The White Rabbit

https://www.jstor.org/stable/44230626 may be worth a look - the preview page refers to some reputable authors. I've a few things to do this evening but will create an account and have a look later. https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1968/march/congreve-war-rockets-1800-1825 also looks promising. There are some stats quoted. From a skim-read, the impression I get is the lack of damage to Fort McHenry was more due to strong construction than a weakness in the artillery used against it. Though given the author's background, I could suggest 'he would say/suggest that, wouldn't he'? I've not found a title about the system, though I've seen several about conventional [tube] artillery of the period. Could be an interesting book if someone writes one.

Sorry for the late reply - the last eight or so hours have been a bit hectic. Other words are available... I wonder about that - I accept I have no personal experience but from my knowledge of the system, some of them came with solid heads as well as shells and incendiary heads. If the former were fitted, then I think 24 or 32 pound heads together with whatever weight the stick was would put a dent in most walls. Or ships. Conventional black powder smoothbore muzzle loading artillery had 24 and 32 pound pieces - but I'm not knowledgeable to know or even take a guess as to the comparable kinetic forces imparted to a target. And I know Baz may be our resident rocket scientist but I won't insult him by suggesting he had personal experience of this type!

Colonel Congreve's 'secret' weapon. Both naval weapons (as here) and land-based, as per Battles of Leipzig and Waterloo. The main problem was one of accuracy.

They would (probably?) be even unhappier if they got turfed out of bed one night or spent time nest-building only to find it catapulted onto the lawn. Yes, I know it's not the best time but due to other [things*] which are going on right now, quite a few things of a routine maintenance nature have had to slide. This pyracantha has not had the attention it should have and thanks to the prevailing wind, has grown at quite an angle (think a letter P, with the trunk literally on the edge of the 'blob' of foliage). It put on a growth spurt and was in danger of either uprooting itself in a gale or subsiding so as to actually grow along the ground. A severe haircut was necessary to relieve the pressure. Needs must when the devil drives. * Mainly medical incompetence and NHS malevolence, of which I have grumbled about on ERs before...

Rabbit's Sunday Sarcasm: Wot, no tractor references? 😇 a) LOTUS...? b) Wasn't there a marketing poster about that? 🤔

Evening all, A curate's egg day, it started well enough, with postie being kind enough not to wake us up at silly o'clock for my parcel of shhh, you know whats. Most of the time he comes at 10.15-10.30 but Saturdays are different, maybe he aims to catch the sparrows yawning? Instead, it was left behind a bush, out of sight of casual passers-by. It sort of went downhill after breakfast, the second bathroom's outflow pump appears to be on strike and any waste from the washbasin, toilet and shower accumulates in the shower tray. Rattinfugginturdycurses I think is the phrase... And my sympathies to all those caught up in the Sydney aggression. I know there will always be some who seek to take their frustrations at life out on others but whatever happened to holding those responsible to account rather than inflicting pain on innocent third parties? However, the sun was out for much of the day and quite a bit of progress was made with G-word stuff. As my right shoulder and back will testify. Complaints have been submitted to the O/C... One garden trellis dismantled, a third of the parts will go towards a bird table (Heath Robinson style), another third will form surveying stakes for a garden project of mine involving large unmentionables and the remainder are for the tip. A pyracantha was pruned - it didn't like it and tried to fight back but Wabbit was wise to such tricks. No jumping up and down in the green bin on the cuttings though - 'Old Spikey' would probably have won that one. Time to catch up on other threads and see if anyone's had any good ideas re my conundrums.

Evening all, A fine sunny day for a change. Plenty of G-word 'stuff' done, including some prep for an unmentionable. The field was mowed and the results ploughed into part of the garden which is currently bare earth and a bit claggy. Hopefully the cuttings will help break this up. In worse news, someone I was talking to about taking some unmentionables changed her mind, usual epithets expressed. I was hoping that would clear some space but hey-ho... Various parcels are (allegedly) inbound tomorrow from a few folk, including one of unmentionables. Others are of assorted household 'boring stuff'. An interesting conversation had with a neighbour about Caterhams and a couple of dogs met and greeted. And that's sort of it... Night awl

Afternoon all, A rather chilly and damp day here, various odds and ends done, mainly inside! Though outside, the top of a water butt was recovered from the hedge, it blew off in the last gale, despite attaching it to the butt with heavy duty cord. The cord held but the top split and made a desperate bid for freedom. Not very successfully and probably to its regret - straight into a holly bush. Inside, the seeds were watered and containers turned. Another tray of cress prepared. Various bits of paperwork sighed over. A few messages sent about fixing various bits round the house. And some tidying up done. Another day in the fast lane... Re the comments about AI pictures - I can understand how some may feel it's not for them - the same way some types of post don't interest me - but a reason to stay away from ERs? I confess that did surprise me.

Evening all, Two thoughts for the day (what's left of it...): 1) https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/apr/08/the-birthday-effect-why-your-big-day-might-be-your-last 2) If organised crime were no longer able to make money from drugs, what would they turn to? Without getting into how best to deal with the drug problem or wider questions of morality, justice and punishment, I do wonder what would fill the vacuum should drugs suddenly cease to be a money tree. Would that - whatever it was - be better or worse for society?

G 'arternoon awl. Changeable day weatherwise, we're certainly in hoolie land this weekend. A person could look out of the window, put his summer jacket and shoes on and by the time he stepped outside the front door, get a faceful of raindrops. And by the time he had got back inside and changed clothing and stepped out again... that bright hot thing in the sky would be out and raising steam from the driveway. Ask me how I know. Nope, not me but I saw a neighbour do it earlier. I wasn't close enough to hear but I'm sure he wasn't saying anything the vicar would like. When the sun was out and the rain elsewhere, it was a fine day, our wallflowers are getting blown about but are giving some colour to the garden. And from a little while ago, something I've never seen in the garden before:

I have this vision of a food version of chipboard/MDF... though probably in shapes other than 4 x 2 flat sheets. I think I'll stay away from it. Our local butcher does use decent cuts of meat for sausages and pate/potted meat. It means they cost more but I'd sooner pay more for something good rather than 'fat, gristle and sawdust' varieties. The larger commercial organisations may have a different PoV.

One item I acquired (with full consent of the owner) was a vegetable rack/low table on casters - technically not a skip raid or dumpster dive as it never actually got there... It was from when I ran a model shop and one day came out of the door at close of play to see the neighbouring cafe owner walking towards the bins with this in his arms. I made a casual flippant comment and he said it was too tatty and small and he had replaced it. I asked if I could have it and he was only too pleased for me to have it. Half an hour's cleaning up and it's fine. I've had it for over 15 years now and it's been very useful, whether to take with me to store some bits at exhibitions when I've been demonstrating or for my own modelling. At the moment my father's borrowed it for use as a bedside table!

Rabbit is slightly puzzled - yes, easily done these days, I'll admit. I have a few similar towers and all can be adjusted for height/number of trays. Some are a very snug fit and/or have tabs (sometimes on the inside) which need releasing. I take it it's not possible to pull the translucent frame sections apart? If some * has glued them together, VSRTs...

Yes. Someone I know, when clearing father's house, found a Schmeisser and ammunition in the loft, 'courtesy' of Dad's wartime service. Caused quite a stir...

In my experience, that's about it... I signed up ages ago but am very inactive. I have occasionally been approached about jobs, nothing ever came of these. Though I noticed that one approach presumably confused me with another person of the same name as he was later listed as being in the role I was asked about. (Writing about gambling in Gibraltar, as you ask...). So it might have worked for him. I don't use social media much, this is the only one I'm involved in. I won't touch Facebook with a bargepole, it's not for me. I did a bit more social media (including Twitter 🙄) when involved in restoring a self propelled railway carriage but only for that cause, it didn't appeal on a personal level.