Don’t get me wrong, we’re going to watch the hell out of this robot video, because hey; robots.
We love robots. We like it even better if the robot’s very human-ish looking, and plodding along. We like the Frankenstein pace for heightening the creepy pursuit factor. Sarah Connor runs, the metal beast walks, Sarah gets tired, or maybe sees a sign in a shop window that says: SHOE SALE, and stops to look in the window, and the metal man catches up.
But what it this foolishness? Tripping on a stick? This thing should already have lasers for eyes, and a flamethrower for a pecker, and plow through anything like that. I was gonna put in an order for a couple dozen of these bad boys, but what sort of evil overlord would I be with an army of robot killers that can’t deal with stepping on a Lego brick?
My bad. Nothing can survive stepping on a Lego brick.
Hey, Mister, Your Robot Cat Just Left A Pile Of Washers And Bolts On My Lawn, And You Better Clean It Up
We never tire of robots. At first they’re genial sorts, warning Will Robinson to watch out for some interstellar muppet that coming his way. But humans, being the inquisitive sort, can never leave well enough alone. We’re not going to be happy until squads of four-legged death automatons are hunting us to extinction, farting leaf-blower noise the whole time.
I just reread that last paragraph, and I’m sorry, but I totally want to be hunted by a squad of four-legged death automatons. I can’t help myself.
You Wanna Be In The Russian Tank Biathlon? No. You Could Put Your Eye Out With That Thing
While we’re busy worrying whether to use the female or male pronoun for the little twerp that leaked our military secrets, the Russians are using tanks instead of .22s for plinking practice. Tank biathlon is my new favorite sport!
Tank biathlon is a mechanized kind of sport invented by the Russian Military. It is supposed to utilize the complex training of tank crews including their rough terrain passing skills combined with the ability to provide accurate and rapid fire whilst on-route.
Tanks go on a three-round route of 6-10 kilometers. During the first round crews fire at targets positioned at a distances of 1800, 1700, 1500 meters. The second round firing is at targets imitating an anti-tank mortar (RPG) squad and an infantry unit – these targets are at a distance of 600–700 meters, and must be engaged with a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun. The third round targeting is at an anti-tank gun and ATGM unit by use of the NSV 12.7mm remotely controlled anti-aircraft Heavy machine gun at a distance of 1200 meters.
Like in usual biathlon firing misses lead to an extra round, 500 meters long. On the final round tanks have to go through various terrain obstacles, here an error (missed or crashed obstacle) lead to a 10-seconds increment to crew’s final timing.
The first such contests ran in several of Russia’s Military Districts with final part taking place at the Alabino proving ground on 2013 August 11–17, with crews from Kazakhstan, Belarus and Armenia invited for the contest.
Of course, we could always one-up them, and start using ICBMs to play lawn darts, but of course lawn darts are banned now, although I’m fairly certain ICBMs are still legal, at least if you’re not a Nork or an Iranian. How’s a kid supposed to have any fun in this world anymore?
(Thanks to our west-coast correspondent, Gerard at American Digest, for sending that one along. I heard he can see Russia from his house)
You’re Really Not Supposed To Return The F-18 To The Yard With Grass Stains On Its Drop Tanks, Are You?
You wonder how much longer the Air Force is going bother putting people in a cockpit. Drones with standard nerds pushing the buttons seems to be the way things are going. You can save a lot of money on the saddle if you don’t have to worry about keeping the jockey on the horse. But it sure is a wondrous thing, isn’t it?