If we had invested in remote-manned EXPLORATION instead of Cold War cockwaving space tourism, we'd be much further along in exploring space and developing the robotic systems we REQUIRE ANYWAY to support future manned tourism.
"Sure if power plants are being attacked, the government would step in."
If powerplant controls are exposed to the internet, the government should "step in" to waterboard those responsible with battery acid.
There is NO excuse for vital infrastructure to be controlled via the internet. At all. Ever. People who expose it to the internet are worse than negligent and merit firing, public exposure, and blacklisting so they never work again in a position of responsibility.
It complements many trades and hobbies, and can serve you well if you want things made of metal or to modify them. With a bit of training, you can quickly turn out professional work.
My interests include repairing. modifying and building as much of what I own as practical, which has saved me stoopid money down the decades.
I'm welding a shop out of two (so far) ISO containers, routinely use welding to repair and modify parts (it greatly complements being a mechanic) build shop equipment and anything else I wish from (usually recycled) metal, work on equipment and vehicles (side money and fun), and make/mod my own shop equipment.
"other than in keeping ancient cars or other "I'll be damned if I'm going to buy a new one, even though the amount of time I put into fixing this thing isn't worth it" objects from falling apart?"
When one gets a bit proficient it becomes easy to keep _good_ vehicles for decades, or grab a junker and turn it serviceable for little money, or restore a classic. Quality "objects" may be swiftly repaired in trivial time, and my time has been WELL worth it. The money saved by going DIY easily buys professional equipment, which one keeps, as opposed to paying labor to someone who may not give a shit. Labor costs keep rising, but my costs to do my own work have barely changed and if anything gotten lower.
Almost never having to pay for vehicle/equipment/home repair and modification labor has saved self and wife (also a former jet mech) mad cash and enhanced our personal independence. No need for new vehicles and no need for new homes can slash your cost of living and leave plenty of money for toys (which you can also build!). It let self and spouse retire comfortably before age 50 without being rich or even upper middle class.
Having welders at hand has been very nice, but the average non-DIYer won't ask the questions that welding machines answer.
"If I've received one consistent piece of advice it's to just jump into TIG and skip everything else."
I work at a community college structural/pipe welding course, and would modify that to either "learn stick/TIG" (DC machines can do both) or "learn gas welding first" (old school but great for learning puddle control). Do get some stick action because it's the most versatile process.
Go check out the weldingweb, millerwelds, hobart forums, and migwelding uk forums (google will get you there so I didn''t post urls) in that order for some very useful info.
"If, for example, medical interns had a union to prevent 16-hour shifts, I imagine we could agree that to be a step forward. "
It sure would.
I have fun mentioning to (civilian) medical types that the USAF generally forbids doing aircraft maintenance after being on duty more than 12 hours, and this is usually followed even in wartime. Tired people shouldn't make important decisions.
The electrician has a portable skill that CAN'T BE OUTSOURCED, is convertible to similar skills with minimum training, and complements other trade skills.
You can barter skills with other tradeshumans to enhance your living space, shop, or trade for vehicle work/parts. Plenty of opportunity to human network for side money.
You can be self-contained, with all your gear fitting in a truck or trailer.
Electricians are like auto mechanics. They may not get rich, but I've not seen one starve.
"A lot of those guys went on to cause a lot of trouble in Algeria for instance and helped turn it into the complete basket case it is today."
Algeria was doomed when De Gaulle gave up on it even though the war was at stalemate and he could have chosen to wear down the enemy as was done by Morocco (using similar methods to the Algerian Morice Line) with far smaller resources.
"You can train a geek to understand all the technical details but military has no use for people who questions authority and with a tendency to rebel."
No, the military has little use for self-centered cunts, because there is sound reason for the authority structure.
My solution would be to train both groups together so the geeks get combat time (real, not fapping in some FOB) and send the "warriors" (WTF ever happened to calling soldiers "soldiers"?) for tech training so NEITHER group thinks the sun shines out their arse.
"This is not the root issue of using a robot. The root issue is that technologically advanced societies have been pushing the button from further and further away. The further away they are, the less incentive they have to make sure that their target is valid."
Bullshit.
Unguided artillery has been lavishly used in recent history on targets beyond visual range, and there was much LESS incentive to ensure a valid target because error was expected even with good targeting. Bombs were so inaccurate that it took massive air raids to (sometimes) wreck a factory we'd shwack with one or two bombs today.
The only incentive to care about not splattering civilians with arty (or bombs) has been diplomatic blowback in the post-Nuremburg era.
That's the Soviet version of events, but they had been aggressively expansionist long before that, were seeking to foment revolution worldwide (which they didn't disguise, plenty of Soviet proxies fought in the Spanish Civil War), and Stalinism showed its true face in the partition of Poland between the Soviets and Nazi Germany.
"if you knew any history, you would know that the Western invasion of Germany was a limited war because high casualties would not be accepted by the American and British public."
That has nothing to do with my post, but it wasn't a "limited war" in terms of destruction inflicted on Germany and German forces. The strategic decision to let the Soviets bleed out in the East was quite intelligent from the POV of conserving US forces, which were expected to be used in Japan. Letting enemies kill each other makes obvious sense. That the Soviets got East Germany was the problem of the Nazis who lived there.
"Wouldn't it be nice if the people who felt it was acceptable to kill a few thousand people for their political goals were included in the total?"
They frequently risk that, and fear doesn't stop those who think the game is worth the candle. Killing thousands of enemies has often been the price of progress.
Killing thousands of Brits, Tories and Hessians freed the US from England. Killing thousands of Confederates freed the slaves. Killing millions of Nazis and Italian Fascists saved Europe. Killing millions of Japanese rescued much of Asia from Imperial Japan. Killing millions of Commies and their proxies contained them to buy time for China and Russia to outgrow Communism.
Killing often works very,very well, and it works even if you don't like that it works. Sufficient force trumps everything else.
Equipping the Muj with weapons was worth it, even counting the blowback (which was more consequence of ABANDONING A-stan than equipping the Muj).
Lest we forget, the Cold War was a VASTLY more important and larger struggle than the current police actions. A few thousand or few tens of thousands dead in late consequence of that existential conflict is a trifle. We are too easily impressed by small wars nowadays.
Slashdot Mirror
If we had invested in remote-manned EXPLORATION instead of Cold War cockwaving space tourism, we'd be much further along in exploring space and developing the robotic systems we REQUIRE ANYWAY to support future manned tourism.
Behold "return on investment":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1
"Does it all go out the window because you're being fed by someone who matches your politics?"
Yes.
"Sure if power plants are being attacked, the government would step in."
If powerplant controls are exposed to the internet, the government should "step in" to waterboard those responsible with battery acid.
There is NO excuse for vital infrastructure to be controlled via the internet. At all. Ever. People who expose it to the internet are worse than negligent and merit firing, public exposure, and blacklisting so they never work again in a position of responsibility.
It complements many trades and hobbies, and can serve you well if you want things made of metal or to modify them. With a bit of training, you can quickly turn out professional work.
My interests include repairing. modifying and building as much of what I own as practical, which has saved me stoopid money down the decades.
I'm welding a shop out of two (so far) ISO containers, routinely use welding to repair and modify parts (it greatly complements being a mechanic) build shop equipment and anything else I wish from (usually recycled) metal, work on equipment and vehicles (side money and fun), and make/mod my own shop equipment.
"other than in keeping ancient cars or other "I'll be damned if I'm going to buy a new one, even though the amount of time I put into fixing this thing isn't worth it" objects from falling apart?"
When one gets a bit proficient it becomes easy to keep _good_ vehicles for decades, or grab a junker and turn it serviceable for little money, or restore a classic. Quality "objects" may be swiftly repaired in trivial time, and my time has been WELL worth it. The money saved by going DIY easily buys professional equipment, which one keeps, as opposed to paying labor to someone who may not give a shit. Labor costs keep rising, but my costs to do my own work have barely changed and if anything gotten lower.
Almost never having to pay for vehicle/equipment/home repair and modification labor has saved self and wife (also a former jet mech) mad cash and enhanced our personal independence. No need for new vehicles and no need for new homes can slash your cost of living and leave plenty of money for toys (which you can also build!). It let self and spouse retire comfortably before age 50 without being rich or even upper middle class.
Having welders at hand has been very nice, but the average non-DIYer won't ask the questions that welding machines answer.
Best to test such things to destruction in a fixture before using them in manned operations.
Also, were you wearing chainsaw protective chaps or pants?
""defense contractor and philanthropist?" Really? I'm not sure those two are entirely compatible species."
Worked for Alfred Nobel. Also, HESCO bastion is purely defensive.
"you are basically deciding to do a passionate tango with death"
I, for one, find that idea vaguely arousing.
"Are you going to express your sorrow for everyone or just for those who make the news?"
Option Two for me. If mass media don't think them important I'm certainly too shallow to care.
Bystanders were alerted to his demise by the sound of "Yakety Sax" playing loudly as he approached the abyss.
"If I've received one consistent piece of advice it's to just jump into TIG and skip everything else."
I work at a community college structural/pipe welding course, and would modify that to either "learn stick/TIG" (DC machines can do both) or "learn gas welding first" (old school but great for learning puddle control). Do get some stick action because it's the most versatile process.
Go check out the weldingweb, millerwelds, hobart forums, and migwelding uk forums (google will get you there so I didn''t post urls) in that order for some very useful info.
The reason is that there are always two enemies (business is war). The first enemy is the employer, the second is competing scabs,
Both sides of the fight require some degree of imposed discipline to maintain ranks, as does any army (even one of partisan enthusiasts).
"If, for example, medical interns had a union to prevent 16-hour shifts, I imagine we could agree that to be a step forward. "
It sure would.
I have fun mentioning to (civilian) medical types that the USAF generally forbids doing aircraft maintenance after being on duty more than 12 hours, and this is usually followed even in wartime. Tired people shouldn't make important decisions.
Good on ya!
Anything you can add by way of mechanics, hydraulics, pneumatics, and welding will serve you well.
The electrician has a portable skill that CAN'T BE OUTSOURCED, is convertible to similar skills with minimum training, and complements other trade skills.
You can barter skills with other tradeshumans to enhance your living space, shop, or trade for vehicle work/parts. Plenty of opportunity to human network for side money.
You can be self-contained, with all your gear fitting in a truck or trailer.
Electricians are like auto mechanics. They may not get rich, but I've not seen one starve.
"A lot of those guys went on to cause a lot of trouble in Algeria for instance and helped turn it into the complete basket case it is today."
Algeria was doomed when De Gaulle gave up on it even though the war was at stalemate and he could have chosen to wear down the enemy as was done by Morocco (using similar methods to the Algerian Morice Line) with far smaller resources.
"You can train a geek to understand all the technical details but military has no use for people who questions authority and with a tendency to rebel."
No, the military has little use for self-centered cunts, because there is sound reason for the authority structure.
My solution would be to train both groups together so the geeks get combat time (real, not fapping in some FOB) and send the "warriors" (WTF ever happened to calling soldiers "soldiers"?) for tech training so NEITHER group thinks the sun shines out their arse.
The ideal solution would be to cross-train BOTH so they form a better team, then pick the best of that team to run the show.
Geek and warrior are not mutually exclusive.
"People start making rips from the records :("
"Start"?
Back in The Day, a reel-to-reel tape deck was a "server", and ripping to that and to cassette was the way to exchange music. Sneakernet works fine.
"This is not the root issue of using a robot. The root issue is that technologically advanced societies have been pushing the button from further and further away. The further away they are, the less incentive they have to make sure that their target is valid."
Bullshit.
Unguided artillery has been lavishly used in recent history on targets beyond visual range, and there was much LESS incentive to ensure a valid target because error was expected even with good targeting. Bombs were so inaccurate that it took massive air raids to (sometimes) wreck a factory we'd shwack with one or two bombs today.
The only incentive to care about not splattering civilians with arty (or bombs) has been diplomatic blowback in the post-Nuremburg era.
That's the Soviet version of events, but they had been aggressively expansionist long before that, were seeking to foment revolution worldwide (which they didn't disguise, plenty of Soviet proxies fought in the Spanish Civil War), and Stalinism showed its true face in the partition of Poland between the Soviets and Nazi Germany.
"if you knew any history, you would know that the Western invasion of Germany was a limited war because high casualties would not be accepted by the American and British public."
That has nothing to do with my post, but it wasn't a "limited war" in terms of destruction inflicted on Germany and German forces. The strategic decision to let the Soviets bleed out in the East was quite intelligent from the POV of conserving US forces, which were expected to be used in Japan. Letting enemies kill each other makes obvious sense. That the Soviets got East Germany was the problem of the Nazis who lived there.
"Wouldn't it be nice if the people who felt it was acceptable to kill a few thousand people for their political goals were included in the total?"
They frequently risk that, and fear doesn't stop those who think the game is worth the candle. Killing thousands of enemies has often been the price of progress.
Killing thousands of Brits, Tories and Hessians freed the US from England. Killing thousands of Confederates freed the slaves. Killing millions of Nazis and Italian Fascists saved Europe. Killing millions of Japanese rescued much of Asia from Imperial Japan. Killing millions of Commies and their proxies contained them to buy time for China and Russia to outgrow Communism.
Killing often works very,very well, and it works even if you don't like that it works. Sufficient force trumps everything else.
Equipping the Muj with weapons was worth it, even counting the blowback (which was more consequence of ABANDONING A-stan than equipping the Muj).
Lest we forget, the Cold War was a VASTLY more important and larger struggle than the current police actions. A few thousand or few tens of thousands dead in late consequence of that existential conflict is a trifle. We are too easily impressed by small wars nowadays.
"Us men on the other hand have to work at it, and hear the word "no" or simply derisive laughter about 9 times out of 10 attempts."
I find a ball gag takes care of that right smartly.
"So when the siren sounds, start groping nearby females in search of a gasmask. :) "
That may be too late. You'll need to don the mask in seconds. That takes training. Lots of training. :)
"Here's an idea: do it, rather than posting on Slashdot about it."
Here's a better idea: post to 4chan about it. Often.