LaxPower Back-Up Stick

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:06 pm Hmm. These young people have clearly been spoiled by critical thinking education.

‘While some Republicans blame the COVID-19 vaccine or “wokeness” for the Army's recruiting woes, the military service says the bigger hurdles are more traditional ones: Young people don’t want to die or get injured, deal with the stress of Army life and put their lives on hold.

Seems like a pretty rational position.

They “just don’t see the Army as something that’s relevant,” said Maj. Gen. Alex Fink, head of Army marketing. “They see us as revered, but not relevant, in their lives.”‘

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/wir ... e-97065047

Farfromgeneva wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:25 pm

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:06 pm Hmm. These young people have clearly been spoiled by critical thinking education.

‘While some Republicans blame the COVID-19 vaccine or “wokeness” for the Army's recruiting woes, the military service says the bigger hurdles are more traditional ones: Young people don’t want to die or get injured, deal with the stress of Army life and put their lives on hold.

Seems like a pretty rational position.

They “just don’t see the Army as something that’s relevant,” said Maj. Gen. Alex Fink, head of Army marketing. “They see us as revered, but not relevant, in their lives.”‘

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/wir ... e-97065047

When all civil servants and civic mindedness has been thrown out otherwise it’s logical the idea of serving the country’s defense is dying or dead as well. No way they can be immune to a massive cultural shift since the 90s

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 2:57 pm

Farfromgeneva wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 1:25 pm

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Sun Feb 12, 2023 12:06 pm Hmm. These young people have clearly been spoiled by critical thinking education.

‘While some Republicans blame the COVID-19 vaccine or “wokeness” for the Army's recruiting woes, the military service says the bigger hurdles are more traditional ones: Young people don’t want to die or get injured, deal with the stress of Army life and put their lives on hold.

Seems like a pretty rational position.

They “just don’t see the Army as something that’s relevant,” said Maj. Gen. Alex Fink, head of Army marketing. “They see us as revered, but not relevant, in their lives.”‘

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/wir ... e-97065047

When all civil servants and civic mindedness has been thrown out otherwise it’s logical the idea of serving the country’s defense is dying or dead as well. No way they can be immune to a massive cultural shift since the 90s

Well, in light of the probably future they face, what utility would they see in serving the common weal? Most humans are constantly weighing what they see as the benefit or utility in their actions in relation to the larger society.

We can argue the relative merit of a STEM vs. a STEAM curriculum, but in any case, the increasing fragmentation in the common experience Horace Mann advocated is showing in the divisions in the polity.

Question is, if it IS possible to close this fissure, how might one approach the challenge? Institute a month of social media "blackout" in the interest of withdrawing the citizenry from their self-reinforcing redoubts of "reality" constructed from and by various "steering" algorithms (which are going to get really interesting with the widespread adoption of AI-influenced "search")? I guess the Q-balls will find it even harder to "do their own research"...

Speaking of "steering," are we now like direction-less balloons, "floating" high above the surface of human interaction and discourse, moved by currents of forces beyond our ken?

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Mon Feb 13, 2023 10:30 am Well, by this measure Taiwan is already gone.

'One lesson is the importance of an adequate defense industrial base capable of providing the necessary equipment and supplies to satisfy the voracious appetite of large-scale, high-intensity warfare. The US, Russia, and Europe are already scrambling to ramp up production of artillery shells after letting their munitions stockpiles and factories run down after the Cold War.

"Production capacity remains vital, absolutely vital," Cavoli said. "A healthy and elastic defense industrial base is just as important" as the number of troops.

Cavoli also took aim at the belief — until recently touted by Germany and other countries — that soft power has become a substitute for military power.

I have developed quite an antipathy to the sleazy German burghers. Remind me of Rotarians on 'roids.

"Hard power is a reality," Cavoli said, adding that diplomacy, cyber-warfare, and economic strength are important, "but the great irreducible feature of warfare is hard power, and we have to be good at it."'

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine ... oli-2023-2

In WWII, US soldiers ("doughboys") and equipment wasn't so great, but there sure was a lot of both.

cradleandshoot wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 1:22 pm

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Mon Feb 13, 2023 10:30 am Well, by this measure Taiwan is already gone.

'One lesson is the importance of an adequate defense industrial base capable of providing the necessary equipment and supplies to satisfy the voracious appetite of large-scale, high-intensity warfare. The US, Russia, and Europe are already scrambling to ramp up production of artillery shells after letting their munitions stockpiles and factories run down after the Cold War.

"Production capacity remains vital, absolutely vital," Cavoli said. "A healthy and elastic defense industrial base is just as important" as the number of troops.

Cavoli also took aim at the belief — until recently touted by Germany and other countries — that soft power has become a substitute for military power.

I have developed quite an antipathy to the sleazy German burghers. Remind me of Rotarians on 'roids.

"Hard power is a reality," Cavoli said, adding that diplomacy, cyber-warfare, and economic strength are important, "but the great irreducible feature of warfare is hard power, and we have to be good at it."'

https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine ... oli-2023-2

In WWII, US soldiers ("doughboys") and equipment wasn't so great, but there sure was a lot of both.

Sorry to nitpick but " doughboys" was the nickname for WW1 soldiers. FTR at the start of WW2 many of our soldiers were practicing with wooden rifles. The M1903 Springfield was still the rifle GIs and Marines were training with. The M1 Garand, the Thompson submachine gun, the BAR and the M1 Carbine were the rifles that won the war, in Europe and the South Pacific.

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:19 pm Apparently our military stands ready to defend us from weather enthusiasts and model rocket clubs!?!



If it turns out that we have been spending $400k a pop to shoot down some small town kids science projects ..... I just don't know what!

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:19 pm Apparently our military stands ready to defend us from weather enthusiasts and model rocket clubs!?!



If it turns out that we have been spending $400k a pop to shoot down some small town kids science projects ..... I just don't know what!

youthathletics wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:39 pm

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:19 pm Apparently our military stands ready to defend us from weather enthusiasts and model rocket clubs!?!



If it turns out that we have been spending $400k a pop to shoot down some small town kids science projects ..... I just don't know what!

Strangely, we happen to shoot things down, then can’t seem to figure out what those very things are we shut down. Even though we have them in our possession.

It’s probably Simulation proof we aren’t ready to accept.

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:53 pm While we are at it, pending conformation, how do feel about amateurs/hobbyists operating craft with very little navigational ability at altitudes where commercial aircraft routinely fly?

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:07 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:53 pm While we are at it, pending conformation, how do feel about amateurs/hobbyists operating craft with very little navigational ability at altitudes where commercial aircraft routinely fly?

oh, I think you are being generous to say those balloons have ANY navigational ability. I think half the point is they send them to an altitude and see where the air currents take them.

but I have no clue what kind of permits those clubs do or don't get - I am laughing so as not to cry at how badly every single freaking institution in the world has become completely inept.

youthathletics wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:36 pm

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:07 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:53 pm While we are at it, pending conformation, how do feel about amateurs/hobbyists operating craft with very little navigational ability at altitudes where commercial aircraft routinely fly?

oh, I think you are being generous to say those balloons have ANY navigational ability. I think half the point is they send them to an altitude and see where the air currents take them.

but I have no clue what kind of permits those clubs do or don't get - I am laughing so as not to cry at how badly every single freaking institution in the world has become completely inept.

your last comment hits on another level.

Kismet makes excuses to avoid addressing the real problem, to which you draw attention. There is zero reason we should not be be capable of capturing a damned object out of the sky with some degree of certainty.

PizzaSnake wrote: ↑Mon Feb 13, 2023 10:30 am Well, by this measure Taiwan is already gone.

The US [is] ... already scrambling to ramp up production of artillery shells after letting their munitions stockpiles and factories run down after the Cold War.

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:58 pm

youthathletics wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:36 pm

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:07 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:53 pm While we are at it, pending conformation, how do feel about amateurs/hobbyists operating craft with very little navigational ability at altitudes where commercial aircraft routinely fly?

oh, I think you are being generous to say those balloons have ANY navigational ability. I think half the point is they send them to an altitude and see where the air currents take them.

but I have no clue what kind of permits those clubs do or don't get - I am laughing so as not to cry at how badly every single freaking institution in the world has become completely inept.

your last comment hits on another level.

Kismet makes excuses to avoid addressing the real problem, to which you draw attention. There is zero reason we should not be be capable of capturing a damned object out of the sky with some degree of certainty.

As usual, you're full of it.

Do tell us how to "capture" and object in midair at ANY altitude, Einstein.

youthathletics wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 5:31 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:58 pm

youthathletics wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:36 pm

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:07 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:53 pm While we are at it, pending conformation, how do feel about amateurs/hobbyists operating craft with very little navigational ability at altitudes where commercial aircraft routinely fly?

oh, I think you are being generous to say those balloons have ANY navigational ability. I think half the point is they send them to an altitude and see where the air currents take them.

but I have no clue what kind of permits those clubs do or don't get - I am laughing so as not to cry at how badly every single freaking institution in the world has become completely inept.

your last comment hits on another level.

Kismet makes excuses to avoid addressing the real problem, to which you draw attention. There is zero reason we should not be be capable of capturing a damned object out of the sky with some degree of certainty.

As usual, you're full of it.

Do tell us how to "capture" and object in midair at ANY altitude, Einstein.

says the guy that pops in at every turn to tell everyone how wrong they are, seems YOU are the one could tell us how to do it.

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:58 pm

youthathletics wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:36 pm

HooDat wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 4:07 pm

Kismet wrote: ↑Fri Feb 17, 2023 3:53 pm While we are at it, pending conformation, how do feel about amateurs/hobbyists operating craft with very little navigational ability at altitudes where commercial aircraft routinely fly?

oh, I think you are being generous to say those balloons have ANY navigational ability. I think half the point is they send them to an altitude and see where the air currents take them.

but I have no clue what kind of permits those clubs do or don't get - I am laughing so as not to cry at how badly every single freaking institution in the world has become completely inept.

your last comment hits on another level.

Kismet makes excuses to avoid addressing the real problem, to which you draw attention. There is zero reason we should not be be capable of capturing a damned object out of the sky with some degree of certainty.

As usual, you're full of it.

Do tell us how to "capture" and object in midair at ANY altitude, Einstein.