My Gyroscope

Gyroscope, a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principle of conservation of angular momentum.

The gyroscope was invented in 1852 by the French experimental physicist Leon Foucault (1819-1868) as part of a two-pronged investigation of the rotation of the earth. The better-known demonstration of the Foucault pendulum showed that the plane of rotation of a freely-swinging pendulum rotated with a period that depends on the latitude of its location. His gyroscope was a rapidly rotating disk with a heavy rim, mounted in low-friction gimbals. As the earth rotated beneath the gyroscope, it would maintain its orientation in space. This proved to be hard to do in practice because the frictional forces bring the spinning system to rest before the effect could be observed. The gimbal bearings also introduce unwanted torque. But, the principle is well-known to all children who move their toy gyroscopes about and observe that the spinning disk stays in the same orientation.

A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of conservation of angular momentum. A mechanical gyroscope is essentially a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation. This orientation changes much less in response to a given external torque than it would without the large angular momentum associated with the gyroscope's high rate of spin. Since external torque is minimized by mounting the device in gimbals, its orientation remains nearly fixed, regardless of any motion of the platform on which it is mounted. Solid state gyroscopes also exist.

Applications of gyroscopes include navigation (INS) when magnetic compasses do not work (as in the Hubble telescope) or are not precise enough (as in ICBMs) or for the stabilization of flying vehicles like Radio-controlled helicopters or UAVs. Due to higher precision, gyroscopes are also used to maintain direction in tunnel mining

Gyroscopes can be very perplexing objects because they move in peculiar ways and even seem to defy gravity. These special properties make ­gyroscopes extremely important in everything from your bicycle to the advanced navigation system on the space shuttle. A typical airplane uses about a dozen gyroscopes in everything from its compass to its autopilot. The Russian Mir space station used 11 gyroscopes to keep its orientation to the sun, and the Hubble Space Telescope has a batch of navigational gyros as well. Gyroscopic effects are also central to things like yo-yos and Frisbees!

There is a gyroscope inside me. It is the balance of my life. If I tilt too far to the left, the gyroscope will counteract this movement and bring me more to the right. If I teeter forward or backwards, it again corrects the balance that permits me to function upright.

Many think that I have a moral “position”. Many think I have a religious “position”. Many think the position is a “condition”. This condition may need “tweaking”. It must be “tweaked”. This condition must be fixed. All need “fixing”. All are broken. None of us are whole. We are merely a part. All the parts make the whole. Do some parts make a whole?

Can it be “tweaked” with drugs? Surely it can be “tweaked” with information. Certainly it can be “tweaked” with emotion. It can be “tweaked” with loneliness and despair. It most certainly can be “tweaked” with concern, love, devotion…

“He leans too far to the left.” My gyroscope makes the correction.

“He leans too far to the right.” My gyroscope makes the correction.

“He’s too liberal.” I remain up-right with no tilt at all.

“He’s too conservative.” I remain upright with no tilt at all.

“Many” think I have a “God” position. This puts people at odds with me.

“Many” think I don’t have a “God” position, or I have a false God” position. This puts people at odds with me.

I just know that “All” and “Parts” have let me down.

“All Parts” will let me down. Even if “All Parts” make up the Whole, the “Whole” with “All Parts” will disappoint.

The gyroscope corrects but points to a “Part”, one “Part”, or the “Part” being greater than the “Whole”. There is a missing “Part” that will make the “Whole” WHOLE.

When false data is introduced, the false data will affect the introducer the most. False data can cause ripples in the space-time continuum. The result indeed will be as ripples on calm water. Eventually the issuer will be engulfed by the backwash.

“Look out! This man is an evangelist! He thinks he can change my mind! I am a free thinker. He will not control me or my thoughts.”

I am not an evangelist. I am merely a pilgrim.

I remain up-right with no tilt at all.

I will not control my mind.

How would I control “Another’s Mind”? Why, I would control “Another’s Mind”, would be the mystery. To control “All” would mean a very small world is involved.

“Another’s Mind” is being fought over. “Another’s Mind” is fighting for “Another’s Mind” by “Another’s Mind’s” admission. The willingness to argue is an admission to slavery to "Another’s" ideas, principals, dogma, tenet, etc. and the lack there-of.

“Another’s Mind” is pulled by “all of the above”, plus- sex, health, wealth, weather, work, sports, advertisements, books, news, entertainment….”

I can’t fight. I couldn’t compete. I can only maintain an “up-right” position.

It is my “free-will” that allows the gyroscope to function properly. If I try to correct, I am fighting the “natural process”. I will offset the corrections made for me already.

Because of extreme trauma to certain parts, the gyroscope may seem to be fallible.

It may require a little more time to make the needed corrections.

I can lean out and yell at the top of my lungs, “Relax! Keep going! Stay focused! Never put orange juice into a gasoline engine! Don’t urinate into the wind!”

Some may have an easier road, a lighter head-wind, a better machine, or a finer engine.

Keep an eye on the plants bending in the wind.

Keep an eye on the road or the trail.

Keep looking ahead!

Keep trying!

But indeed, keep pedaling!

When things get rough- put your foot down!