I'm trying to focus on an analogy with archery. Let me ask you this, when you shoot an arrow you can say what direction it is going in the context of North, South East or West. A vector! In this context what direction is the fly wheel going? What direction is a tuning fork going? Kinetic energy is defined as the energy a body posseses because of its motion. Any motion! But in archery it is limited only to the motion of the arrow moving toward the target. Kinetic energy as the result of the type of motion exhibited by a fly wheel or a tuning fork are SPECIFICALLY NOT INCLUDED when we ALL talk about the KE of an arrow. Call this re-writing physics if you like but that is how its done in archery. You are arguing "technicalities" from a pure physics perspective that in my opinion only tends to confuse the issue.
And I'm going to keep insisting for you and others to quit bending the definitions. The physics of archery are no different than the physics of everything else. If the definiton of KE does not fit the problem, then you look elsewhere to find the answer. Any confusion is being caused by randomly assigning new definitions to scientific terms to make them fit a preconcieved idea. Stick with the true definitions and confusion would dissolve.
This preoccupation with KE is a thoroughly modern invention - within the past 17 years - brought on by those who want to use the same ultralight arrows for hunting that they do for shooting targets - specifically 3D. And yeah, when you're using ultralight arrows, you need to know the paramaters that you're working under. People have keyed on KE because that's what's easiest to figure, not because it's scientifically applicable. They've keyed on it because they like speed, and they can achieve a healthy amount of KE with speed. They WANT to believe KE is king, so they bend the laws of physics around like playdough to "prove" their point of view.
Mullaney? He makes his living off the archery industry. The industry is making fistfulls of money off the speed cult. They are actively cultivating speed so they can make ever more money. Surely it's no suprize that Mullaney can be paid to write an article expounding the virtues of KE, because speed and KE is what's selling. I don't blame him a bit for greasing the wheels that feed him. Am I being overly cynical? I think not.
Hunting with a very light arrow is very much akin to trying to boat a 15 pound bass on 4 pound test line, using a heavy action flippin' stick. That line is severely mismatched to that rod and the fish. It can be done, but you can make no mistakes.
Substitute arrows less than 400 grains for 4 pound test and 70 pound, high performance compound for flippin' stick and you've got an elk hunter doing exactly the same thing. Using an arrow that is severely mismatched to the bow and to the game. It can be done, but you can make no mistakes.
If you're going after that bass with 30 pound test on your flippin' stick. The line is matched to the rod and to the fish. A mistake or two is not going to cost you the fish. Increase arrow weight to 500 grains on that 70 pound bow, and you've got one deadly combination for that elk hunter. He just has to work a little harder at knowing the exact distance of the shot. Easy enough when you've got a lazer rangefinder in your pocket. Not so?