letting the members go home.”

A short time later, Collins spoke to reporters:

“I have just witnessed just the most bush-league stunt I’ve ever witnessed in my professional life,” Collins said after Nadler abruptly ended the 14-hour impeachment debate late Thursday night, telling the committee to return at 10 a.m. on this Friday the 13th to vote.

Yup, that’s in less than half an hour. Oh joy.

UPDATE:  And now they’ve done it.

The House Judiciary Committee on Friday voted to adopt two articles of impeachment against President Trump – capping a contentious three-day session that Republicans panned as a “kangaroo court” and teeing up a historic floor vote right before the holiday break.

The committee adopted both articles, alleging abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, on a party-line vote of 23-17. A final roll call in the full House is expected next week, which could trigger a Senate trial in the new year just as presidential primaries are set to get underway.

Good thing that “abuse of power” isn’t actually a crime and is entirely a matter of opinion, and that “obstruction of Congress” isn’t either, and is a post-inquiry “process crime” open to interpretation, and is something that the chief executive is exempt from according to DOJ standards.

So this should be another Schiff-show.

I can’t wait until the next 3 times they impeach President Trump, because sooner or later the country is going to wake up and take action. Soap box, ballot box, jury box, ... .

Posted by Drew458     on 12/13/2019 at 09:40 AM   
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   Thursday - December 12, 2019

The Truth Doesn’t Matter

You may have noticed that I’m hardly posting anything on the impeachment situation show trial witch hunt. That’s because the entire thing nauseates me, and most of us have been aware for more than 3 years that every aspect of this thing is a fake. The latest “report” is nearly a whitewash; par for the course from a government that did the same thing with their 9/11 Commission. CYA, CYA, lie, omit, denounce, project. And I’m utterly fed up with it. Not a grain of truth anywhere, but hate will always find a way out, so the clown show goes on. Forever.

Truth? We Don’t Need No Stinking Truth!!

Jordan’s Amendment To Impeachment Charges Struck Down

The House Judiciary Committee swiftly became the scene of a fresh partisan clash Thursday as lawmakers pressed ahead with two articles of impeachment against President Trump, with majority Democrats turning aside a last-ditch bid by Republicans to call witnesses of their choice before a looming committee vote.

That vote is poised to send the measures to the full House for a historically weighty floor vote in a matter of days. But first, lawmakers will finalize the text of the articles during Thursday’s all-day session.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, began the debate Thursday morning by proposing an amendment that would strike the first article of impeachment altogether, claiming the evidence did not support the allegations of abuse of power.

“This amendment strikes article one because article one ignores the truth,” Jordan said. He pointed to the White House memorandum documenting President Trump’s July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, claiming it contained no evidence of a quid pro quo related to Ukraine investigating Trump’s political opponents.

“The day the transcript came out, even Chairman Nadler said there was no quid pro quo in the call transcript,” Jordan said. He went on to note that both Trump and Zelensky have stated there was no quid pro quo discussed or pressure placed on Ukraine, and that in the end Ukraine never took any action or made any announcement regarding any investigation.

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., supported Jordan’s amendment, arguing, “There was no impeachable offense here.”

He [ Doug Collins, R-GA ] and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., each argued that unlike previous presidents who have faced impeachment, Trump was not accused of an offense actually defined by law: neither “abuse of power” nor “obstruction of Congress” is a recognized federal or state crime. Those are the two offenses outlined in the articles of impeachment before the committee. (The separate charge of contempt of Congress, according to the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel, exempts the president for separation-of-powers reasons.)

So this is the biggest nothing burger in a whole series of nothing burgers. When the rules for impeachment say “high crimes and misdemeanors”, charge him with things that aren’t crimes. Ignore the facts, hide the real truth that this is one more eruption of the never-ending coupe attempt. All they’ve got is OrangeManBad and a big bowl of sour grapes. It’s getting pretty tiring. 

Posted by Drew458     on 12/12/2019 at 11:43 AM   
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A Most Unusual Christmas Present Idea

$22 To Gift A Rivet. But it also comes with a rove!! Plus a huge slice of obscure but fascinating history.

Once upon a time, long long ago, when England was no longer Roman, but not yet England or even Angle-Land, there was a small kingdom in the east end of that green and pleasant land called East Anglia. Northeast of London and the tiny kingdom of Essex, this was the toe-hold of the Angles, who had come over from Germany after the Romans left. This was midnight of the Dark Ages, when Christianity was still making inroads. Long before the Vikings learned how to vike.

There was a king of East Anglia named Raedwald. Redwald. He had converted to Christianity a couple decades before his death. But when he died in 624 he was buried in the pagan fashion, in his armor in a longship buried in a mound with lots of goodies, near the village of Sutton in the shire of Suffolk. And so he slept, for 1300 years.

In 1939 archeologists found his mound and started digging. And struck paydirt.

Sutton Hoo is of primary importance to early medieval historians because it sheds light on a period of English history that is on the margin between myth, legend, and historical documentation. Use of the site culminated at a time when Rædwald, the ruler of the East Angles, held senior power among the English people and played a dynamic if ambiguous part in the establishment of Christian rulership in England; it is generally thought most likely that he is the person buried in the ship. The site has been vital in understanding the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of East Anglia and the whole early Anglo-Saxon period.

The ship-burial, probably dating from the early 7th century and excavated in 1939, is one of the most magnificent archaeological finds in England for its size and completeness, far-reaching connections, the quality and beauty of its contents, and the profound interest of the burial ritual itself. The initial excavation was privately sponsored by the landowner. When the significance of the find became apparent, national experts took over. Subsequent archaeological campaigns, particularly in the late 1960s and late 1980s, have explored the wider site and many other individual burials. The most significant artefacts from the ship-burial, displayed in the British Museum, are those found in the burial chamber, including a suite of metalwork dress fittings in gold and gems, a ceremonial helmet, shield and sword, a lyre, and many pieces of silver plate from the Byzantine Empire.

The really neat part of that excavation is that they found the ship. Sort of. But not really, and kind of inside-out. The wooden ship had completely rotted away, leaving behind just the iron rivets. But the soil was so firm that the impression of the ship was perfect, as if it were a giant mould. And so it became known as a ghost ship. It wasn’t there, but you could see it.

Among the finds was the famous Anglo-Saxon helmet, as well as drinking horns , cauldrons, and weapons, many of which are now in the British Museum . These treasures were buried in the ship burial so that they could be used by the dead man in the afterlife.

The ship was the burial place of King Rædwald, who was the ruler of the kingdom of East Anglia and a member of the powerful Wufling dynasty. This dynasty is mentioned in the great epic Beowulf, the greatest work in medieval literature. The king was buried, according to pagan customs despite having officially converted to Christianity.

Break-through technologies are revolutionizing archaeology. A group of archaeologists and researchers have come together to use 3-D modeling technology to recreate the ship found at Sutton Hoo.

They have successfully developed a digital model of the ship based only on the rivets found in the burial mound. Albawaba quotes Julian Wainwright, a marine archaeologist, as saying that the team have a “virtually complete hull shape from keel to gunwale” . This is very important because the team now has the data to recreate the vessel from the Dark Ages .

The group want members of the public to pay $22 (£20) to buy a rivet for the ship. Some 3,500 rivets will be needed and each person who sponsors one will receive a commemorative pin and will be able to locate their rivet after the construction of the ship.

Sutton Hoo has welcomed visitors to the site for many years and attempts have been made to reconstruct the ship, including a half-size replica but now everything has come together so that a full-size replica will be built by The Ship’s Company.

The Ship’s Company was formed in 2016 with the sole purpose of creating a permanent and authentic replica of the Anglo-Saxon ship. The team is made up of professionals, volunteers and enthusiasts who are working together to fully understand the dimensions and construction methods. The ship will be built in the newly opened, Longshed, a purpose-built unit gifted to the town and dedicated to the maritime history and education.

So why build it now?

The Ship’s Company is a group of people with a strong desire – and a collective will – to see this build to completion. The town of Woodbridge has a rich boat building heritage and a beautiful waterfront providing an ideal setting for such an iconic project. So much can be learned from the research, design and construction by bringing the King’s ship back to life in the same place that it came to its end.

Building a Saxon ship using authentic ship-building methods will have its challenges but where we don’t have the skills in house we will contract experts, such as marine archaeologists, ship architects, shipwrights and experts in green wood working. Together with strong academic support from the Universities of York and Southampton we will see that we record and learn from, every stage.

Bringing the ship back to life and observing it back on the River Deben will be a sight to behold.

So go gift a rivet. This should make you literally a plank holder, since that’s what the rivets are for. And you get a pin and a badge too.

I don’t know what they will name the new ship, but I’d go with the HooToo. Seems appropriate, and much better than Boaty McBoatface.

Christmas Sponsorship – why not sponsor a rivet for someone else this Christmas? All you need to do is purchase your rivet and tell us who it is for in the box provided. We can ship the collectors pin badge and certificate directly to your friend, relative or colleague or we can send it to you to pass on.

[ AFAIK there is no correlation between old King Raedwald and the best selling knight-ish series of children’s books called Redwall, featuring valiant small animals, most notably the mouse Matthias who learns to be a man, by the late author Brian Jacques. They’re in your library. ]

Posted by Drew458     on 12/12/2019 at 10:11 AM   
Filed Under: • Miscellaneous •  
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Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:

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