#4 - "In Synch"

#5 was Optical Lenses! Guess the MA followers were included in this one as Elaine, Tony and Milt from MA were accounted for while out-of-staters Peyton, Joani, and Mike got their blog on time. 

"In Synch"

I had known of Slater's Mill in nearby Rhode Island for many years but never been there. I finally packed up my mirrorless and my new macro lens and headed off to see this iconic place. As luck would have it, my tour group was only seven people which gave me ample space and time to stop and shoot the "industrial." Tripods were not allowed so I had to rely on a higher ISO and my steady hands.

The intricate detail needed to run these machines successfully was obvious. These three gear wheels were typical of the craftsmanship and durability of the designers of our early Industrial Age.


Greatest Inventions of All Time!
Recently I came across an article about the greatest inventions as determined by a large group of scientists, philosophers, educators, and other professions. Their task was to create a list of "the Greatest Inventions of All Time." Conveniently, the final list numbered fifty! so, I'm starting with #50 and working my way down to Numero Uno in December.

Fear not as I will offer you some hints as to what the invention was.

#4 shapes the physical foundation of the virtual world!

#4 are electronic components that exploit the electronic properties of  materials, principally silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide. 

They have replaced thermionic devices (vacuum tubes) in most applications. They use electronic conduction in the solid state as opposed to the gaseous state or thermionic emission in a high vacuum.

These devices made per year have been growing by 9.1% on average since 1978 and shipments in 2018 are predicted for the first time to exceed 1 trillion, meaning well over 7 trillion has been made to date, in just in the decade prior!

Murphy's Laws

Occam's Electric Axiom. . .

The most difficult light bulb to replace 

burns out first and most frequently.

Leaving You with a Laugh, I Hope. . .

"Eye Doctor's Parking Area!"

#5 - "Twin Shut-offs"

#6 was paper! Something running afoul with this blog as once again those outside of Massachusetts go to see it - Peyton, Mike, and Joani while our in-staters were closed out.

"Twin Shut-offs"

As I mentioned several entries ago, the Stone Mill had been stripped of much of its inner workings. I struggled to find items of interest to fill the time there. Over in the corner, near what once was the floor's only bathroom were these two shut-off valves - "the twins!"

Greatest Inventions of All Time!
Recently I came across an article about the greatest inventions as determined by a large group of scientists, philosophers, educators, and other professions. Their task was to create a list of "the Greatest Inventions of All Time." Conveniently, the final list numbered fifty! so, I'm starting with #50 and working my way down to Numero Uno in December.

Fear not as I will offer you some hints as to what the invention was.

#5

At Number Five: 
Refracting light through glass is one of those simple ideas that took a mysteriously long time to catch on. “The Romans had a glass industry, and there’s even a passage in Seneca about the optical effects of a glass bowl of water.”  But it was centuries before the invention of #5 dramatically raised the collective human IQ, and eventually led to the creation of the microscope and the telescope.

This week’s invention is a transmissive optical device that focuses or disperses a light beam by means of refraction.

This Top Ten Winner can be made from materials such as glass or plastic, and are ground and polished or molded to a desired shape. 

Murphy's Laws

 Ophthalmologist's Principle. . .

A flying particle will seek the nearest eye.

Leaving You with a Laugh, I Hope. . .

"Hard Homework"

#6 - "Unplugged!"

#7 was the internal combustible engine! Can't fool this group - Elaine, Mike, Tony, Peyton, and Joani!

"Unplugged!"

When I reached the top floor of the Stone Mill, I saw a strange-looking object at the far end. It looked like an electric chair! It had the wires connecting to it and the head gear I had seen on TV. I thought this would make a most interesting capture. There was a guy fiddling around in front of it and I thought he would never leave. Turns out he was the man who crafted this chair. 

Well, he did leave me alone with his device so all I needed was a subject to sit in it. Not seeing anyone around, I decided to ghost it. This is when you have a long exposure and you position yourself in the frame for upwards of half of that exposure time. After several experiments, I had it just right!

Of course, I checked the plugs just BEFORE I sat down EVERY time!  


Greatest Inventions of All Time!
Recently I came across an article about the greatest inventions as determined by a large group of scientists, philosophers, educators, and other professions. Their task was to create a list of "the Greatest Inventions of All Time." Conveniently, the final list numbered fifty! so, I'm starting with #50 and working my way down to Numero Uno in December.

Fear not as I will offer you some hints as to what the invention was.

#6

second century

“The idea of stamping images is natural if you have #6, but until then, it’s economically unaffordable.” — Charles C. Mann

 It is a thin material produced by pressing together moist fibres of cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags, or grasses and drying them into flexible sheets. It is a versatile material with many uses, including writing, printing packaging, cleaning, and a number of industrial and construction processes.

The pulp making process is said to have been developed in China during the early 2nd century, possibly as early as the year 105 AD by the Han court although the earliest archaeological fragments of #6 derive from the 2nd century BC in China. The modern industry is global, with China leading its production and the United States right behind it.

Murphy's Laws

Journalistic Principle. . .

If a headline ends in a question mark, 

the answer is no.

Leaving You with a Laugh, I Hope. . .

"Between Two Evils"

#7 - "Downspout Patina"

#8 was vaccination! Heard from Elaine, Milt, Peyton, Joani, Mike, Jeff W. and Doris! Not too late to get your flu shot!

"Downspout Patina"

This downspout was almost a missed shot. I was driving home from shooting some lighthouses in CT when I noticed an old stone church on the corner. I drove another two minutes down the road before I decided it was worth making a u-turn. The building was a small chapel on the grounds of an old cemetery -  the Avery Cemetery Chapel. I shot the structure from several angles before I noticed this downspout. It had character in its design and its patina. Although I thought the chapel looked best as a monochromatic, I had to allow those viewing this to see it as it was shot - that green against the stone!


Greatest Inventions of All Time!
Recently I came across an article about the greatest inventions as determined by a large group of scientists, philosophers, educators, and other professions. Their task was to create a list of "the Greatest Inventions of All Time." Conveniently, the final list numbered fifty! so, I'm starting with #50 and working my way down to Numero Uno in December.

Fear not as I will offer you some hints as to what the invention was.

#7

Late 19th century

#7 turned air and fuel into power, eventually replacing the steam engine (No. 10)

The first commercially successful device was created by Lenoir around 1859 and the first modern one was created in 1876 by Nikolaus Otto.

#7 usually refers to a machine with two-stroke pistons, along with variants, such as the six-stroke and the Wankel Rotary. Firearms are also a form of #7.

Typically #Seven is fed with fossil fuels like natural gas or petroleum products. There is a growing usage renewable fuels. Hydrogen is sometimes used, and can be obtained from either fossil fuels or renewable energy.

Murphy's Laws

 Lynch's Law. . .

When the going gets tough, 

everybody leaves.

Leaving You with a Laugh, I Hope. . .

"Appreciation"