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New Technology to silence cannons

This is actually an M109 Self Propelled howitzer which has a 155mm canon and a range of over 30km with a kill radius of 100m and can make a crater of over 50m with HE shells. As for the object it is parked behind, I have no idea what the hell it is except that it could be used to test muzzle velocities and calibration perhaps, or is someone’s idea of a joke photo.

The One, The Proud

During the 1900 Boxer Rebellion, a US Marine Private named Daniel Daly volunteered to crawl along a wall for 100 yards to snipe at any Chinese who attempted to exploit a vulnerable flank while a barricade was erected. During the night, as Chinese tried to infiltrate the shaky perimeter, Daly cut them down one at a time with expert rifle fire. When they almost overran his position, in which he was the only man defending, he fought with his bayonet and rifle butt against great odds. Not a single Chinese got past him. The next morining, his comrades found him, alone and unhurt, surrounded by the bodies of dozens of Chinese he killed himself. He got the Medal of Honor for this feat. He got a second for his actions in Haiti in 1915. He was later nominated for a third.

SgtMaj Daly is one of the icons of Marine Corps history.  His acts of courage are briefed to recruits in order for the young Marines to better understand the responsibilities they are inheriting from a long line of rough, but noble wariors.

The History of Veterans Day

1918
World War I, then normally referred to simply as The Great War (no one could imagine any war being greater!), ended with the implementation of an armistice [temporary cessation of hostilities in this case until the final peace treaty, the infamous Treaty of Versailles, was signed in 1919] between the Allies and Germany at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of November, 1918.

1919
November 11: President Wilson proclaims the first Armistice Day with the following words: “To us in America, the reflections of armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations” The original concept for the celebration was for the suspension of business for a two minute period beginning at 11 A.M., with the day also marked by parades and public mettings.

1920
On the second anniversary of the armistice, France and the United Kingdom hold ceremonies honoring their unknown dead from the war. In America, at the suggestion of church groups, President Wilson names the Sunday nearest Armistice Day Sunday, on which should be held services in the interest of international peace.

1921
Congress passes legislation approving the establishment of a Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. November 11 is chosen for the date of the ceremony. According on October 20, Congress declares November 11, 1921 a legal Federal holiday to honor all those who participated in the war. The ceremony was conducted with great success.

1926
Congress adopts a resolution directing the President to issue an annual proclamation calling on the observance of Armistice Day. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, most states establish November 11 as a legal holiday and at the Federal level, an annual proclamation is issued by the President.

1938
Congress passes legislation on May 13 making November 11 a legal Federal holiday, Armistice Day. The United States has no actual national holidays because the states retain the right to designate their own holidays. The Federal government can in fact only designate holidays for Federal employees and for the District of Columbia. But in practice the states almost always follow the Federal lead in designation of holidays.

1941- 1945
1950- 1953
World War II and the Korean War create millions of additional war veterans in addition to those of the First World War already honored by Armistice Day.

1954
On June 1, President Eisenhower signs legislation changing the name of the legal holiday from Armistice Day to Veteran’s Day.

1968
Congress passes the Monday Holiday Law which established the fourth Monday in October as the new date for the observance of Veteran’s Day. The law is to take effect in 1971.
 
1971-1975
The Federal observance of Veterans Day is held on the fourth Monday of October. Initially all states follow suit except Mississippi and South Dakota. Other states changed their observances back to November 11 as follows: 1972- Louisiana and Wisconsin; 1974- Kentucky, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Maine, South Carolina, West Virginia; 1975- California, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming

1975
Legislation passed to return the Federal observance of Veteran’s Day to November 11, based on popular support throughout the nation. Since the change to the fourth Monday in October, 46 states had either continued to commemorate November 11 or had reverted back to the original date based on popular sentiment. The law was to take effect in 1978.

1978
Veteran’s Day observance reverts to November 11.

One small step for man

In addition to building better machines, DARPA also wants to build better soldiers. American infantrymen since the Revolutionary War have griped about all the gear they have to carry—sometimes more than 100 pounds. Enter DARPA, with the idea of building an exoskeleton capable of supporting this weight and providing a powered system of robotic legs to help the soldier carry the load. Researchers from University of California at Berkeley are showing off their Lower Extremity Exoskeleton, which straps onto a soldier’s legs and lets him (or her) carry a load of 85 pounds without feeling it. The Berkeley team has tested it and plans to have a fully functional prototype by December 2005. (Slate.msn.com)

Submarine Express

Currently, the Navy’s fastest submarine can only travel at 25 to 30 knots while submerged. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which commissions research for the Defense Department. Electric Boat, the company contracted to design the Underwater Express mini-sub that could potentially transport high-value cargo or small groups of people as fast as 100 knots. The vehicle would travel inside a large gas bubble created in the water, a process known as supercavitation. The bubble reduces drag, since the drag is much lower in air than in water, allowing the vehicle to travel at high speeds. Now this project is enter the testing phase, Electric Boat is woking on a quarter scale model, which if successful, Electric Boat will begin production on a full scale 100-foot submarine.
“The sub utilizes the phenomenon known as supercavitation. Supercavitation is the process wherein an object moves so fast through the water that it creates a gas bubble around itself, nearly eliminating drag. Unencumbered by the high drag of water, the object is free to speed along at much higher speeds than otherwise possible. Supercavitation has been known since the end of World War Two, and the Soviets succeeded in creating a torpedo that utilizes supercavitation for high-speed travel, but so far no one has succeeded in scaling the effect up to the size of a whole submarine.”

Via automotto, gizmodo, popsci

Wings and things

From the dawn of intellectual thought, man has been contemplating the idea of independent flight, soaring through the clouds, nothing between us and the earth’s surface. What if us humans had wings?

No doubt, airplanes were a huge step towards the independent flight of man, but in order to fly a plane, you have to be a licensed pilot, and who has the time and patience for all of that mess? A Swiss man named Yves Rossy has unveiled his personal flyer, a jet-powered set of wings which allows humans to act as airplanes, even performing plane stunts such as the figure eight.

48-year-old Rossy sprang into the air at 7,500-feet, jumping from the inside of a Pilatus Porter aircraft, with nothing but a pair of eight-feed wide wings standing between himself and the unforgiving Earth below. As Rossy’s free fall slowly evolved into a steady glide, four jet-turbines were ignited, accelerating the man to speeds of 186 miles per hour, or “about 65 miles per hour faster than the typical falling skydiver.”

“I still haven’t used the full potential,” Rossy told reporters, exclaiming his hope to one day use the wings for a fly through the Grand Canyon. He explains how there is almost no stress caused to the body while using the wings, how it’s almost like “riding a motorbike.” Though he still must wear a heat-resistant suit to protect him from the heat of the jet-engines, with the air temperature also assisting in cooling him down.

Rossy and his sponsors have poured about $285,000 and countless hours of labor into producing the personal flyer, and he won’t comment on how much the device might be if it were marketed to the public. Though one thing is for sure, thrill-seekers everywhere just got a glimpse of the future. Something to really look forward to.

Project Page via Yahoo News

The Shortest War

The shortest war was that between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar, from 9:02 am to 9:40 am on 27 August 1896, after only 38 minutes of bombardment. The UK ships of war under Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson (1843 - 1910) delivered a final statement to the self-appointed Sultan Said Khalid to evacuate his palace and surrender.

Hybrid is looking pretty cool.

Check out this tuff looking hybrid from MillenWorks. The (LUV) Light Utility “Hybrid” Vehicle. I think I’m in LUV.

Defense Update

Squirrel Armor

Just when I thought I had seen it all. The guy who makes this Squirrel Body Armor also makes dog armor. I am currently in negotiations with him to build my Jack Russell a suit of armor out of Coors Light cans. You can check out his sight at… Squirrel Body Armor

Sea Shadow

Formerly top-secret Navy ships for sale. A little odd-looking, but you’ll definitely turn some heads the next time you’re out waterskiing.

The Wall Street Journal