Newsgroups: soc.culture.african.american
Subject: Re: White Men in Ties Discussing Missile Size
From: galan@netlink.cts.com (Greg Gross)
Date: Mon, 14 Dec 92 21:20:28 PST
Organization: NetLink Online Communications, San Diego CA

Michael F. Kamprath <kamprath@space-grant.sprl.umich.edu> writes:

> In article <1992Dec6.184503.23835@gn.ecn.purdue.edu> Michael J. Carpenter,
> mjcarpen@gn.ecn.purdue.edu writes:
> >        Air Force magazine's advertisements for new weapons, for
> >example, rival Playboy as a catalog of men's sexual anxieties and
> >fantasies.  Consider the following from the June 1985 issue:
> >Emblazoned in bold letters across the top of a two page
> >advertisement for the AV-8B Harrier II-"Speak Softly and Carry a
> >Big Stick."  The copy below boasts "an exceptional thrust to weight
> >ratio," and "vectored thrust capability that makes the . . . unique
> >rapid response possible."  And then, just in case we've failed to get
> >the message, the last line reminds us, "Just the sort of 'Big Stick'
> >Teddy Roosevelt had in mind way back in 1901."
> 
> Ha ha. Pretty cute.  In all the years I've subscribed to Air Force magazine
> (which, BTW, isn't affiliated "officially" with the US Air Force), I've never
> seen a female depicted sexually in an add.  But, I must admit to seeing plent
> of powerful machines :-).  
> 
> Anyways, for those who don't know better:
> 
> "Speak softly and carry a big stick." -- Teddy Roosevelts' summary of his for
> policy.  I really don't think anything sexual was ever intended here.  But ev
> one can see what they want.
> 
> "Thrust to weight ratio"  -- Exactly as it reads.  If you don't know, "thrust
> is a measurement of the accelerating force of the engine, and "weight" is the
> weight of the airplane.
> 
> "Vectored thrust" -- the ability change the direction of the thrust without
> reorientatinf the airplane.
> 
> "rapid response"  -- with vectored thrust, an aircraft can turn quicker, thus
> be able to shoot the enemy quicker.
> 
> Hey, now that I think about it, it is pretty sexual.  Hmmm, no wonder fighter
> pilots say they get hard ons when they fly their "big machines."
> 
> :-)  
> 
> ======================================================================
> |Michael F. Kamprath                   | The University of Michigan  |
> |  kamprath@space-grant.sprl.umich.edu |      Aerospace Engineering  |
> |  kamprath@engin.umich.edu            |      Graduate Student       |
> ======================================================================


Uhh, folx...

This is all fascinating, and I was even familiar with all the 
aeronautical terminology *before* the explanations were offered.

But what does *any* of this have to do with this partricular newsgroup? 
Is the LAPD going to replace their patrol cars in South-Central Los 
Angeles with Harriers? (now there's a Daryl Gates wet dream for you...)
Is the Air Force going to relocate the F-22 testing program to Watts?

All kidding aside, it's hard to see the relevance, folx.
G.

--
Gregory Alan Gross      Welcome to life, where no good deed goes unpunished.
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