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http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=15095

""According to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), 11 high-altitude airships would provide overlapping radar coverage of all maritime and southern border approaches to the continental U.S., and may be a significant asset in homeland defense efforts. The Stratospheric Platform System (SPS) dirigible operates just barely within the outer limits of the earth's atmosphere and is emerging as part of the military's 21st century transformational mindset."

A prototype of the blimp is already being developed at a cost of $40 million. The spy ship, called the High Altitude Airship, will be seventeen times larger than the Goodyear Blimp and hover 12 miles above the ground. Although it is very large it will be invisible to both the naked eye and ground radar because of its distance from the earth. Fuel economic and self sufficient, it will be powered by solar energy and will be able to fly for years at a time.

The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command has already conducted a study to determine some of the uses of the spy ship. It has the capability of monitoring an area 600 miles in diameter at a time with surveillance equipment, such as high-resolution cameras. The government has ordered 11 of them - enough to monitor every parcel of land in the U.S."

My comments:

Now, as for anyone thinking of using a plane to eyeball and shoot one of theses (11 or so) down, imagine what kind of plane and pressure suit that would be needed to survive flying along at 63,360,000 feet. I don't imagine that many countries possess ADM (Anti-Dirigible Missiles) or any capable of ASAT work, let along reaching 12 miles into the sky with precision, accuracy and the attendant lethality required to get an 80% kill probability.

So, they go from SPS to ISIS....

Ron Paul has repeatedly said that some of his personal heroes are Martin Luther King Jr and Ghandi -- very odd choices for a white supremacist. He also said in an interview that he would consider someone like Walter Williams, a black economist, as his running mate.

The article posted has long since been dismissed as the writing of a ghost writer that was subsequently removed from his staff. His public life of service has shown no other evidence of any racism beyond this single article from the early nineties as was covered in Free Market News

From that article is the following quote by Ron Paul:

The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity. In a free market, businesses that discriminate lose customers, goodwill, and valuable employees - while rational businesses flourish by choosing the most qualified employees and selling to all willing buyers. More importantly, in a free society every citizen gains a sense of himself as an individual, rather than developing a group or victim mentality. This leads to a sense of individual responsibility and personal pride, making skin color irrelevant. Rather than looking to government to correct what is essentially a sin of the heart, we should understand that reducing racism requires a shift from group thinking to an emphasis on individualism.

It really is amazing that in 10 terms in congress and being in the public spotlight for 30 years, this is the only thing that the media can dig up against Ron Paul.

If there is a problem with the FBI, focus on that. Do not (under any circumstances) tell my government how to run our border - it is none of your damn business.

I agree, your border patrol people should not subscribe to a US generated list of who may cross your border. I have a feeling that's about to change and you will, once again, be in full control. As it is now:

But my point is, the NCIC isn't some secretive blacklist like the infamous no-fly list. The NCIC is detailed, you can view your record and correct it, if it's incorrect.

Here's what I find when I look further, unvarnished outrage:

• An outraged Canadian MP. There others, including a powerful one representing Toronto.
• Border guards must obey the list and were ashamed of what they had to do.
• That you can go to jail for accessing the information.

The NCIC may not be as bad as no-fly lists but that makes it's abuse more shocking. The three arrests were for protesting and it is clear than the activists are not the violent felons the laws were designed to keep out of Canada. This is an evil political abuse that will keep these protesters legally out of Canada for five years.

Why should he apologize for something he claims he didn't do?

If I've loaned my name to an organization, it should be based on my confidence that they will not abuse the trust I have placed in them by allowing them to publish opinions in my name, as was the case in this instance. Why? Because it implies that I endorse what that organization writes above my name, and makes me responsible publicly for what they say. If Ron Paul let his name be used as a platform for a racist ghostwriter, then he should apologize for having given such an idiot a platform, even inadvertantly. Don't forget that I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt by assuming there's any backing for the ghostwriter story, other than a bunch of anonymous fucking sources and a politician's words.

Wouldn't that belie his claims?

No.

And seriously, sometime you people and your demands for "apologies" make me ill.

"You people?" No wonder you don't find ridiculous generalizations offensive.

If you wee nearly as equitable as you pretend to be, you sure as hell wouldn't be demanding apologies from him for something he never said.

I'm not demanding any apologies. I'm just saying that he should have given one to the people offended by the consequences of his irresponsibility, and that his failure to do so contributes to his unsuitability for the highest political job in the United States. Follow along, please.

It's funny how, just because he's every 15 year old Randroid's wet dream candidate, so many /.ers turn off their brains and just accept the spin. Ah, well. He's third in the money race and will therefore command national attention as the election approaches, so prepare for your own Howard Dean Experience, "far-righters." (And get ready for the media to bring that term out for a spin.) Popular grassroots candidate collects a bundle from small donors but fails to claim the presidency (or, usually, candidacy) because the other 80% of the population (including all the people with serious money) finds their ideas objectionable for a variety of reasons? Sounds familiar.

I must admit, as a Dean supporter in 2004, I'll probably get a bit of schadenfreude watching the /. right-libertarian crowd get wound up by the defeat of a candidate they believe in - and if they don't believe in his chances yet, wait until the national advertising hits. All these erstwhile "media skeptics" will lap it up. Sorry, folks, but all the candidates are shit, and 2008 will feel just like 2004 except with less of an economy.

The racist comments have been debunked. Most were written by a staffer that was later fired; other quotes were taken out of context. You can get more info here: http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=41 822

Besides, if he was a racist why would Ron Paul have suggested a black man as a possible running mate in this interview? The racist remarks expose is simply a smear tactic.

If you really want to know his thoughts on racism, read them in his column.
Excerpt: "Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so-called "diversity" actually perpetuate racism. Their obsession with racial group identity is inherently racist.

The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence, not skin color, gender, or ethnicity. "

More and more I'm seeing these types of stories pop up:

* "FREE AT LAST" by David Bond 03/19/2007

Quotes from the "FREE AT LAST" linked article above: (bold emphasis mine)

"But we were prepared for this Microsoft gambit. Why, we asked, after thousands of dollars already expended, should we feed the Microsoft maw again? Why this kilobuck penalty because we're getting a new machine? Made no sense."

"So down it came to the nut-cutting time. Brand-new computer, sitting here on top of the desk. Chicken-out, go with Windows, or take the Linux plunge. Let's see: $800 for Vista and Office 2007, single install, or Ubuntu, Firefox and Open Office, all for free."

IMO, I feel the title of that most excellent article pretty much sums up the growing change going on today. Why spend when a free and open alternative exists?

More and more I'm seeing these types of stories pop up:

* "FREE AT LAST" by David Bond 03/19/2007

Quotes from the "FREE AT LAST" linked article above: (bold emphasis mine)

"But we were prepared for this Microsoft gambit. Why, we asked, after thousands of dollars already expended, should we feed the Microsoft maw again? Why this kilobuck penalty because we're getting a new machine? Made no sense."

"So down it came to the nut-cutting time. Brand-new computer, sitting here on top of the desk. Chicken-out, go with Windows, or take the Linux plunge. Let's see: $800 for Vista and Office 2007, single install, or Ubuntu, Firefox and Open Office, all for free."

IMO, I feel the title of that most excellent article pretty much sums up the growing change going on today. Why spend when a free and open alternative exists?

Controls the funding?

What kind of black budget can you run on $12 Billion?

Or the $3 TRILLION, that went "missing" earlier on Rumsfeld's watch?

No. Nobody makes a "mistake" or has an "accident" in "misplacing" billions or trillions. This is being used against the American people by their supposed agencies, like a gun to the head.

As for Congress - all the Senators are Caesar's horse.

Michigan teenager Thiago Olson just built the world's 18th non-professional - but functioning - fusion reactor in his basement:
http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=27 082

Fusor technology. Somewhat different approach to ITER, and wildly different in the amount of funding it attracts.

Vik :v)

This is worse than fighting random wars? I don't hear about this telescope killing a few dozen Americans per week.

Please. We must support the troops. If you don't stand with them, you stand against them.

The $14M spent on Arecibo could be spent to support the troops in Iraq. Sure, some of that spending doesn't actually go over to Iraq, but that ignores the way things get done in our system. Without proper motivation, our national leadership is unable to focus on getting the job done.

It is cut and runners like you who are sap our legislative will to fight. Democrats know how sensitive Republicans are to criticism. Congress would have done better, if it weren't for unpatriotic people who don't support our troops.

But we shall stay the course: freedom is on the march.

...and tell me that you could've predicted where computer security was going for the next 50 years then.

DDoS attacks? Botnets? Spam zombies? "Old school" viruses (and by old school, I mean it seems like these kind of viruses have become less-common than they were in the early-mid 1990s) that wipe your whole HDD? Mail clients that auto-execute a scripting language that a maliciously-minded high schooler can understand? Exploit-discovery tools like Metasploit? (or heck, even the very concept of an "exploit"?)

These things weren't conceived-of then. Not on anybody's radar at all. Remember, this was a time when IBM was selling computers to the 5 people in the world they said might have a use for them...

Yet Alan Cox has the nuts to come to us, saying "listen to me! I hack on Linux's kernel, and now I have an MBA, so I can predict the future now!"? He may be as close to a good predictor of the future of computer security as we have, but my point is that there are FAR too many variables -- far too much emergent behavior and unpredictable events -- between now and 50 years from now for he or anybody else to make a competent projection out that far.

For all Cox knows, the human race could be exterminated in 2015 by a nuclear war with the >Russians and the Islamic world, fueled by rising inflation or even a currency meltdown somewhere (possibly even the U.S.).

Peak Oil could be 2005/2006, but remember, just because its peaked doesn't mean economies that can afford to pay for it wont get their fix.

Betting against the bull can hurt, I want to see all these gloomy peak-oilists short sell stock and make billions on the impending downfall peakers predict.

I fail to understand why people fear peak oil and get all gloomy, like humanity will just give up and die out and not find other ways such as:

microbes

nuclear

wind

ocean current

fusion

shale oil

tar sands

mile deep rigs

etc.

to be a traitor like Howard Dean, the ACLU, Sen. Kennedy

Welcome to the real world where soverign nation states play hard and play for keepsies.

And just for the record let me state that if we don't start standing New York Times reporters against the nearest wall for disclosing classified information useful to our enemies in time of War we are going to lose.

I want the NSA to spy just as hard as they possibly can and stay legal. So yes, they can and should be tapping known Al Qaeda telephones abroad. Tap em here too, but get a warrant.

I'd be just as mad as you are if it were revealed he tapped a phone HERE without a warrant, but overseas it is spy hard time.

Umm I think the Vatican did actually have something to say on the matter
http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=18 66

I think they got burned with the whole flat earth, Galileo thing

This is breaking news in the Baltimore area this morning (and last night). For those of you are are defending Bush for ignoring the courts and ignoring the Constitution, based on the premise that the NSA is "only looking for terrorists" you may be surprised...

From NSA SPIES ON BALTIMORE QUAKERS
Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - FreeMarketNews.com

The National Security Agency has been spying on a Baltimore anti-war group, according to documents released during litigation, going so far as to document the inflating of protesters' balloons, and intended to deploy units trained to detect weapons of mass destruction, RAW STORY has learned. According to the documents, the Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore, a Quaker-linked peace group, has been monitored by the NSA working with the Baltimore Intelligence Unit of the Baltimore City Police Department.

The actual court documents are online
And here's an interview with one of the primaries.

Granted, they didn't through them into Gitmo or anything (yet), but it's interesting because it's in zip code 21212, my own back yard ! (it's true what they say).

Is there any reason to suppose that Intelligent Design is more or less likely than, say, The Flying Sphagehtti Monster or The Sneeze of the Great Green Arkleseizure

It is the nature of a theory to be "purely undeniable" in any context that involves it being provably true.

Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity is _not_ provably true. We can make observations that suggest it is true, and we can posit experiments that could potentially prove it false.

Quantum Mechanics is _not_ provably true. We can make observations that suggest it is true, and we can posit experiments that could potentially prove it false.

Evolution is _not_ provably true. We can make observations that suggest it is true, and we can posit experiments that could potentially prove it false.

Intelligent Design is _not_ provably true. We _cannot_ make observations that suggest it true. We _cannot_ posit experiments that could potentially prove it false.

Feel free to teach Intelligent Design. In either literature, sociology, or history. It has _no_ place in Biology. I believe I'm quoting Sagan, but if you taken an infinite universe, the chance of an infinitesimally small event occuring _repeatedly_ is 100%.

And theologically, I'm far more inclined to believe that the creator would have set the ball rolling towards evolution, rather than manufacturing the universe out of nothing in seven days several thousand years ago.

The bible should not be taken literally. If you read the bible literally, Jesus answers all prayers for healing, and PI is equal to _exactly_ 3.

Not that I'm even a Christian, but I don't understand why the concept of intelligent design is even necessary, except to advance a particular fundamentalist religious cause.

Even the Vatican has thrown its weight behind evolution.

Intelligent Design belongs with flat earth, earth as the center of the universe, and heaven as a literal place 800 miles up.

Note that evolution may belong with the epicycle system; as in, a better theory may come up. But that _sure_ as hell won't be Intelligent Design.

What I want to know is, where is a url for the Michael Badnarik and David Cobb debate. Not a url for a webpage about it or any lame streaming link. Just the damn file over http or ftp, please?

Mod parent up! The Slashdot story covering the Libertarian and Green debate says that Freemarketnews will be "streaming it and providing a download afterwards". Great. Click on the "Click here for schedule of all upcoming programs", and you are told to "JOIN NOW [...] its FREE". Fine, I'll register, verify my damn email address, and sign in. The schedule links to http://63.223.15.84:443/freemarketnews/09-30-04-pe oplesdebate.wmv. Hope this helps. (A non-SSL HTTP server on port 433, odd.)

Talk about inaccessible. The Republicrat debate was inescapable; streamed live on just about every station and rebroadcast several times. You have to jump through all these hoops to find the minor party debates. I can understand that it won't be as easy to find as the major debate, but this sort of inaccessibility is inexcusable.

What I want to know is, where is a url for the Michael Badnarik and David Cobb debate. Not a url for a webpage about it or any lame streaming link. Just the damn file over http or ftp, please?

Mod parent up! The Slashdot story covering the Libertarian and Green debate says that Freemarketnews will be "streaming it and providing a download afterwards". Great. Click on the "Click here for schedule of all upcoming programs", and you are told to "JOIN NOW [...] its FREE". Fine, I'll register, verify my damn email address, and sign in. The schedule links to http://63.223.15.84:443/freemarketnews/09-30-04-pe oplesdebate.wmv. Hope this helps. (A non-SSL HTTP server on port 433, odd.)

Talk about inaccessible. The Republicrat debate was inescapable; streamed live on just about every station and rebroadcast several times. You have to jump through all these hoops to find the minor party debates. I can understand that it won't be as easy to find as the major debate, but this sort of inaccessibility is inexcusable.

There wont be "rebuttals" in this "debate". The rules disallow it.
Personally, I'll be watching the coverage at Free Market News, which will include rebuttals of the "major" candidate's points- just not by either of them.