A soldier sets out to graduate at the top of his class. He succeeds, and he becomes a drone pilot working with a special unit of the United States Air Force in New Mexico. He kills dozens of people. But then, one day, he realizes that he can't do it anymore.
Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) are a specific type of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). They live under the umbrella of UAVs, but are not part of hobbyist or commercial applications – instead, they are sent specifically into combat, often armed with missiles (yes, the Hellfire missile was one type, although that missile was officially decommissioned in 2017). As of December 2015, the only countries known to have manufactured military drones are: United States, Israel, China, Iran, Italy, India, Pakistan, Russia and Turkey; ISIS created the “Unmanned Aircraft of the Mujahideen” in January 2017, which it uses for both reconnaissance and to drop bombs.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has updated rules on commercial and hobbyist drones as of October 2016 (preventing them from flying above 500 ft without air traffic approval).
Despite new restrictions in the US, and throughout Western Europe, commercial and hobbyist drones are two of the fastest-growing market sectors, as companies develop new kinds of drones for new, specific applications, and “drones” become one of the most sought-after toys for the second holiday season in a row (2016 and 2017)
Modern, incredible, beneficial, non-military applications for drones:
Terrifying non-military applications for drones:
Sources:
How Drone Technology is Changing Our Lives: The Good, the Bad and the Lazy
Commercial drones are the fastest growing part of the market
Sources:
History of drone warfare
Hellfire Meets Predator
Wikipedia:Unmanned aerial vehicle
The ultra-lethal drones of the future
“On 28 October 2009, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Philip Alston, presented a report to the Third Committee (social, humanitarian and cultural) of the General Assembly arguing that the use of unmanned combat air vehicles for targeted killings should be regarded as a breach of international law unless the United States can demonstrate appropriate precautions and accountability mechanisms are in place.
In June 2015 forty-five former US military personnel issued a joint appeal to pilots of aerial drones operating in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and elsewhere urging them to refuse to fly and indicated that their missions “profoundly violate domestic and international laws.” They noted that these drone attacks also undermine principles of human rights.” —Wikipedia
Outsourcing drones to defense contractors can hide these operations behind a commercial screen.
In the office scenes of the show, Rose, Danny, and Julia all switch from a standard camera view, to infrared, to night vision. Typically, we think we know what these are. The standard camera may have a fish-eye lens effect, but this is more common on hobbyist and commercial drone cameras than military-grade cameras, which will instead take high-resolution digital photos (as of 2017).
More drone aerial photography here.
Infrared is a form of heat-sensing technology that uses ambient heat—the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum—to interpret surroundings into a visual image. Differences in amount of sensed heat show up as different colors bleeding into shades—typically ranging from dark (no heat) to yellow or white (warm or hot).
Unlike thermal/infrared, night vision uses very small amounts of light in the surrounding environment, enhances the image, and projects it onto a display—within a set of goggles, on a computer screen, etc.
Amazingly, YouTube is home to videos of military (or defense contractor) drone strikes.
Night Vision examples from Flir
As drones rose in popularity, so did defense contractors (Blackwater is the most famous, but there are hundreds of companies who pay for private police forces, military-style escorts, food and water supplies, and weapons development).
The official end of the Cold War in 1989 saw the flourishing of the private military industry—rather than fighting with nation-based military forces, companies began fighting each other, for pseudo-nationalistic reasons.
Defense contractors have long developed weapons and military technology for the United States and other countries (Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, Halliburton, and dozens of other US-based manufacturers have received large defense contracts since WWII). What changed since the 1990’s was the number of companies specializing in military-style defense development, and the size of the contracts from various countries. Between 1995 and 2005, the Pentagon signed over 3,000 contracts with Private Military Forces (PMFs). These groups have operated in over 50 nations, and on every continent except for Antarctica.
Casualties among PMFs are not recognized, as people employed by these companies are contract employees, and not military personnel. They are not honored with military honors, they and their families do not receive veterans benefits, and their deaths are rarely reported on the news. While the United States military has deescalated its involvement in the Middle East, especially Iraq and Afghanistan, PMFs often take their place—training local police and military forces, hunting company-specified targets, and performing operations obscured even from the Pentagon itself. Like too many of their victims, PMFs on the ground are civilians, and are treated as such.
Legally, they are also not mercenaries (which are illegal according to United Nations’ treaties) but the line defining these two is blurry. Because they are only accountable for completing their contracts, PMFs do not report their methods, technologies, or expenses very often. They can operate outside of national treaties if they are considered multinational corporations, although this, too, is a legal gray area being questioned, and which will likely lead to numerous lawsuits in the next several decades.
Sources: Airwars
Outsourcing War
An Air-To-Surface Missile (ASM) designed originally for anti-armor use in combat, but later recalibrated for precision strikes against smaller targets, including individual humans. In 2000, it was successfully shoved onto the Predator Drone, but unsuccessful in its use to kill Osama bin Laden.
As of 2017, the Hellfire missile will no longer be attached to Predator Drones, but will likely be applied in other ways.
In general, virtual reality refers to an artificial experience of a different world, curated by an individual (including a machine like a computer), and intended to completely immerse the viewer using multiple forms of sensory input. While we typically think of VR in terms of headsets and video games right now, the concept of virtual reality goes back at least to theatre revolutionary Antonin Artaud, who described the immersive nature of this art form in his essay collection, The Theatre and Its Double (in fact, the 1958 English translation of this work uses the first instance of the term “virtual reality”).
*Note: Artaud is also the originator of “theatre of cruelty”
Morton Heilig also wrote of an “Experience Theatre” in which the audience’s senses would be encompassed by the production. In 1962, he built his Sensorama, a prototype for this encompassing that is essentially television with added sensory experiences: smell and touch, on top of sight and sound.
Since 1959, “virtual” has applied to computer simulations, in the sense of the program creating an immersive world that does not exist in reality, but is made to appear real.
Virtual reality movies, games, and other experiences have the potential for encouraging emotional engagement and empathy, by literally putting the viewer in another person’s shoes. However, some psychological studies have shown that, while viewing a simulation through a specific lens encourages different thinking, it does not get rid of implicit bias. (A quandary already considered in 1995’s Strange Days, in which VR pornography taken from memories of actual humans is more popular than empathy exercises or “high art”.
VR may be used in exposure therapy to treat anxiety disorders and PTSD, and may find applications in pain management. Surgeons have begun training on VR applications for years. Architects, museum curators, artists, and designers all use VR applications in some way. NASA has been using VR for training for at least two decades. The UK and the US have been using various simulators for military training since the 1980’s.
Sources:
Wikipedia
What is Virtual Reality?
Why Virtual Reality Is About to Change the World
A Virtual Reality Revolution, Coming to a Headset Near You
If you feel like attending one:
Virtual reality is used to design combat situations or a “virtual war” for use as a training tool. A simulated war zone is an ideal way to train soldiers for engagement with the enemy but in a controlled way. It removes the risks associated with a real world combat situation such as death or injury. From The Virtual Reality Society, UK
VR Combat Situation
The idea behind this is to prepare soldiers for a real, live combat situation. It teaches ways of dealing with unexpected events, for example, a sniper attack, but without putting themselves in danger. It is vitally important that they are taught how to react to dangerous settings where the wrong decision may mean the difference between life and death.
This is particularly important when training soldiers to become platoon leaders or in any other position of responsibility. These soldiers know that they are in charge of a group of fit and eager men and women who have to be trained in front line combat. Plus there are the many complex dynamics associated with leading a platoon which can only be learnt in a training situation.
So where does virtual reality fit into all of this? It teaches soldiers about the importance of communication and following orders. It also instructs them in combat techniques and means of survival. Plus it shows them ways of navigating and dealing with what is often a hostile environment. Here they learn how to deal with hostile locals as well as being on guard for the unexpected such as IED’s (improvised unexploded bombs), suicide bombers or sniper attacks.
A simulation of a war zone enables inexperienced soldiers to learn and handle high stress situations. They can be taught how to take out a target or how to respond to enemy fire.
Virtual reality is not just used for on the ground scenarios: it is also used to train combat pilots, for example helicopter pilots who have to navigate an aircraft in difficult conditions, e.g. night time flying. They use a flight simulator and wear a head mounted display (HMD) which enables them to experience a change in perception as they move their head.
Located on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf, Dubai is an oil-rich megacity that has been very built-up in the last 10 to 15 years. It is promoted as a resort or vacation destination, and features thousands of manmade structures like islands or indoor ski slopes to attract rich travelers and investors from everywhere.
Dubai is in the capital emirate of the seven emirates which make up the UAE, called the Emirate of Dubai. This emirate, and Abu Dhabi, are the only two UAE emirates which have veto power over matters of national importance. Dubai is also scheduled to host the World Expo 2020.
The city is the most expensive city in the Middle East, and the 22nd most expensive city in the world. It is also rated (by Western-based global consulting firms) as the best place in the Middle East to live.
Although the city has been investing in fascinating architectural tricks, skyscrapers, and infrastructure projects since it focused its oil wealth in the 1960’s and 70’s, the city and surrounding areas have been inhabited by humans since early human history. The earliest written mention of the city of Dubai, specifically, is found in the Book of Geography written in 1095 by Andalusian-Arab geographer, Abu Abdullah al-Bakri.—Wikipedia
However, to understand the tone of Dubai in Row Yr Boat, this article vents about it all: “Who In Their Right Mind Would Want to Visit Dubai?”
Dubai, on the other hand, markets itself as fun in the sun, a kind of Las Vegas on the Persian Gulf. Yet it has far more in common with Saudi Arabia than you’d imagine. ...
For starters, it has an awful climate. It’s horrendously hot and humid for nine months of the year. It has close to zero real culture unless you count its unique take on Sharia Shopping ‘n’ Starbucks. It is an environmental Chernobyl filled with SUVs and air-conditioning up to and including an indoor ski slope. And it has some of the worst upscale architecture in the world. Bigger, better, higher, glitzier, nastier: it’s like an entire city designed by Donald Trump. ...
All this means Dubai is like a smorgasbord of the despicable. A legal system that jails rape victims. Modern slavery? Ghastly bad taste. An utter contempt for the environment. A hideous fusion of hyper-capitalism and repressive theocracy? I can only assume that if you enjoy holidaying in Dubai, you are the kind of person who weighs all these up and then shrugs and says, “But on the other hand, there is really great shopping.”
The phrase “Achievement Unlocked” comes from Xbox and PlayStation gaming systems, which incorporated mini-goals in the games into “achievements.” These are collected by the player across several games, and can be displayed in their profiles like trophies.
The idea dates back to 1982, when Activision introduced in-game “patches” for various high scores. Game manuals instructed players to achieve these goals as extra bonuses, beyond just beating bosses or levels. E-Motion from Amiga, in 1990, was the first to introduce other specific achievements into the game, although they were called “secret bonuses.” The term “achievement” was introduced in 2005 as part of Microsoft Xbox’s Gamerscore system, leading to the specific Xbox 360 badge, above.
The modern idea of “Achievement Unlocked” has become a cultural meme, with variants including “Left the House,” “Put on Pants,” or similar.—Wikipedia
Polygamy: the practice of one man marrying multiple women to create a large family.
This practice is typically associated with Mormons in the US, although the leaders of the Church of Latter-Day Saints no longer officially condone this practice. Still, there are Mormon-based cults across the country which illegally practice polygamy (in 1890, when the Church changed their stance, many polygamist Mormons also fled to Mexico or Canada).
In the US, the main branch is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). Their leader, Warren Jeffs, has been convicted of multiple crimes, including rape. FLDS practices incestuous marriages and child marriage (girls as young as 12 are married to adult men), neither of which were tenants of Brigham Young’s original concept of polygamy.
“Other, smaller polygamist “Mormon” groups include the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB, less than 1,000 people), the TLC (True and Living Church of Christ*, the Centennial Park group (in Arizona), the Righteous Branch led by Rulon Allred, and the Latter-Day Church of Christ led by the Kingston clan.”
Warren Jeffs is not only famous for child rape and incest, but organized crime. One article about his polygamist sect called them “America’s ISIS.” The group owned real estate in Utah, Arizona, Colorado, South Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, and Northern Mexico (but not California or Nevada). FLDS-owned companies manufactured the O-Rings which failed in the Challenger space shuttle, leading to its explosion in 1986 (and the first major disaster of the shuttle program). They also have lighting businesses which provide lights for many Nevada casinos. Their businesses have construction company offshoots which build thousands of buildings and other projects across most Western states. ISIS funds its programs with similar shady operations in the Middle East. However, Jeffs’s followers are not yet gun-toting bombers.
Sources:
Do Mormons Still Practice Polygamy?
Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utah
FLDS continues abusive polygamist practices in Utah and Arizona
There is one main polygamist group in Preston, Nevada. This is a census-designated place (meaning it is unincorporated but has a measurable population), located in White Pine County. It was established in 1876 by Mormon settlers, who named it for William B. Preston, fourth presiding bishop over LSD from 1884 to 1907. The local economy is based on agriculture and farming, much like Coyle’s family. However, Preston is across the state from the Sierra Nevadas.
Because of the high altitude, cold and dry climate, and diminishing arable farm land (due to climate change), farming either involves foothills-style irrigation systems, or stock grazing for animals. It is not a profitable area to farm, contributing about 2% of income from farming in California.
If you really want to read all about the history and finances of farming in this area: Agriculture in the Sierra
Modern crops include:
Nevada Farmers Hack The Drought By Switching Up The Crops
Excessive livestock grazing in the area is a problem
Sheep are not as popular (commercially) in the US because lamb and mutton are not consumed as much here, and these meats are not profitable exports. Additionally, these animals are more vulnerable to predators, including domesticated dogs. Mexico has higher sheep production than the US.—Unknown Source
They are also not as hardy as goats, preferring grass, hay, and similar pasture to woody plants. Sheep would be difficult to farm in the Sierra Nevadas, but maybe that’s the point?—Sheep
Farming garlic in this region would also be nearly impossible. Garlic prefers loamy, rich soils with plenty of drainage and temperate environments—freezing and thawing cycles are bad for it. The only way to successfully manage garlic in the Sierra Nevadas would be to constantly import mulch (or make fertilizer from sheep poo?)—Grow Great Garlic, Boundary Garlic Farm
Over thousands of years, most sheep farmers have encouraged the expression of white coat genes, making these the dominant trait in domesticated sheep. However, occasionally, genetic expression turns to recessive genes, leading to a black sheep. In the wild, sheep’s relatives are dark in color for camouflage; in ancient times, black sheep would have been more likely, as dominant vs. recessive traits in domestic flocks changed.—Science Daily
Danny’s like “Don’t do LSD or you’ll be disqualified. Mushrooms are okay.” This is accurate for how drug tests work. LSD is detectable in urine tests for up to 5 days (and hair tests for 90 days—this is true of all drugs, including caffeine and alcohol). Psilocybin and psilocyn (shrooms) are completely metabolized out of your body in 5 hours or less.
This is for you, Wanda:
The Gronkowski, named for Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriot’s star and party animal/asshole. There’s an erotica series about him: “A Gronking to Remember” is apparently the first book.
The Oompa Loompa Wheelbarrow is a thing: “A variation of the amazing sexual position, while the man holds the girl's legs to his waist while she balances on her hands crab-walk style. The man then begins to thrust inside her and picks her up higher until she is almost upside down on top of her head, causing the blood to rush to her head and look like an Oompa Loompa.
We called it the Oompa Loompa Wheelbarrow since I had her upside down like a wheelbarrow but picked her up higher and all the blood rushed to her head. She looked like an Oompa Loompa doing a crab walk getting shagged.”
To imitate:
*Note: most commercial fitness trackers do not measure heart rate or blood pressure, but there are some types that can.
Blood Pressure Bracelet Fitness Tracker
Best Fitness Trackers
In large commercial and military aircraft, this lever controls the thrust output of the airplane’s engines. i.e., speed up or slow down.
In a VR simulation, the image above is probably what Rose looks at; in Row Yr Boat’s cockpit, the joystick below is likely the system actually used.
My Pilot Store
