Monthly Archives: July 2022

At 11:30 am on May 14, 2005, the aircraft carrier USS America slipped beneath the waves and sank, for nearly three miles, before coming to rest upright, in one piece, upon the Atlantic floor. For the veterans who served on the America viewed the sinking as a solemn moment. But the previous crews could take pride in the Americas exit: she had been intentionally scuttled, in an experiment to gauge how carriers respond to enemy attacks, gleaning invaluable defensive data in her sacrifice.

The USS America (CV-66) was one of three Kitty Hawk-class carriers built in the 1960s. The Kitty Hawk-class of carriers was seen as an incremental improvement from the preceding Forrestal-class; the Kitty Hawks were a transitional batch of carriers. The America, nicknamed The Big A, was commissioned in 1965 and served until 1996.

Building the USS America of the Kitty Hawk-Class

When first ordered, America was planned to house a nuclear power plant. Yet, rising costs resulted in an alteration, mid-construction; the America would be conventionally powered, with four steam turbines producing 280,000 horsepower. The finished America measured 1,048 feet long with a 248-foot beam. The massive ship could reach 34 knots. Over 4,600 men were required to operate the carrier and her roughly 80 airplanes.

The Career of the USS America

America spent the majority of her career sailing the Atlantic and Mediterranean, although she was deployed to the Pacific on three occasions all in support of the Vietnam War. The three decades for which the America served were relatively action-packed; the America loitered nearby, or participated directly, in several conflicts, including the Six-Day War, the Vietnam War, Operation El Dorado Canyon, and Operation Desert Storm. By the 1990s, more advanced, nuclear-powered carriers had long since become the norm; America was growing obsolete. Still, the U.S. Navy felt America had some more to contribute and she was scheduled to undergo a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP), which would push her service life out until 2010. However, budget cuts forced the America into retirement. America was decommissioned in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1996 before being transferred to the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And thats when things got really interesting.

Life-Fire Tests Give America a Noble End

Initially, the America was scheduled to be scrapped for parts. That didnt happen. Instead, America was selected for a live-fire test a test that would result in her sinking. Navy veterans who had served on the America protested: you cant sink a ship named after the U.S.A.! The Navy disagreed. Make the ship in a museum, the veterans pleaded. The Navy stood firm. The then-Vice Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral John B. Nathman, wrote a letter to Americas veterans, explaining the decision.

America will make one final and vital contribution to our national defense, this time as a live-fire test and evaluation platform. Americas legacy will serve as a footprint in the design of future carriers ships that will protect the sons, daughters, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of America veterans. We will conduct a variety of comprehensive tests above and below the waterline collecting data for use by naval architects and engineers in creating the nations future carrier fleet. It is essential we make those ships as highly survivable as possible. When that mission is complete, the America will slip quietly beneath the sea. I know America has a very special place in your hearts, not only for the name, but also for your service aboard her. I ask that you understand why we selected this ship for this one last crucial mission and make note of the critical nature of her final service, Adm. Nathman wrote. The decision was final.

On February 25, 2005, a funeral-like ceremony was held in Philadelphia to salute America and her crew. With the goodbyes concluded, America sailed for the open ocean. On April 19, the live-fire tests commenced. The America proved to be a rather tough ship. For four weeks, the Navy punished America. Still, she wouldnt sink. To scuttle America, she actually had to be boarded.

It took four weeks and they ended up having to scuttle her from on board due to her not sinking, mechanical engineer Blake Horner is quoted in theaviationgeekclub.com. She is not only far larger than WWII battleships, but she is also a lot tougher. While she does not have the heavy armor battleships of yore had, she does have a double layered hull, meaning weapons have to push through alternative layers of steel and empty pockets to reach her internals. On top of that, her internal compartmentalization was far better than that of battleships. She is so large, there are so many more rooms that must be filled in order to make her sink than that of a battleship.

When the America finally did slip beneath the waves, at approximately 11:30am EST, the Navy held a solemn moment of silence. America drifted downward for miles, finally coming to rest in one piece 16,860 feet below the surface, somewhere southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Harrison Kass is the Senior Defense Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison has degrees from Lake Forest College, the University of Oregon, and New York University. He lives in Oregon and listens to Dokken. Follow him on Twitter @harrison_kass.

Link:

USS America: The U.S. Navy Had a Plan to Sink Its Own Aircraft Carrier - 19FortyFive

Utility company Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) announced on Tuesday that they will be submitting an application to receive funds from a federal government program to remain open well past the current 2025 shut down date.

Ever since Diablo Canyon became the last active nuclear power station in California following the shut down of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in the early 2010s, the plant has been targeted for closure by activists. In 2016 PG&E seemingly acquiesced to the environmental and labor groups, announcing that they would be closing the final plant in 2025. However, a major need for electricity has cropped up in California caused by, among other things, shutdowns of oil, gas, and coal plants, unreliable and intermittent renewable energy, as well as the rise of electric car usage and higher temperatures causing more usage.

As Diablo Canyon provides 9% of Californias total energy production, and is a clean source of energy, many have been fighting to keep the plant open. As a strain on the system has already been seen more and more, the loss of Diablo Canyon has been seen by many as a devastating blow to the state. A Stanford/MIT study released last year found that not only would an extension of Diablo Canyons life help California meet state climate goals, but it would serve as a bridge as renewable energy programs catch up to Californias needed energy amount. If operated to 2045, they also estimated that California would save $21 billion in systems costs.

While cost and environmental concerns have dogged extension efforts, especially with many opposed, saying that keeping it open would undercut Californias renewable energy commitments, support for the extension has grown exponentially in recent years. Lawmakers from both parties have agreed that the extension is either needed or warranted, including Governor Gavin Newsom and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

While California boasts a very high portion of electricity from renewable sources, California will have to boost its total renewable energy production by an enormous 20 percent in just two years to replace the clean energy being produced at Diablo Canyon, said a letter by scientists and academics in favor of keeping Diablo Canyon to Secretary Granholm last month.

With so much support for the extending the life of the plant, and a quickly dwarfing opposition, PG&E took advantage of a Department of Energy extension for submissions to receive federal funds from a Biden administration program aimed at keeping energy facilities slated for closure to remain open. If Diablo Canyon gets Civil Nuclear Credit (CNC) funds, it would be highly likely that an extension would happen.

PG&E spokeswoman Suzanne Hosn said in a statement on Wednesday that Given the revision and Newsoms request that we take steps to preserve Diablo as an option to promote grid reliability, we expect to submit an application for the Department of Energy funding.

Many in favor of the 20-year extension are concerned about possible legal action from those groups that fought to end Diablo Canyon in 2016, but with federal support and lawmaker support from all levels of government, it could prove to be difficult to challenge.

If PG&E and Diablo Canyon gets those funds, it might very well be game over for anyone hoping for a 2025 end date, explained Sal Braith, a nuclear engineer who worked at several nuclear plants in the Northeast, in a Globe interview on Wednesday. They cant claim costs much anymore, not with the federal government chipping it. They cant claim the environment in many regards due to its role in helping California meet the new state drives to get rid of fossil fuel energy production. Lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, like it now, especially with it helping the state not face a huge energy shortfall. And more and more Californians like the idea of it too.

Honestly, Id say maybe its time for a new plant built with lessons from previous plants, but that would have so many hurdles to it and might not even get off the ground. If were smart, well get a twenty year extension, but at the same time, double down on clean energy investments to keep the environmentalists happy, as well as promote job growth in renewable energy programs, as that will keep the unions happy. Its not that easy in practice, but it is something to shoot for. For California to get out of the hole it is in with energy, Diablo Canyon is a ladder. We say no to the extension, might as well continue to try to dig our way out going straight down.

An extension application from PG&E for funds is due to the Department of Energy by September 6th.

Excerpt from:

PG&E To Submit Application For Federal Funds to Keep the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant Operating Past 2025 - California Globe

From cars and e-bikes to household appliances and wearables semiconductors are an integral part of all electronic systems.

Stuttgart and Dresden, Germany From cars and e-bikes to household appliances and wearables semiconductors are an integral part of all electronic systems. They are the motor that drives the modern world of technology. Bosch recognized their growing significance early on and has now announced investment of further billions of euros in order to strengthen its own semiconductor business. By 2026, Bosch plans to invest another 3 billion euros in its semiconductor division as part of the IPCEI funding program on microelectronics and communications technology. Microelectronics is the future and is vital to the success of all areas of Bosch business. With it, we hold a master key to tomorrows mobility, the internet of things, and to what we at Bosch call technology that is Invented for life, says Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management, at the Bosch Tech Day 2022 in Dresden.

Microelectronics is the future and is vital to the success of all areas of Bosch business. With it, we hold a master key to tomorrows mobility, the internet of things, and to what we at Bosch call technology that is Invented for life.- says Dr. Stefan Hartung, chairman of the Bosch board of management, at the Bosch Tech Day 2022 in Dresden.

One of the projects Bosch plans to fund with this investment is the construction of two new development centers in Reutlingen and Dresden at a combined cost of over 170 million euros. In addition, the company will spend 250 million euros over the coming year on the creation of an extra 3,000 square meters of clean-room space at its wafer fab in Dresden. Were gearing up for continued growth in demand for semiconductors also for the benefit of our customers, Hartung said. For us, these miniature components mean big business.

Within the framework of the European Chips Act, the European Union and German federal government are providing additional funding to develop a robust ecosystem for the European microelectronics industry. The objective is to double Europes slice of global semiconductor production from 10 to 20 percent by the end of the decade. The newly launched IPCEI on Microelectronics and Communication Technology is intended primarily to promote research and innovation. Europe can and must capitalize on its own strengths in the semiconductor industry, Hartung said. More than ever, the goal must be to produce chips for the specific needs of European industry. And that means not only chips at the bottom end of the nanoscale. Electronic components used in the electromobility industry, for example, require process sizes of between 40 and 200 nanometers. This is exactly what the Bosch wafer fabs are designed for.

This new investment in microelectronics also opens up new areas of innovation for Bosch. Being a leader in innovation begins with the very smallest of electronic components: semiconductor chips, Hartung said. New fields of innovation at Bosch include systems-on-a-chip, such as the radar sensors a vehicle uses to perform 360 degree scans of its surroundings during automated driving. Bosch will now be looking to enhance such components, making them smaller, smarter, and also cheaper to produce. The company is also working to further modify its own microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) specifically for the consumer goods industry. One of the things company researchers are currently using this technology to develop is a new projection module that is so tiny it can be built into the temple of a pair of smartglasses. In order to cement our leading market position in MEMS technology, we also plan to manufacture our MEMS sensors on 300-millimeter wafers, Hartung said. Production is scheduled to start in 2026. Our new wafer fab gives us the opportunity to scale production an advantage we intend to exploit to the full.

A further focal point at Bosch is the production of new types of semiconductors. At its Reutlingen plant, for example, Bosch has been mass-producing silicon carbide (SiC) chips since the end of 2021. These are used in the power electronics required for electric and hybrid vehicles, where they have already helped boost operating ranges by up to 6 percent. On the back of powerful market growth, at annual rates of 30 percent or more, demand for SiC chips remains high, meaning full order books for Bosch. In a bid to make these power electronics more affordable and more efficient, Bosch is exploring the use of other types of chips as well. Were also looking into the development of chips based on gallium nitride for electromobility applications, Hartung said. These chips are already found in laptop and smartphone chargers. Before they can be used in vehicles, they will have to become more robust and able to withstand substantially higher voltages of up to 1,200 volts. Challenges like these are all part of the job for Bosch engineers. Our strength is that weve been familiar with microelectronics for a long time and we know our way around cars just as well.

Bosch has made several investments in its semiconductor business over the past few years. The best example of this is the wafer fab in Dresden, which opened in June 2021. At 1 billion euros, it is the single biggest investment in the companys history. The semiconductor center in Reutlingen is also being systematically expanded: between now and 2025, Bosch is to invest around 400 million euros in the expansion of manufacturing capacity and the conversion of existing factory space into new clean-room space. This includes construction of a new extension in Reutlingen, which will create an additional 3,600 square meters of ultramodern clean-room space. All in all, clean-room space in Reutlingen is set to grow from around 35,000 square meters at present to over 44,000 square meters by the end of 2025.

Bosch is the automotive industrys leading company for the development and manufacture of semiconductors. These chips are used not only in automotive applications but also in the consumer goods industry. Bosch has been active in this field for over 60 years. The Bosch semiconductor plant in Reutlingen, for example, has been producing chips based on 150- and 200-millimeter wafers for the past 50 years. At the companys Dresden plant, manufacture of chips on the basis of 300-millimeter wafers commenced in 2021. Among the semiconductors manufactured in Reutlingen and Dresden are application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors, and power semiconductors. Bosch is also building a new test center for semiconductors in Penang, Malaysia. As of 2023, this center will be used to test finished semiconductor chips and sensors.

SOURCE: Bosch

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Invented for life with semiconductors: Bosch invests further billions in chip business - Automotive World

Don't miss a moment from Paris-Roubaix and Unbound Gravel, to the Giro dItalia, Tour de France, Vuelta a Espaa, and everything in between when you join Outside+.

MEGVE, France (VN) Ineos Grenadiers is still in negotiations with Adam Yates over a contract extension.

Yates signed for two years at the start of 2020 with his current deal set to expire at the end of the campaign

Riders can officially sign for new teams from August 1 but it looks likely that Yates will remain on the British team.

Interest had been raised by Yates former team BikeExchange with the possibility of linking up the current Ineos rider with his brother Simon. VeloNews understands that those talks have gone cold, but a deal with Ineos is likely to be settled after the Tour de France with Yates currently sitting in fifth overall after 10 stages.

Weve still got to negotiate. Its looking OK. Were just talking. As far as Im aware Adam likes it here. No issues, Rod Ellingworth told VeloNews from the Tour.

Also read:

One rider who is set to leave the team is Richard Carapaz with the former Giro dItalia winner heading to EF Education-EasyPost.

VeloNews broke that story in June and while Ellingworth would not go into details he admitted that the team is braced for the departure.

At the end of the day, everyone is free to do what they want. Richard is a brilliant bike racer and hes really done well for us. Hes been brilliant for us and it would have been great for us if he had stayed but thats life. Its not official yet but Im aware, he said.

Ellingworth also hinted that the team would not dip into the transfer market to sign another proven grand tour winner to replace Carapaz.

Instead, the team will continue to develop its young crop of talent with Magnus Sheffield, Luke Plapp, Ethan Hayter, Carlos Rodriguez, and Tom Pidcock leading the charge.

Weve got a really good group and were looking at different options and different development pathways for the riders. The new generation and some of them are super ambitious and youve got to give them opportunities to keep progressing. Weve got some great young talent and its about giving them chances. Thats why Tom is here, to let him see the opportunity ahead of him, Ellingworth said.

More here:

Ineos Grenadiers still in negotiation over Adam Yates renewal, team unlikely to sign replacement for Richard Carapaz - VeloNews

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For photos click here

Statements of Objections click here

HONOLULU Gov. David Ige announced that he has signed 311 of the 343 bills passed by the Hawaii State Legislature in this years session.

The governor is vetoing 26 bills and line-item vetoing two bills out of the 30 bills listed on his Intent to Veto list released on June 27.

Many of the bills that I am vetoing have legal, procedural and compliance issues, said Gov. Ige.

During todays news conference, the governor highlighted the following two vetoed bills:

HB1705 Relating to Agricultural Park Leases

Veto Rationale: This program is meant to be a start-up program for new farmers to become commercially established. There are procedures in place for existing lessees to request an extension of their lease. The Department of Agriculture will continue to work with existing lessees who want a lease extension of up to the maximum 55 years.

Current lessees can reapply for new leases and are likely to submit more competitive bids than potential lessees since they have already established their operations. The purpose of this veto is to ensure that we give as many farmers as possible the opportunity to apply for and benefit from this state program, said Gov. Ige.

HB2424 Relating to Child Welfare Services

Veto Rationale: The monitoring provisions in this bill would violate the Constitutional rights of families who have adopted or taken guardianship of former foster children and receive permanency assistance for that child. The provisions would include unlimited investigations of these families if at any time there had been a complaint filed with DHS about that family, without regard to the merits of the complaint, and regardless of whether the complaint was ever substantiated. These investigations would be allowed while the child is underage, even when the Family Court found the legal relationship to be in the best interests of the child and approved the adoption or other permanent legal relationship between the child and the family. This bill would expand the states duties to monitor and interfere with permanent family relationships in a way that would violate the Constitutional rights of those families, without any evidence of harm or threatened harm to the child that is in the family.

I want to repeat that I strongly support the intent of this bill, which is to give more resources and authority to the Child Welfare Services division to ensure that our keiki are safe, said Gov. Ige. The trauma that our community experienced over the loss of a former foster child is real and cannot be dismissed. But the solution cannot and should not violate the constitutional privacy rights and basic dignity of every family that has taken in and provided a former foster child with love and stability.

For the Intent to Veto list released on June 27, click here.

Governor Ige Signs Two Bills on Intent to Veto List:

Gov. Ige decided not to veto SB3179 Relating to the Department of Land and Natural Resources which requires the Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Forestry and Wildlife to adopt rules and issue funds to licensed hunters. DLNR will incorporate the deer control measures included in the bill, into the planning efforts of the Maui Nui deer control working group. The department continues to evaluate all strategies for the management and reduction of invasive deer species and will implement all feasible and cost-effective methods.

Also SB3272 Relating to Transportation which requires the Department of Transportation to adopt rules to require tour aircraft operations to report details of each flight on a monthly basis, will not be vetoed. It also establishes the Air, Noise, and Safety Task Force.

I know that noise from low-flying aircraft is a big concern for the community, and I believe the taskforce can help communicate concerns and develop solutions to address the issue, said Gov. Ige.

Bills Becoming Law Without the Governors Signature:

In addition, there are six bills that are becoming law without the governors signature. These bills contain either a technical issue or an area that needs to be reworked and discussed more thoroughly with the affected state departments.

The bills are:

SB2990 Relating to Sustainable Agriculture

SB2218 Relating to a Food Hub Pilot Program

HB2020 Relating to Housing

HB1872 Relating to Sustainability

HB2288 Relating to Land

HB1932 Relating to Child Welfare Services

I want to thank the Legislature for its hard work this session. Lawmakers passed bills that will help improve the quality of life for Hawaii residents. Together, we will continue to protect public health, revive the states economy, and strengthen our communities. This session is another example that we can do great things when we work together, said Gov. Ige.

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Media Contacts:

Jodi Leong

Deputy Communications Director/Press Secretary

Office of the Governor

Office: 808-586-0043

Mobile: 808-798-3929

[emailprotected]

Cindy McMillan

Communications Director

Office of the Governor

Office: 808-586-0012

Mobile: 808-265-7974

[emailprotected]

See the article here:

Office of the Governor News Release: Governor vetoes 28 of 30 bills on Intent to Veto list - David Y. Ige | Newsroom