BattleIroncladsJohnEricssonUSSMonitor

BattleIroncladsJohnEricssonUSSMonitor BattleIroncladsJohnEricssonUSSMonitor 2011 10 Few chapters in Civil War history capture the imagination of engineers as much as the legendary naval battle between the USS. Monitor and the CSS. Virginia (nee, Merrimac) at Hampton Roads, Virginia, on March 9, 1862. Most of that interest is focused on the revolutionary Monitor and its iconoclastic designer, John Ericsson (whose bust sits in the lobby of the ASMEs New York headquarters to this day). Both the ship and the man were totally unlike anything else the world had seen. Yet as different as they were from the ships and men of their era, it is easy to see today that the bombastic engineer and his ironclad creation had a lot in common. Smart The ship The Monitor was not the first ironcladthe basic idea of armored batteries goes back to the third century B.C. But this cheesebox on a shingle was a complete departure from the prior 300 years of battleship design. From its rotating gun turret to i ts water-line-hugging deck to its below-deck steam engine to its subaquatic toilet-flushing technology, the ship boasted more than 40 patentable innovations. The engineer Ericsson was largely self-taught in engineering, but his sharp intellect and natural gifts for technical drawing and machine design carried him far. By the time he came to the U.S. in 1839, he was already a bona fide star for developing the marine screw propeller, the caloric engine, and other revolutionary technologies. Strong, Small, and Sturdy Portrait of John Ericsson. Ericsson was largely self-taught in engineering, but his sharp intellect and natural gifts for technical drawing and machine design carried him far. The ship The Virginia was a captured Union vessel originally known as the Merrimac, reconfigured as an ironclad battery. Traditional wooden ships of the time were no match for the Virginia, and the Union was terrified of the treat she posed to their naval blockade of the South. But the smaller, light er, and far more nimble Monitor could easily outmaneuver the hulking ship, withstand everything she could shoot at her, and fire back with wicked precision from virtually any angle. Just as importantly, the streamlined Monitor could also retreat to the safety of shallow waters inaccessible to the Virginia, where wounded could be treated, damage repaired, and ammunition replenished without fear of pursuit. The engineer At 5 feet 7 inches, Ericsson was a compact, robust man who worked out with barbells and watched his diet. He attributed his breakneck work style to his fresh-air fitness routine involving daily late-night walks around Manhattan regardless of the weather. Stubborn Yet Strategic The ship The famous battle at Hampton Roads was inconclusive. Neither ships guns could penetrate the others thick iron skins. But from a strategic perspective, the mere existence of the Monitor and the 35 other Union ships later built on the saatkorn basic design during the warwas enough to ensur e the integrity of the Unions blockade. At Hampton Roads, the Confederacy lost its last hope of victory by losing all chance of foreign intervention on its behalf. The Virginia. Despite several opportunities for a rematch, the Monitors orders were to refuse engagement with the Virginia unless she attempted to sail out of Chesapeake Bay into open seas. The Virginias crew taunted their Union adversaries for supposed cowardice, but the Monitor crew followed orders and refused to engage, conserving vital resources that would have been squandered in another inconclusive skirmish. Without firing a shot, the Monitor achieved its mission to secure the blockade. The engineer Ericssons Type A personality did not endear him to the Navy Department. He sees what other men do not, and cannot see plain thingshe is a genius to be used, a man of sense to be followedand yet so cranky and opinionated that doubt at his conclusions is an insult, or a proof of enmity, a gross stupidity unworthy of though t, said Navy Captain John Rodgers. Previous expensive failures in steam battleship design made Ericsson persona non grata in some Washington, DC circles. Although his partners had the necessary clout to ensure Ericsson ultimately won a contract to build his Monitor, the terms of the deal were extraordinarily one-sided in the governments favor. Ericsson had no choice but to agree to deliver a finished, fully tested ironclad in just 100 days, and to guarantee the government a full refund if perfassonance fell short of its expectations in any way. Diagram of the Monitor. Ericsson was as determined to meet his contractual obligations as he was confident in his designs. Not a fan of compromise, Ericsson nonetheless accepted several critical design changes in order to deliver the ship on schedule. He had specified that the turret be built from two layers of four-inch iron plate, but learned it would take two months to retool the milling machinery to produce plating that thick. He agreed t o go with eight one-inch iron layers instead. He first envisioned a hemispherical turret instead of the odd-looking cheesebox he ultimately agreed to for the sake of speed and simplicity. He designed a totally new form of artillerya gun in which shot was fired not by explosives but by steam power. But for the sake of expedience, he went with two 11-inch smoothbore Dahlgrens instead. And his original plans called for another novel weapons system called hydrostatic javelinsthe earliest torpedoesbut that idea was also left on the drawing board. Knowing that the Virginia was under construction at the same time in Hampton Roads, Ericsson was wise enough not to let his ego stand in the way of getting the job done. Many of Ericssons history-making creations, including the turret, guns and other vital components of the wrecked Monitor, have been salvaged and are under restoration by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. These artifacts are on monitor for people who want to learn more about the iron-willed man who changed the course of history with his ironclad ships. Michael MacRae is an independent writer.He sees what other men do not, and cannot see plain thing- he is a genius to be used, a man of sense to be followed.Navy Captain John Rodgers, on John Ericsson

The reason why quiet your inner critic is bad advice

The reason why quiet your hausinternhalb critic is bad adviceThe reason why quiet your intern critic is bad adviceWe all have an inner critic The voice that criticizes us, the voice that replays conversations in our head doing a play-by-play, the voice that tells us that maybe were not good enough (the voice that tells me the sentence I just wrote sucks).The message from the wohlbefinden community is clear Quiet your inner critic, shut down the ahole who lives in your head, and banish it once and for all.Heres the thing This approach doesnt work- at least not for me, but I suspect for others as well.When I try to expel my inner critic, it doesnt leave. It starts doing push-ups. It starts downing Red Bulls. It then roars back to life, at the worst possible time, louder than ever.Before, the inner critic was telling me that this sentence is insufferably unreadable. After I silence it, it comes back to tell me that Im a no-hit wonder and that I should stop writing altogether.The solutio n?Instead of quieting your inner critic, start listening to it.Its there for a reason to challenge you, to push you, to make you uncomfortable. Doubt and learning come hand in hand The inner critic forces us to consider different perspectives, to cross our ts and dot our is, to over-prepare for that job interview, and to rehearse that opening argument until we know it cold.When we dont listen to our inner critic, we stop learning and growing. When we think were invincible, we start blaming others if things dont go as planned. When we believe ourselves to be anindisputable experton something, we begin asserting confident conclusions without bothering to gather all of the facts.As woo-woo as it sounds, our inner critic needs love, just like the rest of us. Its only when I started embracing, rather than hating, my inner critic that I was able to tame the beast. Its no longer frothing at the mouth getting ready to bulldoze me. Its now lying by my side, ready to serve as a trusted guardi an.Listening to your inner critic doesnt mean you do everything it says. Think of the inner critic as the devils advocate who lives in your head. Its there to push and prod you, but dont let it mock you or dictate your direction. Youre in control. When it steps out of bounds with destructive self-talk, respond with a simple I hear you, thanks for your opinion, but Im on top of it.The better relationship I developed with my inner critic also expanded outward. Empathy is quite the buzzword these days, but our dedication to it rarely extends beyond lip service. It requires patience, curiosity, and above all, practice. Where better to start than by empathizing with the critic who lives within you?Perhaps we also err in calling this voice the inner critic, which has all sorts of negative connotations. If you dont like it, give it a new name. You can call it the inner guardian, the inner challenger, the inner rabble-rouser.If you dont like the narrative, change the narrative.But more impo rtantly, the next time youre tempted to banish your inner critic, resist the urge and give it a big hug instead. Much like the fellow human beings around us, once you start respecting it, youll find that it respects you back.Ozan Varol is a rocket scientist turned law professor and bestselling author.Click hereto download a free copy of his e-book, The Contrarian Handbook 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, youll get the Weekly Contrarian - a newsletter that challenges conventional wisdom and changes the way we look at the world (plus access to exclusive content for subscribers only).Thisarticlefirst appeared onozanvarol.com.

A Sampling of Entry Level Legal Jobs

A Sampling of Entry Level Legal JobsA Sampling of Entry Level Legal JobsAn entry-level job is an excellent way to get your foot in the door in any profession. If youre consideringa career in law, yearning for a career change or youre a student looking for legal experience, an entry-level position in a law firm or with the court can tell you if this is the right field for you or if you want to move on. Many entry-level jobs are part-time, so you can still pursue your law degree, paralegal studies or even hold down another job while gaining exposure to many different aspects of law practice.?Here are several common entry-level jobs in the legal industry. Most require no more than a high school diploma and an interest in the legal field, and many employers provide on-the-job training. 01Court Messenger Tetra ImagesThe law firm production/copy center is the hub of its business operations. Copy center professionals manage, coordinate and assemble high-volume print jobs and operate and mai ntain multiple high-speed production copiers as well as related equipment and software applications.Start Knocking at That DoorThese are just a few entry-level positions available at most law firms. Some firms might have unique needs. You wont know unless you inquire.