Monday, April 06, 2020
Bumerang K-16 APC and K-17 IFV will receive a larger hull that will improve its buoyancy and provide more space for its troop compartment.
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This thing had all but dropped off my radar screen. An enlarged hull? That will require more than a modest upgrade won't it? At the very least it will require testing of all functions of the vehicle, from weapons carriage, to flotation, to blast protection, direct fire protection, etc...
Are they buying time or is this really a desired capability? I ask because troop comfort hasn't exactly been a requirement in other vehicles they've built so far.
Here’s how the Marines make a COVID-19 face mask out of a green skivvy shirt. You can make one with your shirts too
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CDR Salamander has an interesting Twitter thread on the fired aircraft carrier CO...
Friendly note to those who think they understand the Navy ... but really don't, especially the carrier Navy.— cdrsalamander (@cdrsalamander) April 5, 2020
A nuclear powered aircraft carrier is not just any "O6" command. You will have trouble - indeed you cannot - find another more challenging & important CAPT/COL type /1
The conversation is interesting. The viewpoints many. Worth a read I believe.
It's become a meme, but society should reorder around what are "really" essential jobs into the future...
It's become a meme but after this mess is over we should really reorder what are the "essential" jobs into the future.
Sports going away? We're not happy but we're fine. Concerts gone? Radio stations are still up and artist can make music in studios away from people (well small groups but you get it).
Out of examples but you get the idea. What are apparently essential jobs? Of course in this case medical work (goes without saying always). The military. Law enforcement. Sanitation. Grocery stores. Maintenance. Supply chain.
I'm missing more than a few but you get the force of connection.
So what will society do?
For better or worse everything is gonna change. People have fought wage increases for these jobs but apparently many (especially those that live in big cities) simply can't do without them.
Many from restaurant workers, to Walmart employees, to truckers, to law enforcement, to garbage men, to grocery store worker, hell even the folks that send stuff thru Amazon will have a legitimate argument for increased wages.
The wild thing?
Even opponents of a nationwide minimum wage standard are gonna have MUCH less of an argument against it.
That's just one of the sea changes I see going forward. There will be more. Many that I can't see. But what do you guys think. Am I onto something or out in left field again?
Sunday, April 05, 2020
What should be the individual/societal lessons from this pandemic...
I don't think it's too early to start doing a "lesson's learned" with regard to this monster pandemic that China unleashed on us.
There are several individual/societal lessons to be gleamed from this incident. These are a few I came up with and hopefully you guys will have many more.
1. Health is truly the new wealth. We have turned our economy on its head to protect the most vulnerable. We had the luxury of doing so this time. We might not the next. It is essential that you strengthen your body to handle the stress of not only everyday life but most importantly against disease. The most vulnerable were not just the "aged". It was those that had compromised systems due to some other malady. Unfortunately for Americans that included obesity, diabetes (related to obesity), compromised lungs from smoking/drug use, etc...What's out of your control you can't fix (disease based on genetics) but you do have control over how fat you are, how fit you are etc.
2.. Being prepared is no longer fringe. Watching the country erupt over freaking toilet tissue was comical. Sad but comical. Being prepared for supply disruption should be hard boiled into every US family. Not just cleaning supplies, but also food. Despite the panic, our supply system appears to be stumbling thru this crisis. It might not the next. Additionally I believe that the FEMA recommended 2 weeks supply is insufficient. A month should be the bare minimum. If nothing else this crisis proves that preparedness is the new hotness.
3. Financial discipline is essential. Again we saw the US govt bailing out corporations, sending money to individuals and reinforcing unemployment payments. We probably won't be able to do that the next time around. Having at least a month pay saved isn't gonna cut it. At least 3 months savings is essential now. Probably more like 6. Additionally considering the vulnerability exposed due to this short notice (gotta chest thump...this blog was monitoring this virus when it was raging in Wuhan!) emergency, the idea that any debt is reasonable has disappeared. Financial security will require the need to shed debt as soon as possible on a personal level and to live in such a way that being cut off from income for as long as at least 3 months is survivable without becoming homeless.
4. Personal security. We noticed a decrease in crime with this pandemic. We got lucky. Don't expect this to be the case next time around. Round 2 of this pandemic will probably see more draconian measures instituted sooner with more shortages and more desperate people. Gun sales increased but you should not wait for an emergency to prepare. Now is the time to access your inventory of weapons and ammo. If you don't have a concealed carry license then now is the time to get it. We didn't see it this time but I fully expect cities to experience societal collapse in various parts of the country when this rolls back around.
5. Societal response should include understanding that the economy cannot be sacrificed for a small, vulnerable portion of the population. Modern man has a problem with death. Death is inevitable. It is part of life. Am I saying that people are expendable? Not at all. But we should be measured in our response to the dangers of this disease, future disease and future mayhem. It must be understood that national survival trumps personal survival.
That's what I have off the top of my head. Anything to add? Did I get it wrong?
There are several individual/societal lessons to be gleamed from this incident. These are a few I came up with and hopefully you guys will have many more.
1. Health is truly the new wealth. We have turned our economy on its head to protect the most vulnerable. We had the luxury of doing so this time. We might not the next. It is essential that you strengthen your body to handle the stress of not only everyday life but most importantly against disease. The most vulnerable were not just the "aged". It was those that had compromised systems due to some other malady. Unfortunately for Americans that included obesity, diabetes (related to obesity), compromised lungs from smoking/drug use, etc...What's out of your control you can't fix (disease based on genetics) but you do have control over how fat you are, how fit you are etc.
2.. Being prepared is no longer fringe. Watching the country erupt over freaking toilet tissue was comical. Sad but comical. Being prepared for supply disruption should be hard boiled into every US family. Not just cleaning supplies, but also food. Despite the panic, our supply system appears to be stumbling thru this crisis. It might not the next. Additionally I believe that the FEMA recommended 2 weeks supply is insufficient. A month should be the bare minimum. If nothing else this crisis proves that preparedness is the new hotness.
3. Financial discipline is essential. Again we saw the US govt bailing out corporations, sending money to individuals and reinforcing unemployment payments. We probably won't be able to do that the next time around. Having at least a month pay saved isn't gonna cut it. At least 3 months savings is essential now. Probably more like 6. Additionally considering the vulnerability exposed due to this short notice (gotta chest thump...this blog was monitoring this virus when it was raging in Wuhan!) emergency, the idea that any debt is reasonable has disappeared. Financial security will require the need to shed debt as soon as possible on a personal level and to live in such a way that being cut off from income for as long as at least 3 months is survivable without becoming homeless.
4. Personal security. We noticed a decrease in crime with this pandemic. We got lucky. Don't expect this to be the case next time around. Round 2 of this pandemic will probably see more draconian measures instituted sooner with more shortages and more desperate people. Gun sales increased but you should not wait for an emergency to prepare. Now is the time to access your inventory of weapons and ammo. If you don't have a concealed carry license then now is the time to get it. We didn't see it this time but I fully expect cities to experience societal collapse in various parts of the country when this rolls back around.
5. Societal response should include understanding that the economy cannot be sacrificed for a small, vulnerable portion of the population. Modern man has a problem with death. Death is inevitable. It is part of life. Am I saying that people are expendable? Not at all. But we should be measured in our response to the dangers of this disease, future disease and future mayhem. It must be understood that national survival trumps personal survival.
That's what I have off the top of my head. Anything to add? Did I get it wrong?
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