A Bit Off Topic Category Archives :: Consider This

A Prezi - My First

Artic Blast Hits Battle Ground, WA - December 2008

We had some record making snowy and cold weather In December 2008! I hope you enjoy our snowy Christmas photos.

> Simply click on the photo below.

Battle Ground Snow - December 2008

Photo Album Embedding Trial

April 2008 Trip to Indonesia

Quick Reference: Metric Conversions

centimeters x 0.3937 = inches
inches x 2.54 = centimeters

meters x 3.281 = feet
feet x 0.3048 = meters

miles x 1.609 = kilometers
kilometers x 0.6214 = miles

kilograms x 2.2046 = pounds
pounds x 0.45359 = kilograms

Happy Birthday, US Naval Academy

On September 13, 1842, the American Brig Somers set sail from the Brooklyn Navy Yard on one of the most significant cruises in American naval history. It was a school ship for the training of teenage naval apprentice volunteers who would hopefully be inspired to make the Navy a career.

However, discipline deteriorated on the Somers and it was determined by a court of inquiry aboard ship that Midshipman Philip Spencer and his two chief confederates, Boatswains Mate Samuel Cromwell and Seaman Elisha Small, were guilty of a "determined attempt to commit a mutiny."

The three were hanged at the yardarm and the incident cast doubt over the wisdom of sending midshipmen directly aboard ship to learn by doing. News of the Somers mutiny shocked the country.

Through the efforts of the Secretary of the Navy George Bancroft, the Naval School was established without Congressional funding, at a 10-acre Army post named Fort Severn in Annapolis, Maryland, on October 10, 1845, with a class of 50 midshipmen and seven professors. The curriculum included mathematics and navigation, gunnery and steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy, and French.

In 1850 the Naval School became the United States Naval Academy. A new curriculum went into effect requiring midshipmen to study at the Academy for four years and to train aboard ships each summer. That format is the basis of a far more advanced and sophisticated curriculum at the Naval Academy today. As the U.S. Navy grew over the years, the Academy expanded. The campus of 10 acres increased to 338. The original student body of 50 midshipmen grew to a brigade size of 4,000. Modern granite buildings replaced the old wooden structures of Fort Severn.
—USNA's A Brief History of the United States Naval Academy

Source: USNA's A Brief History of the United States Naval Academy

A Fine Navy Day

US Navy photo at Navy Newstand Gallery

Guided missile destroyer USS HOWARD (DDG 83), left, and fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7) cruise in formation in WESTPAC

South China Sea (Sept. 17, 2004) - Guided missile destroyer USS HOWARD (DDG 83), left, and fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7) cruise in formation behind the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). Howard and Rainier is part of the Stennis Carrier Strike Group (CSG) currently [in September 2004] participating in a scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Mark J. Rebilas (RELEASED)

USS HOWARD (DDG-83) honors Viet Nam War hero GYSGT Jimmie E. Howard, USMC. His Medal of Honor citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty.  G/Sgt. Howard and his 18-man platoon were occupying an observation post deep within enemy-controlled territory.  Shortly after midnight a Viet Cong force of estimated battalion size approached the Marines' position and launched a vicious attack with small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire.  Reacting swiftly and fearlessly in the face of the overwhelming odds, G/Sgt. Howard skillfully organized his small but determined force into a tight perimeter defense and calmly moved from position to position to direct his men's fire.  Throughout the night, during assault after assault, his courageous example and firm leadership inspired and motivated his men to withstand the unrelenting fury of the hostile fire in the seemingly hopeless situation.  He constantly shouted encouragement to his men and exhibited imagination and resourcefulness in directing their return fire.  When fragments of an exploding enemy grenade wounded him severely and prevented him from moving his legs, he distributed his ammunition to the remaining members of his platoon and proceeded to maintain radio communications and direct air strikes on the enemy with uncanny accuracy.  At dawn, despite the fact that 5 men were killed and all but 1 wounded, his beleaguered platoon was still in command of its position.  When evacuation helicopters approached his position, G/Sgt. Howard warned them away and called for additional air strikes and directed devastating small-arms fire and air strikes against enemy automatic weapons positions in order to make the landing zone as secure as possible.  Through his extraordinary courage and resolute fighting spirit, G/Sgt. Howard was largely responsible for preventing the loss of his entire platoon.  His valiant leadership and courageous fighting spirit served to inspire the men of his platoon to heroic endeavor in the face of overwhelming odds, and reflect the highest credit upon G/Sgt. Howard, the Marine Corps, and the U.S. Naval Service

When I worked for the US Navy's AEGIS Program Office I was helping to build ships such as the USS HOWARD (DDG-83). I am proud of my contribution to our Navy. And that evening, in this photo looks like it must have been a Fine Navy Day

Source: Official US Navy Newstand Eye on the Fleet Photo Gallery (Destroyers)

Mt Saint Helens

We live about 35 miles southwest of the summit of Mt Saint Helens in southwestern Washington state. Mt Saint Helens erupted in 1980
Note that since October 11, 2004, Mount St. Helens has been in a constant eruptive state.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) maintains the VolcanoCam of Mt Saint Helens.
The USGS operates the Cascades Volcano Observatory. It's the authoritative Web destination to visit for all the latest news about Mt Saint Helens and all the Volcanoes of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest

Navy Birthday

Happy 229^nd Birthday, US Navy

When asked what I am most proud of, I stick out my chest, hold my head high and state proudly, 'I served in the United States Navy!'
---President John F. Kennedy, 35^th President (1917--1963)

Source: thinkExist.com's Quotations with Navy

Temperature Conversions

A Neat Celsius to Fahrenheit to Celsius Converter

Temperature Converter

Enter a number representing a temperature in either the Celsius box or the Fahrenheit box and click on the Calculate button.
The converted temperature for the other scale will appear in that box. While you may use decimal input, the final result will be rounded to whole numbers. Press the Reset button to clear any values in both boxes.

°F   =   °C

Source: Temperature Conversions Online

Weather Pixie Arrives

Sometimes ya just can't resist the Cool Web goodies floating around for the taking. ;-)

Portland, OR USA Current Weather
Currently 10:49 AM, Friday December 6, 2019 (time zone: PST)

Antarctica, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station Current WEAX
Currently: 4:49 AM, Saturday December 7, 2019

Sydney, NSW, Australia Current WEAX
Currently: 3:49 AM, Saturday December 7, 2019

Athens, Greece Current WEAX
Currently: 8:49 PM, Friday December 6, 2019

London, United Kingdom (Heathrow Airport) Current WEAX
Currently: 6:49 PM, Friday December 6, 2019
Our Melissa attended the University of Bath in the UK.
In 2006 she earned an MA in Translation and Professional Language Skills. We are so proud of her. In early 2006 she is working in Tokyo, Japan.

Tokyo, Japan (Tokyo Helioport) Current WEAX
Currently: 2:49 AM, Saturday December 7, 2019
Our Melissa in early 2006 was working in Tokyo, Japan.

Surabaya/Juanda, Indonesia Current WEAX
Currently: 12:49 AM, Saturday December 7, 2019

Rochester NY (Greater Rochester International Airport) Current WEAX
Currently: 1:49 PM, Friday December 6, 2019

The Current WEAX in Somerville, NJ! near where I grew up. I grew up in the Borough of South Bound Brook
Currently: 1:49 PM, Friday December 6, 2019

Source: Thanks so very much to Elise's Learning Movable Type for the link.

Where in the World?

Investigating Blogs this evening, a link took me to a really cool web site where I could create maps of where I've visited in the World and in the USA. All the below maps are current as of March 15^th, 2004.

Below is my World Map of Visited Countries:
According to the generated map, I've visited 35 countries (15%) of the World.


create your own visited country map
or write about it on the open travel guide

Below is my USA Map of States I have Visited:


create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide

Below is a USA map of States I've lived in:

Try it and you'll see it generates HTML code that you can paste into your blog or Web site!

Thanks to the Infomaniac for the really, really cool link!

So, where have you been?