I just enjoyed an L.A. Times article on how the U.S. military trains soldiers in the use of donkeys and mules.
I’m glad to see that good old tried and true methods are not forgotten. That technology does not solve all problems. And that not all solutions have to be hugely expensive or complicated.
Tags: animal, History, Military, training, U.S. Marines
Author of “Wired for War“, P.W. Singer spoke to the Pritzker Military Library last week and I found his talk very compelling. I have not read the bok yet but intend to. “Wired for War” is subtitled “The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century”. It’s about the current use of robots on the battlefield and the discussions surounding their potential. His talk at the Pritzker Military Library clearly suggests that the future is here now and that the science fiction we see on TV and movies may be closer than we realize.
I’m a huge fan of the Pritzker Military Library and all the good work they are doing. The regularly podcast book authors, Medal of Honor recipients, and talks and discussions of issues that surround our military today and geo-political conditions world wide. Always interesting and usually very entertaining and educational.
If you enjoy robots, and who doesn’t, then it sounds like Mr. Singer’s book will be worth reading. At the very least, listen to this podcast and discover how much robots are in use now and what some in the United States military think of this. Very educational!
Tags: book, Entertainment, History, Military, news, P.W. Singer, Podcast, Pritzker Military Library
Slowly, some of the details are coming out of the five-day hostage situation of Capt. Richard Phillips and the crew of the Maersk Alabama. The Wall Street Journal reports On the Maersk and worth reading if you are looking for details of how the rescue of Capt. Phillips evolved.
I’ve been curious about the sea conditions and the article hints at an answer:
The three remaining pirates later asked to be towed, apparently out of fuel. Bainbridge hooked up a line. After sunset, winds and seas picked up, jostling the lifeboat uncomfortably. The pirates’ mood see-sawed, said Cmdr. Castellano. One minute they were terse and vindictive on the radio, the next smiling and laughing.
Not as much detail of the conditions as I would like but it is interesting that the pirates “asked to be towed”, suggesting it was uncomfortable enough that they hoped a tow would smooth out their ride.
Still many other questions remain. Some of which are asked over at Information Dissemination, a great blog if you follow naval topics. Today’s Maersk Alabama Lifeboat – Photo Edition poises some interesting possibilities.
I eat this stuff up!
Tags: Information Dissemination, Maersk Alabama, navy, Pirates, rescue, SEALS, Somalia, WSJ
