Area5Xp

For true sci-fi fans, any mention of a real-world rail gun will draw an instant, slightly audible gasp.

{slightly audible gasp}

That's the news that Miltary.com is reporting in this article from earlier this month.

The Marines, in particular, are interested in the potential for rail guns to deliver supporting fire from up to 220 miles away -- around 10 times further than standard ship-mounted cannons -- with rounds landing more quickly and with less advance warning than a volley of Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Looks like it's time to get on the horn to the Naval Warfare Center and see about getting one of these babies for the base. Talk about a serious "anti-aircraft" weapon!!!!!!

...but providing 3 million amps of power per shot has been a limitation. At 32 megajoules, this new system appears to be the most powerful rail gun ever built...

THREE MILLION AMPS PER ROUND???

Looks like the Science Department guys are gonna need to build a bigger matter/anti-matter converter sooner than they originally thoguht. That or else we're going to have to "acquire" a certain little "Mr. Fusion" unit off of a certain DeLorean. Since that gem can provide the 1.21 jiggawatts of power for a time-machine, then three million amps should be a piece of cake.

More info DEFINITELY to come.

As we mentioned one wee ago in this post, FOXNews is reporting on their website that the Navy has released photos and a few details of one of the first tests of the new rail gun.

In the demonstration Thursday, engineers fired the electromagnetic railgun at what they said was a record power level: 10 megajoules.

Good job boys, that's at 31.25% of full capacity.  Time to go full power!!!!

On the bright side, here is a video of the test firing.

More news on this when it's available.

All of us here at the base are NOT surprised at this outcome.   We are on the other hand mad that it took this long.  But the result is what we wanted, and what we got.

Those dope smoking freakzoids in the Berkeley, CA city council cried "Uncle" once the Marines and their "army" of supporters decided to flex their governmental muscle.

As six Republican senators devised a plan to yank $2.3 million in federal funding for Berkeley programs, the mayor of the famously liberal city apologized Wednesday for his hard stance against a Marine recruiting center.

Bet that apology is going to leave a bad taste in his mouth for the rest of his mayoral term.

We can only hope it lasts for the rest of his life for trying to pull this stunt!

"That letter will probably be pulled back and maybe more moderate language will be put in place which is appropriate I think," said Berkeley mayor Tom Bates.

Better do more than "think" about it TOM.  Camp Pendleton is a LOT CLOSER than you seem to be forgetting......

Last week the council passed resolutions giving Code Pink a place to park out front. Some have said that meant the city giving was giving the group a place to continuously protest the Marines.

 

"What we're doing is we're announcing a bill that we intend to get on the floor to strip transportation from the city of Berkeley," said East Bay Republican Assemblyman Guy Houston. "What they have done in Berkeley is they have set aside a parking spot and in my opinion a public right of way, a public transportation corridor, specifically for a private organization -- in this case Code Pink -- to harass and annoy the United States Marine Corps and their recruiting efforts. We think that playing around and having an agenda with the public right of way is subject to ramifications. There is $2.3 million in proposition 1B transportation dollars. We think that should be in jeopardy."

Well we think that the City Council building needs to be "re-zoned" as the new USMC "Urban Assault Combat Course".  And more specifically, ensure that it is a "live fire" only combat course!!!  That'll teach those pinkos a few things about the "right of way"!!!!

StandBy^TM, because we're sure there's going to be more.

It seems the City Council of Berserkely, CA is not getting it.  They're meeting again tonight to vote again on whether they're going to call U.S. Marine Corps recruiters "uninvited and unwelcome intruders," or not.

Code Pink activist Zanne Joi said her group is "supporting the troops by being against war and against recruiting."

Those people are "loco en la cabeza".  The only way to PROPERLY support our troops is to support the war AND recruiting.  Correction, the AMERICAN way to support our troops is to support the war AND recruiting.  Until you whacko loonies who escaped from some sort of dope-smoking commune can get that in your skulls, we here will continue to refer to you as "Code Pinko".

"It’s because we care about these people that we are standing up against the war machine," Joi said.

THAT is a blantantly inflamatory LIE.  Your agenda is clearly anti-military period.  Hence why Cindy Shenanigan was so graciously welcomed into your Pinko Pond.  The only thing you care about is being a nuisance. 

At Tuesday night's council meeting, Berkeley politicians will also consider measures that would condemn the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border as well as a request to Canadian leaders to grant sanctuary for U.S. war resisters.

Tell ya what, each and every City Council member that supports this lunacy should SEEK that sanctuary in Canada,,,,,,and not EVER set foot in this great coutnty that is FREE today BECAUSE of the sacrifices made by the men and women of not only the United States Marine Corps, but also every other branch of military service in this counrty.

Not only should the city lose the funding from the state and federal governments, but each and every city resident who insists on supporting this barberic measure needs to have their citizenship REVOKED and immediately escorted to the nearest federal border (or ocean (without a boat) which ever is closer).  And that last part goes for not only the dope smolers in Berserkely but any other town, city, village, or incorporated area that chooses to pubic denounce ANY branch of the military.  If you're so ANTI-military then you have no right to be an American and you can jsut take yourself to some other country where freedom is just a pipe dream long forgotten and one that will never be seen by the light of day.

DISMISSED!^TM

UPDATE (1705 hrs): Glenn Beck interviews reporter from Toledo, OH....cause it seems Toledo mayor is trying to follow Berserkeley's lead.  Sending the 30-minute Alert Warning to my Attack Squadrons at this time.

Score ANOTHER one for the god guys!!!

Reports are coming in that the City Council over in Berserkely once again had their "attitudes" corrected and came to the conclusion that having a Marine Corp recruiting station in town is actually the right thing to do.

Councilwoman Linda Maio said the council opposes recruitment, not the military. "It's behavior that we oppose, not the people," she said.

And Linda, it's YOUR behavior that the entire clear thinking population of the United States who SUPPORT the troops and the war AND recruitment that will continue to VEHEMENTLY oppose and will do exactly what we've done in this instance.  Maybe loosing a good chunk of federal funds from the city budget will CLUE YOU IN that your "behavior" is incorrect.

On Tuesday, more than 40 House Republican members asked President Bush to immediately rescind over $2 million in earmarks awarded to Berkeley.

Not good enough.  And that money is just PORK anyway.  Cut off ALL federal funds that are supposed to be directed to Berserkely (and Toledo, OH for that matter as well).  Assinine decisions need to be corrected immediately (and brutally if the case requires it).

StandBy^TM cause this issue looks like it's going to continue.

UPDATE (1730 hrs): At least the Toledo mayor has the guts to admit it he screwed up.