All Things News

Straight from Slashdot: “NOVA’s recent documentary, “Astrospies,” was written and co-produced by journalist and NSA expert, James Bamford. It details the U.S. Air Force’s orbiting spy station program begun in the 1960s, the Manned Orbital Laboratory. Designed from a heavily modified Gemini 2 capsule and launched from a Titan III booster rocket, MOL was basically intended to be a Hubble telescope pointed at Earth with the sole intention of collecting photo intelligence on the Soviets using an impressive array of optics and gyro balanced cameras operated onboard by specially trained astronauts. The lab was never launched, however, due to the competing Corona unmanned spy satellite program funded by NASA and the National Reconnaissance Office. Partly spurred by the success of the Apollo missions, the Soviets, meanwhile, sent cosmonauts to its own succesfully launched spy platform, the Almaz. In addition to an onboard film lab and a space-to-ground image relay system, it included an alarming first in manned space exploration; a 23mm aircraft cannon — which is rather ironic in light of Russia and China’s recent attempts to ban space weaponry. At a time when we’re still unearthing details about the post 9/11 domestic spying debacle, it’s a fascinating look at the history of technology used to look over our neighbors’ fences.”

Straight from Slashdot: “In an interview with the Star-Telegram, the Air Force’s chief scientist, Mark Lewis, talks about the USAF’s latest research direction. The service is working on hypersonic missile and bombers for the purposes of reconnaissance and attack. In response to Chinese and Russian anti-satellite developments, the Air Force plans to develop weapons capable of sustained travel at Mach 6 to allow them to deploy against and take out anti-satellite launch sites before the enemy can fire their missiles. Furthermore, should the US spy satellite network be brought down, the Mach 6 recon flight systems would be capable of filling in. Air Force officials hope to deploy a new interim bomber by 2018, followed by a more advanced, and possibly unmanned, bomber in 2035.”

Straight from Slashdot: “The Department of Justice has announced the indictment of former Boeing engineer Dongfan Chung on charges of economic espionage in the theft of company trade secrets relating to the Space Shuttle, the C-17 military transport aircraft, and the Delta IV rocket. Chung is a native of China and a naturalized US citizen. According to the indictment, Chinese aviation industry representatives began sending Chung ‘tasking’ letters as early as 1979. Over the years, the letters directed Chung to collect specific technological information, including data related to the Space Shuttle and various military and civilian aircraft. Chung allegedly responded in one letter indicating a desire to contribute to the ‘motherland,’ the DOJ said. It was not immediately clear how much, if any, damage the alleged espionage did to US national security but DOJ officials said the cases reflect the determination of the Chinese government to penetrate US intelligence and obtain vital national defense secrets. ‘Today’s prosecution demonstrates that foreign spying remains a serious threat in the post-Cold War world,’ said Kenneth L. Wainstein, Assistant Attorney General for National Security”

Straight from the Debka File: “DEBKAfile’s military sources report that Imad Fayez Mughniyeh, the Hizballah’s supreme commander and plotter of major anti-US and anti-Israel terror operations in the last 25 years reportedly died in a car bomb explosion in the Damascus district of Tanzim Kafr Susa Tuesday night, Feb. 12.

Hizballah TV interrupted its broadcasts Wednesday to announce his death, accusing Israel of assassination. Hizballah TV interrupted its broadcasts Wednesday to announce his death, accusing Israel of assassination. Its leaders are conferring in Beirut on how to retaliate. Special security imposed at Israeli embassies and Jewish centers worldwide.

The Iranian News Agency reports that Haj Hussein Khalil, the Hizballah’s deputy for political affairs was killed in the same explosion.

Hassan Nasrallah will eulogize the dead man at his funeral in Beirut Thursday by video link. Beirut is already tense since the funeral falls on the third anniversary of the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.”

Straight from Fox News: “TEHRAN, Iran — President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad struck a defiant tone Monday on the 29th anniversary of the Islamic revolution, vowing not to slow Iran’s nuclear program and announcing plans to launch more rockets into space as part of its drive to orbit a domestic satellite.

Like Iran’s nuclear activities, the country’s space program has provoked unease abroad because the same technology needed to send satellites into space can be used to deliver warheads.

Iranian officials insist both the space and nuclear programs are intended for peaceful purposes, and Ahmadinejad rallied Iranians against U.N. Security Council demands that Iran stop enriching uranium.

“I ask the people’s view. Would you agree if I … gave in, surrendered or compromised over the nuclear issue? Would you agree to give up one iota of your nuclear rights?” Ahmadinejad asked hundreds of thousands at a gathering in the capital.

The crowd chanted in response: “No!” and “Nuclear energy is our definite right.”"

Straight from LGF: “Barack Obama won’t wear an American flag on his lapel, but on the wall of his Houston campaign office: a Cuban flag with a picture of Communist mass murderer Che Guevara. (Click picture for video.)

And that flag is no fluke. Here’s another one. (Click picture for video, as again the Houston news anchors don’t even notice the big image of Che Guevara staring them in the face.)”

It looks as though we may never see another NFL2K game…

Straight from Joystiq: “Those hoping to get their NFL gaming fix from anywhere other than EA anytime soon are apparently in for a long wait: EA revealed today that it had extended its exclusive contract with the organization until the end of the 2012 season, which falls in February of 2013. A similar deal was also made with the NFL players association.

If you had been anxiously praying for the return of NFL2K, we’d be willing to bet that’s never going to happen, as by 2013, we’re fairly sure football will be played on the moon with jet packs, and our Earth laws will no longer apply. But take heart, Peter Moore says that EA won’t be marking the 2008 20th anniversary of the game with just any Madden year. No, it’s going to be above and beyond. Wait … you mean you’re rewarding our $60 with genuine effort put into the product? Just for us? Oh, Pete, you shouldn’t have.”

Straight from Ars Technica: “…back in 1986, the combination of an Amiga and Deluxe Paint was unbeatable. While Adobe’s Photoshop on the Macintosh platform would eventually become the standard tool for creating two-dimensional graphic images, the Mac was still a monochrome-only computer at this point, and the PC could barely manage four colors even with a CGA graphics card. Again, the Amiga was ahead of its time. The cover art for the Deluxe Paint II box featured an image of Tutankhamen that had been created inside the program itself. This image quickly became an iconic picture in the computer graphics industry. Even Commodore recognized the power of Deluxe Paint, using the Tutankhamen image on a new full-page ad that—finally!—stated the Amiga’s advantages outright.”

You can find the other parts to this story here:

A history of the Amiga, part 1: Genesis

A history of the Amiga, part 2: The birth of Amiga

A history of the Amiga, part 3: The first prototype

A history of the Amiga, part 4: Enter Commodore

A history of the Amiga, part 5: Postlaunch Blues