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#41

Off the Record / Re: The Daily Hurl Some Abuse ...

Last post by mongers - July 13, 2025, 05:23:37 PM

I think this thread 'space' could be better used by someone else, see my edited first post.

#42

Off the Record / Re: Fitness 2025

Last post by mongers - July 13, 2025, 05:11:52 PM

The bike I made up outta spares in the shed, seems significantly better than what I've been using, as I made a small roundtrip up the valley, usual this takes about 52-54min each way, today on this bike and not especially trying it was 48mins each way, which is a hell of a difference.

I don't really know how to measure effort, but it felt pretty easy, all thing being equal that suggests something like 25-30% greater efficiency at moving air out of my way. 
 
I suspect much of this is down to having a bike to use that nearly fits me perfectly, so I'm able to put more of my diminishing power into it?

Edit:
And thread retitled to allow for use in future years

#43

Off the Record / Re: Youtube Recommendations

Last post by mongers - July 13, 2025, 05:02:59 PM

Ball girl makes Bo Jackson-like catch at minor league baseball game.

 

Love her Joie de vivre.

#44

Off the Record / Re: Youtube Recommendations

Last post by Admiral Yi - July 13, 2025, 04:12:07 PM

Ball girl makes Bo Jackson-like catch at minor league baseball game.

#45

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by grumbler - July 13, 2025, 04:02:44 PM

Here's your feel-good story for the day:
Jim Abbot

In 1988 he became the first (and last) one-handed pitcher in MLB. Terrific player and even better person.

#46

Off the Record / Re: Elon Musk: Always A Douche

Last post by Tonitrus - July 13, 2025, 01:50:09 PM

#47

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Bauer - July 13, 2025, 12:36:45 PM

I think carriers also have big soft power.  It sends a big message to deploy them, drones wouldn't have the same effect.

#48

Off the Record / Re: Elon Musk: Always A Douche

Last post by Zanza - July 13, 2025, 12:02:47 PM

He said he wants to add Grok to Teslas starting next week.

#49

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Josquius - July 13, 2025, 11:53:17 AM

. My objection to them is not that they are "horribly obsolete" but that their construction is a very poor use of limited resources.

I believe that's the view of most people who say carriers are outdated.
They exist. They can obviously be useful.
But is building more of them a smart thing to do?
The bar for keeping them in service even is quite a bit higher than it used to be.
It's like battleships in WW2 and the years after. They had a use. But this wasn't the ruler of the oceans one they were designed for.

#50

Off the Record / Re: Russo-Ukrainian War 2014-2...

Last post by Darth Wagtaros - July 13, 2025, 10:51:33 AM

I wonder if funding priorities will change now?

Yeah, you'd hope that the US would realize that the MBT has gone the way of the battleship, and that drones (and shitloads of reserve drone pilots) are a better investment.

But I doubt it. It's still planning to build another six or so carriers.

I remember long ago reading some sci-fi novels with the silly-even-if-cool idea of submarine aircraft carriers.  But submarines as large unmanned aerial drone carriers feels like not so silly of an idea.

I remember some with that.  WarBots or something.

The is exactly the onea I was thinking of. 

(it was silly that the "warbots" were shown as cyborg-looking things on the novel cover, but were actually just regular tanks/armored vehicles with semi-autonomous capabilities)

Yeah, it was false advertising.  I recall they were drones remote controlled by neural interface.  Somehow the entire NATO military had been remade with them, and had no regular infantry or special operations troops left at the beginning of the series.  I remember more of that now.