No, this looks like a fiscal boondoggle to me. And with the recent change in the membership of the US House of Repesentatives and Senate, one wonders whether or not anything else will ever launch from there.
This is not a new construction. This is land (and launch pads) leased from the Wallops Island facility. NASA has been launching stuff from there for decades.
Those are illegal. It's just that no one actually cares enough to enforce it.
It's only illegal if you intend to use/distribute them as 'money'. Novelty items are OK.
(Text as of 2/19/02) 18 U.S.C. 331:
Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States;
What's a good inkjet printer for printing on printable CD/DVD media?
Epson R200/220/300/340 series. I have the R300, and can't say anything but good about it. Prints look like it came from the factory. Epson has a refurb R340 at their outlet center for $70.
The F-117 *has* *been* retired, as quietly as it entered service.
No, 2008.
From your first link at af.mil: 10/28/2006 "After 25 years of storied service, the F-117 Nighthawk, the Air Force's first stealth fighter, is about to retire. "
The American military machine, touted as the strongest, most efficient, lethal, modern and advanced, has just got a beating from AK-47 wielding thugs of IRAQ.
Only because of restraint. Unleash the military, and you'd have it mopped up quickly. You'd also have no population left, but that's the choice you make.
The US military (and allies) made quick work of Iraq's military, twice. The police action that has followed this second time is more problematic. But that is not a military problem.
Too many errors in your post, I think it's bullshit.
The F-117 is being retired as of 2008 (instead of 2011). The F-22 replaces some of the F-15's (air superiority role). The F-22 can also perform some ground attack roles with the inception of the 250lb Small Diameter Bomb(SDB). The F-35 replaces some of the F-16/Harrier ground attack missions. The USAF/Reserve/Air Guard will still have a bunch of F-15 and F-16 to go along with the F-22's, and the Navy/Marines will still have a bunch of Harriers to go along with the F-35's.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
The F-22, F-35, and Eurofighter are all more capable than the F-117. The F-22 and F-35 are also more stealthy.
Close air support today means not just small aircrat laying down munitions (rockets and 20MM) from low altitude line of sight, but also B-52's and B-2's dropping JDAMS from 25k'. Or an F-22 or F-16 dropping SDB's from 30+ miles away.
BTW, they are retiring the F-117's to the boneyard in a couple of years.
All the high tech, internet, wireless, broadband hooptie is useless if the neighborhood power goes out for a couple of days. "Hey...here's $200. Keep an eye on the place for a couple of months and water the plants." Turn the water off at the street and turn the heat down.
Why, then, should members of the military behave any differently in their disregard to the objects of their oath?
The President is one person. The military is many, many persons. You have to convince all/most of them to willfully attack US civilians. Can't be done.
Look at Kent State. Even after all the buildup, provocation, and rock throwing, only 29 out of 77 Guard members fired their weapons. A lot fired into the ground or into the air. One third. Had the confrontation gone on any longer, that radical/violent/scared one third would have been decimated by the others.
"Stop, you idiots!"
That is why if the military would most likely assign soldiers to areas that are distant from their hometowns -- to minimize the emotional impact that soldiers would have.
Still won't work. The US population is far too mobile and diverse. Even though I'm from NY, I couldn't bomb or attack Atlanta because I have friends and relatives there. And Cleveland. And Chicago. And even if you could convince the pilots to, you can't convince all the mechanics to not screw things up. And there are many, many ways a 19 year old 2 striper could cause a bomb to not come off the jet.
I can say from experience, the US military is not made up of a bunch of emotionless automatons. From private/airman/seaman to General...Getting all or most of them to bomb Pittsburg or Phoenix would be nigh on impossible. And given the global communications of today, it would be impossible for them to not know that Pittsburg and Phoenix are being bombed.
There are no red and blue states. They are all varying shades of purple.
But to whom do they ultimately pledge allegiance: their countrymen, or the government? To the people they've sworn to defend, or to the people who provide them with their paycheck, their bread, their weapons, and their fellow soldiers, with whom they've each become lifelong "war buddies"?
Come the civil war, I doubt paychecks to the military will be flowing freely. And these "lifelong war buddies", members of their platoon or squadron, come from all over. In the foxhole, you defend your buddy. Even though he comes from Harlem, and you are from SoCal.
Your emotional desire says the former. History and emotionless reasoning suggests the latter.
My 20+ yrs experience in the military also says the former.
One final comment. Who makes and delivers all the spare parts and fuel for the military? Civilians, or military members?
In other words, it's fairly simple to fashion an EMP device. Set several up along a convoy and detonate.
Even easier than that. An army travels on it's stomach. A high tech army also travels on its supply chain.
If I'm a FedEx driver, how likely do you think it would be for me to deliver a truckload of parts, if I know those parts are going into an F-16 that may bomb my house tomorrow?
"Sorry, General. That truckload of spare parts for your jets ended up in the river. About 18' of water."
You'll have a 500 lb bomb dropped from 20,000 feet.
Or a missile fired from an unmanned drone.
You're forgetting the several million of us out here with recent military experience. Extensive, in depth knowledge of how, where and why the military does things. And how to prevent that aircraft from ever leaving the ground.
The mass ownership of guns is one of the leading causes of terror and misery in our society.
Really? How? I am a responsible adult. How does my owning a firearm threaten you in any way? I am not likely to shoot you, on purpose or by accident. The only possible way you might be shot by a firearm in my hands is if you were to threaten me.
Simple solution to the problem. Don't threaten harm to me and mine. It's all up to you.
The US Army does not have enough tanks to cover the contry. If it actually came down to it, you would not have a tank in your neighborhood, but your friendly local cop at your door. And him I can defend against.
Speedometers, fuel gages etc are mechanical,
Not anymore. The speedo reports back to the CPU for the cruise control and other functions.
When as the last time you saw a mechanical fuel gauge?
power steering and anti-lock breaks are unnecessary
Unnecessary only if you don't want to sell any.
and as for automatic transmission, I am neither old, disabled or American so have no use for it.
Even manual trannies report back to the CPU. And then there is the whole ignition/gearshift interlock. Can't start it gear.
Slashdot Mirror
No, this looks like a fiscal boondoggle to me. And with the recent change in the membership of the US House of Repesentatives and Senate, one wonders whether or not anything else will ever launch from there.
This is not a new construction. This is land (and launch pads) leased from the Wallops Island facility. NASA has been launching stuff from there for decades.
Free extra revenue, from people who think that pennies don't matter!
It would be rounded up or down as necessary. $1.02 rounds down to $1.00. $1.07 rounds down to $1.05. $1.08 rounds up to $1.10.
No. The American public is smart enough to know that prices won't get rounded to the nearest five cents...they'll get rounded up.
They're also greedy enough to see that when the register says $1.52, and they only give the cashier $1.50...."Hey, I got away with 2 cents!"
The US military overseas has done away with pennies in all use except the Post Office. Round the register price up or down as needed. Works just fine.
Those are illegal. It's just that no one actually cares enough to enforce it.
It's only illegal if you intend to use/distribute them as 'money'. Novelty items are OK.
(Text as of 2/19/02) 18 U.S.C. 331:
Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States;
What's a good inkjet printer for printing on printable CD/DVD media?
Epson R200/220/300/340 series. I have the R300, and can't say anything but good about it. Prints look like it came from the factory.
Epson has a refurb R340 at their outlet center for $70.
The F-117 *has* *been* retired, as quietly as it entered service.
No, 2008.
From your first link at af.mil:
10/28/2006 "After 25 years of storied service, the F-117 Nighthawk, the Air Force's first stealth fighter, is about to retire. "
"U.S. Senators Pete Domenici and Jeff Bingaman today expressed their disappointment in the Pentagon's plans to retire F-117 stealth fighters based at Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo by FY2008."
why is it important to keep the temperature above a certain point?
Burst pipes, for one. You can drain the system, but you won't get ALL of it out, nor should you.
The American military machine, touted as the strongest, most efficient, lethal, modern and advanced, has just got a beating from AK-47 wielding thugs of IRAQ.
Only because of restraint. Unleash the military, and you'd have it mopped up quickly. You'd also have no population left, but that's the choice you make.
The US military (and allies) made quick work of Iraq's military, twice. The police action that has followed this second time is more problematic. But that is not a military problem.
Too many errors in your post, I think it's bullshit.
The F-117 is being retired as of 2008 (instead of 2011).
The F-22 replaces some of the F-15's (air superiority role). The F-22 can also perform some ground attack roles with the inception of the 250lb Small Diameter Bomb(SDB).
The F-35 replaces some of the F-16/Harrier ground attack missions. The USAF/Reserve/Air Guard will still have a bunch of F-15 and F-16 to go along with the F-22's, and the Navy/Marines will still have a bunch of Harriers to go along with the F-35's.
They are not as stealthy as the current F-117
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
The F-22, F-35, and Eurofighter are all more capable than the F-117. The F-22 and F-35 are also more stealthy.
Close air support today means not just small aircrat laying down munitions (rockets and 20MM) from low altitude line of sight, but also B-52's and B-2's dropping JDAMS from 25k'. Or an F-22 or F-16 dropping SDB's from 30+ miles away.
BTW, they are retiring the F-117's to the boneyard in a couple of years.
My last count was they only wanted 20 and then would "wait and see
They already have 40, and are gearing up for another couple of dozen in Alaska.
All the high tech, internet, wireless, broadband hooptie is useless if the neighborhood power goes out for a couple of days.
"Hey...here's $200. Keep an eye on the place for a couple of months and water the plants." Turn the water off at the street and turn the heat down.
Why, then, should members of the military behave any differently in their disregard to the objects of their oath?
The President is one person. The military is many, many persons. You have to convince all/most of them to willfully attack US civilians. Can't be done.
Look at Kent State. Even after all the buildup, provocation, and rock throwing, only 29 out of 77 Guard members fired their weapons. A lot fired into the ground or into the air. One third. Had the confrontation gone on any longer, that radical/violent/scared one third would have been decimated by the others.
"Stop, you idiots!"
That is why if the military would most likely assign soldiers to areas that are distant from their hometowns -- to minimize the emotional impact that soldiers would have.
Still won't work. The US population is far too mobile and diverse. Even though I'm from NY, I couldn't bomb or attack Atlanta because I have friends and relatives there. And Cleveland. And Chicago. And even if you could convince the pilots to, you can't convince all the mechanics to not screw things up. And there are many, many ways a 19 year old 2 striper could cause a bomb to not come off the jet.
I can say from experience, the US military is not made up of a bunch of emotionless automatons. From private/airman/seaman to General...Getting all or most of them to bomb Pittsburg or Phoenix would be nigh on impossible. And given the global communications of today, it would be impossible for them to not know that Pittsburg and Phoenix are being bombed.
There are no red and blue states. They are all varying shades of purple.
But to whom do they ultimately pledge allegiance: their countrymen, or the government? To the people they've sworn to defend, or to the people who provide them with their paycheck, their bread, their weapons, and their fellow soldiers, with whom they've each become lifelong "war buddies"?
Come the civil war, I doubt paychecks to the military will be flowing freely. And these "lifelong war buddies", members of their platoon or squadron, come from all over. In the foxhole, you defend your buddy. Even though he comes from Harlem, and you are from SoCal.
Your emotional desire says the former. History and emotionless reasoning suggests the latter.
My 20+ yrs experience in the military also says the former.
One final comment. Who makes and delivers all the spare parts and fuel for the military? Civilians, or military members?
In other words, it's fairly simple to fashion an EMP device. Set several up along a convoy and detonate.
Even easier than that. An army travels on it's stomach. A high tech army also travels on its supply chain.
If I'm a FedEx driver, how likely do you think it would be for me to deliver a truckload of parts, if I know those parts are going into an F-16 that may bomb my house tomorrow? "Sorry, General. That truckload of spare parts for your jets ended up in the river. About 18' of water."
For want of a nail...
Computers have no place in cars.
Unless you wish to meet modern standards of fuel economy, emissions, and safety.
You'll have a 500 lb bomb dropped from 20,000 feet.
Or a missile fired from an unmanned drone.
You're forgetting the several million of us out here with recent military experience. Extensive, in depth knowledge of how, where and why the military does things. And how to prevent that aircraft from ever leaving the ground.
So I should trust you, your spouse and your children based on this single post on slashdot?
You trust me not to mow you down with my car, right?
The mass ownership of guns is one of the leading causes of terror and misery in our society.
Really? How?
I am a responsible adult. How does my owning a firearm threaten you in any way? I am not likely to shoot you, on purpose or by accident. The only possible way you might be shot by a firearm in my hands is if you were to threaten me.
Simple solution to the problem. Don't threaten harm to me and mine. It's all up to you.
How many tanks do you and your neighbors own?
The US Army does not have enough tanks to cover the contry. If it actually came down to it, you would not have a tank in your neighborhood, but your friendly local cop at your door. And him I can defend against.
Speedometers, fuel gages etc are mechanical, Not anymore. The speedo reports back to the CPU for the cruise control and other functions. When as the last time you saw a mechanical fuel gauge? power steering and anti-lock breaks are unnecessary Unnecessary only if you don't want to sell any. and as for automatic transmission, I am neither old, disabled or American so have no use for it. Even manual trannies report back to the CPU. And then there is the whole ignition/gearshift interlock. Can't start it gear.
Personally, I spend about AUS$40 a month on a plan that gives me huge amounts of calls and SMSs.
From VirginMobile, about $45US gets you unlimited nights/weekends, 1000 anytime, on a $30 phone. Not so much different.
I 5th that. I recently got two from VM, and it is VERY inexpensive, if you don't use it a lot.
I can count the apples without using all of my fingers on one hand
July 5, 2004 "With the announcement that it is providing 1,566 servers to an Army supercomputer project, Apple Computer Inc. is making a move..."