Did You Feel It?

February 28, 1999 Astronomers at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia stared with bone chilling shock at the resent photos taken of the sky.  They were comparing the objects in each photograph for size and velocity. One faint object was growing in size but was not  moving in any direction. Measuring the change in size with the time of each photograph, the speed of the object was calculated at over 43,000 miles an hour. Within hours other observatories searched and verified the objects size at 100 feet long with a trajectory that crossed our orbit putting it on a collision course with earth in less than 36 hours. Within 24 hours, with all observation positions around the globe tracking the asteroids course,  the  final calculation showed the asteroid would pass between the earth and moon on March 2nd at 13:44 universal time (8:44 a.m. ET)  Everyone who knew about it could not sleep that night, if their calculations were wrong it could be a disaster similar to a nuclear explosion. I believe everyone one held their breath the last seconds from the 43rd minute to the 44th minute of what was either going to be a miraculous flyby or a deadly,  devastating impact.  On March 2nd at 13:44 universal time (8:44 a.m. ET) asteroid 2009 DD45 at 43200 miles an hour, like a monstrous bullet,  shot between the earth and  moon. Many gave silent prayers, others hugged their children and loved ones while no one else really noticed nor did the news agencies give it any attention.

Did you feel it?  Did you feel the impending doom when the asteroid was approaching?

If not you will be given another opportunity.

In 2004 an asteroid 1150 feet long ( the size of the rosebowl stadium!) and weighing 23,0000 ton was discovered and unlike the afore mentioned asteroid there has been enough time to properly assess it’s threat potential and with great precision project it’s path, because it has a collision course with earth in 2029 (not 2012).  When will our orbit and the asteroid collide?  Are your ready for this?  In April.  What day?  On the 13th day and what day of the week is that?  It’s a Friday.  With that knowledge they named the asteroid “marshmallow” 🙂 (no! just kidding) They gave it the name of Apophis, the Egyptian God of death.  If this asteroid hits the earth it is going to be very bad!  How bad?  All the dinosaurs will be become extinct!  Wait, they are already extinct.  Well then if it hits the earth it will really ruin everyones day!  The good news is its not going to hit the earth!  How close will it come?  It will shoot between the earth and our communications satellites.  Do you know how close that is?  (Your Dish TV and cell phone will probably not work and it will not be wise for any aircraft to be flying that day either!) What is the bad news?   Well our earth’s gravity is going to drastically change the course of that asteroid when it flies that close to the earth, so much so that it might change it’s course and hit our earth 7 years later 2036.  Where would it hit?  More than likely it will hit in the Pacific ocean between Hawaii and Los Angeles, which will cause 5 consecutive tsunami waves radiating from the impact area; the first one being 3 MILES HIGH ( This is not a good thing! )  If this asteroid hits it will ruin everyone’s day and cause some very major life style changes for everyone who lives on the Pacific coastline!

The technical tsunami

On 27 July 1993 the requirement for EMS and a door through 1 meg memory limit in 16 bit computers was unlocked and opened with the ability to write more complex and intelligent programs with the arrival of the 32 bit Windows NT.  The impact created a technical tsunami wave that changed every computer. The ripples are still felt today with the advanced graphics editing programs using Microsoft XP and our graphic intense cell phone!  The advanced 32 bit programs allowed photo quality image capture and printing.  Where did the corner overnight photo developer and printer shops go?  Where did the public telephones and phonebooths go?  Swept away by 32 bit programing  tsunami!

Did you feel it? The twinge of unfamiliarity with the world?  The need to relearn how to make a simple phone call.  To relearn how to take a photograph with a digital camera.  To learn how to modify the image and print it out on a printer.  Where is the typewriter?  What is happening to the fax machine?  What is a website or a blog?  Have you learned to tweet and do your tweets link to your Facebook?

If you missed it you have another opportunity.

The 64 bit operating system now has the engines to really run it.  Four years ago the two-in-one processor came out.  Two years ago the four-in-one processors came on line. Now with the 32 bit operating system reaching it’s maximum limt  and the demand to do more than the 32 bit operating system can perform the technical tsunami has begun!  64 bit programs will change everyone’s day and cause some very major life style changes for everyone!

by R. Frank Tulak