Comments on: Open Thread – Humour and History I

By: x

Wed, 01 May 2013 17:17:06 +0000

If you study IR you learn about the power of maps as politcal tools. Bearing that in mind this is probably the truest map I have seen in a long time,

las.com/webimage/countrys/europe/freu.gif

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:55:45 +0000

You need to be patient to reach the bit where this becomes briefly relevant to a defence blog, but stick with it. Sometimes it’s the journey not the destination

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/mantis_shrimp

Seafood – ugh!

By: x

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:56:18 +0000

An RL coming ashore from Empire Grebe, a Ministry of TRANSPORT ship, operated by Atlantic Steam Navigation Co Ltd. Management then British India Steam Navigation Co Ltd, not RFA. Note the ship’s traditional trooping livery of blue and white.

http://www.freewebs.com/armybeachtroop/grebe.jpgem

That was back in a time when the UK still had bases nearly everywhere. Go figure.

By: x

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 21:47:55 +0000

Bedford RL being craned over the side into an LST,

http://miliblog.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/originalbritish-national-servicearmy/bedford-rl-3ton-4×4-cargo-35-br-74-suez-1956-loading-onto-an-lst.jpg

and RL’s on the vehicle deck,

http://www.freewebs.com/armybeachtroop/04170008.jpg

and then a RL “wading” ashore…….

http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Museum/Tom/F.jpg

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 18:50:41 +0000

I don’t want to pre-empt SDSR 2015 but:

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 16:19:47 +0000

We are well represented here.

http://hushkit.wordpress.com/2013/03/17/ten-most-expensive-cancelled-aircraft/

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 07:48:34 +0000

Oh, I meant the “smartbomb” cartoon.

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 07:45:56 +0000

http://raf-fly.blogspot.co.uk/

Well I think it’s funny.

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 07:45:56 +0000

http://raf-fly.blogspot.co.uk/

Well I think it’s funny.

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:58:28 +0000

History not humour:

http://www.fossilscience.com/research/Bronze_warship_ram_reveals_secrets.asp

By: x

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:34:19 +0000

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:30:03 +0000

An Air Council came into being on 2 January 1918 and the foundation of the RAF took effect on 1 April 1918 when the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service were absorbed into its structure. Thus, the RAF became the first truly independent air force of any major power free to fully develop all the applications of aerial warfare.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/perardua.cfm

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:10:43 +0000

Russia’s Arctic ambition knows no bounds:

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20130316/180055377/Russian-Fundamentalists-Sue-US-Want-Alaska-Back.html

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:51:28 +0000

That Ringtail Badger commentator should be ashamed of himself.

http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/the-dewline/2013/03/friday-fun-an-egg-xtra-special.html

By: Brian Black

Brian Black — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 19:01:35 +0000

And the prize for the most ironic department title is awarded to… “The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea”, which recently released this gem.

“It is the steadfast determination and unshakable faith of the army and people of the DPRK led by the illustrious commander of Mt. Paektu not to allow the hostile forces to infringe upon the sovereignty and dignity of the country but decisively and mercilessly wipe them out.

The DPRK abrogates all agreements on nonaggression reached between the north and the south. Therefore, the DPRK officially declares that from the moment the Korean Armistice Agreement is made totally invalid on March 11 all the said agreements will be completely nullified.

The hostile forces should clearly know that our just option is by no means a mere threat but is an expression of the fixed will of our army and people to annihilate the enemy.

All the service personnel and people of the DPRK will turn out as one and mercilessly wipe out the aggressors and provocateurs with the tremendous might of Songun they have consolidated, and build a reunified, prosperous and best powerful country on the land of three thousand-ri without fail.”

Pyongyang, March 8 (KCNA) [ABRIDGED BY BRIAN] — The Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK)

By: jackstaff

jackstaff — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 04:35:22 +0000

In a past life, when I taught a bit of World History, I used to put up up an older version of that map first day of the second (modern) half of the class, and say, “why does that map look wrong to you? Think a minute about how big the universe is, about Einstein and relativity and observer bias and all that. How do we know which way is up? Because this lot (waves laser pointer over projection screen or hand over overhead projector, depending on how posh the classroom’s A/V was) won and drew the maps.”

By: x

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 20:15:25 +0000

@ Jackstaff re Wittering

I was taught it was rude to laugh at the things others’ hold in religious reverence.

Just because their view of the world is off we shouldn’t point and laugh.

http://bowsprite.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/upside-down-world-map-from-southern-hemisphere.jpg

By: jackstaff

jackstaff — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 19:47:44 +0000

Wonder how many billion quid it would take BAE Shipbuilding to knock up a couple or three of those? In my mind’s eye I can see Sir John Hawkins sitting in front of it drinking a Buck’s Fizz.

Also, am I missing something or have we left a rich vein of humour gravely unattended since the junior service consolidated their repair shop at RAF Wittering? I thought that was a job description rather than a location….

By: x

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 18:19:34 +0000

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02485/galleon_2485755k.jpg

By: x

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 19:04:52 +0000

http://www.theverge.com/2013/2/18/3993100/romancing-the-drone-how-flying-robots-are-invading-pop-culture

By: Simon257

Simon257 — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:54:13 +0000

The Army’s new recruitment Ad!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TlVqz3Mq1CY

By: WiseApe

WiseApe — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:28:31 +0000

Harking back to an earlier age when mighty fleets clashed unencumbered by the need to ferry infantry about:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Battle_of_Hoth_%28Great_Galactic_War%29

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:59:41 +0000

WiseApe,

At least those “destroyers” have an offensive capability

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:56:30 +0000

Excellent link.

JordanViray,

Even more excellent response.

By: x

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 20:17:25 +0000

@ Jackstaff

It is good isn’t it? I had to check I hadn’t written it myself.