Search found 814 matches

by Calder
Fri Nov 06, 2026 6:30 pm
Forum: Space and Technology
Topic: NASA X-70 & DARPA X-65
Replies: 3
Views: 221

Re: NASA X-70 & DARPA X-65

specifications for the X-70, saying it is designed to cruise at Mach .75, reach altitudes of up to 45,000 feet, and provide an operational range exceeding about 1,726 miles (1,500 nautical miles). The aircraft’s takeoff weight is 10,000 pounds, of which up to 2,000 pounds are dedicated to experimen...
by Calder
Thu Nov 05, 2026 4:57 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: New on the origin of the Goths
Replies: 8
Views: 357

Re: New on the origin of the Goths

Is it bad that when I read the title I was thinking of the social movement instead of the historical one? Laugh. My youngest daughter is currently going through this. Thankfully, it is more the clothing and style than the attitude.
by Calder
Mon Sep 21, 2026 5:42 pm
Forum: The Media Center
Topic: The Odyssey
Replies: 19
Views: 40276

Re: The Odyssey

I liked the new Odyssey adaptation, but I didn't loved it. The core problem is that the film strips out the single most defining emotional through‑line of the poem — Odysseus’ delight in his own cleverness. The near‑absence of the gods didn’t bother me. That’s a perfectly valid artistic choice. What...
by Calder
Thu Jul 16, 2026 8:56 pm
Forum: Space and Technology
Topic: Ford rehires graybeard engineers...
Replies: 20
Views: 24861

Re: Ford rehires graybeard engineers...

gtg947h wrote: ↑Thu Jul 16, 2026 7:13 pm Hey, there's a cloud I can yell at...
hey, I resemble that remark! laugh.

Oh of course and have to end with

Get off my lawn!
by Calder
Thu Jul 16, 2026 6:41 pm
Forum: Space and Technology
Topic: Ford rehires graybeard engineers...
Replies: 20
Views: 24861

Re: Ford rehires graybeard engineers...

The problem is that the required feature set of any new car makes it too damn expensive to buy multiple vehicles to have one suited to purpose. So we end up buying for the most stressing use case, and that means we have people commuting in Chevy Tahoes or F-250s. let me be clear. It is your money; ...
by Calder
Wed May 20, 2026 3:35 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: Sweden Considers French Defense Frigates to Strengthen Naval Power in Baltic Sea.
Replies: 68
Views: 106621

Re: Sweden Considers French Defense Frigates to Strengthen Naval Power in Baltic Sea.

I am just another clueless American, so I am not going to claim to have a deep understanding of Sweden's defense needs, so this is more a question than a definitive statement. But given that the Iran and Ukraine wars have proven how vulnerable frigates are to drones both on the sea and in the air in...
by Calder
Thu May 14, 2026 5:30 pm
Forum: Space and Technology
Topic: Potential shortcut to Mars discovered
Replies: 10
Views: 17364

Re: Potential shortcut to Mars discovered

FTA A significant drawback of the cycler concept was that the Aldrin cycler flies by both planets at high speed. A taxi would need to accelerate to 15,000 miles per hour (6.7 km/s) around Earth, and 22,000 miles per hour (9.8 km/s) near Mars. Delta V 17 km/s. that's about 1/3 the escape velocity of...
by Calder
Tue Apr 28, 2026 3:58 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: US Navy News
Replies: 481
Views: 373959

Re: US Navy News

Maybe. But a lot of things have to go completely right for the concept as advocated by the former Commandant to succeed. It’s worked once or twice, ish - but failed considerably more than it succeeded. 1st Wake worked because the IJN was under resourced, and Midway worked because we had 2 carriers ...
by Calder
Tue Apr 28, 2026 3:42 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: US Navy News
Replies: 481
Views: 373959

Re: US Navy News

One comment - the President is not anywhere near pushing for a land war anywhere. He is already on thin ice with much of his base. I, for one, am in support of the military actions actually taken thus far. I am NOT in favor of some of the threats tossed around and certainly not in favor of threaten...
by Calder
Mon Apr 27, 2026 6:48 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: US Navy News
Replies: 481
Views: 373959

Re: US Navy News

And just to get back on topic - What does that all portend for the Navy shipbuilding program? Hard to say, really, because both parties like big contracts in the various congressional districts. The Trump battleship would likely, er, sink just because. But most everything else should, er, sail on t...
by Calder
Fri Apr 24, 2026 9:53 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: US Navy News
Replies: 481
Views: 373959

Re: US Navy News

Could it happen sooner? If, for example, the DNC take the House and Senate after the mid-terms? Perish the thought!! BURN the heretic!!! But for discussion only sake - The Senate is unlikely to flip. It is possible but unlikely. The House could but at this point unpredictable. The redistricting bat...
by Calder
Mon Mar 30, 2026 5:42 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: Second Sphinx found?
Replies: 20
Views: 22614

Re: Second Sphinx found?

Could someone please explain Egypt's motive here? Otherwise, it sounds like a conspiracy theory. I mean, I get wanting bribes, but then trying to sabotage the team and not wanting them to discover new artifacts? You would think that it would be in Egypt's interest for new discovers as that will just...
by Calder
Wed Mar 18, 2026 4:09 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: New Yorktown?
Replies: 20
Views: 27401

Re: New Yorktown?

Agreed. I don't think there's been a president since Regan that deserved a carrier named after him. I'm not sure there's a president before him going back to FDR that deserved a carrier named after him. Eisenhower, perhaps, but he was an Army guy. Seems sacrilegious to name a Navy ship after a pres...
by Calder
Tue Mar 10, 2026 4:43 pm
Forum: Space and Technology
Topic: Immaculate Constellation
Replies: 189
Views: 244376

Re: Immaculate Constellation

I will give the guy credit. We haven't even reached the May or July dates for the speeches, and he is already recanting his story. That is more integrity than the vast majority of conspiracy theorists out there. (Heck I will go so far as to say that is more than the average human, as he didn't wait ...
by Calder
Mon Mar 09, 2026 5:07 pm
Forum: The Media Center
Topic: ...Shiny....
Replies: 4
Views: 22955

Re: ...Shiny....

...LOTS of chatter over the last couple days about these videos - Nathan Fillion visiting some of the crew of the Serenity with some cryptic (and funny) back-and-forth. https://sffgazette.com/sci_fi/television/nathan-fillion-teases-firefly-announcement-coming-this-sunday-a9778?utm_source=fark&u...
by Calder
Tue Mar 03, 2026 4:26 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: HMNZS Manawanui
Replies: 30
Views: 36152

Re: HMNZS Manawanui

I'd very much like to know more details about women in uniform being abused in the street. The way its stated makes it seems like ONLY women in uniform are being abused in the street, and that seems so totally out of character for New Zealand that my bullshit meter is hitting the stops. A cursory g...
by Calder
Mon Feb 23, 2026 5:44 pm
Forum: The Bar
Topic: Podcast recommendations?
Replies: 6
Views: 13338

Re: Podcast recommendations?

I routinely listen to these: I’m also working through the following podcasts, but have not caught up completely so can’t vouch for the quality the same way: Revolutions: I am on episode 11 of their first series on the English Civil Wars, and it’s a snarky but entertaining high-level summary. I can ...
by Calder
Wed Feb 04, 2026 6:05 pm
Forum: The Media Center
Topic: "ST: Starfleet Academy"....
Replies: 54
Views: 101627

Re: "ST: Starfleet Academy"....

I'm going to say something as a military veteran, as a science fiction fan, and as a Star Trek fan: Stories about basic training are going to be one of the following: About as interesting as watching paint dry; Utter shite; Both. Training is dull for anyone not actually going through it. The Camp A...
by Calder
Tue Oct 28, 2025 5:56 pm
Forum: History and Warfare
Topic: Rideable Pigs
Replies: 15
Views: 9179

Re: Rideable Pigs

kdahm wrote: ↑Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:19 pm Might as well saddle and ride a hippopotamus.
Now we are talking! My army of battle hippo will crush everything before us.
by Calder
Thu Sep 18, 2025 9:24 pm
Forum: Space and Technology
Topic: Falcon 9 rocket launch transiting the sun.
Replies: 2
Views: 7470

Re: Falcon 9 rocket launch transiting the sun.

I have to admit that is totally cool.