Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
TroopTube: YouTube For Military And Families
TroopTube is the U.S. military's answer to YouTube; the goal is to provide soldiers and their families with a way to communicate in a secure way.
All videos placed on TroopTube will be screened by the Pentagon to make sure that no copy-protected material or material that might threaten national security is posted. YouTube is just one of the many websites that the military has blocked to try to improve security.
(Sample videos available on TroopTube)
The military has always tried to support the families of the troops, but the current fascination with social networking tools like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter has left the military in catch-up mode.
Science fiction fans may recall a similar incident in Star Trek: Voyager. In the series, the crew are stuck in Delta Quadrant 75,000 light years from Earth; now, that's a long way from home. In one episode, they are excited to learn of the remarkable Hirogen transmission arrays, which are powered by miniature black holes. Over a period of time, the crew begins to catch up with the doings of family members.
(Hirogen Communications Network)
At some point, the Hirogen demand that they stop using their official network, and attack the Voyager. During the resulting exchange, an antithoron burst initiates a sequence that takes down the entire network.
It turns out that one of the reasons the U.S. military is concerned about the use of YouTube and similar sites by the troops is that they put an undue burden on their internet capacity.
I don't know what kind of services the military sets up for families on a regular basis; here's another science-fictional example from the Transformers movie. One of the soldiers sees his wife and daughter. I don't know if this is a commonplace scene; maybe readers in the military can let us know.
(Connecting troops and families in fiction)
From the Guardian and Trooptube.tv; thanks again to the wonderful Moira for supplying the tip and the reference.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 11/13/2008)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Communication ")
Birds Learn To Sing Pictures ala Frank Herbert's Distrans
'We will fight in the time of fighting.' - Frank Herbert, 1965.
Polish Turns Your Nail Into A Stylus
'He wrote on it, using the pointed fingernail of his right forefinger...' - Cordwainer Smith, 1950.
Huawei Pura X Folding Phattie Phone
Why can't we get more innovative phone configurations?
Positioned Cybertrucks With Free Starlinks WiFi In LA
'Several thousand of them formed the positioning grid on the rubble pile.' Vernor Vinge, 1999.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Prairie Madness - And Space Sickness
'Space-sickness is one of the most unpleasant sensations that a human being can experience. Not all are subject to it...'
Can Stratospheric Aerosol Injection Control The Weather?
'...I saw a nice black heavy-looking cloud sailing by just now, and I can get the electrical machine out in five minutes to draw it down.'
SETI Suggests Prospecting The Solar System Without Landing
'From a distance it could resolve the cosmic rays reflected from various substances.'
Wolfram Alpha Mathematica Predicted by Science Fiction in 1948!
'The answer to the dumb student's prayer.'
Cislunar Space And The Space Lanes of Golden Age Science Fiction
'He had travelled the space-lanes of the solar system for the greater part of his life...'
NASA Moonbase Update
'The dinner was excellent. It was completely vegetarian — grown in specially prepared gardens in this Moon base...'
Neuralink Will Allow Humans To Communicate With ... Animals?
'Telepaths had their sensitiveness enlarged to an immense range by the pin-sets, which were telepathic amplifiers adapted to the mammal mind.'
Special Lights For Driverless Cars!
'That light is actually the Anamorphic Equalizer...'
'Old People Began to Cross The Continent In Their Own Cars'
'It was a relief to enter one of the comfortable autos, whisper a direction down the tube, and just know that you would be taken to your destination in the quickest, safest, and cheapest manner.'
Harrison Bergeron, Illustrated And Practiced
'But he didn't get very far with it before another noise in his ear radio scattered his thoughts. George winced...'
Starfall Manufacturing Drugs In Space
'The vast spinning sphere of Factory in the Sky loomed above and ahead of us, gleaming white against the unfathomable jet depths of surrounding space.'
The Solar Oberth Slingshot
'And if it doesn’t work,' inquired Lazarus, 'what does that make us? Sunspots?'
'Maybe The Woman Of Your Life Is Still Under Production'
'The Dillard people had performed a miracle and put all the works in a girl-modeled case.'
'If Anyone Is Watching Earth...'
'Our study of your race has convinced us that you are not fitted to leave your planet in the present state of your civilization.'
Epirus High-Power Microwave Defeats Drones
'...the spreading beam of the deranging ray struck them, and Then one toppled and fell. Then another.'
Cloud Of Space Rubbish From China's Long March Rocket
'Within seconds the material was spread out over fifty yards, in a matter of hours it might occupy several cubic miles of space...'
