MN/DO - Horizons

Title: MN/DO - Horizons

Authors Foreword: Set in the Midwest USA. It's the year 3016, the human industrial age passed away 900 years ago without a Singularity Event.  Planetary Human Population has rebounded to about 1/2 Billion from a low of 10,000 reached in the year 2320.

Growth once again sets up competition for resource control between two dominating cultures.  This time its different as the seemingly more submissive culture has been preparing to take over for 900 years and begins to execute its plan.

What is different about this you may ask?

The planning horizon.

This being the date 2/27/16 I the author Michael McGarrity (AKA MickGspot) begin assembling the story which unlike the story Roboticia Harmonium, I have a significant amount of time working on MN/DO.


Chapter I - Sintering on Lake of the Woods (Winter 3016).

"Beauty in the desert blooms a flower of Survival, shining petals of character in shades of excellence.
Oh to kiss the sun, to burn wither and fade."

(Excerpt from the Book of Michael on the beauty of impermanence)


2/27/16 - 1.5 hrs time on MN/DO - Horizons today.

Roboticia Harmonieum

Roboticia Harmonieum

- Authors Foreword: Set in our current time in the Peoples Republic of China at a school for Robotic Warrior Design, a ground plan and technology for WW IV is in development.

Unexpected global social changes emerge through the process.

I'm starting this story on 02/27/16 and expect it may take a couple months to put together. It will be interesting as it always is for me to see the story take place. Other than the title and first two sentences in the Foreword, I have almost no idea how this will evolve but will simply start slapping down a bunch of material without worrying on the outcome.
Without a lot of hard work writing the last couple years, this story, whatever it ends up being would not be possible for me to write.

02/27/16  - Material Development

I. Mikes 11 Design Principles of Robotic Ground Warfare 

1. Cost and volume matter. Many inexpensive are better than a few expensive.

2. Use existing technology  as build components. Mashem Up! (Smart Phone, RC cars, Self Propelled Lawnmowers).

3. Network behavior via Rule Sets not Com Links. (Flock of Crows, not Lone Wolf traits desired).

4. Keep Operations Programs and Control Systems simple though Autonomous.

5. Keep time as a friend in you deployment/design remembering Mikes Energy Time Law.

6. They are a multi function delivery platform, nothing else.

7. Limit payloads to one type per platform per operation.

8. Self Destruct on payload deliver or tampering with delivery device.

9.Keep on ground 90% of time,  100% is best.

11. Target Infrastructure

10. Make them look ordinary and unattractive.

10.5 Sequence does not matter in all schemes.


II. Mikes Energy Time Law of Robotic Warfare.

Overview: Low energy robots (Sun models)  may travel up to two miles per day on a fully charged battery pack.

• In sunny conditions a full recharge will take 2 days.
• Bottom line travel rate is .7 miles per day under normal conditions. Here is where travel time meets deployment planning time horizions.
• Prepositioning is the name of the game.
• A sun robot can remain in a dream state waiting in one spot for up to 28 years.
• A dream state is where most control systems are in sleep mode, The clock is run as well as a small program to periodically activate light sensors and threat detection routines. 
• While dreaming, Payload and self destruct is armed to trigger with Mercury inertia          switch state changes from closed to open.
• The time law blends these elements  thematically in a mathematical formula which serves as a foundation for Human vs. Robot  Warrior Cost Benefit Analysis and Comparisons.

A. Robot Warrior (Sun Model) - Design Principle 11  - Target Infrastructure

Any piece of infrastructure costing more than the Warrior Robot is a good target. A Robot Warrior can destroy Infrastructure over 100,000 times the value of the Robot . This principle relates to the Smart design principle #1. "Many inexpensive being better than a few very expensive."

To illustrate this point in a scenario lets use Robot Warriors to take out a fleet of parked vehicles.

Parked Vehicle Scenario

Robot Warriors Deployed/Cost: 10 Sun Model B electric mini Cars, Android Phone Control/Sensors carrying a 6 pack of  time selective/RC detonated shaped mini-charges. The cost for each unit is $2000. Cost per collection is $20,000.

Targeted Infrastructure Cost: 60 vehicles at $40,000 per vehicle or $2.4 million dollars. 

(DFE) Destruction Factor Estimate: Infrastructure 120 times the value of the Robots was destroyed in this Scenario. $2.4 Million for $20 Thousand.

02/27/16  - Material Development Summary - The above writing albeit sloppy and disjointed took

about 4 hours of concentrated effort.

Guinea Pig to the Moon!

Guinea Pig to the Moon!

It was an auspicious, cool, cloudy day when the package arrived at Bill and Bernie's House from the Edmund Scientific Company of Barrington New Jersey (still a fine purveyor of recreational Science products).

It was 1964.  I, an aspiring 10 yr old scientist had just stopped by to check in with Bill, my best friend and Science collaborator in early grade school.

The space race was heating up, a new Echo communications satellite recently launched. Our local paper told when we could see it on our nightly telescope duty.

Echo Satellites were large orbiting balloons with a semi metallic plastic skin used for bouncing micro wave communications off of to get around the Earth's curvature.  Though it sounds rather simple now, it was one of the first telecommunications satellites and  generated a load of other technologies which I won't get into now as we have to prepare for launch.

Echo was made in my State of Minnesota by the G.T Schjeldahl Company in Northfield, I had just received a letter from the Company President in reply to one I sent praising the Company efforts. The President included two samples of the Balloon skin which I wanted to share with my friends.

Things are moving fast, everyone is hot to trot, we will not be left behind.

Bernie, Bill's younger brother had had just completed constructing contents of the package received from Edmond's. A real beauty, 12 foot long hot air balloon made out of gossamer thin, crispy pink paper. She was stretched out flat on the sidewalk between the house and the garage, begging to be launched.

“Where is Bill?” I asked Bernie.

“Off with mom and dad somewhere” Bernie replied.

“Looks like you're prepping for a launch Bernie?”

“Ya Mike” Bernie replied.

“What about Bill?” I asked.

“He’s out, we will have to go it alone, Mike.” said Bernie.

“Ok” I said, feeling like a heel for moving ahead without Bill. But then, progress must continue, mustn't it?

What we going to lift with her?” I asked Bernie.

“Just the Balloon” said Bernie “We are too heavy”.

“Well there is the Guinea Pig you know, Bernie”

“Oh, OK Mike, we can tie the cage to the basket.

“Get the Pig and tie it up Bernie, I will get the Sterno and matches” I directed.

Quick to the garage I ran, grabbing the can of Sterno, prying the lid off, pocketing a book of matches from a workbench drawer.

Sterno for those not in the know, is a pasty substance that comes in cans. Somewhat like Napalm but less volatile. It's often used for  cooking, sometimes for launching Guinea Pigs into Space as you will see shortly.

I met Bernie back at the launch site, he already tied the Guinea cage to the  balloon basket.

“Ready Bernie?”

“Yes Mike".

“What are you waiting for Mike? Fire up the Sterno!” Bernie barked.

I laid a match to the Sterno. Bernie picked up the bottom opening of the balloon holding the wire frame about a foot over the Guinea Pig cage (all the string would allow).

Moving the burning can beneath the balloon opening and above the cage, I looked down at Harold the Guinea Pig. Harold did not look happy. 

Rest assured, any foreboding Harold had then was way underdone.

Slowly the balloon started to fill at the bottom. Bernie handed the balloon frame to me and started lifting paper off the sidewalk so more hot air could get in.

The Sterno can was getting hot in my hand, I asked Bernie to fetch a glove.

Like any good Norwegian/American Guinea Pig Astronaut, Harold continued to scowl. I'm sure he would be sopping wet if he had sweat glands 

By the time Bernie got back with gloves, my hands were toasty but the balloon was almost full of air. 

Tall and proud like a giant 12 foot floating pink paper pickle. A real beauty it was and fine testament to US space efforts.

“Why isn't it lifting off yet Mike?” Bernie asked. ( a conversation filler only)

As usual, I began to Pontificate “Well Bernie, it needs to get hotter, more air molecules have to be pushed out of the balloon to get more lift.”

Duh! said Bernie. (Bernie might have been Bill's little 3rd grade brother but he was surely one of the brightest ones on the planet and did not usually take a shine to my elementary pontifications).

I placed the fire closer to the opening at the bottom of the balloon. Slack started coming out of the strings on Harold's cage.

More heat! Bernie yelled.

With gloves on, I moved the burning can inside the balloon opening.

Time slowed down, this was taking forever...

Will we get lift off or will we have to cut the strings on Harold's cage to make it work? What good will a launch be  without an Astronaut?

Even with a glove, my hand was burning up again. Harold squeaked as his cage tilted to one side.

The North Wind started to blow.

Harold lifted off...We have lift off! Yea!

The balloon burst into flames.  Landed on the neighbor's roof.

Harold's cage crashed onto the roof and broke open.

Harold ran to the rain gutter.

A fire truck arrived.

Harold emerged from a downspout.

Bernie picked him up and brought him in the house.

With all the earnestness of the dedicated 10 yr old scientist I was, I explained to the fire fighters what happened blaming the North Wind.

They tried holding back laughter, I was not amused. This was serious business. We had just suffered a devastating loss. The Country should be in mourning.

Thankfully no damage was done to any property. The Firemen gave me Harold's cage back along with a stern lecture never to use Sterno again.

I nodded my head “yes” keeping a new secret plan to myself...

Hot air balloons? Ha! Child's play! We need to get up to date! Time for liquid fuel rockets. See, I been researching at the library. Kerosene will make a great fuel, Hydrogen Peroxide a fine Oxygenator.  The drug store sells a 3% Peroxide solution. We will have to make a Still.

Loads of work ahead…. Were not done yet!

The Fire Truck went back to the station.

I can't wait till Bill gets back. He’s so good thinking these things through. Bill said there is a Transit of Venus on Saturday. I will talk it over with him then. I better head home before mom gets mad I’m late for dinner.

Oh what a day!

The end.

Epilogue - This being the year 2016.

The story told is true and happened in North Minneapolis, USA, Planet Earth about 50 years ago.

Harold is not the true name of the Guinea Pig. The name Harold was used to both protect his identity and better match his stoic personality. Of course, "Fluffy Buns" is not a good name for an Intrepid Norwegian/American Astronaut/Explorer.

Harold the Guinea Pig Astronaut died the year following his launch into space. He will always be fondly remembered.  Buried in the back yard with honors befitting his brave astronaut-ness. Homemade stick crosses adorned his grave so that God may welcome him in heaven.

My then best friend Bill became a Psychiatrist, preeminent historian on many planetary discoveries particularly Mars. Author of many great books on Astronomy, the Human Brain and History.

Bernie became an Engineer, Electrical I think.

I did eventually construct a Still, though not for concentrating drug store Hydrogen Peroxide.

That is another story.

I hope you like this one.

Guinea Pig to the Moon!

Get Back! - When any solution involves backward time travel you then know the nature of a problem is about being "Right" not "True".

Asking for an impossible solution to a problem is often used by people without good will or intent to not solve a problem but rather promote drama.

It is not possible to go back into the past and change things but it is possible to contaminate the present with a lie that you can.

Being "Right" is a social construct based on a belief system alignment to select fabrications.

For example: the Earth was once thought to be the center of the universe.

As some observed different and published their findings they were ridiculed, ostracized or imprisoned.

Galileo discovered a more true version of the solar system and could prove it as true, as a result of trying to share the findings he was imprisoned as it was not "Right"

History is littered with examples such as this, many are going on now.

This is Human Nature.

Often one can survive and thrive much better being "Right" than "True".

I wish I had some understanding as to why right often provides a better life than true.