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Europe's Galileo Program In Serious Trouble
elrous0 writes "Various news outlets are reporting that Europe's Galileo program is facing a serious financial and technical crisis and may be permanently stalled. The European program, designed to be a superior answer to the US's GPS — and, more critically, not controlled by the US — has faced numerous hurdles since its inception. To date the Galileo program has succeeded in launching only one of its 30 planned satellites and has been beset by delays and cost overruns. Apparently, squabbling between the eight companies in the consortium behind the project is responsible for many of the problems. The project is now threatened with an EU takeover. But some doubt that even an infusion of EU capital can save the flagging program."
The DOD get a little cash for *every* GPS reciver sold. You can't just build these things. You need to get a "licence". Also there is a thing called selective avaliblity.
If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
I'm looking forward to it, maybe it will lower the cost of aerial & satellite imagery in general - relying on IKONOS, SPOT is expensive
"they are responsible for keeping peace (within EU members states) for over 50 years"
Huh? The EU started out as, and effectively remains, an economic organization. How did they "keep the peace".
The EU started out as the European Coal and Steel Community, steel being the stuff you use to make bombs, trucks, tanks and other weaponry. One of the express purposes of regulation the steel and coal industries was to be able to prevent any country from suddenly starting a mass buildup of weaponry, like Germany's effort immediately preceding WWII.
I predict we'll see open warfare between (soon-to-be) former EU nations within 20 years.
Like you said - Europe's been at peace for "a fucking long time", but 50 years isn't enouigh to change huma nature, and the nature of humans is to make war.
I'm sure that like US states for the past 142 years, we'll see fit to take it out on nations outside the federation.
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Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
No, it isn't. Europe has been at peace and will continue to be at peace because of international trade. War is caused by two factors: (1) a psychopath manages to become dictator, or (2) you can realize a significant material gain from invading your neighbour. We must be eternally vigilant against (1) (and strong democratic institutions are a good defense), but for (2), there is no sense in invading your neighbour for its resources if your neighbours are willing to harvest what you want and deliver it to your door for about the same price as if you had done it yourself.
The BBC has a great article with the EU founders about why it was created. A quick search instead brought this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6483585.stm
As another reply to your "Huh?" comment said, the EU had nothing to do with economics, and everything to do with preventing another war. If you've been to Europe recently and noticed how citizens see themselves as European first and nationals second, you will see they've done very well on their goals.
Lies about crimes
The EU hasn't been around for 50 years and has very little if nothing to do with those 50 years of peace.
The reasons that Europe has had 50 years of peace are.
1. Germany and France where both pretty well destroyed. So they spent a good number of hears rebuilding.
2. Germany was rebuilt with a constitution that enforces none aggression. That was enforced by the US and the the UK for many years.
3. The US rebuilt Europe both friend and foe alike with the Marshall Plan and continued Lend Lease.
4. The US help found NATO to build cooperation in Europe and then funded a large percentage of the the European nations defense budgets.
5. The USSR/WARSAW pact gave Western Europe a common fear and the US gave them protection.
I keep hoping that part of it is that the members of the EU are just sick of killing each other. However historically a large part of that stability clearly came from the rise of the US as a superpower and the US being actively involved with Europe.
Oh BTW a lot of people in Europe really don't share your wish for a European Army. I doubt that the UK would disband their Army and France would want to control the EU Army.
So if you are only for the EU because it kept the peace... It didn't.
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
CM accuracy is available from GPS??? I wish the receiver in my car knew that!
Well, pay a few thousand for a surveyor's GPS and let us know what accuracy you get. It'll be a little better than the systems found in cars and $100 GPS receivers. Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Run a couple searches on GPS accuracy and check on it, include the word "centimeter" and see how many results you get and what they are about. Don't worry, we'll be here when you get back.
Learn to love Alaska
Probably not a prime purpose, though.
The preambles of the Treaty of Paris:
CONSIDERING that world peace may be safeguarded only by creative efforts equal to the dangers which menace it;
CONVINCED that the contribution which an organized and vital Europe can bring to civilization is indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations;
CONSCIOUS of the fact that Europe can be built only by concrete actions which create a real solidarity and by the establishment of common bases for economic development;
DESIROUS of assisting through the expansion of their basic production in raising the standard of living and in furthering the works of peace;
RESOLVED to substitute for historic rivalries a fusion of their essential interests; to establish, by creating an economic community, the foundation of a broad and independent community among peoples long divided by bloody conflicts; and to lay the bases of institutions capable of giving direction to their future common destiny;
HAVE DECIDED to create a European Coal and Steel Community[..]
Yeah, probably just a footnote in history.
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The Euro has performed weakly compared to its goals and backing,
Which goals are you talking about? From what I know, the inflation within the Eurozone has been not high in the years since the Euro's introduction. And while the Euro initially lost quite some value in comparison to the other main currencies, also here the Euro was doing very well for the last 5 years, even during a time when e.g. Germany's economic situation was much worse and the annual deficit was indeed above the 3% limit (unlike eg last year, when it was 1.7% or so...). Could you please explain in which aspects the Euro is performing weak?
I guess the parent meant you must be using BSD,'cause linux is european stuff :)