Fred Says...
Here is the place where I get to prognosticate, advocate and reiterate. When you have your own website you can do this. I have discovered many things for myself and would like to pass them along. I am a big brother and have a rather bad case of the syndrome, I admit it. All I need are some siblings (or others) to tell these things to. I do have younger siblings, maybe this is a good way to communicate, now that we are all adults. Please click around on the hyperlinks to see what they lead to. The external links open in a new page, so you should be able to get back here easily by simply closing the external site.
My Monroe Clock:
I have designed an analog clock face that uses a "24 hour" dial indication. The left side of the clock shows the 12 AM hours, the right side of the clock shows the 12 PM hours. Twelve noon is at the top center. Twelve midnight is at the bottom of the dial. The dial is marked for 10 minute intervals and includes suggested daily activities between the hours. A large hand moves completely around the clock face once each day, tells the time of day and constantly points to the mean location of the Sun in the sky when facing south.
There is a small hand that points to the "mean" location of the moon in the sky. It rotates around the dial each day, but falls slightly behind the Sun Hand. At New Moon time, the hands rotate together around the dial. At Full Moon time the hands also rotate but are located opposite each other. Tidal cycles can be deduced. See?
I have built a model as described above using an old 18-inch twelve spoke Lithuanian Spinning Wheel (wheel only). The Sun hand has a Golden Sacagawea Dollar attached to it. The Moon hand has a Susan B. Anthony dollar attached to it. It has a Moon phase indication. The drive is electrical 110 volts. For Sale $600. It is Model #1, one of a kind and is something of a virgin since it has never been listed on eBay.
I conceive of additional features on future clocks. The center of the clock could show the Earth position and the local time of day at cities globally. There could also be a central dial surrounding the earth indicating tides and phases of the Moon: new, waxing, 1st quarter, gibbous, 2nd quarter, full, waning, old. Also behind the hands and within the hour dial there could be a large disk showing the sidereal and zodiacal position of the sky. Along the zodiac there could be small holes for pegs indicating (manually) the location of selected planets. Model numbers will be assigned as these clocks are built!
Sun Dial -- Here are some Sun Dial ideas:
The dial should show an indication of 24 hours all around the dial. Where the sun is below the horizon, use arrows to show its location. I would put a saying on the dial: (Chase you can use these sayings.)
MINDFUL OF THE SHADOW, I COUNT MY SUNNY TIME.
WHEN SUNNY LOVE IS PRESENT, THE SHADE OF GRATITUDE MARKS THE TIME.
SOL INVICTUS, UBI ROTATI MUNDI?
Huna
Do you know about Huna, the secret of the Kahunas? It originated in the South Pacific and is the oldest religion on earth. I have authored a manuscript about it. Let me know if you would like to read it. I could send it to you as an e-mail attachment. You will learn a lot about animals. Contact me. If you are interested in ancient mysteries please go to Pyramids. Look for Secret Doorway to Ancient Egypt at the bottom the page.
The Bering Strait
Can you imagine how wonderful it would be if the United Sates and Russia cooperated in constructing a railroad bridge/tunnel across the Bearing Strait? It would be a major engineering and commercial accomplishment. You could travel by train from Cape Horn to The Cape of Good Hope -- almost around the world! There would be a new alternative to ocean shipping. The economies of Alaska, Canada and Chukotka would be enhanced. A bridge/tunnel system from Wales, Alaska to Uelen, Chukotka would only need to be 53 miles long. There are two islands located in the strait that could be utilized also, Big and Little Diomede. Go to http://www.arctic.net/~snnr/tunnel/ for more information.