Friday, 15 November 2024

2024-November - On the Beach by Nevil Shute

 This book is scary, especially seeing some of the current news articles:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/11/14/western-us-royal-navy-submarine-forces-serviceable-crisis/

The free world’s most potent weapons against China have been crippled

David Axe     November 14, 2024

Attack submarines are arguably the decisive weapons in high-intensity warfare between foes separated by oceans. Mobile, stealthy and heavily armed, they can sink invasion flotillas, bottle up enemy combat fleets, cut supply lines and strangle economies by throttling trade. 

And that’s why the dire condition of the submarines in some of the most important free countries is so troubling. The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia are all struggling to maintain their attack boats at precisely the same moment they most need the boats to deter China.

The Australian sub fleet is the most recent to descend into crisis. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, just one of the Australian navy’s six Collins-class subs is fit for combat. The other three are “beset by problems” including corrosion, ABC reported.

Australia plans to replace the 1990s-vintage, diesel-electric Collins with second-hand nuclear-powered boats from the United States starting in the 2030s. New nuclear subs built under the auspices of the AUKUS alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States would later replace the used vessels.

Nuclear-powered subs present a hugely greater threat than conventional ones, as they can move fast and far while fully submerged. A diesel sub can only go fast and far fully surfaced, and needs to put up a “snort” air-intake mast for long periods at regular intervals to charge batteries when submerged. This places the sub in great danger when operating in an area covered by enemy radar, and a single maritime patrol plane can scan hundreds of miles of sea.

So the new nuclear boats will make the Australian navy a lot more dangerous. But the 3,500-ton Collins class are Australia’s only manned undersea capability for the next six years, if not longer. And while a new class of small robotic sub might complement the Collins, such vessels lack the heavy weaponry – Mark 48 torpedoes and Harpoon anti-ship missiles – that lend the manned subs their punch. 

A 2023 war game organised by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC underscored what many observers have long assumed – that submarines could be the main line of defence between China and Taiwan in the event the Chinese Communist Party ever makes good on decades of threats and attacks the island democracy. 

In that war game, US Navy nuclear attack boats sailing from Guam sank scores of Chinese transports and warships, ultimately defeating the invasion attempt – albeit at the cost of a fifth of the subs. If the US, Australian, British and Japanese fleets – and the Taiwanese fleet, of course – could muster most of their subs, they could present a powerful united front to the Chinese fleet. The nuclear boats could move in to attack Chinese vessels in the Taiwan Strait without worrying overmuch about Chinese air and missile power, and conventional ones might sneak in slowly and carefully

But at present, Taiwan’s friends by and large can’t muster most of their boats. As recently as a year ago, just 60 per cent of the US Navy’s roughly 50 attack subs were ready for combat – significantly short of the Americans’ 80 per cent readiness goal. The Royal Navy has six nuclear attack boats, and plans to base one of them in Australia from 2027. But more than once in recent years, there have been zero British boats at sea

If there’s a silver lining in this maintenance storm, it’s that the powerful Japanese sub flotilla – 24 diesel-electric attack boats – is in good shape. The Taiwanese navy’s two 1980s-vintage diesel-electric attack boats are also in reasonably good condition. But they couldn’t make much of an impact on their own in wartime, and it could be more than a decade before Taipei acquires all eight new subs it has planned.

Overall, the Western allied undersea fleet is in trouble. There are lots of subs, but too many of them are too old or worn out. It might take scores of submarines to defeat China at sea. Can the allies sail enough subs on short notice – and keep them in action long enough to win a war?

It’s hard to say. But it’s telling that Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the US Navy’s top officer, has prioritised the maintenance of existing ships over the construction of new ones. “We will continue to prioritise readiness, capability and capacity – in that order,” she wrote, tacitly acknowledging that the US fleet has a maintenance problem, and needs to solve it immediately.

That’s easier said than done, and not just for the Americans. The industrial side effects of the Covid pandemic, challenges associated with maintaining any skilled workforce, budgetary constraints and the overall advanced age of Western submarines owing to the “peace dividend” of the 1990s – during which many democracies built very few new subs – represent huge hurdles to near-term readiness.

Allied navies need to get their attack boats in shape. Whether they can, and how quickly, could mean the difference between victory and defeat in any coming Pacific war.

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Friday, 25 October 2024

2024-25 Book List

 Because I never know where to find it on my computer: 

 

ISHIGURO

KLARA AND THE SUN

22/05/2024

FULLER

UNSETTLED GROUND

19/06/2024

TOWNSEND

WOMAN WHO WENT TO BED FOR A YEAR

23/07/2024

O'FARRELL

HAMNET

27/08/2024

BROWNING-WROE

TERRIBLE KINDNESS

24/09/2024

November     SHUTE

ON THE BEACH

29/10/2024

December    WATERS

NIGHT WATCH

26/11/2024

January        ALLENDE

VIOLETA

14/12/2024

February       CLEEVES

RED BONES

28/01/2025

March            TOIBIN

MAGICIAN

25/02/2025

April            ATWOOD

YEAR OF THE FLOOD

25/03/2025

May            BACKMAN

MAN CALLED OVE

22/04/2025

June            GRANT

POCKETFUL OF HAPPINESS

27/05/2025



The date is in theory the date that the books are available at the library

Thursday, 17 October 2024

2024- October A Terrible Kindness - by Jo Browning Wroe

When I read the first two pages I thought that this was going to be  a terrible book, I didn't like the way that it was written and the way that William related to his Uncles and to Gloria.   In the second chapter where William was at Aberfan and working hard I was completely captivated.  Now I am at the aftereffects and we will see how I feel about the way that the family relationships pan out. 

I don't like William. He doesn't seem like a person who really knows what he wants and he is a bit of a wimp. He seems to take the easy way out. Quite early on I decided that I didn't like the way the characters were portrayed and was going to give up the book. I kept taking breaks because I could only read so much at a time. I can understand the mental problems after Aberfan. 

I am now at the point where he is in Cambridge with Martin helping with the singing. It is an odd story and I don't know where it is going. My only thought is that at the end of the book William is going to top himself. 

I did keep on and very pleased that there was a happy ending. I was in tears at the end. 


F:- Altho not as affected as others in the group, hearing about Aberfan on the news was one of my earliest childhood memories. Reading the first part was not easy, but, persevering, I found all the links to past and present (in the story), both events and relationships, fascinating. I was impressed how the writer's skill illustrated William's turmoil in a way that really made sense to me. 


I was also brought back to a time when prejudice was far more the norm and appreciated how far we've come (but we still have quite a way to go). 

As a character, I was  pleased Gloria was portrayed to be strong and determined. Another character I appreciated, despite her only appearing  briefly, was Betty. I loved both Betty's attitude and her generosity. It made me realise even more that kindness is SO important, whatever the circumstances. 

Despite our not knowing exactly what had actually happened at William's misereri solo until the end, this suspense added to my wanting to read more. I love singing and I love that piece of music, so I needed to know how it panned out! 

8/10  - This was the average mark for this book. 

And here is the famous music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX1zicNRLmY





Monday, 23 September 2024

2024-September - Hamnet - O'Farrell

 For fans of Shakespeare, a terrific read. Although the final sentence about 'remember me' does not match with my copy of Hamlet. 

We all liked it, marks of 8 or 9 all round. Must be the best book that we have read in a Looong time. 

H didn't read it. Maybe she will now.

A couple of us read it in 1 or 2 days at the last minute - couldn't put it down. 

J cried when Agnes was in deep grief over her loss. 

The writing was good, there was clarity in it. Also it was superb writing and research about how the plague got from Egypt to Henley via Venice, though I think I have read this before.

About Agnes, eldritch doesn't suit her, but she was knowledgeable about the use of herbs and plants for treatments, I am not sure about the dead frog on the stomach, but I think this was the Doctor, not her.  Her ability to diagnose things by touch was discussed, and the nearest that we got was that she was psychic.  She seemed to know about the future, and was frightened when she couldn't tell the gender of her unborn child. 

It was noted that we were sorry for her other children when they were abandoned in her grief for the dead child. 

It was interesting how the author has kept the Shakespearean plays out of the body of the work.

Highly recommended. 



Sunday, 25 August 2024

2024-August- The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year - Sue Townsend

 It is a book that is written as if it is supposed to be funny, and because of that it goes over the top and is silly. It is hard to find a reason to keep reading it, aside from the fact that it is a reading group book. If you look at it more seriously, what is wrong with Eva? 

The person who recommended this book to us commented that she found it shallow and not funny. H said it was funny to start with. Other comments were that it had great characters, it was very frivolous, very disgruntled when it ended - true- it was a poor ending in my view. There were two occasions in the middle of the book - Christmas and the faculty meeting about bonking in the broom cupboard that others said were brilliant. 

It was suggested that it was a takeoff on so many things that happen in real life, but it ran out of steam. Not many families have an autistic husband and autistic twins. I suppose that that is part of the going over the top. 

The author at the time that this book came out was legally blind, had received a kidney from her son and had degenerative arthritis that meant that she was in a wheelchair.

Marks from 3 to 8, average 6.





Thursday, 6 June 2024

2024-June - Klara and the Sun - Ishiguro

Klara is a humanoid robot that is of the sort bought for children as a companion in a totally different world to what we know.   She can observe, analyse, store data and make decisions based on her knowledge. There doesn't seem to be an Internet where she can access a pool of knowledge. She is a model B2 , but is better than other B2s in the story. She also has the ability to regain her balance quickly like some AI robots available today.

She is bought for Josie, who at this point in the story I think is not well with some recurring problem. 

Later in the book it became much less of a Science-Fiction novel, and more of a fairy tale. It is hard to know where it is all happening, but a few clues indicate America, with an origin in England, and Housekeeper going to California. Time is not consistent either.   First mention that I noticed of being on-line was on page 247, as was the comment about genetic engineering of people. At best I would give it 6. 


Interesting read about why Robots should be humanoid. It references the R2-D2 vs C-3PO  debate. 

https://sixdegreesofrobotics.substack.com/p/the-human-form-is-flawed-so-why-do

We will have a BILLION humanoid Robots by 2040

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/six-degrees-of-robotics_activity-7207908002949906433-cp1W/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android


https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/intersubjective/202105/becoming-human-discussion-klara-and-the-sun

Today's news: 

📅 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐬!! The newly formed 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 under the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society umbrella will hold its kickoff meeting on July 17th at 10 am US Eastern time.


Meeting 27/6/24. Only 4 present and me on WhatsApp call. Marks were 8,8,6,6,4 = avg 6.

Ali thought it reminded her of 'Never Let me Go'. 

Rick was the only nice character in the book. Others picked up that Josie had been genetically Engineered "lifted" and this had not worked well which is why she was sick.  Had the mother been lifted? We thought that this was a recentish innovation in the culture. Everything about the society in the book was quite vague. The idea of all the children learning in isolation on their 'oblongs' at home  as in the story pre-dates the Covid lockdown where this happened as the books was published before this. 

There was a comment about Guardian reviews of the book and whether an AF would be capable of love. 

A dog is programmed from birth to give unconditional love. Made me think of the three laws of robotics.

FW has not read any Sci-Fi really in the past, and enjoyed this as it was a simple read. At the ending she wanted to know more about other people. She thought that Klara needed more introspection. 

How tall was Klara? - about the size of a 10-12 year old we thought. 

50 years on - will people have AFs?  AW thought that they were already partly available in old peoples homes, particularly in North America. 

It was brought to an end quite quickly, Usually the thing of an author who has not got a satisfactory ending. AW  thought Klara was like a discarded toy that Josie had grown out of, and quoted 'Puff the Magic Dragon' .






Tuesday, 23 April 2024

2024- May - Crow Court by Andy Charman

 A murder mystery in Wimborne Minster. A number of short stories loosely tied together that develop the finding of the culprit  while showing the development of Wimborne and the changes in Technology through the middle of the 1800's.   Very cleverly written.

We thought about asking the author to talk to us, but as he no longer lives locally didn't bother. 

I have read it for the second time and really enjoyed it again. I suggest that it is compulsory reading for local people with an interest in past times of Wimborne. 

There were 5 of us at the meeting. The marks averaged at 8. 

It was well written, and a couple of us mentioned the old-fashioned style of writing that gave it some atmosphere.  One of us liked it so much that she bought a copy. 

Some comments that I found around the net that help to flesh it out [ and find some of the locations mentioned]:

"Another West Borough resident was the Rev. Edward Butt, who lived in ‘a curious old house on the south side of Luke’s Lane [now Prior’s Walk]. He was always kind to children and young men and generally popular in the place,’ says Druitt"

http://www.dorsetlife.co.uk/2004/12/a-glimpse-of-pre-victorian-wimborne/

...
https://www.opcdorset.org/WimborneFiles/WimborneDirectory1865.htm

Questions that arose. Was there really a Squire Guthrie, and where did he live?  When William married Emily Bankes, had he inherited the Guthrie farm?