‘Batman’ Prepares To Join The Air Force
Grappling hooks attached to siphon electricity from low-hanging power lines. Computers mounted onto a commando’s chest plate. Communications gadgets small enough to fit into gear pouches worn around the waist. The Air Force is actually preparing its special operators to act (and outfit themselves) more like the Batman.
Since 2004, the Air Force has worked to reduce the physical load of gear carried by its Special Operations Forces — the superheroes who seize hostile airfields and rescue captured troops behind enemy lines. Those airmen are often weighed down on these missions, lugging as much as 160 pounds worth of stuff. Since much of the bulk comes from their communications gear, the Air Force opted to cut out heavy batteries to power it, fueling the gear through methanol fuel cells that get lighter as the charge dies. That allows elite airmen to essentially wear their gear like a scaffold, a concept the Air Force calls a “Human Chassis.”
Except a human chassis isn’t a cool enough name.* So the program, pursued at Ohio’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, bears a moniker that strikes fear into the heart of villains everywhere. It’s the Battlefield Air Targeting Man-Aided kNowledge (just go with it). Yes: the BATMAN.
Are You a Fan of Ceiling Fans? You’re About to Be
Lots of cool, bizarre and/or vintage ceiling fans. Including one that looks to be inspired by Batman.
Guest artist at Dino comics discusses continuity, fanfic and Batman (not in that order): [link]
Lisah, that is *totally* breaking the Sunday truce.
"Shit ain't seemly, man."
How horrible and scary, lisah. Who brings a gun into a hospital? Oh yeah, wait...
msbelle's missed anxiety meds reminds me of the question I was going to put to Natter. This occurred to me when I was driving across the bridge yesterday; our car needs a transmission fix. We're planning ahead to pay for it but don't have the money now and the car is mostly fine, but it will get progressively worse.
And I remembered all the other times we tried to squeeze by and avoid maintenance until it was more convenient.
So my question is:
How are you currently pushing your luck?
Could be anything, big or small. Are you trying to taper off your ADs without medical guidance? Has that favorite shirt gotten a little too worn to wear? Can you really squeek through the rest of the season without cleaning those gutters? Is that manicure really good enough for the big meeting, or does it need touchup? Is that edit
really
final or could it use another go over?
Ugh. I just told my boss I didn't want to come in Saturday. I did not like the look on his face. He was not happy.
Ugh ugh ugh. I am going to do the work! I just don't have the spoons to do it from here, and it's 45 mins of work, tops, that he wants me to spend from 10-6 at the office for.
Team solidarity sucks. I get it, but it sucks.
How are you currently pushing your luck?
Living w/o a budget. I should get on that.
Ack, Lisa! That`s terrible.
And thanks, everyone, for the condolences. I had a good cry on the SO`s shoulder this morning (and Seabiscuit came fluttering around, wondering what was wrong) and feel at least functional about it. Part of the problem is that we didn`t know when it was happening, so we have no funeral to go to or search to participate in, you know? Not that it would have solved anything. The SO thinks I should just go to Wichita and spend some time with Mary, but I feel dubious about that. But we have begun to think about what we can do in Moses` memory with our org. So I`ll be grieving for a while, but it no longer feels like the blank sheer wall of terror that it was last night.
