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DARPA Shows Off Their Latest Shinies
coondoggie writes with news that the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released their top nine strategic research programs via a 57-page report last week. The overarching theme seems to be big long term goals that could result in major advances in technology. "DARPA's projects run the gamut from building extremely fast, secure networks, and developing higher, longer flying unmanned aircraft to bio-related advances that help bring vaccines to a useful state faster and space technologies that offer modular satellite systems."
These "programs" seem a bit over generalized. I mean "High Productivity Computing Systems"? I think there are a few other groups working in that area.
It would take me a few minutes to think of something that doesn't fall under these 9 topics.
It would appear that the anti-intellectual knee jerk response posted first. I have worked for both DOD (via darpa grants) and NSA, and have to say that I like their response more than I like yours. Generally, they offer some form of insite that I might miss (but almost certainly do not agree with). OTH, your was just a waste of space and time.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
We all know that no government agency would refer to this as anything but cyberwarfare.
Hence, I am discounting the validity of the entire article.
Editors, please vet the articles a little more thoroughly. I don;t know who is responsible for the slip-up, but it's amazing this sham of an article was allowed through the tight-as-an-ant's-ass controls on the slashdot main page that we have come to love and respect.
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
" They were regular Buck Balto's, bringing us our biomedicines faster. Then they fired up the mass-driver and things quickly turned into a 'space opera'. "
Anyways here's more of the same (DARPA programs and funding) but from last year, presented by the CDI, for comparison's sake:
http://www.secureworldfoundation.org/siteadmin/images/files/file_203.pdf
"Stratigraphically the origin of agriculture and thermonuclear destruction will appear essentially simultaneous" -- Lee
"DARPA said it as embarked on an ambitious mission to create a new generation of computing systems - cognitive computers - to dramatically reduce military manpower and extend the capabilities of military personnel. DARPA's cognitive computing research is developing technologies that will enable computer systems to learn, reason and apply knowledge gained through experience, and respond intelligently to new and unforeseen events." ...These people do watch movies, right?
Ahh, the irony. Here you are, posting a comment on the direct derivative of something 'shiny' that DARPA (then just ARPA) ponied up the money for. Ever hear of ARPANET?
It's ironic you're complaining about DARPA on the Internet.
Since that started as a DARPA project.
How is that anti-intellectual ? Perhaps you should visit a campus once. Note the large presence of, shall we say, people who exonerate people like massacrers like Che Guevara and blame all of society's ills on the military. Or whoever they are sure won't retaliate (note for example, the dead silence about Sri Lanka's misdeeds since that government sued and, shall we say, lightly persuaded, a BBC press team to leave).
Unless of course, you're claiming that campuses don't have intellectuals. That newspapers don't have intellectuals.
Can one please be allowed to articulate a displeasure between certain extremely hypocritical portions of society ? The part that's hiding behind the biggest guns of the world screaming about how evil their government is, knowing both that said government won't retaliate and knowing full well that there are real problems in the world. The government of, oh, say Sudan, is a much, much bigger problem than even the worst ever US government. But only one of those gets any action.
After Tether departed in February (good riddance), DARPA's had just an acting director with no major changes to policy. I know I'd like to see someone appointed, preferably with a real scientific research background.
If nothing else, can we get rid of the stupid GNG targets?
Well, as a peacenik myself, I am fairly happy to see two very insightful research topics to help foster world peace :
* Accelerated Development and Production of Therapeutics: rapidly and inexpensively manufacture millions of doses of life saving drugs or vaccines in weeks, instead of the years required to ramp up today's manufacturing practices
* Real-Time Accurate Language Translation: real-time machine language translation of structured and unstructured text and speech with near-expert human translation accuracy.
Note how only one theme is dedicated to the creation of more powerful weapons. This is truly American military research and damn yeah, this is sommething you should be proud of (not me, I am a surrendering froggy)
The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
How is that anti-intellectual ? Perhaps you should visit a campus once. Note the large presence of, shall we say, people who exonerate people like massacrers like Che Guevara and blame all of society's ills on the military. Or whoever they are sure won't retaliate (note for example, the dead silence about Sri Lanka's misdeeds since that government sued and, shall we say, lightly persuaded, a BBC press team to leave).
/.. There was ZERO intelligence to be found in the original posting.
That same garbage occurred in the 60's/70's. And it is normally, the the same kind of idiot as the original poster was. You ignore them, or call them the idiots and fools that they all are (including the original poster).
In general, there were plenty of intellectuals that argue against the use of the military. Heck, Eisenhower HATED THE MILITARY. He viewed it as a needed evil, which it is. If we let our defense down, then we WILL be back in a world war. BTW, YOu ARE AWARE That the west has been giving aid to sri lanka's gov since we found out that Tamil Tigers aided AQ? Can one please be allowed to articulate a displeasure between certain extremely hypocritical portions of society ? The part that's hiding behind the biggest guns of the world screaming about how evil their government is, knowing both that said government won't retaliate and knowing full well that there are real problems in the world. The government of, oh, say Sudan, is a much, much bigger problem than even the worst ever US government. But only one of those gets any action.
I find this interesting in light of the two VERY DIFFERENT WARS that we are in. America and the west WERE going after terrorism. W and the neo-cons in ALL OF AMERICA'S name, invaded Iraq. Worse, he loaded the top with total IDIOTS, that forced us to occupy it and allowed AQ in there. How exactly is this worse than Sudan? Are THEY invading other countries around the world?
Look, I am about to submit more grant proposals to the DOD for some interesting items that I saw. If the idea has merit, That means that I will go to work on a DOD project, again. I have ZERO issues with that (since it is defense, I believe strongly in it). BUT, only an idiot can believe the phrase "YOu are either with us or against us" has an intelligence behind it. Worse, only a total idiot would believe that 100% of what the military AND ITS LEADERs does it right. There is plenty of GOOD CRITICISM to be found in both the university, the media AND even on
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.