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What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

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Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#51
post #10

That's a meme? I've never seen that photo before in my life and I'm pretty aware of most memes.

It's most popular in military enthusiast circles, especially around the video games World of Tanks and War Thunder, which tend to be somewhat insular

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#52

Can tanks work underwater?

With a snorkel attached. The engine needs oxygen and dislikes water. Both sides of the war invented that capability in the early 40s, though obviously not every tank had the capability.

It's also a great example of the doctrines and tradeoffs of different armies. For example Russian tanks usually have space-efficient thin snorkels, while modern Western tanks have wide snorkels that double as a way for the crew to escape if they get stuck while driving submerged

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#53
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IPv8 is accepting RFCs

There are 10^80 atoms in the universe, therefore 266 bits are enough to give each a unique identifier. Due to how computers work maybe we can do two numbers: a 32-bit type or area code and a 256-bit counter. Or perhaps we just combine them into a single 272 or 288 or 320-bit number.

[deleted]

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#54

This feels like a ghost of the internet of the 1990s. This writeup deserves its own website, something with minimal CSS, where you'll discover a bunch of family snapshots and party photos if you click around.

> where you'll discover a bunch of family snapshots and party photos if you click around.

Yes, lovely. The sort of site where private moments might be kindly shared by an individual. To be distinguished from the forcible asset stripping and loss of ownership (theft, really) that form the terms and conditions of a large corporate's ToS today.

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#55
post #34

Since Know Your Meme doesn't give the reference for why it's a lake , maybe not everybody is familiar with british lore: The mythical Lady of the Lake : Probably best known via Monthy Python: Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. In short: She teaches Lancelot art…

This reminds me that Monty Python and the Holy Grail contributed actual historical knowledge about Arthurian legends to my knowledge base while growing up. Other examples of Python unintentional education include knowing the names of a myriad of obscure cheeses (the cheese shop skit), a shocking number of anachronistic synonyms for death (the parrot skit) and notable contributions of the Roman Empire (Life of Brian 'What have the Romans ever done for us?' skit).

While it didn't contribute to my GPA at the time, I'm sure I could name more notable philosophers than any other 8th grader in my school (philosopher's song skit). However, in high school it did spark the interest to look up and read about each of the philosophers in the song.

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#56
post #34

Since Know Your Meme doesn't give the reference for why it's a lake , maybe not everybody is familiar with british lore: The mythical Lady of the Lake : Probably best known via Monthy Python: Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. In short: She teaches Lancelot art…

There's also Father Thames, the River God of London https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/1140390

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#57

This feels like a ghost of the internet of the 1990s. This writeup deserves its own website, something with minimal CSS, where you'll discover a bunch of family snapshots and party photos if you click around.

> where you'll discover a bunch of family snapshots and party photos if you click around. Yes, lovely. The sort of site where private moments might be kindly shared by an individual. To be distinguished from the forcible asset stripping and loss of ownership (theft, really) that form the terms and conditions of a large corporate's ToS today.

I still think wikipedia hit those "this is my passion" sites harder than social media did. What's the point of building a site about widgets, when 90% of people are just going to hit the Widget page on wikipedia?

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#58

Germans pioneers wore white uniforms? That sounds like the worst possible colour for digging ditches, recovering tanks or camouflage (if it isn't snowing). Why would they do that? Did Hugo Boss do the design?

From the link, the white pants are part of the "Drillich" work uniform. From searching around, these were intended as work uniforms / overalls. You were intended to wear these (there were both pants and jackets) over your actual uniform, and these would take the abuse. It seems like the early war patterns were simply undyed. Mid-war versions were apparently dyed darker. Here's a forum with a bunch of pictures of exam…

Undyed coveralls makes sense, thanks.

Re: What is the origin of the lake tank image that has become a meme? (2021)

#59
post #39
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Edit: ops, that joke wasn’t clear. A prisoner’s uniform needs to be cheap, distinctive, and easy to spot it doesn’t need to be clean.

If the person were a prisoner he wouldn't be carrying a rifle..

Thus the joke…

It’s a play on words, and the involuntary nature of service in the German military at the time.

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