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The Helldivers Sordid Past. The Curtiss XSB2C-1 Helldiver prototype had early issues with its Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone engine and three-bladed propeller, structural weaknesses, poor handling, directional instability, and bad stall characteristics. In 1939, MIT wind tunnel tests on a model revealed controllability problems from its small vertical tail;...

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Aviation Archive - Tim Farmer

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There's a new COVID variant in town. It's called "Cicada," and experts in the U.S. are on alert as it gains traction. The official name of the variant is BA.3.2. It first appeared in 2024 in South Africa and was identified in the U.S. in the summer of 2025. It went dormant, much like its namesake insect, before resurfacing again in the U.S. around the new year. "Cicada" is part of the omicron family, so it is similar to other recent variants. But it has a lot of mutations, making it harder for previous versions of the COVID vaccine to keep up against infection. In Europe, this variant is behind about 30% of recent COVID-19 infections. In the U.S., it makes up a small number of known infections right now, but home testing and less stringent tracking by public health authorities makes it hard to track. Cicada had been detected in 25 different states in the U.S. as of Feb. 11, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s too early to tell who might be most affected by this variant or how severe its symptoms are. Scientists interviewed by our friends at PolitiFact said, so far, "Cicada" seems to be mimicking other recent variants. Some early lab tests indicate it may be less transmissible, though more research is needed. Current vaccines are still a good safeguard against severe illness, though protection against infection may be more limited compared to other recent strains. If cicada becomes more widespread, the variant may be able to sneak past immunity from previous infections and vaccines. Home COVID-19 tests should be able to detect this variant. People who are immunocompromised and older adults should consider whether they need a vaccine booster, federal health authorities suggest.
2:07

There's a new COVID variant in town. It's called "Cicada," and experts in the U.S. are on alert as it gains traction. The official name of the variant is BA.3.2. It first appeared in 2024 in South Africa and was identified in the U.S. in the summer of 2025. It went dormant, much like its namesake insect, before resurfacing again in the U.S. around the new year. "Cicada" is part of the omicron family, so it is similar to other recent variants. But it has a lot of mutations, making it harder for previous versions of the COVID vaccine to keep up against infection. In Europe, this variant is behind about 30% of recent COVID-19 infections. In the U.S., it makes up a small number of known infections right now, but home testing and less stringent tracking by public health authorities makes it hard to track. Cicada had been detected in 25 different states in the U.S. as of Feb. 11, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s too early to tell who might be most affected by this variant or how severe its symptoms are. Scientists interviewed by our friends at PolitiFact said, so far, "Cicada" seems to be mimicking other recent variants. Some early lab tests indicate it may be less transmissible, though more research is needed. Current vaccines are still a good safeguard against severe illness, though protection against infection may be more limited compared to other recent strains. If cicada becomes more widespread, the variant may be able to sneak past immunity from previous infections and vaccines. Home COVID-19 tests should be able to detect this variant. People who are immunocompromised and older adults should consider whether they need a vaccine booster, federal health authorities suggest.

PBS News

28,180 views • 3 months ago

Two air forces started the Pacific war. One trained its pilots, then kept them fighting until they died. The other trained its pilots, then often pulled many of its experienced combat pilots out to teach everyone else. This is one of the reasons America won the Pacific air war, let's dive in.. Japan's Elite Aviators At the start of the war, Japan had some of the finest fighter pilots in the world. The aviators who attacked Pearl Harbor were elite. Many had hundreds of hours in the cockpit and real combat experience from the fighting in China. Flying the nimble A6M Zero, they cut through Allied opposition in the early months of the war and earned a fearsome reputation. But Japan made a fateful choice about these men. It kept them in combat, more or less indefinitely. Japanese pilots flew mission after mission with no real system to rotate them home. They fought until they were shot down, crippled, or killed. It seemed ruthless and efficient. In reality, it was a slow-motion disaster. The Difference in Philosophy Because every time Japan lost one of those veterans, everything he knew died with him. America did the opposite. It regularly rotated many of its experienced combat pilots back home once they had done their share of fighting. There, they became instructors, pouring everything they had learned in real air combat directly into the next generation of pilots. So the two systems pulled in opposite directions. Japan's pool of skill drained away with every ace it buried. America's pool of skill grew, as each returning veteran multiplied his knowledge across hundreds of students. One nation was teaching. The other was simply dying. The Training Gap The gap became a chasm, and it was made worse by sheer scale. By 1944, the United States was training around 8,000 new aviators every month, each of them getting well over a year of instruction and hundreds of hours in the air before they ever saw combat. Japan could not come close. As its veterans vanished, its training program collapsed, and it was crippled by something else, too. Fuel. Japan was running so short of it that many trainees could barely fly enough hours to learn their trade. By the later part of the war, Japanese pilots were being rushed into battle with barely 100 hours of flying time, and sometimes far less. They were teenagers with almost no training, being sent up against American veterans who had been taught by the best combat pilots in the fleet. The outcome was no longer a contest. It was a slaughter. The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot Nowhere was that clearer than in the skies over the Mariana Islands in June 1944. When the Japanese launched hundreds of aircraft against the American fleet, they flew into a wall of Hellcat fighters, guided by radar and expert fighter direction that positioned the Americans at the perfect height and moment to strike. The green Japanese pilots in their now outdated Zeros never had a chance. In and around that battle, Japan lost nearly 480 aircraft, while the Americans lost only a few dozen. It was so one-sided that the American aviators nicknamed it the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Japan's naval air power, once the terror of the Pacific, was broken in a matter of days. Better Aircraft, Better Technology It was not only the pilots. It was the machines too. America kept producing better and better aircraft, like the tough, heavily armed F6F Hellcat, designed after studying a captured Zero and built to beat it. It could take punishment, out-dive and out-gun its opponent, and it was forgiving enough that even a less experienced pilot could survive his first fights and become a veteran. Over the war, Hellcat pilots claimed more than 5,000 enemy aircraft for a tiny fraction of that in losses. Japan, meanwhile, kept sending men up in the aging Zero, a plane that had been revolutionary in 1941 but was now underpowered, fragile, and outclassed. It was fast and agile, but a single burst of American fire could tear it apart, because it had traded armor and protection for maneuverability. Better pilots, in better planes, backed by better technology. The advantages stacked on top of one another. The Spiral Ends By the end, Japan had reached the final, desperate stage of the spiral. With almost no trained pilots left, and no way to make more in time, it turned to the kamikaze. A pilot did not need 500 hours of training to crash his aircraft into a ship. He only needed to take off, aim, and die. It was the last resort of an air force that had run out of the one thing it could never mass produce. Experienced men. America won the Pacific air war for many reasons. Its factories out-built the enemy. Its radar and intelligence gave it eyes the Japanese lacked. Its aircraft grew deadlier every year. But underneath all of it was something simpler. America treated its best pilots as a resource to be protected and passed on. Japan treated them as fuel to be burned. One of those choices built an air force that kept getting stronger. The other burned brightly, and then burned out. This was why America won the Pacific air war. I post a story like this every single day. Most people never see them. Follow so you don't miss the next one.
0:30

Two air forces started the Pacific war. One trained its pilots, then kept them fighting until they died. The other trained its pilots, then often pulled many of its experienced combat pilots out to teach everyone else. This is one of the reasons America won the Pacific air war, let's dive in.. Japan's Elite Aviators At the start of the war, Japan had some of the finest fighter pilots in the world. The aviators who attacked Pearl Harbor were elite. Many had hundreds of hours in the cockpit and real combat experience from the fighting in China. Flying the nimble A6M Zero, they cut through Allied opposition in the early months of the war and earned a fearsome reputation. But Japan made a fateful choice about these men. It kept them in combat, more or less indefinitely. Japanese pilots flew mission after mission with no real system to rotate them home. They fought until they were shot down, crippled, or killed. It seemed ruthless and efficient. In reality, it was a slow-motion disaster. The Difference in Philosophy Because every time Japan lost one of those veterans, everything he knew died with him. America did the opposite. It regularly rotated many of its experienced combat pilots back home once they had done their share of fighting. There, they became instructors, pouring everything they had learned in real air combat directly into the next generation of pilots. So the two systems pulled in opposite directions. Japan's pool of skill drained away with every ace it buried. America's pool of skill grew, as each returning veteran multiplied his knowledge across hundreds of students. One nation was teaching. The other was simply dying. The Training Gap The gap became a chasm, and it was made worse by sheer scale. By 1944, the United States was training around 8,000 new aviators every month, each of them getting well over a year of instruction and hundreds of hours in the air before they ever saw combat. Japan could not come close. As its veterans vanished, its training program collapsed, and it was crippled by something else, too. Fuel. Japan was running so short of it that many trainees could barely fly enough hours to learn their trade. By the later part of the war, Japanese pilots were being rushed into battle with barely 100 hours of flying time, and sometimes far less. They were teenagers with almost no training, being sent up against American veterans who had been taught by the best combat pilots in the fleet. The outcome was no longer a contest. It was a slaughter. The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot Nowhere was that clearer than in the skies over the Mariana Islands in June 1944. When the Japanese launched hundreds of aircraft against the American fleet, they flew into a wall of Hellcat fighters, guided by radar and expert fighter direction that positioned the Americans at the perfect height and moment to strike. The green Japanese pilots in their now outdated Zeros never had a chance. In and around that battle, Japan lost nearly 480 aircraft, while the Americans lost only a few dozen. It was so one-sided that the American aviators nicknamed it the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Japan's naval air power, once the terror of the Pacific, was broken in a matter of days. Better Aircraft, Better Technology It was not only the pilots. It was the machines too. America kept producing better and better aircraft, like the tough, heavily armed F6F Hellcat, designed after studying a captured Zero and built to beat it. It could take punishment, out-dive and out-gun its opponent, and it was forgiving enough that even a less experienced pilot could survive his first fights and become a veteran. Over the war, Hellcat pilots claimed more than 5,000 enemy aircraft for a tiny fraction of that in losses. Japan, meanwhile, kept sending men up in the aging Zero, a plane that had been revolutionary in 1941 but was now underpowered, fragile, and outclassed. It was fast and agile, but a single burst of American fire could tear it apart, because it had traded armor and protection for maneuverability. Better pilots, in better planes, backed by better technology. The advantages stacked on top of one another. The Spiral Ends By the end, Japan had reached the final, desperate stage of the spiral. With almost no trained pilots left, and no way to make more in time, it turned to the kamikaze. A pilot did not need 500 hours of training to crash his aircraft into a ship. He only needed to take off, aim, and die. It was the last resort of an air force that had run out of the one thing it could never mass produce. Experienced men. America won the Pacific air war for many reasons. Its factories out-built the enemy. Its radar and intelligence gave it eyes the Japanese lacked. Its aircraft grew deadlier every year. But underneath all of it was something simpler. America treated its best pilots as a resource to be protected and passed on. Japan treated them as fuel to be burned. One of those choices built an air force that kept getting stronger. The other burned brightly, and then burned out. This was why America won the Pacific air war. I post a story like this every single day. Most people never see them. Follow so you don't miss the next one.

Untold War Stories

155,309 views • 14 days ago

🚨 THE PENTAGON JUST REVEALED ITS DEADLIEST WEAPON. THE MIDDLE EAST IS ABOUT TO BOIL OVER. 🚨 The U.S. Navy almost never reveals the location of its Ohio-class nuclear submarines. They are silent, untraceable doomsday machines built to project overwhelming power from the shadows. So when the Pentagon openly announces one just rolled into Gibraltar on its way to the Middle East, it isn’t a press release. It’s a direct threat. The ceasefire with Iran is officially on "massive life support" (Trump's words—he just called Tehran's latest peace offer "garbage"). Now, we are watching a terrifying underwater standoff brew in the world's most critical oil choke point. Iran’s surface navy was completely gutted by US-Israeli strikes last month. They know they can't survive a traditional naval war with the US. So, they are going full guerilla. Tehran just flooded the Strait of Hormuz with at least 16 "Ghadir-class" midget submarines. These aren't massive nuclear leviathans. They are tiny, cheap, and built for one thing: ambush. • Operated by crews of less than 10. • Packed with heavy torpedoes and Chinese-designed C-704 anti-ship cruise missiles. But the scariest part is their tactic: "Seabed-resting." Because the Persian Gulf is shallow and noisy, these mini-subs literally sink to the ocean floor, power down, and sit dead-silent in the mud. They just wait for a multi-billion dollar American destroyer to sail overhead, ready to pull the trigger. This is the ultimate asymmetric warfare. And the timing is absolutely deliberate. Trump is about to sit down with Xi Jinping. Iran is using Chinese-designed weapons to hold global oil shipping hostage right before the two superpowers meet in Beijing. It’s the ultimate David vs. Goliath setup, but with apocalyptic stakes: A $3 billion American doomsday machine vs. a swarm of trigger-ready mini-subs hiding in the dirt. If the US takes the bait and someone pulls a trigger in Hormuz, watch what happens to the global markets tomorrow.
0:17

🚨 THE PENTAGON JUST REVEALED ITS DEADLIEST WEAPON. THE MIDDLE EAST IS ABOUT TO BOIL OVER. 🚨 The U.S. Navy almost never reveals the location of its Ohio-class nuclear submarines. They are silent, untraceable doomsday machines built to project overwhelming power from the shadows. So when the Pentagon openly announces one just rolled into Gibraltar on its way to the Middle East, it isn’t a press release. It’s a direct threat. The ceasefire with Iran is officially on "massive life support" (Trump's words—he just called Tehran's latest peace offer "garbage"). Now, we are watching a terrifying underwater standoff brew in the world's most critical oil choke point. Iran’s surface navy was completely gutted by US-Israeli strikes last month. They know they can't survive a traditional naval war with the US. So, they are going full guerilla. Tehran just flooded the Strait of Hormuz with at least 16 "Ghadir-class" midget submarines. These aren't massive nuclear leviathans. They are tiny, cheap, and built for one thing: ambush. • Operated by crews of less than 10. • Packed with heavy torpedoes and Chinese-designed C-704 anti-ship cruise missiles. But the scariest part is their tactic: "Seabed-resting." Because the Persian Gulf is shallow and noisy, these mini-subs literally sink to the ocean floor, power down, and sit dead-silent in the mud. They just wait for a multi-billion dollar American destroyer to sail overhead, ready to pull the trigger. This is the ultimate asymmetric warfare. And the timing is absolutely deliberate. Trump is about to sit down with Xi Jinping. Iran is using Chinese-designed weapons to hold global oil shipping hostage right before the two superpowers meet in Beijing. It’s the ultimate David vs. Goliath setup, but with apocalyptic stakes: A $3 billion American doomsday machine vs. a swarm of trigger-ready mini-subs hiding in the dirt. If the US takes the bait and someone pulls a trigger in Hormuz, watch what happens to the global markets tomorrow.

Commentary Donald J. Trump Truth Social Posts On X

66,624 views • 2 months ago

Shell in the Spotlight Again as More Motorists Blame Contaminated Fuel Sold at Their Stations for Engine Damage Fuel service stations operated under the Shell brand, which is managed by Vivo Energy Kenya, are once again on the spot after another frustrated motorist blamed poor-quality fuel for allegedly damaging his car engine. The incident reportedly happened just moments after the driver refueled at Shell Links Road in Mombasa when the vehicle began losing power on the way to Voi. Despite pushing forward, the problem worsened, and the car eventually stalled a few kilometres before Kitui, forcing the motorist to seek emergency mechanical assistance. A mechanic from Kitui ran a diagnostic test and found severe engine damage, including a completely worn-out piston, citing contaminated fuel as the likely cause of the problem. With no alternative, the motorist had the vehicle towed back to Mombasa and reported the matter to Vivo Energy Kenya. A representative from the company requested a fuel sample for testing at their laboratory. On Tuesday, they informed her that the sample had passed all tests. The motorist, dissatisfied with Vivo Energy’s response, instructed his mechanic to conduct a more thorough inspection of the engine to determine the extent of the damage. Upon dismantling the engine, the mechanic once again confirmed that one piston was completely worn out, an issue he attributed to contaminated fuel. According to the mechanic, the level of damage was consistent with prolonged exposure to poor-quality fuel, suggesting that the problem began soon after refueling. The motorist, convinced that bad fuel was responsible, claims to have gathered video evidence showing the fuel sample in a mixed and compromised state. She insists that the sample, which was taken directly from her vehicle, appeared discoloured and inconsistent with what is expected of high-grade V-Power petrol. Despite presenting this evidence, Vivo Energy reportedly maintained that their tests found no issues with the fuel. The motorist is now escalating the matter, determined to hold Vivo Energy accountable for the damage. She has shared video evidence, showing the contaminated fuel and is calling for independent testing to verify its quality. Frustrated by what she sees as the company’s unwillingness to take responsibility, she is considering legal action and has reached out to consumer rights groups for support. This case adds to growing complaints from Kenyan motorists about fuel quality, with recent independent tests exposing major discrepancies in octane levels at several stations. An automotive content creator Kim JH of Tanuki Garage recently went around Nairobi, purchasing fuel samples from different stations and conducting on-the-spot octane tests. The findings revealed that some premium fuels, including Shell V-Power, underperformed compared to standard fuels. For instance, Total Limuru Road recorded the highest performance with a PON of 92, while Shell V-Power scored lower, challenging the common perception of premium fuel superiority. His findings, shared widely on social media, sparked outrage, with motorists demanding accountability from fuel retailers. Following the viral exposé, oil marketers, including Vivo Energy rushed to dismiss the findings, arguing that independent tests lacked credibility and did not follow industry-approved procedures. Shell Kenya, through Vivo Energy, insisted that its fuel met regulatory standards, pointing to tests conducted by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). However, the issue has refused to die down as more motorists continue to report unusual engine problems after refueling from previously reputable stations. Meanwhile, consumer advocacy groups have joined the debate, urging EPRA to conduct random and independent fuel quality tests at petrol stations across the country. They argue that the current reliance on oil marketers’ internal tests is inadequate and fails to protect motorists from potentially damaging fuel. The controversy has also drawn the attention of lawmakers, with some calling for stricter oversight and stiffer penalties for companies found selling substandard fuel. For motorists like the one affected at Shell Links Road, the issue is not just about technical standards but about accountability and compensation for the damage suffered. "Hi Nyakundi. I am Here to seek your intervention I fueled at shell links road ,vpower on Saturday, by the time I reached voi my car lost power I kept going but got worse as I moved. A few kms before kitui,the car stalled...I called a mechanic from kitui who came with a diagnosis machine and from what he said,I had put bad fuel. I towed the car back to msa. I reported to vivo. A guy from vivo by the name Brian mbaabu called and asked me to take the fuel for tests in their lab. He then called yesterday, on Tues and said that the sample passed all tests.... I asked my mechanic to open up the engine and to our surprise one piston is totally worn out an indication of bad fuel I will attach all I have including videos as I got the sample and it's all mixed up"
0:22

Shell in the Spotlight Again as More Motorists Blame Contaminated Fuel Sold at Their Stations for Engine Damage Fuel service stations operated under the Shell brand, which is managed by Vivo Energy Kenya, are once again on the spot after another frustrated motorist blamed poor-quality fuel for allegedly damaging his car engine. The incident reportedly happened just moments after the driver refueled at Shell Links Road in Mombasa when the vehicle began losing power on the way to Voi. Despite pushing forward, the problem worsened, and the car eventually stalled a few kilometres before Kitui, forcing the motorist to seek emergency mechanical assistance. A mechanic from Kitui ran a diagnostic test and found severe engine damage, including a completely worn-out piston, citing contaminated fuel as the likely cause of the problem. With no alternative, the motorist had the vehicle towed back to Mombasa and reported the matter to Vivo Energy Kenya. A representative from the company requested a fuel sample for testing at their laboratory. On Tuesday, they informed her that the sample had passed all tests. The motorist, dissatisfied with Vivo Energy’s response, instructed his mechanic to conduct a more thorough inspection of the engine to determine the extent of the damage. Upon dismantling the engine, the mechanic once again confirmed that one piston was completely worn out, an issue he attributed to contaminated fuel. According to the mechanic, the level of damage was consistent with prolonged exposure to poor-quality fuel, suggesting that the problem began soon after refueling. The motorist, convinced that bad fuel was responsible, claims to have gathered video evidence showing the fuel sample in a mixed and compromised state. She insists that the sample, which was taken directly from her vehicle, appeared discoloured and inconsistent with what is expected of high-grade V-Power petrol. Despite presenting this evidence, Vivo Energy reportedly maintained that their tests found no issues with the fuel. The motorist is now escalating the matter, determined to hold Vivo Energy accountable for the damage. She has shared video evidence, showing the contaminated fuel and is calling for independent testing to verify its quality. Frustrated by what she sees as the company’s unwillingness to take responsibility, she is considering legal action and has reached out to consumer rights groups for support. This case adds to growing complaints from Kenyan motorists about fuel quality, with recent independent tests exposing major discrepancies in octane levels at several stations. An automotive content creator Kim JH of Tanuki Garage recently went around Nairobi, purchasing fuel samples from different stations and conducting on-the-spot octane tests. The findings revealed that some premium fuels, including Shell V-Power, underperformed compared to standard fuels. For instance, Total Limuru Road recorded the highest performance with a PON of 92, while Shell V-Power scored lower, challenging the common perception of premium fuel superiority. His findings, shared widely on social media, sparked outrage, with motorists demanding accountability from fuel retailers. Following the viral exposé, oil marketers, including Vivo Energy rushed to dismiss the findings, arguing that independent tests lacked credibility and did not follow industry-approved procedures. Shell Kenya, through Vivo Energy, insisted that its fuel met regulatory standards, pointing to tests conducted by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). However, the issue has refused to die down as more motorists continue to report unusual engine problems after refueling from previously reputable stations. Meanwhile, consumer advocacy groups have joined the debate, urging EPRA to conduct random and independent fuel quality tests at petrol stations across the country. They argue that the current reliance on oil marketers’ internal tests is inadequate and fails to protect motorists from potentially damaging fuel. The controversy has also drawn the attention of lawmakers, with some calling for stricter oversight and stiffer penalties for companies found selling substandard fuel. For motorists like the one affected at Shell Links Road, the issue is not just about technical standards but about accountability and compensation for the damage suffered. "Hi Nyakundi. I am Here to seek your intervention I fueled at shell links road ,vpower on Saturday, by the time I reached voi my car lost power I kept going but got worse as I moved. A few kms before kitui,the car stalled...I called a mechanic from kitui who came with a diagnosis machine and from what he said,I had put bad fuel. I towed the car back to msa. I reported to vivo. A guy from vivo by the name Brian mbaabu called and asked me to take the fuel for tests in their lab. He then called yesterday, on Tues and said that the sample passed all tests.... I asked my mechanic to open up the engine and to our surprise one piston is totally worn out an indication of bad fuel I will attach all I have including videos as I got the sample and it's all mixed up"

Cyprian, Is Nyakundi

54,044 views • 1 year ago

In the 1930s, Dresden was considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. For more than two hundred years the capital of Saxony had been called the Florence on the Elbe. Its kings had imported artists from across Europe and filled the city with Baroque palaces, churches, opera houses, and wide riverfront promenades. The skyline was a crowd of domes and spires above the river. Painters had travelled there in the 18th century just to capture it, and the canvases they left behind show a city that looked less built than composed, like a single enormous work of art. By the early 1940s, Dresden had been spared the bombing that had flattened other German cities. Many of its residents believed it would stay that way. Some told themselves the city was simply too beautiful to destroy and that no one could look at it and give the order. On the night of 13 February 1945, the order came. Wave after wave of Allied bombers dropped thousands of tons of explosives and incendiaries onto the old centre. The fires merged into a firestorm, a column of heat so violent it generated its own wind and pulled people and buildings into its core. By morning, the Florence on the Elbe was gone and tens of thousands of people were dead. Eight square miles of the historic centre had been reduced to rubble and ash. What had taken three centuries to build had taken roughly fourteen hours to undo... Beauty is not permanent. It is built slowly, by many hands, across generations, and it can be taken in a single night. And yet human beings keep building it, keep rebuilding it, keep believing it is worth the risk. After the war, the people of Dresden gathered the blackened stones of their ruined cathedral and, decades later, raised it again from its own ashes. Because beauty does not stop wars, but it refuses to concede that the worst of what humans do is the whole of what humans are. Dostoevsky said beauty would save the world. He did not mean it would happen quickly. He meant it could not, ultimately, be stopped. If you'd like to sit with this a little longer, today's article is a deeper meditation on how time changes everything: And if you'd like to support my work, a paid subscription is what makes it possible:
0:26

In the 1930s, Dresden was considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. For more than two hundred years the capital of Saxony had been called the Florence on the Elbe. Its kings had imported artists from across Europe and filled the city with Baroque palaces, churches, opera houses, and wide riverfront promenades. The skyline was a crowd of domes and spires above the river. Painters had travelled there in the 18th century just to capture it, and the canvases they left behind show a city that looked less built than composed, like a single enormous work of art. By the early 1940s, Dresden had been spared the bombing that had flattened other German cities. Many of its residents believed it would stay that way. Some told themselves the city was simply too beautiful to destroy and that no one could look at it and give the order. On the night of 13 February 1945, the order came. Wave after wave of Allied bombers dropped thousands of tons of explosives and incendiaries onto the old centre. The fires merged into a firestorm, a column of heat so violent it generated its own wind and pulled people and buildings into its core. By morning, the Florence on the Elbe was gone and tens of thousands of people were dead. Eight square miles of the historic centre had been reduced to rubble and ash. What had taken three centuries to build had taken roughly fourteen hours to undo... Beauty is not permanent. It is built slowly, by many hands, across generations, and it can be taken in a single night. And yet human beings keep building it, keep rebuilding it, keep believing it is worth the risk. After the war, the people of Dresden gathered the blackened stones of their ruined cathedral and, decades later, raised it again from its own ashes. Because beauty does not stop wars, but it refuses to concede that the worst of what humans do is the whole of what humans are. Dostoevsky said beauty would save the world. He did not mean it would happen quickly. He meant it could not, ultimately, be stopped. If you'd like to sit with this a little longer, today's article is a deeper meditation on how time changes everything: And if you'd like to support my work, a paid subscription is what makes it possible:

James Lucas

34,207 views • 1 month ago

A preventable tragedy On This Day in 1967: Stockport air disaster (England). A British Midland C-4 [G-ALHG] crashes in Stockport, 72 of 84 aboard die. On a go-around, crew lost control after 2 engines failed. Investigation traced the issues to a known - but never addressed - design issue in the fuel system. More details here by ASN (video is from British Pathé) PROBABLE CAUSE: "The immediate cause of the accident was loss of power of both engines on the starboard side, resulting in control problems which prevented the pilot from maintaining height on the available power with one propeller windmilling. The loss of power of the first engine was due to fuel starvation due to inadvertent fuel transfer in flight. The loss of power of the second engine was due either to fuel starvation resulting from inadvertent fuel transfer in flight or to misidentification by the crew of which engine had failed followed by failure to restore power in time to the engine misidentified as having failed. Contributory causes of the accident were: (a) The design of the fuel valves and location in the cockpit of their actuating levers, so that a failure by the pilot correctly to position the lever by an amount so small as to be easy to do and difficult to recognize would result in inadvertent fuel transfer on a scale sufficient to involve the risk after a long flight of a tank expected to contain sufficient fuel being in fact empty. (b) Failure of those responsible for the design of the fuel system or the fuel valves to warn users that failure by a small amount to place the actuating levers in the proper position would result in inadvertent fuel transfer on a scale involving this risk after a long flight. (c) Failure of British Midland's air crew or engineers to recognize the possibility of inadvertent fuel transfer in the air from the evidence available in previous incidents in flight and contained in the fuel logs. (d) Failure of other operators of Argonauts who had learned by experience of the possibility of inadvertent fuel transfer in flight to inform the Air Registration Board, the Directorate of Flight Safety of the Board of Trade or its predecessors, or the United Kingdom Flight Safety Committee of the facts which they had learned so that these might be communicated to other operators of Argonauts and other aircraft equipped with similar systems and fuel cocks."
1:09

A preventable tragedy On This Day in 1967: Stockport air disaster (England). A British Midland C-4 [G-ALHG] crashes in Stockport, 72 of 84 aboard die. On a go-around, crew lost control after 2 engines failed. Investigation traced the issues to a known - but never addressed - design issue in the fuel system. More details here by ASN (video is from British Pathé) PROBABLE CAUSE: "The immediate cause of the accident was loss of power of both engines on the starboard side, resulting in control problems which prevented the pilot from maintaining height on the available power with one propeller windmilling. The loss of power of the first engine was due to fuel starvation due to inadvertent fuel transfer in flight. The loss of power of the second engine was due either to fuel starvation resulting from inadvertent fuel transfer in flight or to misidentification by the crew of which engine had failed followed by failure to restore power in time to the engine misidentified as having failed. Contributory causes of the accident were: (a) The design of the fuel valves and location in the cockpit of their actuating levers, so that a failure by the pilot correctly to position the lever by an amount so small as to be easy to do and difficult to recognize would result in inadvertent fuel transfer on a scale sufficient to involve the risk after a long flight of a tank expected to contain sufficient fuel being in fact empty. (b) Failure of those responsible for the design of the fuel system or the fuel valves to warn users that failure by a small amount to place the actuating levers in the proper position would result in inadvertent fuel transfer on a scale involving this risk after a long flight. (c) Failure of British Midland's air crew or engineers to recognize the possibility of inadvertent fuel transfer in the air from the evidence available in previous incidents in flight and contained in the fuel logs. (d) Failure of other operators of Argonauts who had learned by experience of the possibility of inadvertent fuel transfer in flight to inform the Air Registration Board, the Directorate of Flight Safety of the Board of Trade or its predecessors, or the United Kingdom Flight Safety Committee of the facts which they had learned so that these might be communicated to other operators of Argonauts and other aircraft equipped with similar systems and fuel cocks."

Francisco Cunha

24,189 views • 1 month ago

Roman architecture is at centre of Europe’s visual allure. Sophisticated Roman structures have survived hundreds of centuries without renovation... In 103 AD Roman engineer Apollodorus of Damascus built a 1.1km bridge from stone and wood. Trajan’s Bridge was 19m from surface of river, 15m wide and capable of supporting the weight of hundreds of traversing Roman soldiers. It was only a few feet shorter than Sydney harbour bridge. Romans built a lot of West’s longest standing buildings. They were also the first civilisation to make bridges from concrete. Some of these ancient bridges stand now as they did day they were built. This is thanks to the structural innovations that were first used by Romans. And innovations that eventually helped shape contemporary bridge engineering. Alcántara Bridge is such a bridge, standing in Spain since 104 AD. Roman civil engineer Caius Julius Lacer was the man behind the bridge. His tomb stands nearby, with an epitaph that reads “I leave a bridge forever in the centuries of the world”. He wasn’t wrong. There is a rumour doing the rounds on web that Roman engineers in charge of building bridges had to stand beneath them as scaffolding was removed. Apparently, trepidation of tonnes of rock and debris falling and crushing you lead to some pretty tight structural planning. A more likely history is found in Roman Empire’s military expansion. To improve Roman access lines the empire formed guilds of skilled workers and thinkers who shared ideas and building principles. These early engineering guilds made important discoveries in structural design, in the materials and in the piers that supported the legs of the bridges. Romans had improved traditional footbridge by creating a bridge that maintained its structural integrity through the centre. To achieve this the Romans did not rely on steel beams running through the stone members, but instead on the tensile strength of the stones themselves. The shape of the arch allowed the bricks to be inserted at a curved angle until they joined at the peak of the arch with a keystone. This keystone was shaped as a trapezoid that used the weight of the stone and concrete in the bridge to compress the tapered stones together. This pressure formed a structure in the arch that required a tremendous amount of force to rupture. Where traditional bridges were at their weakest in the centre, the arch was at its strongest. Arch was a structural innovation in building design. But it wasn’t only thing Roman Empire contributed to construction. Romans were also unique in the materials they chose to build with. A natural cement called pozzolana was used by Romans as mortar for piers (legs) of their bridges. Not only is this cement said to be ecologically cleaner than today’s cement mixtures, but its also a cement that grows stronger over time. Pozzolana is still used in some countries. It’s made by combining two parts pozzolana (which is a type of slag that forms naturally from volcanic rock) with one part powdered lime. As early as 3rd Century BC, Romans used pozzolana instead of sand in concrete in their construction. This gave their structures supreme strength and stability. As not every bridge built by Romans had luxury of building its piers on land, Romans used cofferdams where the piers would fall within a body of water. Romans used cofferdam as temporary structure that allowed construction of a bridge pier in a space of water. Cofferdams that were used by Romans were simpler than ones used in contemporary construction, but their function is identical. First, Romans would dig a ring of timber logs into river bed. They would then fill gaps between logs with clay for waterproofing, before pumping water from inside circle of logs. Upon newly dry riverbed, Romans would construct pozzolana and stone piers. After construction had been completed ring of logs was removed and piers stood in riverbed like magic. 🎥© simple.history_ (IG) #archaeohistories
1:24

Roman architecture is at centre of Europe’s visual allure. Sophisticated Roman structures have survived hundreds of centuries without renovation... In 103 AD Roman engineer Apollodorus of Damascus built a 1.1km bridge from stone and wood. Trajan’s Bridge was 19m from surface of river, 15m wide and capable of supporting the weight of hundreds of traversing Roman soldiers. It was only a few feet shorter than Sydney harbour bridge. Romans built a lot of West’s longest standing buildings. They were also the first civilisation to make bridges from concrete. Some of these ancient bridges stand now as they did day they were built. This is thanks to the structural innovations that were first used by Romans. And innovations that eventually helped shape contemporary bridge engineering. Alcántara Bridge is such a bridge, standing in Spain since 104 AD. Roman civil engineer Caius Julius Lacer was the man behind the bridge. His tomb stands nearby, with an epitaph that reads “I leave a bridge forever in the centuries of the world”. He wasn’t wrong. There is a rumour doing the rounds on web that Roman engineers in charge of building bridges had to stand beneath them as scaffolding was removed. Apparently, trepidation of tonnes of rock and debris falling and crushing you lead to some pretty tight structural planning. A more likely history is found in Roman Empire’s military expansion. To improve Roman access lines the empire formed guilds of skilled workers and thinkers who shared ideas and building principles. These early engineering guilds made important discoveries in structural design, in the materials and in the piers that supported the legs of the bridges. Romans had improved traditional footbridge by creating a bridge that maintained its structural integrity through the centre. To achieve this the Romans did not rely on steel beams running through the stone members, but instead on the tensile strength of the stones themselves. The shape of the arch allowed the bricks to be inserted at a curved angle until they joined at the peak of the arch with a keystone. This keystone was shaped as a trapezoid that used the weight of the stone and concrete in the bridge to compress the tapered stones together. This pressure formed a structure in the arch that required a tremendous amount of force to rupture. Where traditional bridges were at their weakest in the centre, the arch was at its strongest. Arch was a structural innovation in building design. But it wasn’t only thing Roman Empire contributed to construction. Romans were also unique in the materials they chose to build with. A natural cement called pozzolana was used by Romans as mortar for piers (legs) of their bridges. Not only is this cement said to be ecologically cleaner than today’s cement mixtures, but its also a cement that grows stronger over time. Pozzolana is still used in some countries. It’s made by combining two parts pozzolana (which is a type of slag that forms naturally from volcanic rock) with one part powdered lime. As early as 3rd Century BC, Romans used pozzolana instead of sand in concrete in their construction. This gave their structures supreme strength and stability. As not every bridge built by Romans had luxury of building its piers on land, Romans used cofferdams where the piers would fall within a body of water. Romans used cofferdam as temporary structure that allowed construction of a bridge pier in a space of water. Cofferdams that were used by Romans were simpler than ones used in contemporary construction, but their function is identical. First, Romans would dig a ring of timber logs into river bed. They would then fill gaps between logs with clay for waterproofing, before pumping water from inside circle of logs. Upon newly dry riverbed, Romans would construct pozzolana and stone piers. After construction had been completed ring of logs was removed and piers stood in riverbed like magic. 🎥© simple.history_ (IG) #archaeohistories

Archaeo - Histories

52,307 views • 1 year ago

The video shows the trials of the VT-1-1, a turretless tank with 2 x 105 mm guns, firing on the move at the Putlos training ground in 1976. The casemate (turretless) tank, designed for combat while moving, was introduced in Germany in the mid-1970s as a twin-gun casemate tank (the Soviet term for a "turretless tank"). For practical firing tests in the "target pass" mode, two prototypes were built in the mid-1970s. The first prototype, VT 1-1, was armed with two 105 mm guns, while the second, VT 1-2, was equipped with two 120 mm smoothbore guns. Additionally, the VT 1-2 featured a functioning autoloader behind one of the guns, with a firing rate of 10 rounds per minute. The vehicles were developed as part of the KPz 3 or Leopard 3 project. In both prototypes, the main guns were semi-fixed (with aiming and stabilization only in elevation). The chassis solutions were derived from the KPz 70 (MBT 70) program, with the running gear shortened by one road wheel (five road wheels per side). The vehicles weighed 36.8 and 43.5 tons, respectively, with a chassis rotation speed of 60 degrees per second. To achieve high maneuverability on rough terrain, 12-cylinder diesel engines from the MB 873 series with enhanced power were used, equipped with four turbochargers: 2000 hp for VT 1-1 and 2200 hp for VT 1-2. This provided an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 54 and 50 hp/ton, respectively, with acceleration to 55 km/h in 11 seconds, though only in a temporary "turbo" mode, as the standard power was 1600 hp. The accuracy of firing with two guns was unmatched by single-gun tanks, as confirmed by the tests. However, due to the novel combat approach, this revolutionary tank concept was rejected by the customer after trials in favor of the conventionally designed Leopard 2. In essence, although the project was developed as the Leopard 3, a tank for the future, it was, in reality, a parallel project and a potential competitor to the Leopard 2. Achieving the firepower, protection, and mobility of the Leopard 3 within reasonable weight limits was impossible with a conventional layout. At the same time, a significant tactical drawback of the casemate concept (including twin-gun casemate vehicles) is the linkage between the direction of fire and the direction of movement, which in many cases could complicate unit and formation control (according to German experts in the 1970s). Moreover, the VT 1-1 and VT 1-2 can hardly be considered balanced vehicles—they could have been simpler. The vehicles' mobility was exaggerated, with the main engine, transmission, auxiliary engine, batteries, and other systems occupying two-thirds of the vehicle's length. Pros and Cons of VT 1-1 and VT 1-2: Considering the key challenges, the twin-gun casemate concept can be evaluated as follows: Pros: Compact design due to a small internal volume. Two guns provide high firepower and hit probability. Cons: The weight advantage of the casemate design is largely offset by the integration of a second gun. Fire control alone results in high complexity, leading to increased maintenance costs and overall expenses. In 1975/76, five Gefechtsfeldversuchträger (GVT, combat test platforms) were developed and built for further mobility and concept trials. These were smaller than the VT 1-1 and VT 1-2, weighing 30 tons. The GVT 01-05 were equipped only with mock-up guns and laser firing simulators (TALLISSI) and telemetry systems, built using chassis components from the Leopard 1. The GVTs were used at the IABG facility in Lichtenau and the tank training school in Munster to test the twin-gun turretless tank concept in realistic exercise conditions, which is why five vehicles were built. However, the Leopard 2 was already in production, and tank crews showed little enthusiasm for this unconventional vehicle requiring a new approach.
0:20

The video shows the trials of the VT-1-1, a turretless tank with 2 x 105 mm guns, firing on the move at the Putlos training ground in 1976. The casemate (turretless) tank, designed for combat while moving, was introduced in Germany in the mid-1970s as a twin-gun casemate tank (the Soviet term for a "turretless tank"). For practical firing tests in the "target pass" mode, two prototypes were built in the mid-1970s. The first prototype, VT 1-1, was armed with two 105 mm guns, while the second, VT 1-2, was equipped with two 120 mm smoothbore guns. Additionally, the VT 1-2 featured a functioning autoloader behind one of the guns, with a firing rate of 10 rounds per minute. The vehicles were developed as part of the KPz 3 or Leopard 3 project. In both prototypes, the main guns were semi-fixed (with aiming and stabilization only in elevation). The chassis solutions were derived from the KPz 70 (MBT 70) program, with the running gear shortened by one road wheel (five road wheels per side). The vehicles weighed 36.8 and 43.5 tons, respectively, with a chassis rotation speed of 60 degrees per second. To achieve high maneuverability on rough terrain, 12-cylinder diesel engines from the MB 873 series with enhanced power were used, equipped with four turbochargers: 2000 hp for VT 1-1 and 2200 hp for VT 1-2. This provided an impressive power-to-weight ratio of 54 and 50 hp/ton, respectively, with acceleration to 55 km/h in 11 seconds, though only in a temporary "turbo" mode, as the standard power was 1600 hp. The accuracy of firing with two guns was unmatched by single-gun tanks, as confirmed by the tests. However, due to the novel combat approach, this revolutionary tank concept was rejected by the customer after trials in favor of the conventionally designed Leopard 2. In essence, although the project was developed as the Leopard 3, a tank for the future, it was, in reality, a parallel project and a potential competitor to the Leopard 2. Achieving the firepower, protection, and mobility of the Leopard 3 within reasonable weight limits was impossible with a conventional layout. At the same time, a significant tactical drawback of the casemate concept (including twin-gun casemate vehicles) is the linkage between the direction of fire and the direction of movement, which in many cases could complicate unit and formation control (according to German experts in the 1970s). Moreover, the VT 1-1 and VT 1-2 can hardly be considered balanced vehicles—they could have been simpler. The vehicles' mobility was exaggerated, with the main engine, transmission, auxiliary engine, batteries, and other systems occupying two-thirds of the vehicle's length. Pros and Cons of VT 1-1 and VT 1-2: Considering the key challenges, the twin-gun casemate concept can be evaluated as follows: Pros: Compact design due to a small internal volume. Two guns provide high firepower and hit probability. Cons: The weight advantage of the casemate design is largely offset by the integration of a second gun. Fire control alone results in high complexity, leading to increased maintenance costs and overall expenses. In 1975/76, five Gefechtsfeldversuchträger (GVT, combat test platforms) were developed and built for further mobility and concept trials. These were smaller than the VT 1-1 and VT 1-2, weighing 30 tons. The GVT 01-05 were equipped only with mock-up guns and laser firing simulators (TALLISSI) and telemetry systems, built using chassis components from the Leopard 1. The GVTs were used at the IABG facility in Lichtenau and the tank training school in Munster to test the twin-gun turretless tank concept in realistic exercise conditions, which is why five vehicles were built. However, the Leopard 2 was already in production, and tank crews showed little enthusiasm for this unconventional vehicle requiring a new approach.

Andrei_bt

81,636 views • 1 year ago

🟢Statement from Osama Khaled regarding the last message from the Qassam Brigades’ To begin with, I write these lines with great bitterness and pain, always praying that we would not reach this day when I would have to write these words… But Allah’s decree is inevitable, and our trust in Him, the Exalted, remains unwavering… Since the enemy’s army decided to expand its major ground campaign on the Gaza Strip, and the political leadership under Netanyahu resolved to enter and control Gaza City, it became clear that we are facing a major shift and a sharp turning point in the overall course of the war on Gaza. This signifies an attempt to annihilate the resistance and its fighters in Gaza, to break their strength, under the pretext of completely and permanently eliminating the resistance and its project—a goal the entity has set as a primary and strategic objective for the war it has been waging for two years. I believe that the Qassam Brigades’ leadership, represented by the new commander Abu Suhaib, found itself facing a complete closure of the political and negotiation horizon, with evasion and continuous deception from the entity’s leaders, full alignment of the American stance with the Zionist vision—evident in the targeting of the negotiation delegation in the Qatari capital, the most prominent mediator in the negotiation file—and a conviction solidified within the Qassam Brigades that the issue of the prisoners has become marginal for Netanyahu, who is leading the army toward specific goals aligned with his political vision for managing the conflict with the Palestinians. This means that we are in a battle of annihilation, an existential war for the resistance. The entity’s leaders know that the elite of the elite among the commanders and fighters remain steadfastly entrenched in the neighborhoods, alleys, and rubble of Gaza City, with unwavering determination to face the final confrontation, no matter the cost or price. Surrendering to the enemy or withdrawing from this land is unthinkable. Consequently, the form of combat, methods of operation, and defense strategies will be different, especially with the enemy’s mobilization of its elite divisions, including: The 162nd Armored Regular Division. The 36th Mechanized Regular Division. The 98th Paratrooper Reserve Division. These are the three main divisions for maneuvering within and controlling Gaza City. Additionally, the 99th Infantry Reserve Division and the 143rd Gaza Regional Division provide support and rear backing, alongside extensive participation from the navy, air force, elite special units, and the activation of military artificial intelligence systems. Facing this massive mobilization of enemy forces is a small number of Qassam fighting battalions operating in the defensive sector under the authority of the Qassam Gaza Brigade, along with what remains of other military wings. They have suffered significant losses in human, military, and administrative assets over two years of severe siege, continuous fighting, difficult field conditions, and significant attrition. This means, unequivocally, that with this statement, the Qassam Brigades have made the decision to pledge their lives in this small, fragile, yet strong patch of land—strong through the spirit of its people and the resolve of its men. They seek no one’s pity and are driven solely by the creed of the martyred Syrian Sheikh Izz al-Din al-Qassam, who faced his martyrdom steadfastly while surrounded in the forests of Ya’bad in Jenin, refusing to surrender—a legacy immortalized as a slogan for the fighters in Palestine: (Indeed, it is a jihad for victory or martyrdom). The poet spoke truly when he said: (If death is inevitable, it is weakness to die a coward). In this critical moment, there is a vast difference between those who write, analyze, and speculate, and those who pay the price of dignity with their blood and souls… Since the matter has reached this advanced stage of the war, woe to a nation that has forsaken its shield, its finest youth, its brave fighters, and the elite of men in the blessed and pure land of Palestine… If Allah decrees that Gaza becomes the graveyard of the Muslims of this era, the blood of its people and fighters will not be in vain. It will mark a pivotal moment in the history of the nation by all measures. History will not forgive those who faltered, consented, or remained silent. Gaza’s honor and glory will be passed down through generations and preserved in history until the Day of Judgment… We are certain that Gaza of Hashem will witness great epics, where the entity’s army will face tremendous horrors and taste the wrath of its men, who have dealt death to it over the past three decades. These men, this virtuous group, will not meet their martyrdom with Allah until they have claimed many of the lives and limbs of Netanyahu’s soldiers, by His permission… If there is a testament, it is that the opportunities for support and aid have not ceased and have not ended… And Allah is the One who grants success and guidance." Follow for all the latest updates
3:34

🟢Statement from Osama Khaled regarding the last message from the Qassam Brigades’ To begin with, I write these lines with great bitterness and pain, always praying that we would not reach this day when I would have to write these words… But Allah’s decree is inevitable, and our trust in Him, the Exalted, remains unwavering… Since the enemy’s army decided to expand its major ground campaign on the Gaza Strip, and the political leadership under Netanyahu resolved to enter and control Gaza City, it became clear that we are facing a major shift and a sharp turning point in the overall course of the war on Gaza. This signifies an attempt to annihilate the resistance and its fighters in Gaza, to break their strength, under the pretext of completely and permanently eliminating the resistance and its project—a goal the entity has set as a primary and strategic objective for the war it has been waging for two years. I believe that the Qassam Brigades’ leadership, represented by the new commander Abu Suhaib, found itself facing a complete closure of the political and negotiation horizon, with evasion and continuous deception from the entity’s leaders, full alignment of the American stance with the Zionist vision—evident in the targeting of the negotiation delegation in the Qatari capital, the most prominent mediator in the negotiation file—and a conviction solidified within the Qassam Brigades that the issue of the prisoners has become marginal for Netanyahu, who is leading the army toward specific goals aligned with his political vision for managing the conflict with the Palestinians. This means that we are in a battle of annihilation, an existential war for the resistance. The entity’s leaders know that the elite of the elite among the commanders and fighters remain steadfastly entrenched in the neighborhoods, alleys, and rubble of Gaza City, with unwavering determination to face the final confrontation, no matter the cost or price. Surrendering to the enemy or withdrawing from this land is unthinkable. Consequently, the form of combat, methods of operation, and defense strategies will be different, especially with the enemy’s mobilization of its elite divisions, including: The 162nd Armored Regular Division. The 36th Mechanized Regular Division. The 98th Paratrooper Reserve Division. These are the three main divisions for maneuvering within and controlling Gaza City. Additionally, the 99th Infantry Reserve Division and the 143rd Gaza Regional Division provide support and rear backing, alongside extensive participation from the navy, air force, elite special units, and the activation of military artificial intelligence systems. Facing this massive mobilization of enemy forces is a small number of Qassam fighting battalions operating in the defensive sector under the authority of the Qassam Gaza Brigade, along with what remains of other military wings. They have suffered significant losses in human, military, and administrative assets over two years of severe siege, continuous fighting, difficult field conditions, and significant attrition. This means, unequivocally, that with this statement, the Qassam Brigades have made the decision to pledge their lives in this small, fragile, yet strong patch of land—strong through the spirit of its people and the resolve of its men. They seek no one’s pity and are driven solely by the creed of the martyred Syrian Sheikh Izz al-Din al-Qassam, who faced his martyrdom steadfastly while surrounded in the forests of Ya’bad in Jenin, refusing to surrender—a legacy immortalized as a slogan for the fighters in Palestine: (Indeed, it is a jihad for victory or martyrdom). The poet spoke truly when he said: (If death is inevitable, it is weakness to die a coward). In this critical moment, there is a vast difference between those who write, analyze, and speculate, and those who pay the price of dignity with their blood and souls… Since the matter has reached this advanced stage of the war, woe to a nation that has forsaken its shield, its finest youth, its brave fighters, and the elite of men in the blessed and pure land of Palestine… If Allah decrees that Gaza becomes the graveyard of the Muslims of this era, the blood of its people and fighters will not be in vain. It will mark a pivotal moment in the history of the nation by all measures. History will not forgive those who faltered, consented, or remained silent. Gaza’s honor and glory will be passed down through generations and preserved in history until the Day of Judgment… We are certain that Gaza of Hashem will witness great epics, where the entity’s army will face tremendous horrors and taste the wrath of its men, who have dealt death to it over the past three decades. These men, this virtuous group, will not meet their martyrdom with Allah until they have claimed many of the lives and limbs of Netanyahu’s soldiers, by His permission… If there is a testament, it is that the opportunities for support and aid have not ceased and have not ended… And Allah is the One who grants success and guidance." Follow for all the latest updates

Brummy Art Collective

20,145 views • 10 months ago

Breaking: Missing Biden corruption, case witness Dr. Gal Luft details allegations against the president's family in an extraordinary video. Dr. Luft, seen below, has laid out his bribery allegations against the president's family in an extraordinary video filmed in an undisclosed location while on the run. Gal said he was arrested in Cyprus to stop him from testifying to the House Oversight Committee that the Biden family received payments from individuals with alleged ties to Chinese military intelligence and that they had an FBI mole who shared classified information with their benefactors from the China-controlled energy company CEFC. Dr. Luft says he provided the incriminating evidence to six officials from the FBI and the Department of Justice in a secret meeting in Brussels in March of 2019 — but it was covered up. He warned the government about the potential risk to the integrity of the 2020 elections, and again he was ignored. Why did the DOJ choose to unseal the indictment on November 1, 2022, the same week as the midterm elections? The DOJ is at the helm, steering us into lawlessness with the help of the FBI. Until we remove both their leaders, Christopher A. Wray and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, we will never end this rain of corruption inside our government. Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the AG and reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the Nation. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence. It appears they are all in on it, and no one is higher than them. Ask yourself why, with all the evidence, both these men refuse to investigate or do anything about this, and why are they still in charge. They are the leaders of our country's two highest justice systems and are more powerful than the president. Who is running our country?
13:58

Breaking: Missing Biden corruption, case witness Dr. Gal Luft details allegations against the president's family in an extraordinary video. Dr. Luft, seen below, has laid out his bribery allegations against the president's family in an extraordinary video filmed in an undisclosed location while on the run. Gal said he was arrested in Cyprus to stop him from testifying to the House Oversight Committee that the Biden family received payments from individuals with alleged ties to Chinese military intelligence and that they had an FBI mole who shared classified information with their benefactors from the China-controlled energy company CEFC. Dr. Luft says he provided the incriminating evidence to six officials from the FBI and the Department of Justice in a secret meeting in Brussels in March of 2019 — but it was covered up. He warned the government about the potential risk to the integrity of the 2020 elections, and again he was ignored. Why did the DOJ choose to unseal the indictment on November 1, 2022, the same week as the midterm elections? The DOJ is at the helm, steering us into lawlessness with the help of the FBI. Until we remove both their leaders, Christopher A. Wray and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, we will never end this rain of corruption inside our government. Within the U.S. Department of Justice, the FBI is responsible to the AG and reports its findings to U.S. Attorneys across the Nation. The FBI's intelligence activities are overseen by the Director of National Intelligence. It appears they are all in on it, and no one is higher than them. Ask yourself why, with all the evidence, both these men refuse to investigate or do anything about this, and why are they still in charge. They are the leaders of our country's two highest justice systems and are more powerful than the president. Who is running our country?

🇺🇸 Larry 🇺🇸

2,054,274 views • 3 years ago

Macchi C.205 pilots of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana with their fighters still in Luftwaffe markings in early 1944 full clip: The Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana was the air force of the Italian Social Republic, the World War II German puppet state in Italy after the 1943 armistice divided the nation. It received numbers of Italian aircraft, later augmented with their own local production, and further aircraft from Germany. This force was opposed to the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, the Italian pro-Allied air force, though they never actually met in combat. The Macchi C.205 Veltro was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, this plane was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore. With a top speed of around 640 km/h and equipped with a pair of 20mm cannon as well as 12.7mm Breda machine guns, the C.205 was highly respected by Allied and Axis pilots alike. Widely regarded as one of the best Italian fighters of World War II, it proved to be extremely effective, destroying a significant number of Allied bombers. The Macchi C. 205 also proved capable of meeting advanced Allied fighters on relatively equal terms. While able to match the best Allied opponents in speed and maneuverability, the type's impact was limited as it was introduced late in the conflict. Due to the limitations of the Italian war economy, only a small production run was delivered before the end of the war. Like the Spitfire, the Veltro was challenging in its construction and slow to build. Italy's highest-scoring ace, Adriano Visconti, achieved 11 of his 26 credited victories in the few weeks he was able to fly the Veltro, with Sergente Maggiore pilota Luigi Gorrini shooting down 14 enemy aircraft plus six damaged with the C.205. A total of 29 C.205s reached northern airfields to be used by the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. Macchi produced the remaining 72 aircraft of the third series for the ANR before production was shut down by Allied bombing in May 1944. Statistics on aircraft production post-Armistice are unclear and incomplete. In general, C.205s fought well in ANR service: they were attached to units that had homogeneous equipment, or at least of comparable quality, and were guided by German radar stations. Though few in number, they achieved success in inflicting losses on Allied bombers and fighters. A few Veltros were delivered to 3° Gruppo, based in Vicenza, while further Veltros were scattered throughout other small units. The 1° Gruppo C.T. of the ANR based at the Campoformido airfield was equipped with C.205 and its first operation on 3 January 1944 was a success. led by Italian ace Capitano Adriano Visconti, a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and their escort of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings bombing factories in Villar Perosa was intercepted, and four of the escorts were shot down. The aircraft were still in Luftwaffe markings as seen in this footage. On 28 January, the C.205s, now with Italian markings, succeeded in shooting down a B-24 Liberator, their first four-engined American bomber. This air victory was credited to Sergente Marconcini, Visconti's wingman. By 25 February, 1° Gruppo C.T. had reported 26 victories for nine losses. An extremely bitter aerial combat took place on 11 March, where the Italians claimed 12 victories while losing three of their own pilots. These included 1st Lt Boscutti, who was reportedly killed by gunfire from a US P-38 Lightning after he had bailed out from his stricken fighter and was hanging from his parachute. On 18 March, 30 C.205s from 1° Gruppo C.T. and 60 Bf 109s from JG.77 tangled with about 450 Allied bombers and their escorts, shooting down at least four enemy aircraft. Corp. Zaccaria was killed in action, again apparently shot at by a P-38 after bailing out. Allied bombing in April 1944 destroyed most of the Macchi and Fiat facilities, bringing fighter production to an end. With production interrupted, the Italians were forced to re-equip their three groups almost fully with Bf 109s, largely because the Germans were quick to offer some of their best models, including Bf 109G-6s and Bf 109K-4s. The Allies were less generous with the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, and Veltros, including some upgraded C.202s, were slowly replaced with worn-out P-39s and Spitfires, but not before Summer 1944. #macchi #c205 #veltro #anr #ww2 #wwi #sgm
0:26

Macchi C.205 pilots of the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana with their fighters still in Luftwaffe markings in early 1944 full clip: The Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana was the air force of the Italian Social Republic, the World War II German puppet state in Italy after the 1943 armistice divided the nation. It received numbers of Italian aircraft, later augmented with their own local production, and further aircraft from Germany. This force was opposed to the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, the Italian pro-Allied air force, though they never actually met in combat. The Macchi C.205 Veltro was an Italian World War II fighter aircraft built by the Aeronautica Macchi. Along with the Reggiane Re.2005 and Fiat G.55, this plane was one of the three "Serie 5" Italian fighters built around the powerful Daimler-Benz DB 605 engine. The C.205 was a development of the earlier C.202 Folgore. With a top speed of around 640 km/h and equipped with a pair of 20mm cannon as well as 12.7mm Breda machine guns, the C.205 was highly respected by Allied and Axis pilots alike. Widely regarded as one of the best Italian fighters of World War II, it proved to be extremely effective, destroying a significant number of Allied bombers. The Macchi C. 205 also proved capable of meeting advanced Allied fighters on relatively equal terms. While able to match the best Allied opponents in speed and maneuverability, the type's impact was limited as it was introduced late in the conflict. Due to the limitations of the Italian war economy, only a small production run was delivered before the end of the war. Like the Spitfire, the Veltro was challenging in its construction and slow to build. Italy's highest-scoring ace, Adriano Visconti, achieved 11 of his 26 credited victories in the few weeks he was able to fly the Veltro, with Sergente Maggiore pilota Luigi Gorrini shooting down 14 enemy aircraft plus six damaged with the C.205. A total of 29 C.205s reached northern airfields to be used by the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana. Macchi produced the remaining 72 aircraft of the third series for the ANR before production was shut down by Allied bombing in May 1944. Statistics on aircraft production post-Armistice are unclear and incomplete. In general, C.205s fought well in ANR service: they were attached to units that had homogeneous equipment, or at least of comparable quality, and were guided by German radar stations. Though few in number, they achieved success in inflicting losses on Allied bombers and fighters. A few Veltros were delivered to 3° Gruppo, based in Vicenza, while further Veltros were scattered throughout other small units. The 1° Gruppo C.T. of the ANR based at the Campoformido airfield was equipped with C.205 and its first operation on 3 January 1944 was a success. led by Italian ace Capitano Adriano Visconti, a formation of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and their escort of Lockheed P-38 Lightnings bombing factories in Villar Perosa was intercepted, and four of the escorts were shot down. The aircraft were still in Luftwaffe markings as seen in this footage. On 28 January, the C.205s, now with Italian markings, succeeded in shooting down a B-24 Liberator, their first four-engined American bomber. This air victory was credited to Sergente Marconcini, Visconti's wingman. By 25 February, 1° Gruppo C.T. had reported 26 victories for nine losses. An extremely bitter aerial combat took place on 11 March, where the Italians claimed 12 victories while losing three of their own pilots. These included 1st Lt Boscutti, who was reportedly killed by gunfire from a US P-38 Lightning after he had bailed out from his stricken fighter and was hanging from his parachute. On 18 March, 30 C.205s from 1° Gruppo C.T. and 60 Bf 109s from JG.77 tangled with about 450 Allied bombers and their escorts, shooting down at least four enemy aircraft. Corp. Zaccaria was killed in action, again apparently shot at by a P-38 after bailing out. Allied bombing in April 1944 destroyed most of the Macchi and Fiat facilities, bringing fighter production to an end. With production interrupted, the Italians were forced to re-equip their three groups almost fully with Bf 109s, largely because the Germans were quick to offer some of their best models, including Bf 109G-6s and Bf 109K-4s. The Allies were less generous with the Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana, and Veltros, including some upgraded C.202s, were slowly replaced with worn-out P-39s and Spitfires, but not before Summer 1944. #macchi #c205 #veltro #anr #ww2 #wwi #sgm

hw97karbine

28,364 views • 1 year ago

Can United States manufacture robots? Matic Robots says "yes." It makes the best floor cleaning robot, that has won many perfect scores from Wired to many others. We love ours. But my trip there to get a tour from AI pioneer Navneet Dalal Navneet Dalal provided some real insights into how hard it is for a hardware company to make hardware in the United States. And how deeply AI is changing consumer electronics products that are going to be in many more homes soon. In this first part (Part II coming tomorrow) we get a look at how long it took for this company to go through prototypes to a shipping product. In the second part, you'll see the scaling hell that it takes to even ship a few thousand robots and the kinds of problems that scaling up a factory brings. Matic is one of my favorite small Silicon Valley companies. It has found what we call "product market fit." I just came back from CES where I saw many of its competitors, and the Matic wins because of not just the product thinking of Mehul and Navneet Dalal but because of their AI leadership. In a way their robot took many lessons from Tesla, from where to put the batteries to its bet on computer vision, which Navneet has been a pioneer in for years, working quietly behind the scenes. It is about to move into a new location that will allow it to grow to meet the demand that now is showing up (the boxes in its lobby show that it's outgrowing its current facilities). In terms of AI, it has aspirations of making a humanoid too, but it is taking a far more measured approach to getting there. By starting on the floor it can not just build world models based on real world data (customers are given a choice whether to allow its data to be used that way. Most customers choose to keep their data on the robot only, for privacy reasons, but if you opt in you can help them improve their models). They are using that data to understand homes. Navneet told me they hit very unusual situations in people's homes already that they couldn't really predict in simulators, like full-wall mirrors that confuse computer vision systems, or pools and water features in people's homes. Having real customers brings a ton of customer feedback about how to further improve the robot, and, as Navneet demonstrates in the second video, forces them to build a manufacturing muscle memory. Getting teams to work together, figuring out how to solve supply chain problems, from Trump's tarriffs, to a new one that showed up over the past couple of weeks. A supplier for its bags (one of the cheaper parts that goes into the robot) changed the glue it used, which caused robots to fail quality tests and the manufacturing line to stop. Reminds me a lot of the hell Elon Musk faced in its Fremont factory when Tesla was first starting to manufacture its Model 3, which almost bankrupted the company. Off the record Mehul and Navneet 🇮🇳 showed me some of the prototypes and plans for its next products that will show up over the next few years. Certainly not as sexy as Tesla, Figure, 1x_tech, and all the Chinese manufacturers are showing off already, but far better thought out for the typical Western home and AI plays a huge role in its future. It is the product that speaks for itself. It's amazing, and is about to get better this year due to AI. It's the first real vision-only robot to be in my home and I bet it won't be the last from this company. Real honor that they invited me over with my Insta360 camera (another company launched in my home, just like Matic was last year). In Part II we go into the factory.
14:24

Can United States manufacture robots? Matic Robots says "yes." It makes the best floor cleaning robot, that has won many perfect scores from Wired to many others. We love ours. But my trip there to get a tour from AI pioneer Navneet Dalal Navneet Dalal provided some real insights into how hard it is for a hardware company to make hardware in the United States. And how deeply AI is changing consumer electronics products that are going to be in many more homes soon. In this first part (Part II coming tomorrow) we get a look at how long it took for this company to go through prototypes to a shipping product. In the second part, you'll see the scaling hell that it takes to even ship a few thousand robots and the kinds of problems that scaling up a factory brings. Matic is one of my favorite small Silicon Valley companies. It has found what we call "product market fit." I just came back from CES where I saw many of its competitors, and the Matic wins because of not just the product thinking of Mehul and Navneet Dalal but because of their AI leadership. In a way their robot took many lessons from Tesla, from where to put the batteries to its bet on computer vision, which Navneet has been a pioneer in for years, working quietly behind the scenes. It is about to move into a new location that will allow it to grow to meet the demand that now is showing up (the boxes in its lobby show that it's outgrowing its current facilities). In terms of AI, it has aspirations of making a humanoid too, but it is taking a far more measured approach to getting there. By starting on the floor it can not just build world models based on real world data (customers are given a choice whether to allow its data to be used that way. Most customers choose to keep their data on the robot only, for privacy reasons, but if you opt in you can help them improve their models). They are using that data to understand homes. Navneet told me they hit very unusual situations in people's homes already that they couldn't really predict in simulators, like full-wall mirrors that confuse computer vision systems, or pools and water features in people's homes. Having real customers brings a ton of customer feedback about how to further improve the robot, and, as Navneet demonstrates in the second video, forces them to build a manufacturing muscle memory. Getting teams to work together, figuring out how to solve supply chain problems, from Trump's tarriffs, to a new one that showed up over the past couple of weeks. A supplier for its bags (one of the cheaper parts that goes into the robot) changed the glue it used, which caused robots to fail quality tests and the manufacturing line to stop. Reminds me a lot of the hell Elon Musk faced in its Fremont factory when Tesla was first starting to manufacture its Model 3, which almost bankrupted the company. Off the record Mehul and Navneet 🇮🇳 showed me some of the prototypes and plans for its next products that will show up over the next few years. Certainly not as sexy as Tesla, Figure, 1x_tech, and all the Chinese manufacturers are showing off already, but far better thought out for the typical Western home and AI plays a huge role in its future. It is the product that speaks for itself. It's amazing, and is about to get better this year due to AI. It's the first real vision-only robot to be in my home and I bet it won't be the last from this company. Real honor that they invited me over with my Insta360 camera (another company launched in my home, just like Matic was last year). In Part II we go into the factory.

Robert Scoble

69,229 views • 5 months ago

** MEGA Parodius Scaling Effects Part 1 ** One of the big challenges with the Parodius Megadrive port is Stage 8's boss - The puffer-fish *Pooyan* with his full screen scaling effect. The goal is to be very close to the arcade (with extras on top ) so I thought lets tackle it head on to see how close we can get. I was also keen to jump into another scaling code rabit hole haha. Pyron pulled out all the stops and got me the source frames and reworked the BG tiles for this test - a big thankyou to him , Vector Orbitex is busy working on Stage 2 tracks so the team is working hard all round on this port. The MD has no sprite / background GFX scaling hardware , however the VDPs Vertical scroll can be updated per scanline to help vertical scaling on backgrounds, but there is a cpu cost to manage all the interupts so thats not free either. With the Horizontal scaling there is no help at all , apart from a semi-friendly packed pixel format for the cpu to work with, its not quite chunky format but better than planar format still for scaling. So its falls back to the 68k CPU to do all of the horizontal expansion which is the largest cpu cost. Basically drawing strips of either 1x, 2x, 3x or 4x wide columns at speed. So we are one week into this Boss's routine and you can see from the below video the horizontal scaling is implented ( vertical will be in the next update ) . We are scaling from 1x to 4x in the video below in 74 steps for testing . The column distributions are always a bit painfull to do - thankfully they are all worked out now. This is the third scaler I have built and the goal was with this one to make it really flexible for use in other projects also, sometimes when you optimise something to the last degree all the flexibility gets taken out of it. Currenty scaling at 12-25 FPS update here, I had some rules against some optimisations which I would use and some I wouldn't , thankfully we are a bit ahead of the Arcades animation frame rate here still and I may yet find optimisations that fit within the scope. We have vertical scaling and sprite spikes to add yet so Im hoping i can find a few more optimisations to offset things when they are implemented also. In a scale frame update we are processing close to 42000 pixels in ram before using DMA to send to VRAM . Using a 41x16 (656 tile scale buffer) - single buffered for now due to its size in VRAM. So thats nearly 21k in tiles ! I had to re-organise ram a bit to support a buffer of that size for the stage. The scaling function is written in 68k assembly , with a little C code handling the Vertical interupt code ( so the game logic can actually run & DMA updates etc ) . The DMA routines are in assembly also and customised for large chunk size ( big blocks of tiles ) which suits the scaler. I had some race conditions to sort out where the cpu was faster than DMA (sending tiles from RAM to VRAM ) and in some cases where it wasn't so it had to be balanced. We may be able to add more detail into the top and bottom of the background yet but its low priority for now until all the other bits are in !! #SGDK #SegaMegadrive #Genesis #Parodius
0:30

** MEGA Parodius Scaling Effects Part 1 ** One of the big challenges with the Parodius Megadrive port is Stage 8's boss - The puffer-fish *Pooyan* with his full screen scaling effect. The goal is to be very close to the arcade (with extras on top ) so I thought lets tackle it head on to see how close we can get. I was also keen to jump into another scaling code rabit hole haha. Pyron pulled out all the stops and got me the source frames and reworked the BG tiles for this test - a big thankyou to him , Vector Orbitex is busy working on Stage 2 tracks so the team is working hard all round on this port. The MD has no sprite / background GFX scaling hardware , however the VDPs Vertical scroll can be updated per scanline to help vertical scaling on backgrounds, but there is a cpu cost to manage all the interupts so thats not free either. With the Horizontal scaling there is no help at all , apart from a semi-friendly packed pixel format for the cpu to work with, its not quite chunky format but better than planar format still for scaling. So its falls back to the 68k CPU to do all of the horizontal expansion which is the largest cpu cost. Basically drawing strips of either 1x, 2x, 3x or 4x wide columns at speed. So we are one week into this Boss's routine and you can see from the below video the horizontal scaling is implented ( vertical will be in the next update ) . We are scaling from 1x to 4x in the video below in 74 steps for testing . The column distributions are always a bit painfull to do - thankfully they are all worked out now. This is the third scaler I have built and the goal was with this one to make it really flexible for use in other projects also, sometimes when you optimise something to the last degree all the flexibility gets taken out of it. Currenty scaling at 12-25 FPS update here, I had some rules against some optimisations which I would use and some I wouldn't , thankfully we are a bit ahead of the Arcades animation frame rate here still and I may yet find optimisations that fit within the scope. We have vertical scaling and sprite spikes to add yet so Im hoping i can find a few more optimisations to offset things when they are implemented also. In a scale frame update we are processing close to 42000 pixels in ram before using DMA to send to VRAM . Using a 41x16 (656 tile scale buffer) - single buffered for now due to its size in VRAM. So thats nearly 21k in tiles ! I had to re-organise ram a bit to support a buffer of that size for the stage. The scaling function is written in 68k assembly , with a little C code handling the Vertical interupt code ( so the game logic can actually run & DMA updates etc ) . The DMA routines are in assembly also and customised for large chunk size ( big blocks of tiles ) which suits the scaler. I had some race conditions to sort out where the cpu was faster than DMA (sending tiles from RAM to VRAM ) and in some cases where it wasn't so it had to be balanced. We may be able to add more detail into the top and bottom of the background yet but its low priority for now until all the other bits are in !! #SGDK #SegaMegadrive #Genesis #Parodius

Shannon Birt

25,545 views • 6 months ago

💢 BREAKING: President Donald Trump threatened Iran with massive military retaliation if naval mines appear in the Strait of Hormuz, after CNN reported Tehran has begun laying mines in the waterway, citing people familiar with U.S. intelligence. Here’s what to know: 1. Trump posted three times in succession on Truth Social. 🔸“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait… we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY,” he wrote. “If… they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.” 🔸 He added that removing any mines would be “a giant step in the right direction.” 🔸 In a later post, Trump claimed U.S. forces had already destroyed “10 inactive mine-laying boats and/or ships,” adding that more strikes would follow. 2. CNN said “a few dozen” mines have been laid in recent days and that Iran still has 80–90% of its mine-laying boats and small craft intact, meaning it could deploy hundreds of mines if it chose. 3. Separately, U.S. officials said to CBS News that Iran may be preparing to deploy naval mines using small boats capable of carrying two to three mines each. 4. Estimates suggest Iran possesses 2,000–6,000 naval mines, the report said. 5. The Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supply, making it the most critical energy chokepoint on the planet.
1:28

💢 BREAKING: President Donald Trump threatened Iran with massive military retaliation if naval mines appear in the Strait of Hormuz, after CNN reported Tehran has begun laying mines in the waterway, citing people familiar with U.S. intelligence. Here’s what to know: 1. Trump posted three times in succession on Truth Social. 🔸“If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait… we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY,” he wrote. “If… they are not removed forthwith, the Military consequences to Iran will be at a level never seen before.” 🔸 He added that removing any mines would be “a giant step in the right direction.” 🔸 In a later post, Trump claimed U.S. forces had already destroyed “10 inactive mine-laying boats and/or ships,” adding that more strikes would follow. 2. CNN said “a few dozen” mines have been laid in recent days and that Iran still has 80–90% of its mine-laying boats and small craft intact, meaning it could deploy hundreds of mines if it chose. 3. Separately, U.S. officials said to CBS News that Iran may be preparing to deploy naval mines using small boats capable of carrying two to three mines each. 4. Estimates suggest Iran possesses 2,000–6,000 naval mines, the report said. 5. The Strait of Hormuz carries about 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas supply, making it the most critical energy chokepoint on the planet.

Drop Site

49,753 views • 4 months ago

Imperial Japanese Army Nakajima Ki-27 fighters return to base in Manchukuo bearing the scars of battle after encountering Soviet fighters in the Summer of 1939 The Ki-27 was the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's main fighter until the start of World War II. When placed into combat service over northern China in March 1938, the Ki-27 enjoyed air superiority until the introduction of the faster Soviet-built Polikarpov I-16 fighters by the Chinese. In the 1939 Battle of Khalkhin Gol against the USSR in Mongolia, the Ki-27 faced both Polikarpov I-15 biplane and Polikarpov I-16 monoplane fighters. In the initial phase of the conflict, its performance was a match for the early model I-16s, and was considerably superior to the I-15 biplane. With better trained Ki-27 pilots, the IJAAF gained aerial superiority. The Ki-27 was armed with two 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns and as with most aircraft of the period, lacked armor protection for the pilot and self-sealing or fire suppression in the fuel tanks. Later, the Soviet Air Force received improved I-16s. The faster, more heavily armed (with twin wing-mounted 20mm ShVAK cannon) and armored I-16 now nullified the Ki-27's advantages and it could now escape from the Ki-27 in a dive. The VVS introduced new tactics consisting of flying in large tightly knit formations, attacking with altitude and/or speed advantage and hit-and-run (high-energy) tactics much as Claire Chennault would later formulate for the 1941-era Flying Tigers (likewise to fly against Japanese forces). Japanese losses mounted but despite this they claimed 1,340 aircraft (six times the admitted Soviet losses and three times as many as Soviet aircraft admitted to being in the theatre). Japanese losses numbered 120 (including Ki-10s) while the Russians claimed 215 vs. a peak Japanese strength of 200 fighters. Top scoring pilot of the incident and top scoring IJAAF pilot on the Ki-27 and overall World War II IJAAF ace was Warrant Officer Hiromichi Shinohara, who claimed 58 Soviet planes (including an IJAAF record of 11 in one day) whilst flying Ki-27s, only to be shot down himself by a number of I-16s on August 27th 1939.
0:21

Imperial Japanese Army Nakajima Ki-27 fighters return to base in Manchukuo bearing the scars of battle after encountering Soviet fighters in the Summer of 1939 The Ki-27 was the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force's main fighter until the start of World War II. When placed into combat service over northern China in March 1938, the Ki-27 enjoyed air superiority until the introduction of the faster Soviet-built Polikarpov I-16 fighters by the Chinese. In the 1939 Battle of Khalkhin Gol against the USSR in Mongolia, the Ki-27 faced both Polikarpov I-15 biplane and Polikarpov I-16 monoplane fighters. In the initial phase of the conflict, its performance was a match for the early model I-16s, and was considerably superior to the I-15 biplane. With better trained Ki-27 pilots, the IJAAF gained aerial superiority. The Ki-27 was armed with two 7.7 mm Type 89 machine guns and as with most aircraft of the period, lacked armor protection for the pilot and self-sealing or fire suppression in the fuel tanks. Later, the Soviet Air Force received improved I-16s. The faster, more heavily armed (with twin wing-mounted 20mm ShVAK cannon) and armored I-16 now nullified the Ki-27's advantages and it could now escape from the Ki-27 in a dive. The VVS introduced new tactics consisting of flying in large tightly knit formations, attacking with altitude and/or speed advantage and hit-and-run (high-energy) tactics much as Claire Chennault would later formulate for the 1941-era Flying Tigers (likewise to fly against Japanese forces). Japanese losses mounted but despite this they claimed 1,340 aircraft (six times the admitted Soviet losses and three times as many as Soviet aircraft admitted to being in the theatre). Japanese losses numbered 120 (including Ki-10s) while the Russians claimed 215 vs. a peak Japanese strength of 200 fighters. Top scoring pilot of the incident and top scoring IJAAF pilot on the Ki-27 and overall World War II IJAAF ace was Warrant Officer Hiromichi Shinohara, who claimed 58 Soviet planes (including an IJAAF record of 11 in one day) whilst flying Ki-27s, only to be shot down himself by a number of I-16s on August 27th 1939.

hw97karbine

56,264 views • 1 year ago

KASHMIR BLACK DAY 1. First of all, thank you very much for inviting me to share some thoughts on this solemn occasion – in commemorating the Kashmir Black Day which essentially marks the beginning of the occupation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir by India since 1947. 2. It has indeed been a very long time since the occupation started and recent treatments of India on the occupied territories do not reflect that it plans to reconsider its occupation let alone end it anytime soon. 3. In fact, India is forcefully bullying any opposition to its occupation while at the same time tightening its grip on these territories. 4. And woe upon us that while the border politics are being played out, atrocities committed on the Jammu and Kashmiri populace persists and we and all those who are concerned, watch helplessly on the side lines. 5. I do not like to draw parallels to acts of injustice and crimes against humanity as the sufferings of the victims cannot be equated from one to another. 6. And we can never really fathom the depths of these sufferings, the pain and scars that remain etched on the victims and their kin for as long as they live. 7. But parallels in the hypocrisy, the double-standards, deceptions and lies committed by perpetrators of these atrocities are similar. It is only the scale that may differ at times – as each tries to outdo the other when they terrorise their victims relentlessly and with impunity. 8. What are their hypocrisy, lies, deceptions and double-standards? 9. On the one hand, these ruthless regimes proclaim to be advocates of democracy while they commit apartheid. They express anger and disgust when their victims retaliate and hit back at them, usually on minute scale, disproportionately compared with their vicious attacks. 10. They label freedom fighters as terrorists, hiding the fact that their apartheid policies, genocide and ethnic cleansing activities for decades cannot, but spawn aggressive retaliation from those occupied. 11. And why do these occupied people resort to militancy and aggression? 12. Isn’t that to be expected from a people who had been bullied, stripped of their dignity and witness to the murders of their loved ones while the rest of the civilised world turn a blind eye. 13. Don’t all these narratives sound the same – be it in Palestine, in Jammu/Kashmir, South Africa or even Ireland in the not too distant past? 14. For that matter, most of these problems are inherited from the colonial past as they divide and carve up their former colonies and distributed them at their whims without considering the interest of the populace. 15. Unluckily today, despite contributing to the crises, the former colonialists and their allies chose to support the new occupiers and the results as we witness today are the massacres and genocide of the occupied. 16. Right now, the world watches in horror as Israel unleashes its military might on helpless Palestinians, justifying it as retaliations to terror acts committed by Hamas. 17. Israel intends to choke Palestinians in Gaza out of existence by cutting off all basic and essential supplies and at the same time suggesting that civilians in Gaza move out of the occupied territories so that it can then hit only at Hamas target and not the civilians. 18. While Israel blames Hamas for its attacks on Gaza, it does not explain why the murderous Tel Aviv regime attacks West Bank which is devoid of Hamas. 19. In fact, for the past seven decades, of which almost half of that period was without Hamas, Israel had been attacking and killing Palestinian civilians including babies with impunity. 20. Hamas and other Palestinians who decide to take up arms and fight against Israel are children and grandchildren of Palestinian civilians the Israeli regime had murdered in the past. 21. Using the same playbook, India is justifying its invasion and occupation of Jammu and Kashmir as part of an effort to eradicate militants and terrorists and to protect its border. 22. India’s revocation of Jammu/Kashmir’s autonomy unilaterally four years ago saw the deployment of hundreds of thousands of soldiers into the illegally occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir. Along with that atrocities were committed, while placing the whole population under siege. 23. International bodies had reported that an atmosphere of fear and reprisal had ensured silence. 24. We have also heard reports of how India is attempting to change the demographic composition of Jammu and Kashmir by settling non-Muslim outsiders in the Muslim majority areas. 25. In many ways, it is not different than the Israeli settlers who forcefully evict Palestinians from their homes in land grab activities sanctioned by the Tel Aviv regime. And to ensure that the process is successful, it deploys the IDF to accompany the settlers. 26. Resistance were met with such viciousness that some helpless Palestinians just submit themselves to the mercy of the occupying forces. 27. But there are Palestinians, as in the case of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir who would not leave their fate in the hands of providence. 28. They retaliate and fight for their freedom and liberation by any means available to them, most times unconventional. 29. The minute they retaliate and any casualties are inflicted on the occupying forces, a prepared narrative emerges almost immediately – militants from these occupied territories had committed acts of terror on the occupiers. 30. With that the Western powers which had decades of opportunities to put a stop to the occupations and assist in the liberation of the occupied peoples, side with the occupiers and regurgitate the convenient labelling of terrorists and terrorism at the freedom fighters. 31. It is indeed baffling that these leaders of the so-called civilised West cannot even understand the meaning of the term occupied territories. And they do not seem to be able to comprehend a simple concept that those standing up against the occupation are the heroes and that the occupiers are the villains. 32. What can we do against the oppressive occupiers and the powerful backers? 33. Not much actually other than continue voicing our anger and disgust to what is happening in these occupied territories. 34. We must persist in exposing the cruelties, the atrocities and the hypocrisy of the self-anointed guardian of global morality when they are actually the perpetrator of evil and backers of greater evil. 35. It seems their hypocrisy and cruelties are bottomless as when we think we had witnessed the worst there is in mankind, they come up with atrocities we can never imagine before. 36. To the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We remember you and we feel for you. We pray for your deliverance and may Allah liberate you from the tyranny. Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Thank you.
10:40

KASHMIR BLACK DAY 1. First of all, thank you very much for inviting me to share some thoughts on this solemn occasion – in commemorating the Kashmir Black Day which essentially marks the beginning of the occupation of the State of Jammu and Kashmir by India since 1947. 2. It has indeed been a very long time since the occupation started and recent treatments of India on the occupied territories do not reflect that it plans to reconsider its occupation let alone end it anytime soon. 3. In fact, India is forcefully bullying any opposition to its occupation while at the same time tightening its grip on these territories. 4. And woe upon us that while the border politics are being played out, atrocities committed on the Jammu and Kashmiri populace persists and we and all those who are concerned, watch helplessly on the side lines. 5. I do not like to draw parallels to acts of injustice and crimes against humanity as the sufferings of the victims cannot be equated from one to another. 6. And we can never really fathom the depths of these sufferings, the pain and scars that remain etched on the victims and their kin for as long as they live. 7. But parallels in the hypocrisy, the double-standards, deceptions and lies committed by perpetrators of these atrocities are similar. It is only the scale that may differ at times – as each tries to outdo the other when they terrorise their victims relentlessly and with impunity. 8. What are their hypocrisy, lies, deceptions and double-standards? 9. On the one hand, these ruthless regimes proclaim to be advocates of democracy while they commit apartheid. They express anger and disgust when their victims retaliate and hit back at them, usually on minute scale, disproportionately compared with their vicious attacks. 10. They label freedom fighters as terrorists, hiding the fact that their apartheid policies, genocide and ethnic cleansing activities for decades cannot, but spawn aggressive retaliation from those occupied. 11. And why do these occupied people resort to militancy and aggression? 12. Isn’t that to be expected from a people who had been bullied, stripped of their dignity and witness to the murders of their loved ones while the rest of the civilised world turn a blind eye. 13. Don’t all these narratives sound the same – be it in Palestine, in Jammu/Kashmir, South Africa or even Ireland in the not too distant past? 14. For that matter, most of these problems are inherited from the colonial past as they divide and carve up their former colonies and distributed them at their whims without considering the interest of the populace. 15. Unluckily today, despite contributing to the crises, the former colonialists and their allies chose to support the new occupiers and the results as we witness today are the massacres and genocide of the occupied. 16. Right now, the world watches in horror as Israel unleashes its military might on helpless Palestinians, justifying it as retaliations to terror acts committed by Hamas. 17. Israel intends to choke Palestinians in Gaza out of existence by cutting off all basic and essential supplies and at the same time suggesting that civilians in Gaza move out of the occupied territories so that it can then hit only at Hamas target and not the civilians. 18. While Israel blames Hamas for its attacks on Gaza, it does not explain why the murderous Tel Aviv regime attacks West Bank which is devoid of Hamas. 19. In fact, for the past seven decades, of which almost half of that period was without Hamas, Israel had been attacking and killing Palestinian civilians including babies with impunity. 20. Hamas and other Palestinians who decide to take up arms and fight against Israel are children and grandchildren of Palestinian civilians the Israeli regime had murdered in the past. 21. Using the same playbook, India is justifying its invasion and occupation of Jammu and Kashmir as part of an effort to eradicate militants and terrorists and to protect its border. 22. India’s revocation of Jammu/Kashmir’s autonomy unilaterally four years ago saw the deployment of hundreds of thousands of soldiers into the illegally occupied territories of Jammu and Kashmir. Along with that atrocities were committed, while placing the whole population under siege. 23. International bodies had reported that an atmosphere of fear and reprisal had ensured silence. 24. We have also heard reports of how India is attempting to change the demographic composition of Jammu and Kashmir by settling non-Muslim outsiders in the Muslim majority areas. 25. In many ways, it is not different than the Israeli settlers who forcefully evict Palestinians from their homes in land grab activities sanctioned by the Tel Aviv regime. And to ensure that the process is successful, it deploys the IDF to accompany the settlers. 26. Resistance were met with such viciousness that some helpless Palestinians just submit themselves to the mercy of the occupying forces. 27. But there are Palestinians, as in the case of the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir who would not leave their fate in the hands of providence. 28. They retaliate and fight for their freedom and liberation by any means available to them, most times unconventional. 29. The minute they retaliate and any casualties are inflicted on the occupying forces, a prepared narrative emerges almost immediately – militants from these occupied territories had committed acts of terror on the occupiers. 30. With that the Western powers which had decades of opportunities to put a stop to the occupations and assist in the liberation of the occupied peoples, side with the occupiers and regurgitate the convenient labelling of terrorists and terrorism at the freedom fighters. 31. It is indeed baffling that these leaders of the so-called civilised West cannot even understand the meaning of the term occupied territories. And they do not seem to be able to comprehend a simple concept that those standing up against the occupation are the heroes and that the occupiers are the villains. 32. What can we do against the oppressive occupiers and the powerful backers? 33. Not much actually other than continue voicing our anger and disgust to what is happening in these occupied territories. 34. We must persist in exposing the cruelties, the atrocities and the hypocrisy of the self-anointed guardian of global morality when they are actually the perpetrator of evil and backers of greater evil. 35. It seems their hypocrisy and cruelties are bottomless as when we think we had witnessed the worst there is in mankind, they come up with atrocities we can never imagine before. 36. To the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We remember you and we feel for you. We pray for your deliverance and may Allah liberate you from the tyranny. Wassalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Thank you.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad

328,720 views • 2 years ago

The bacterial flagellum looks like a simple tail, or whip. But it’s actually a rotating motor, and perhaps the most sophisticated protein complex nature has ever evolved. In e. coli, these motors are capable of astonishing speeds; about 15,000 rpm. (The world record, according to one study, is for a Vibrio cell that was “clocked at 100,000 rpm by laser microscopy.) The flagellum propels the cell forward at speeds of 20-30 microns per second, or roughly 15 body lengths per second. If scaled up to the size of a cheetah, E. coli would *nearly* be the fastest land organism. The darting movements of a microbe were first observed in 1676 by Antony van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch cloth merchant. Antony was delighted by the motion of his “animalcules,” writing: “I must say, for my part, that no more pleasant sight has ever yet come before my eye than these many thousands of living creatures, seen all alive in a little drop of water, moving among one another, each several creature having its own proper motion.” But Leeuwenhoek did not see flagella. He assumed, rather, that these animalcules must be “furnished with paws” instead. Christian Ehrenberg would not properly describe flagella until 1836. But amazingly, all the way up until the 1970s, nobody actually knew how the flagellum spun! In 1973, there were two competing models people argued over: the helical-wave (bending) model and the rotating (corkscrew) model. The first model suggested that the flagellum whipped back and forth, side-to-side, to propel the cell like paddle. The corkscrew model suggested that the whole flagellum instead spins around like a screw. In 1974, the corkscrew model finally won out. For two separate studies, scientists affixed flagella to glass slides using antibodies, and watched as the cells spun around and around like corkscrews. And finally, in just the last year, high-resolution structures of the flagellum have revealed a LOT more about its intricate assembly. The tail is made from ~20,000 self-assembling copies of a single protein, called flagellin. A “driveshaft,” or rod, spins the tail and is itself made of 26 protein subunits. Each “motor” in E. coli consists of 11 stators, each of which is made from 7 proteins.(Other types of cells have even more stators, and swim with much higher torques.) The flagellum spins when protons flow into the cell through tiny channels in these stators; akin to water running through a turbine. Each proton makes a small part of the stator change shape and push against the rotor, nudging it forward one step. With dozens of stators working at once, these nudges quickly spin the propeller. I'm writing an essay for Asimov Press about this now, and am really enjoying learning about the flagellum and its history. It's an extraordinarily complicated structure, though, and has been a challenge to understand!
0:05

The bacterial flagellum looks like a simple tail, or whip. But it’s actually a rotating motor, and perhaps the most sophisticated protein complex nature has ever evolved. In e. coli, these motors are capable of astonishing speeds; about 15,000 rpm. (The world record, according to one study, is for a Vibrio cell that was “clocked at 100,000 rpm by laser microscopy.) The flagellum propels the cell forward at speeds of 20-30 microns per second, or roughly 15 body lengths per second. If scaled up to the size of a cheetah, E. coli would *nearly* be the fastest land organism. The darting movements of a microbe were first observed in 1676 by Antony van Leeuwenhoek, a Dutch cloth merchant. Antony was delighted by the motion of his “animalcules,” writing: “I must say, for my part, that no more pleasant sight has ever yet come before my eye than these many thousands of living creatures, seen all alive in a little drop of water, moving among one another, each several creature having its own proper motion.” But Leeuwenhoek did not see flagella. He assumed, rather, that these animalcules must be “furnished with paws” instead. Christian Ehrenberg would not properly describe flagella until 1836. But amazingly, all the way up until the 1970s, nobody actually knew how the flagellum spun! In 1973, there were two competing models people argued over: the helical-wave (bending) model and the rotating (corkscrew) model. The first model suggested that the flagellum whipped back and forth, side-to-side, to propel the cell like paddle. The corkscrew model suggested that the whole flagellum instead spins around like a screw. In 1974, the corkscrew model finally won out. For two separate studies, scientists affixed flagella to glass slides using antibodies, and watched as the cells spun around and around like corkscrews. And finally, in just the last year, high-resolution structures of the flagellum have revealed a LOT more about its intricate assembly. The tail is made from ~20,000 self-assembling copies of a single protein, called flagellin. A “driveshaft,” or rod, spins the tail and is itself made of 26 protein subunits. Each “motor” in E. coli consists of 11 stators, each of which is made from 7 proteins.(Other types of cells have even more stators, and swim with much higher torques.) The flagellum spins when protons flow into the cell through tiny channels in these stators; akin to water running through a turbine. Each proton makes a small part of the stator change shape and push against the rotor, nudging it forward one step. With dozens of stators working at once, these nudges quickly spin the propeller. I'm writing an essay for Asimov Press about this now, and am really enjoying learning about the flagellum and its history. It's an extraordinarily complicated structure, though, and has been a challenge to understand!

Niko McCarty.

51,893 views • 10 months ago

Rwanda ... Is Not Choosing Sides in Congo. It Is Preventing Another Genocide. When people talk about the crisis between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, they often start from the map. Borders. Sovereignty. Diplomacy. Rwanda starts somewhere else. It starts from memory. Rwanda has been very clear about one thing: its security cannot be understood as beginning at its borders. Not because Rwanda seeks influence. But because history taught it … brutally … what happens when threats are allowed to grow just beyond them. In 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi unfolded under the watch of the United Nations Security Council, the most powerful states on earth. They were warned. They did nothing. More than a million people were killed in just one hundred days. And still, nothing was done to stop it. But what is even less discussed… is what happened after. The perpetrators were not dismantled. They were not neutralized. They fled, largely into eastern Congo, reorganized, rebranded, and continued their project. And they have been doing so… for three decades. In 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi unfolded under the watch of the United Nations Security Council, the most powerful states on earth. They were warned. They did nothing. More than a million people were killed in just one hundred days. And still, nothing was done to stop it. But what is even less discussed… is what happened after. The perpetrators were not dismantled. They were not neutralized. They fled, largely into eastern Congo, reorganized, rebranded, and continued their project. And they have been doing so… for three decades. This is not abstract history for Rwanda. It is lived experience. Between 1994 and 1999, genocidal forces operating from Congolese territory launched an insurgency aimed at finishing what they had started. Civilians were killed. Genocide survivors were targeted. Schools were attacked. Children were separated by ethnicity and murdered. This was not theoretical insecurity. It was existential. Today, many observers argue that the FDLR is weak … that its numbers have declined. But numbers are not the point anymore. The threat has evolved. What we are witnessing now is not the FDLR as a fugitive militia hiding in forests. It is the FDLR as a state-embedded actor. Through the Wazalendo framework, genocidal forces have gained access to weapons, logistics, intelligence, and political protection. They have positioned themselves as the ideological and operational core of a much larger armed ecosystem. This is a system-level threat. And that distinction matters. When Rwanda’s Ambassador in Washington explained this security reality before the U.S. Congress, some rushed to claim it was proof that Rwanda supports AFC/M23. That conclusion is wrong. Explaining a threat is not the same as endorsing a political movement. Security analysis is not political sponsorship. Rwanda is not choosing sides in Congolese politics. It is not seeking to determine governance outcomes in the DRC. And it does not endorse armed groups as substitutes for inclusive governance. Its concern is singular: preventing the re-emergence of a genocidal cross-border insurgency. Reducing this to accusations of “backing rebels” may be convenient … but it avoids the real question: Why are genocidal forces being tolerated, protected, and integrated into state-sanctioned security structures in the first place? We have seen this movie before. In Sudan, militias empowered by the state turned into the Rapid Support Forces — and the country collapsed into civil war. In Ethiopia, reliance on irregular armed groups produced fragmentation and prolonged violence. In Libya, revolutionary militias destroyed the state they were meant to protect. The DRC is now walking the same path. But with one crucial difference: here, the ideological core of this mobilization is genocidal. And Rwanda knows what that means. Because Rwanda rebuilt itself while carrying open wounds, in its own flesh. While reconstructing its social fabric. While choosing reconciliation over revenge. And it did so largely alone. No one came in 1994. No one dismantled the genocidal networks afterward. No one protected Rwanda for the last thirty years. So today, no one can credibly tell Rwanda that it must outsource its survival. Rwanda is not choosing sides in Congo. It is preventing another genocide. And until genocidal forces are dismantled … not explained away, not rebranded, not absorbed … Rwanda will continue to act on the lesson history imposed upon it: “Never again” is not a slogan. It is a responsibility.
5:10

Rwanda ... Is Not Choosing Sides in Congo. It Is Preventing Another Genocide. When people talk about the crisis between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, they often start from the map. Borders. Sovereignty. Diplomacy. Rwanda starts somewhere else. It starts from memory. Rwanda has been very clear about one thing: its security cannot be understood as beginning at its borders. Not because Rwanda seeks influence. But because history taught it … brutally … what happens when threats are allowed to grow just beyond them. In 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi unfolded under the watch of the United Nations Security Council, the most powerful states on earth. They were warned. They did nothing. More than a million people were killed in just one hundred days. And still, nothing was done to stop it. But what is even less discussed… is what happened after. The perpetrators were not dismantled. They were not neutralized. They fled, largely into eastern Congo, reorganized, rebranded, and continued their project. And they have been doing so… for three decades. In 1994, the Genocide against the Tutsi unfolded under the watch of the United Nations Security Council, the most powerful states on earth. They were warned. They did nothing. More than a million people were killed in just one hundred days. And still, nothing was done to stop it. But what is even less discussed… is what happened after. The perpetrators were not dismantled. They were not neutralized. They fled, largely into eastern Congo, reorganized, rebranded, and continued their project. And they have been doing so… for three decades. This is not abstract history for Rwanda. It is lived experience. Between 1994 and 1999, genocidal forces operating from Congolese territory launched an insurgency aimed at finishing what they had started. Civilians were killed. Genocide survivors were targeted. Schools were attacked. Children were separated by ethnicity and murdered. This was not theoretical insecurity. It was existential. Today, many observers argue that the FDLR is weak … that its numbers have declined. But numbers are not the point anymore. The threat has evolved. What we are witnessing now is not the FDLR as a fugitive militia hiding in forests. It is the FDLR as a state-embedded actor. Through the Wazalendo framework, genocidal forces have gained access to weapons, logistics, intelligence, and political protection. They have positioned themselves as the ideological and operational core of a much larger armed ecosystem. This is a system-level threat. And that distinction matters. When Rwanda’s Ambassador in Washington explained this security reality before the U.S. Congress, some rushed to claim it was proof that Rwanda supports AFC/M23. That conclusion is wrong. Explaining a threat is not the same as endorsing a political movement. Security analysis is not political sponsorship. Rwanda is not choosing sides in Congolese politics. It is not seeking to determine governance outcomes in the DRC. And it does not endorse armed groups as substitutes for inclusive governance. Its concern is singular: preventing the re-emergence of a genocidal cross-border insurgency. Reducing this to accusations of “backing rebels” may be convenient … but it avoids the real question: Why are genocidal forces being tolerated, protected, and integrated into state-sanctioned security structures in the first place? We have seen this movie before. In Sudan, militias empowered by the state turned into the Rapid Support Forces — and the country collapsed into civil war. In Ethiopia, reliance on irregular armed groups produced fragmentation and prolonged violence. In Libya, revolutionary militias destroyed the state they were meant to protect. The DRC is now walking the same path. But with one crucial difference: here, the ideological core of this mobilization is genocidal. And Rwanda knows what that means. Because Rwanda rebuilt itself while carrying open wounds, in its own flesh. While reconstructing its social fabric. While choosing reconciliation over revenge. And it did so largely alone. No one came in 1994. No one dismantled the genocidal networks afterward. No one protected Rwanda for the last thirty years. So today, no one can credibly tell Rwanda that it must outsource its survival. Rwanda is not choosing sides in Congo. It is preventing another genocide. And until genocidal forces are dismantled … not explained away, not rebranded, not absorbed … Rwanda will continue to act on the lesson history imposed upon it: “Never again” is not a slogan. It is a responsibility.

Albert Rudatsimburwa 🇷🇼

15,193 views • 5 months ago