US Army applying new areas of math

Post by jlarocco » Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 2:42 AM UTC

reificator wrote: post #67

jlarocco wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not a very charitable response. Obviously the OP's social circle will know better than that because they know him (or her) and what they actually work on. Among the general public there's a real stereotype about DOD work. When I mention to strangers that I work for a defense contractor, they more often than not assume I'm working on bombs or something like that. Not every time, but often enough that I'm used t…

> they more often than not assume I'm working on bombs > I only work on mapping software In fairness, those maps are likely used to ensure the bombs go where they should.

Post by stevenjohns » Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 2:45 AM UTC

RhysU wrote: post #99

someotherperson wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the political situation in many of those countries speaks volumes. There are very few countries or peoples which have a genuinely positive view of Western occupation. Most countries that have a positive view of "Western" nations above Russia are the ones that are bribed (weapon contracts, free defense, release of political pressure) or bullied (application of political pressure) to have it. If you spend some…

> There are very few countries or peoples which have a genuinely positive view of Western occupation. On the other hand, let's consider how popular inter-Asian occupation was.

Post by RhysU » Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 2:53 AM UTC

mattigames wrote: post #71

noobermin wrote: post #44

To be very honest, count me in as one of these. I am someone who works for a gov't lab, but I do "very pure" scientific research. It's not that our research doesn't have "defense applications," it might eventually, but we are definitely a few steps removed from say CFD modeling of airplane wings. The thing is traditional sources of funding suck, and gov't labs give researchers a much better environment than the endle…

Yeah, traditional sources suck, in America; universities should be way more tightly controlled, in a decent society taking 56% of grant money should put some people in jail. In the year 2019 working for the US military should feel embarrassing, after the Iraq fiasco, support to journalist-killer Saudi crown prince; support to genociders that use child soldiers such as Idriss Déby (Chad), plus many other mistakes make…

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 2:59 AM UTC

wallace_f wrote: post #98

throwaaaway1231 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As someone who also is a military researcher, I may be able to help. I have worked on things that if the USA went to war, I know that I have directly contributed to that war. I truly hate that my research will contribute to killing. I wish that it wasn't necessary. But as events like Crimea annexation and the South China Sea shows, if the USA is not there, then other nations are very happy to use their might to boss…

I agree with you, but it's not so black and white. The atomic bomb is a notable example, and consider Eisenhower and many other military leaders said "there was no reason to use that awful thing." I realize my high school education, and most othet's, led me to believe this wasn't the case. I'm not trying to say it's wrong, but it deserves a lot of skepticism.

Post by RhysU » Fri, Mar 22, 2019, 3:03 AM UTC

stevenjohns wrote: post #103

RhysU wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> There are very few countries or peoples which have a genuinely positive view of Western occupation. On the other hand, let's consider how popular inter-Asian occupation was.

Or let's not, because this discussion doesn't have anything to do with how they view each other as neighbors - it's about perceptions towards "Western" occupation vs. Russian occupation.