Monthly Archives: November 2004

A Proposal For DARPA

nightartillery.jpg

Why should an infantryman always have to carry his ammunition? A soldier could be equipped with a modified rifle that forwards target coordinates to an artillery battery that would automatically fire on the target. The targeting and firing decisions would be made solely by the infantryman with the pull of a trigger.

The advantages to such a system would be significant. Each soldier would have a practically inexhaustible supply of ammunition that he doesn’t have to carry. And since the projectile is not launched from the soldier’s location, a single well-placed soldier could do incredible damage to the enemy without giving up his position.

Obviously this would not be the best weapon for all situations. Line-of-sight is often the best way to shoot. There are obvious problems with using such a system in close combat or indoors. And there are many cases where an artillery shell would be overkill. The soldier’s rifle would still need to shoot bullets.

The problems with artillery have always been accurate targeting, and on-time delivery. This system would address both problems. The forward soldier could provide precise target information, and the automatic pull-of-the-trigger firing would speed delivery.

Moving targets can’t wait on the arrival of an off-site artillery shell, but if this system were used to target a laser weapon, delay wouldn’t be a problem. Actually, such a system could be used to target any kind of long-distance weapon. Perhaps the soldier could even choose from a menu of options.

I Love a Happy Ending

Here’s an entertaining, if extremely unlikely stroll down memory lane from somewhere in the future. Here’s my favorite part:

President Jeb Bush’s popularity was enhanced when his eldest son married Chelsea Clinton, following her acrimonious divorce from her first husband, a Hollywood actor. “It’s better to be married to someone who strong morals,” said a beaming Mrs. Clinton, speaking to the press after the ceremony.

I think the actor should have been named, but then maybe it’s no one we’ve heard of. Yet.

Blogger Bash Highlights

In no particular order.

1. Stephen Green is no better at darts than I am.

2. A spirited debate took place as to whether Tom Hanks would be a viable presidential candidate. Definitions of both “lefty” and “moonbat” were revisited. The pro-Hanks side argued from the actor’s record that he is strong on defense (Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers) and that he would revitalize the space program (Apollo 13, From the Earth to the Moon.) Also, he would likely be unbeatable among women voters (Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail.)

3. Songs were sung. I seem to recall this one number from Grease where I was covering both the girls’ and boys’ parts. Wow. You want to talk about versatile.

4. The prominent blogger who was shamelessly hitting on another blogger’s wife only did so because he thought her husband wasn’t there. (Granted, a better defense would include the phrase “only because he thought she wasn’t married,” but I’m trying to provide an accurate account of what transpired.)

5. I introduced Stephen and Sheralyn Gordon to everyone as the couple who drove all the way from Shreveport, Louisiana just to meet you.

6. Zombyboy no longer owes me a drink. Thanks, buddy.

7. Jeralyn Merritt is looking to unload some furniture.

8. Suraya, as always, proved instrumental in finding the bloggers (they were esepcially balkanized at this event) and in getting the conversation going.

9. More songs were sung. Especially moving was the Love Boat theme. Welcome aboard, folks. It’s love. Sheralyn Gordon observed that when they got to Gilligan’s Island, she was leaving. Luckily it never came to that.

10. I learned that through some inexcusable oversite, T. L. James’ excellent Mars Blog was not in the Speculist blogroll. This has been rectified.

11. Matt Moore really needs to start blogging again.

12. A spirited debate took place as to whether Jeff Goldstein is “repulsive.” Jeff argued passionately on both sides. The issue remains unresolved.

13. I read on one of my favorite blogs that had this event been on Friday rather than Saturday, Rand Simberg would have been here. I also seem to recall that Chris Hall once threatened to ride his motorcycle out here for one of the Rocky Mountain bashes. And Stephen, as I have mentioned, certainly did his part in coming here. Maybe next time we ought to have a full-blown spaceblogger convention.

14. Where was Dave Cullen?

15. When’s the next one?

16. Something like this, maybe:

Update: Marsblog and Resurrectionsong have lots more. Zomby confirms that the singing was excellent, so pay no attention to T. L.’s comments about “beerphones.”

A Toast

sapphire martini.gif.jpg

Phil and Stephen’s friendship has flourished in the blogosphere. Would you have guessed that they’ve never met each other face to face?

That’s changing today–Stephen and his family made the trip from Shreveport, Louisiana to Denver where Phil lives.

I’ve never met Stephen face to face, but I have faith that someday I will.

In the meantime, here’s a toast to all of the Speculists:

May this meeting between Phil and Stephen strenghten our bond, clarify our sense of purpose, and challenge us to accept our calling.

Clink..

The Bombay Sapphire Martini’s for Phil.

Better All The Time #21



Dispatches from a rapidly changing, rapidly improving
world
#21
11/04/044

Depending on how you voted earlier this week, you might be in need of
a little good news…or maybe you’re just ready for a little more. Either
way, enjoy.

Nano Fibers Grow Up

Here’s
a major development:

One line of nanotube research has been to find ways to make the tubes grow
continuously. Long nanotubes could be used as wires in electronic circuits
and woven into macroscopic fibers that could be used to make extremely strong
fabrics and rope. One long-range possibility is using ultralong carbon nanotubes
fibers to make an elevator to low Earth orbit.

Suddenly that elevator is sounding a lot less far-fetched. Work with me. The
article describes how new techniques are producing nanotubes 4 mm in length.
It doesn’t say how long the nanotubes were to begin with, but let’s say they
were 400 nanometers. They thus grew by a factor of 10,000. Grow them once again
by the same factor and you have nanotubes 40 KM in length. Do it again, and
you’ve got nanotubes 400,000 KM in length. Unless I’m mistaken, that will get
us there.

No, I’m not saying it will be easy going from 4 millimeters to 400,000 kilometers.
But then, I doubt it was "easy" going from 400 nanometers to four
millimeters. The point is, we’re on our way.

Rocky Mountain Bloggers

Day.

After.

Tomorrow.

Speaking of which, I think the Speculist may win the prize this time around for the blogger logging the most miles to attend the bash.

Is this Cool

…or kind of sad
and creepy?

Kaya
is ravishing. She has full lips, long lashes, and a slightly upturned nose.
Her expression radiates confidence and power, and her smooth skin is well
scrubbed and dotted with freckles. But she doesn’t have much of a body. At
all. In fact, she exists only from the neck up. Kaya is a CG model, a 48,200-polygon
beauty created by an artist in São Paulo, Brazil. And she’s sure to
be a finalist in the Miss Digital World beauty pageant.

You read that right, fanboys. Miss Digital World. How exciting!

Have digital models finally crossed the uncanny valley? Are they ready to
go head-to-head with Tyra and Giselle?

Um, I would imagine that they’ll need to grow, like, bodies first. Anyway,
I suppose the point of a digital beauty contest is to reward the artistry of
the creator. But I want to see digital people competing on their own merits.
Like what if Alice, Ramona,
and Jabberwacky were to play a round
of Jeopardy? Now that would be interesting.

I’m pretty sure Jabber would lose, but not before confusing the daylights out
of Alex Trebek.

Bye Week

My unexpectedly busy schedule isn’t going to permit me to post the new chapter
of Stillness today, and I’m a stickler for keeping the new chapters on Wendesday…so
see you next week.

Meanwhile, here’s a blast from the past. Enjoy. (And if it’s not enough for
you, here are 50
more blasts.)

 

Part I

Chapter Three

A clear November afternoon in Moscow was a rarity. To have one fall on a Saturday struck Reuben as a lucky break, one that he doubted would last. Clouds were gathering and the brisk wind, which had begun as the faintest breeze, was gaining momentum as the day progressed. He set out from the Mezh and crossed the Moskva river on foot, making his way to the Hotel Ukraina.

Reuben liked the Ukraina. It was a product of the Stalin era: massive and powerful. It looked like a cross between the Empire state building and a medieval castle, much more interesting than the glass-and steel Mezh.

It was a short walk, not ten minutes from one hotel lobby to the other. He found the main lobby and, glancing at his watch, took a seat in a red leather armchair. He was five minutes early.

The place was almost empty; he noted that it was bigger, better lighted, and much cleaner than the lobby of the Mezh. He wondered what the guest rooms looked like � maybe it was time for a change of scenery. He could think of only one thing he would miss at the Mezh.

And there she was.


Post Election Day

We don’t do much in the way of politics around here, but now that it’s all over (or at least it will be shortly) it’s time to remember Jeff Jarvis’ excellent Post Election Pledge that many of us have signed onto. In keeping with the pledge, here’s a link to my fist-ever entry on the The Echo Chamber, in which I propose some ways that the blogoshere might help to improve the overall politcal discourse in America.

By the way, there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that the photo accopmanying the entry depicts Stephen Gordon being sworn into the bar.