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Hi all:
First let me thank those of you, (Foolmewunz, The Doc, etc), that have offered support for this new paper. I appreciate this, believe me! Of course the new paper is far from perfect. What in this life is perfect?
(And this time around I did expect the Spanish Inquisition!)
As for some of the more persistent criticisms of the paper let me say that I have used my discrete computer code to carry out collapse calculations with many adjustments to the input parameters. These include varying E1, vaying M (the mass of the tower), varying the mass shedding and allowing for some degree of simultaneous crush-up and crush down. The code is very flexible in this respect and, because of its discrete nature, I can adjust these parameters FOR EVERY FLOOR. However, I prefer to look for the "envelope" where a self-sustaining collapse is possible using REALISTIC values for the parameters. I am satisfied that a progressive self-sustaining collapse was possible within a wide range of realistic parameters. I should add that poster SHAGSTER over at Physorg has independently developed a version of my program and has confirmed my results. However, perhaps the only way to convince the doubters on this would be to let them play with the code themselves.....
As for my conscience, Ace, don't worry.... it's fine. I spent 10 years fighting scientific fraud.... it cost me my job.... so now I am living the quiet life surviving off a small pension; but I still sleep well at night because my family stands by me!
Finally, LashL, I did discuss some of my more controversial theories with Professor Bazant. He was very open to my ideas, but was humble enough to say that metallurgy/chemistry was NOT his speciality. We were pushed for space in the paper since 24 pages is at the limit of what the journal would accept, so I agreed to hold back on the topics of zinc embrittlement and the mystery of the spheres for some future paper(s).
Oh, and by the way, I have received a bunch of new data/micrographs from Dr. Steven Jones. Unfortunately he asked me to keep it confidential, so I must keep my word on that, but I suspect Jones will present some of it shortly. Then I will have something more to say.
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