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unhappycamper
unhappycamper's Journal
unhappycamper's Journal
February 25, 2013
Autonomous weapons’, which could be ready within a decade, pose grave risk to international law, claim activists
Activists launch campaign against ‘autonomous weapons’: Killer robots must be stopped
By Tracy McVeigh, The Observer
Sunday, February 24, 2013 0:25 EST
A new global campaign to persuade nations to ban “killer robots” before they reach the production stage is to be launched in the UK by a group of academics, pressure groups and Nobel peace prize laureates.
Robot warfare and autonomous weapons, the next step from unmanned drones, are already being worked on by scientists and will be available within the decade, said Dr Noel Sharkey, a leading robotics and artificial intelligence expert and professor at Sheffield University. He believes that development of the weapons is taking place in an effectively unregulated environment, with little attention being paid to moral implications and international law.
The Stop the Killer Robots campaign will be launched in April at the House of Commons and includes many of the groups that successfully campaigned to have international action taken against cluster bombs and landmines. They hope to get a similar global treaty against autonomous weapons.
“These things are not science fiction; they are well into development,” said Sharkey. “The research wing of the Pentagon in the US is working on the X47B (unmanned plane @ $200+ million dollars) which has supersonic twists and turns with a G-force that no human being could manage, a craft which would take autonomous armed combat anywhere in the planet.
(UK) Activists launch campaign against ‘autonomous weapons’: Killer robots must be stopped
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/02/24/activists-launch-campaign-against-autonomous-weapons-killer-robots-must-be-stopped/Autonomous weapons’, which could be ready within a decade, pose grave risk to international law, claim activists
Activists launch campaign against ‘autonomous weapons’: Killer robots must be stopped
By Tracy McVeigh, The Observer
Sunday, February 24, 2013 0:25 EST
A new global campaign to persuade nations to ban “killer robots” before they reach the production stage is to be launched in the UK by a group of academics, pressure groups and Nobel peace prize laureates.
Robot warfare and autonomous weapons, the next step from unmanned drones, are already being worked on by scientists and will be available within the decade, said Dr Noel Sharkey, a leading robotics and artificial intelligence expert and professor at Sheffield University. He believes that development of the weapons is taking place in an effectively unregulated environment, with little attention being paid to moral implications and international law.
The Stop the Killer Robots campaign will be launched in April at the House of Commons and includes many of the groups that successfully campaigned to have international action taken against cluster bombs and landmines. They hope to get a similar global treaty against autonomous weapons.
“These things are not science fiction; they are well into development,” said Sharkey. “The research wing of the Pentagon in the US is working on the X47B (unmanned plane @ $200+ million dollars) which has supersonic twists and turns with a G-force that no human being could manage, a craft which would take autonomous armed combat anywhere in the planet.
February 24, 2013
Men say their breast cancer was caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:26 PM EST
By Ami Schmitz and Kristina Krohn
Mike Partain got the shock of his life five years ago when he was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39. That he got breast cancer at all is surprising. It's so rare that for every 100 women who get it, just one man will.
“Five years ago I was just an ordinary father of four, husband of 18 years. And one night, my then-wife gave me a hug and she felt a bump on my chest,” he said in an interview with Dr. Nancy Snyderman airing tonight at 10pm/9CT on NBC News’ Rock Center with Brian Williams.
When his doctor delivered the devastating news in a phone call, Partain’s first thought was, “What contest in hell did I win to deserve this?”
After his diagnosis, Partain was desperate to answer the question, “why”? He said, “I don't drink. I don't smoke. I've never done drugs. There is no history of breast cancer in my family.”
Men say their breast cancer was caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
http://rockcenter.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/22/17059795-men-say-their-breast-cancer-was-caused-by-contaminated-water-at-camp-lejeune?liteMen say their breast cancer was caused by contaminated water at Camp Lejeune
Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:26 PM EST
By Ami Schmitz and Kristina Krohn
Mike Partain got the shock of his life five years ago when he was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 39. That he got breast cancer at all is surprising. It's so rare that for every 100 women who get it, just one man will.
“Five years ago I was just an ordinary father of four, husband of 18 years. And one night, my then-wife gave me a hug and she felt a bump on my chest,” he said in an interview with Dr. Nancy Snyderman airing tonight at 10pm/9CT on NBC News’ Rock Center with Brian Williams.
When his doctor delivered the devastating news in a phone call, Partain’s first thought was, “What contest in hell did I win to deserve this?”
After his diagnosis, Partain was desperate to answer the question, “why”? He said, “I don't drink. I don't smoke. I've never done drugs. There is no history of breast cancer in my family.”
February 24, 2013
Passengers skeptical about new date for 787's Denver-Tokyo flight
By Kristen Leigh Painter
The Denver Post
Posted: 02/24/2013 12:01:00 AM MST
United Airlines' announcement that it is postponing until mid-May the first Denver-to-Tokyo flight aboard Boeing Co.'s troubled 787 provided customers with a much-anticipated contingency plan. But experts — as well as the consumers — still question if the date is realistic and dependable.
The plane has been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration for more than a month after two aircraft battery fires. Boeing has proposed a fix that could return the aircraft to service by April at the earliest.
"If I were a betting man, and I am, I would put very low odds on the May 12 date happening," said passenger Michael Rubiano of the San Francisco Bay area. "There's no faith in the date because it's just a guessing game."
Rubiano is a self-professed "aviation geek" who had booked himself, his wife and two kids on the March 31 inaugural flight from Denver for a spring break trip — for the novelty. He no longer plans to take his family on the trip and is unsure he will fly on the new inaugural date, May 12.
Passengers skeptical about new date for 787's Denver-Tokyo flight
http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_22651592/passengers-skeptical-about-new-date-787s-denver-tokyoPassengers skeptical about new date for 787's Denver-Tokyo flight
By Kristen Leigh Painter
The Denver Post
Posted: 02/24/2013 12:01:00 AM MST
United Airlines' announcement that it is postponing until mid-May the first Denver-to-Tokyo flight aboard Boeing Co.'s troubled 787 provided customers with a much-anticipated contingency plan. But experts — as well as the consumers — still question if the date is realistic and dependable.
The plane has been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration for more than a month after two aircraft battery fires. Boeing has proposed a fix that could return the aircraft to service by April at the earliest.
"If I were a betting man, and I am, I would put very low odds on the May 12 date happening," said passenger Michael Rubiano of the San Francisco Bay area. "There's no faith in the date because it's just a guessing game."
Rubiano is a self-professed "aviation geek" who had booked himself, his wife and two kids on the March 31 inaugural flight from Denver for a spring break trip — for the novelty. He no longer plans to take his family on the trip and is unsure he will fly on the new inaugural date, May 12.
February 24, 2013
Military contractors look for commercial uses
By KRISTEN LEIGH PAINTER The Denver Post
Posted: 02/23/2013 01:24:43 PM MST
Updated: 02/23/2013 01:24:43 PM MST
DENVER—The world watched earlier this month as President Barack Obama announced at the State of the Union address plans to withdraw 34,000 of the 66,000 troops remaining in Afghanistan by next year. Also this month, Skydex Technologies released its new footwear for commercial use from a quiet Centennial business park.
The two events may seem entirely unrelated, but as the United States continues drawing down troop levels in volatile regions abroad, private U.S. companies such as Skydex that have depended on military engagement for revenues are looking for new commercial applications.
Deployment levels of U.S. troops in Afghanistan have consistently dropped from a peak of 100,000 troops in 2011 and are expected to range from zero to a maximum of 15,000 by the end of 2014. This comes on the heels of a full withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 after peaking at 168,000 in 2007.
Skydex, makers of blast-absorbing floor decking in mine-resistant personnel carriers, relies on military contracts for about 90 percent of its income and the commercial market for the remaining 10 percent. By mid-2014, the company projects a 50-50 split. Its new shoe, designed for bootcamp-style workouts is the first step in this evolution.
Military contractors look for commercial uses
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22654317/military-contractors-look-commercial-usesMilitary contractors look for commercial uses
By KRISTEN LEIGH PAINTER The Denver Post
Posted: 02/23/2013 01:24:43 PM MST
Updated: 02/23/2013 01:24:43 PM MST
DENVER—The world watched earlier this month as President Barack Obama announced at the State of the Union address plans to withdraw 34,000 of the 66,000 troops remaining in Afghanistan by next year. Also this month, Skydex Technologies released its new footwear for commercial use from a quiet Centennial business park.
The two events may seem entirely unrelated, but as the United States continues drawing down troop levels in volatile regions abroad, private U.S. companies such as Skydex that have depended on military engagement for revenues are looking for new commercial applications.
Deployment levels of U.S. troops in Afghanistan have consistently dropped from a peak of 100,000 troops in 2011 and are expected to range from zero to a maximum of 15,000 by the end of 2014. This comes on the heels of a full withdrawal from Iraq in 2011 after peaking at 168,000 in 2007.
Skydex, makers of blast-absorbing floor decking in mine-resistant personnel carriers, relies on military contracts for about 90 percent of its income and the commercial market for the remaining 10 percent. By mid-2014, the company projects a 50-50 split. Its new shoe, designed for bootcamp-style workouts is the first step in this evolution.
February 24, 2013
United Arab Emirates reaches deal to buy unarmed Predator drones
By. W.J. Hennigan
February 22, 2013, 12:47 p.m.
California-based General Atomics Aeronautical System Inc. said Friday it has struck a deal to sell unarmed Predator drones to the United Arab Emirates military.
The agreement would mark the first time a non-NATO country has obtained the American-made technology that’s reshaped modern warfare.
The deal has drawn scrutiny from critics who worry about the technology falling into terrorists’ hands or being used by governments against their own citizens.
Under the proposed sale, revealed this week at a defense conference in Abu Dhabi and confirmed Friday, General Atomics, of Poway, Calif., will sell an undisclosed number of the robotic aircraft to the UAE armed forces for $197 million.
unhappycamper comment: And Raytheon will be happy to sell them Hellfire missiles.
United Arab Emirates reaches deal to buy unarmed Predator drones
http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-predator-uae-20130222,0,3067564.storyUnited Arab Emirates reaches deal to buy unarmed Predator drones
By. W.J. Hennigan
February 22, 2013, 12:47 p.m.
California-based General Atomics Aeronautical System Inc. said Friday it has struck a deal to sell unarmed Predator drones to the United Arab Emirates military.
The agreement would mark the first time a non-NATO country has obtained the American-made technology that’s reshaped modern warfare.
The deal has drawn scrutiny from critics who worry about the technology falling into terrorists’ hands or being used by governments against their own citizens.
Under the proposed sale, revealed this week at a defense conference in Abu Dhabi and confirmed Friday, General Atomics, of Poway, Calif., will sell an undisclosed number of the robotic aircraft to the UAE armed forces for $197 million.
unhappycamper comment: And Raytheon will be happy to sell them Hellfire missiles.
February 24, 2013
Almost half a billion dollars 'worth' of F-35s
Flawed F-35 Fighter Too Big to Kill as Lockheed Hooks 45 States
By Kathleen Miller, Tony Capaccio and Danielle Ivory on February 22, 2013
The Pentagon envisioned the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as an affordable, state-of-the-art stealth jet serving three military branches and U.S. allies.
Instead, the Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) aircraft has been plagued by a costly redesign, bulkhead cracks, too much weight, and delays to essential software that have helped put it seven years behind schedule and 70 percent over its initial cost estimate. At almost $400 billion, it's the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history.
It is also the defense project too big to kill. The F-35 funnels business to a global network of contractors that includes Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) and Kongsberg Gruppen ASA of Norway. It counts 1,300 suppliers in 45 states supporting 133,000 jobs -- and more in nine other countries, according to Lockheed. The F-35 is an example of how large weapons programs can plow ahead amid questions about their strategic necessity and their failure to arrive on time and on budget.
"It's got a lot of political protection," said Winslow Wheeler, a director at the Project on Government Oversight's Center for Defense Information in Washington. "In that environment, very, very few members of Congress are willing to say this is an unaffordable dog and we need to get rid of it."
Bloomberg: Flawed F-35 Fighter Too Big to Kill as Lockheed Hooks 45 States
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-02-21/flawed-f-35-fighter-too-big-to-kill-as-lockheed-hooks-45-statesAlmost half a billion dollars 'worth' of F-35s
Flawed F-35 Fighter Too Big to Kill as Lockheed Hooks 45 States
By Kathleen Miller, Tony Capaccio and Danielle Ivory on February 22, 2013
The Pentagon envisioned the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as an affordable, state-of-the-art stealth jet serving three military branches and U.S. allies.
Instead, the Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) aircraft has been plagued by a costly redesign, bulkhead cracks, too much weight, and delays to essential software that have helped put it seven years behind schedule and 70 percent over its initial cost estimate. At almost $400 billion, it's the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history.
It is also the defense project too big to kill. The F-35 funnels business to a global network of contractors that includes Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) and Kongsberg Gruppen ASA of Norway. It counts 1,300 suppliers in 45 states supporting 133,000 jobs -- and more in nine other countries, according to Lockheed. The F-35 is an example of how large weapons programs can plow ahead amid questions about their strategic necessity and their failure to arrive on time and on budget.
"It's got a lot of political protection," said Winslow Wheeler, a director at the Project on Government Oversight's Center for Defense Information in Washington. "In that environment, very, very few members of Congress are willing to say this is an unaffordable dog and we need to get rid of it."
February 24, 2013
FAA warns it won't rush to approve Boeing's proposed 787 fix
By DOMINIC GATES | The Seattle Times
Posted on Friday, February 22, 2013
SEATTLE — The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it received a formal proposal from Boeing to fix the lithium-ion battery problems in the 787 Dreamliners and "will analyze it closely."
But the agency indicated it won't rush to get the Dreamliners back in the air despite the crisis that the grounding of the planes has brought to Boeing and its customers.
"The safety of the flying public is our top priority, and we won't allow the 787 to return to commercial service until we're confident that any proposed solution has addressed the battery failure risks," said an FAA statement.
The Dreamliners have been grounded since mid-January after two battery failures caused a battery fire in a jet on the ground in Boston and then a smoldering battery on a flight in Japan.
FAA warns it won't rush to approve Boeing's proposed 787 fix
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/02/22/183959/faa-warns-it-wont-rush-to-approve.htmlFAA warns it won't rush to approve Boeing's proposed 787 fix
By DOMINIC GATES | The Seattle Times
Posted on Friday, February 22, 2013
SEATTLE — The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it received a formal proposal from Boeing to fix the lithium-ion battery problems in the 787 Dreamliners and "will analyze it closely."
But the agency indicated it won't rush to get the Dreamliners back in the air despite the crisis that the grounding of the planes has brought to Boeing and its customers.
"The safety of the flying public is our top priority, and we won't allow the 787 to return to commercial service until we're confident that any proposed solution has addressed the battery failure risks," said an FAA statement.
The Dreamliners have been grounded since mid-January after two battery failures caused a battery fire in a jet on the ground in Boston and then a smoldering battery on a flight in Japan.
February 24, 2013
The Draft: A War-Killer
Saturday, 23 February 2013 10:53 By Thom Hartmann, The Daily Take | Op-Ed
Next month marks the tenth anniversary of the beginning of our war in Iraq. It's been ten years since alleged war criminals, including Bush and Cheney, knowingly used lies to send our men and women to war . As a result of those lies, over the past decade, thousands of American men and women have died, tens of thousands are wounded, over a hundred thousand Iraqi human beings are dead, and over 15 million have had their lives ripped apart.
So, the question: Would we still be in Iraq today – or even have gone to war with Iraq – if there was a military draft in this country?
Look at our involvements in past wars. From the Civil War to World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and even Vietnam, the United States had a military draft - and those wars were all far shorter than the Iraq debacle.
Coincidence? I think not...
The Draft: A War-Killer
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/14742-the-draft-a-war-killerThe Draft: A War-Killer
Saturday, 23 February 2013 10:53 By Thom Hartmann, The Daily Take | Op-Ed
Next month marks the tenth anniversary of the beginning of our war in Iraq. It's been ten years since alleged war criminals, including Bush and Cheney, knowingly used lies to send our men and women to war . As a result of those lies, over the past decade, thousands of American men and women have died, tens of thousands are wounded, over a hundred thousand Iraqi human beings are dead, and over 15 million have had their lives ripped apart.
So, the question: Would we still be in Iraq today – or even have gone to war with Iraq – if there was a military draft in this country?
Look at our involvements in past wars. From the Civil War to World Wars I and II, the Korean War, and even Vietnam, the United States had a military draft - and those wars were all far shorter than the Iraq debacle.
Coincidence? I think not...
February 24, 2013
Judge grants access to secret Guantanamo camp
AP / February 21, 2013
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The judge presiding over the Sept. 11 war crimes tribunal is allowing defense lawyers their first chance to see the secret section of the Guantanamo Bay prison where the accused are held.
Army Col. James Pohl granted the defense teams less access to Camp 7 than requested. Lawyers for the five prisoners facing a military tribunal for their roles in the Sept. 11 attacks wanted to spend 48 hours inside the camp. They also wanted multiple visits.
Pohl ruled that three members of each team can visit once, for no more than 12 continuous hours.
He barred them from interviewing guards.
unhappycamper comment: Gitmo is one of our gulags that needs to be closed, much the same as our terrorist training camp in Ga., formerly known as the School of the Americas.
Judge grants access to secret Guantanamo camp
http://www.boston.com/news/world/caribbean/2013/02/21/judge-grants-access-secret-guantanamo-camp/IpH2JRXwSLqJ4k9zpAJAWJ/story.htmlJudge grants access to secret Guantanamo camp
AP / February 21, 2013
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The judge presiding over the Sept. 11 war crimes tribunal is allowing defense lawyers their first chance to see the secret section of the Guantanamo Bay prison where the accused are held.
Army Col. James Pohl granted the defense teams less access to Camp 7 than requested. Lawyers for the five prisoners facing a military tribunal for their roles in the Sept. 11 attacks wanted to spend 48 hours inside the camp. They also wanted multiple visits.
Pohl ruled that three members of each team can visit once, for no more than 12 continuous hours.
He barred them from interviewing guards.
unhappycamper comment: Gitmo is one of our gulags that needs to be closed, much the same as our terrorist training camp in Ga., formerly known as the School of the Americas.
February 24, 2013
We Could All End Up Like Bradley Manning – Marking 1000 Days in Detention
by Erin Niemela
Published on Saturday, February 23, 2013 by Common Dreams
“I wouldn’t want to end up like Bradley Manning.” Those words were the beginning of an outpouring this week by an associate of mine who claimed to have experienced government and corporate corruption that many only read about in alternative media reports. I sat for hours listening to stories of unbridled corruption on the taxpayer’s dime, conspiratorial advances of arms industries into consumer markets, sexually predatory behaviors deemed an acceptable part of institutional culture, and a resulting pessimistic world perspective that would make a seasoned peace activist cringe.
Having ostensibly had higher security access than common America, yet not nearly as open access as either our high-ranking politicians, our official military personnel, or some war-contracting corporate executives, my associate’s proclaimed experiences were tame in comparison to what’s likely happening at the very top, he explained. Although he felt morally inclined to report the abuses, he insisted he didn’t want to “end up like Bradley Manning.”
Among notable whistleblowers, Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, on suspicion of leaking diplomatic cables, war logs and video footage of civilian murders by American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan to Wikileaks, remains a steadfast example of what happens when one blows the whistle on the American government. So, how did Bradley Manning end up? What would my associate so desperately wish to avoid?
~snip~
We are living in an America where front-page headlines squawk of FBI sexting and CIA prostitution scandals, secret drone kill lists and indefinite detention bills. Completely ending government abuse and corruption is, of course, incredibly important. Until that dream is realized, we can at least take care of those fellow citizens who, feeling just as betrayed by those “in charge” as we are, have the integrity to identify wrongdoing and the courage to speak out. We can at least, in addition to upholding whistleblower protections and our constitutional rights, make certain that we care for such people and their families. Heroes and hero-enablers, respectively. We must yearn for an America where citizens are not afraid to report abuse for fear of “ending up” betrayed, enmified and isolated for 1,000 days―with the possibility of decades in a military prison cell, something we would rightly scorn and label tyrannical if done by North Korea or Cuba.
We Could All End Up Like Bradley Manning – Marking 1000 Days in Detention
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/02/23-2We Could All End Up Like Bradley Manning – Marking 1000 Days in Detention
by Erin Niemela
Published on Saturday, February 23, 2013 by Common Dreams
“I wouldn’t want to end up like Bradley Manning.” Those words were the beginning of an outpouring this week by an associate of mine who claimed to have experienced government and corporate corruption that many only read about in alternative media reports. I sat for hours listening to stories of unbridled corruption on the taxpayer’s dime, conspiratorial advances of arms industries into consumer markets, sexually predatory behaviors deemed an acceptable part of institutional culture, and a resulting pessimistic world perspective that would make a seasoned peace activist cringe.
Having ostensibly had higher security access than common America, yet not nearly as open access as either our high-ranking politicians, our official military personnel, or some war-contracting corporate executives, my associate’s proclaimed experiences were tame in comparison to what’s likely happening at the very top, he explained. Although he felt morally inclined to report the abuses, he insisted he didn’t want to “end up like Bradley Manning.”
Among notable whistleblowers, Army Pvt. Bradley Manning, on suspicion of leaking diplomatic cables, war logs and video footage of civilian murders by American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan to Wikileaks, remains a steadfast example of what happens when one blows the whistle on the American government. So, how did Bradley Manning end up? What would my associate so desperately wish to avoid?
~snip~
We are living in an America where front-page headlines squawk of FBI sexting and CIA prostitution scandals, secret drone kill lists and indefinite detention bills. Completely ending government abuse and corruption is, of course, incredibly important. Until that dream is realized, we can at least take care of those fellow citizens who, feeling just as betrayed by those “in charge” as we are, have the integrity to identify wrongdoing and the courage to speak out. We can at least, in addition to upholding whistleblower protections and our constitutional rights, make certain that we care for such people and their families. Heroes and hero-enablers, respectively. We must yearn for an America where citizens are not afraid to report abuse for fear of “ending up” betrayed, enmified and isolated for 1,000 days―with the possibility of decades in a military prison cell, something we would rightly scorn and label tyrannical if done by North Korea or Cuba.
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