Anonymous: Preserving free speech? Hardly.

WikiLeaks: Who Is ‘Anonymous’ and What Is ‘Operation Payback’?

Some Anonymous activists call the attacks part of a new “Info-War” aimed at preserving free speech on the Internet.

Regardless of your opinion on Assange or WikiLeaks it has become patently obvious these script-kiddies (calling them hackers is an insult to genuine hackers) are too stupid to realize their actions are leading directly to the destruction of free speech on the internet in several ways. The most first, and most obvious, is their actions will prompt governments to increase regulations and laws over internet activity especially the free dissemination of information in the name of national security and internet usage stability. The second, organizations that make the internet operate ranging from ICAAN to ISPs to website hosts will want to start overly regulating content to protect themselves from government prosecution. Thirdly, businesses that keep the internet running may demand greater control of what is available on the internet to protect their businesses. Naturally, governments will go along with businesses in such a venture to ensure control for themselves.

So bravo to these morons. You’re destroying the very thing you claim to be protecting, “free speech”, with your delusions that you’re actually accomplishing anything to help your cause. Apparently “free speech” to these idiots means they can say and do whatever they want and every one else can not. Sadly, like spoiled children, they don’t even realize they’ve willingly sold out their own cause to the corporations and politicians by taking such destructive actions.

Well done. </sarcasm>

Successful SpaceX Launch, Land

SpaceX Dragon Capsule Landing – Private Space Test – Popular Mechanics

Congratulations to SpaceX for their successful launch of the Dragon capsule. More importantly congratulations to SpaceX for becoming the first private company to have a spacecraft re-enter from orbit.

More info on SpaceX Dragon: SpaceX Dragon – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NewBits May 05, 2010

Fears of Greek contagion sweep global markets | Reuters

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe’s fate was at stake. France declared the euro was under speculative attack but said such a move would fail. And the Greek government vowed not to retreat a single step despite violence on the streets of Athens.

Obama wants to begin immigration reform this year | Reuters

The Arizona law requires state and local police to determine if people are in the country illegally, previously a function carried out by U.S. federal immigration police and some local forces.

Actually that should read “…previously a function ignored by…”. Had the Feds done their job Arizona would not have passed SB 1070. Besides sounds like Obama’s just blathering about amnesty for the illegals, not genuine immigration reform.

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American…There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag… We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language.. And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.’
— President Theodore Roosevelt 1919

FCC plans Net neutrality regulations for broadband | Wireless – CNET News

The Aerodynamic Properties of the Humvee | The Daily Planet

Too bad “Los Suns” defeated the Spurs but I still hold out hope the Spurs will defeat them over the series. Maybe when they lose it’ll teach them a lesson to stay out of politics and stick to basketball. Boycotting the Suns until they end their hysterical ignorance based childish and demeaning political stunts in Arizona. Los Boycott: Don’t Go to the Phoenix Suns Game Tonight : The Powers That Be

Newsbits: Immigration Reform Plan, Raytheon, Moon Robots

Democrats unveil immigration reform plan | Reuters

Not going to believe it until I see genuine reform, not useless identification cards that’ll be forged faster than you can say illegal and more laws that Congress and the administration will de-fund or order they be ignored as has been done for decades. Congress and past Presidents sold out the American public long ago to the illegals rather than secure the border as is their duty and responsibility.

Avionics Magazine :: Raytheon Awarded Radar Contract

Japan sees moonwalking humanoids by 2015 | Crave – CNET

Just as the Obama administration ditches NASA plans to return to the moon, a group in Japan is vowing to send humanoid robots there by 2015. Call it a giant leap for droidkind.

News Bits: Immigration, Deficit, Belarus, Hypersonic Missile

Peaceful protest proper approach on Arizona law | law, enforcement, people – Opinion – YumaSun

The peaceful protests and civil disobedience of the civil rights era are an example of the power of proper opposition. Those who want to protest this law need to look to that example.

At least some still have common sense. Too bad it isn’t the protesters, who by their very actions turn people against them. I lost what little sympathy I had for those opposing the law the instant some became violent (attacking police) and resorted to vandalism (refried bean swastikas? talk about racial profiling yourself!). Hell, even my Hispanic neighbors think the protesters are morons. (Their exact words were much harsher.) The protesters have the right to protest peacefully and challenge the law in court, nothing more. If the law is truly unconstitutional it will be deemed as such.

Napolitano has ‘deep concerns’ over immigration law Says the lady who did nothing during her tenure as Arizona governor to truly deal with illegal immigration aside from the occasional token troops on the border publicity stunts and has completely failed to secure the border in her time as head of DHS.

US Immigration – Congress Turns to Immigration Reform I’ll believe it when I see the borders secured, laws enforced, States not left bankrupt by federal immigration mandates, and Americans not sold out in favor of illegals.

Obama says everything on table for tackling budget deficits | Reuters
Simple suggestions for the morons in D.C.: Cut spending, no new taxes/fees/fines, ban earmarks, suspend non-emergency related foreign aid, cut business taxes to bring back industry and jobs, etc. And don’t even think about a value added tax (VAT) on the citizenry. VAT will end their political careers in a heartbeat when people realize it will hurt the middle class and poor the most.

Belarus leader warns against Kyrgyz-type turmoil | Reuters Too bad Lukashenko’s authoritarian rule diminishes his concerned words.

Japan seeks foreign engines for stealth fighter prototypes

.:: Aero-News Network: The Aviation and Aerospace World’s Daily/Real-Time News and Information Service ::.

Called the “Prompt Global Strike” (PGS) system, it is built around a hypersonic missile that could travel at speeds of up to Mach 5 or 3,6000 miles per hour. A Tomahawk cruise missile flies at about 550 miles per hour.

***

The PGS has drawn mixed reaction from the international community. The Deputy Secretary of the Russian National Security Council, General Yuri Baluyevsky, said that the U.S. had only agreed to recent nuclear arms reductions because of its ability to “kill you using conventional high-precision weapons.”

AutoCAD Freestyle released

Autodesk releases AutoCAD Freestyle on its 28th birthday | The CAD Geek Blog

AutoCAD Freestyle isn’t for the seasoned AutoCAD/AutoCAD LT professional who needs advanced drafting and design tools to create complex drawings. Instead think of AutoCAD Freestyle as a product your mom could use. While there’s an obvious market for homeowners needing to create drawings for a new deck, or even small landscaping companies, I can also see AutoCAD Freestyle as a potential collaboration tool. Perhaps AutoCAD Freestyle can make the “napkin sketch” so commonly passed to a CAD drafter extinct.

Autodesk – AutoCAD Freestyle

Space News: X-37 Space Plane

Air Force to launch X-37 space plane: Precursor to war in orbit? – Yahoo! News (Author’s note: I hate the fear mongering title to this article.)

‘Arms control advocates say it is pretty clearly the beginning of a “weaponization of space” – precursor to a precision global strike capability that would allow the US to hover for months at a time over anywhere it chose with little anyone could do about it.

The “weaponization of space” is inevitable as long as mankind intends to go into space. Some would say it’s already been weaponized by the use of satellites for spy satellites, GPS, et al, for military and national security uses.

Some history of the X-37:  X-37 Spacecraft History – Central Florida News 13

Fact Sheet: NASA – X-37 fact sheet (05/03)

X-37: Ready for Launch | The Daily Planet

On Thursday, April 22, the U.S. Air Force will finally launch its little, unmanned X-37 orbital spaceplane on top of an Atlas V rocket. The liftoff, which will take place in a window between 7:52 p.m. and 8:01 p.m., will mark the culmination of years of development for the newest U.S. spacecraft—and the world’s only reusable one after the space shuttle’s planned retirement toward the end of this year.

It’s a beauty, that one.

AutoCAD 2011

I’ve been ignoring my geeky CAD/Designer/Engineer side lately.

AutoCAD 2011 in 3 minutes | CAD Panacea

AutoCAD 2011: A Look at What’s New | Cadalyst

Overall based on what I’ve read and seen I like the changed UI so far, particularly the paper-style grid. Old timers might get confused but if you’ve kept up with AutoCAD’s or even if you haven’t they’re easy enough to figure out. Also liked the update to the axis colors (X-red, Y- green, Z- blue). AutoConstrain is a nice feature to have. Admittedly I haven’t used AutoCAD outside of personal projects for some time now, but the newest incarnation appears to be quite good.

Av, Sci & Tech News Bits

Scientists hide gold with 3D invisibility cloak | Reuters

The findings, published in the journal Science on Thursday, could in the future make it possible to make large objects invisible, but for now the researchers said they were not keen to speculate on possible applications.

Well it’s useless to speculate about the already acknowledged goal.

F-35 fighter makes first vertical landing | Reuters

.:: Aero-News Network: General Aviation Serves America’ Campaign Grows By Going Local ::.

Business & Technology | EADS may make bid for tanker contract | Seattle Times Newspaper

Aviation and Space Newsbits

Dreamliner May Come to Australia for Testing. | Planenews Aviation News

Good news for Aussies given recent events down there. Not so good for Americans, though.

China’s fourth space center to be completed by 2015 | ‘RIA Novosti’

China’s fourth space center, Wenchang, will be put into service between 2014 and 2015, not in 2013 as it was previously announced, the CCTV channel reported on Tuesday.

Obama to push White House vision for NASA in April | Reuters

What policy, save to cut funding and drive even more scientists, engineers, and manufacturers fleeing from the United States?