<>A minor design. What is it, designed by whom, when. I’ll keep it going till mid next week or so.
The winnings: $15 worth of APR and/or Drawings & Documents downloads.
Jul 102009
Jul 102009
One of the great glories of the American system is that the Constitution recognizes that scumbags have the right to publicize their scumbaggery. Unpopular speech, even truly dumbass unpopular speech, is and should be protected; only when speech rises to the level of intentionally inciting violence should it be restrained. But the European systems of governance disagree. Pro-Nazi or anti-Jewish speech, for example, is banned in Germany; while this is a clear violation of the concept of free speech, it is at least understandable. But Britain *also* has such whackjob laws, as demonstrated here:
Pair jailed for web race crimes
Simon Sheppard, 51, of Selby in North Yorkshire, received four years and 10 months, and Stephen Whittle, 42, of Preston, two years and four months.
The men printed leaflets and controlled US websites featuring racist material. …
The men were charged with publishing and distributing racially inflammatory material, and possessing racially inflammatory material with a view to distribution. …
Judge Rodney Grant told the men their material was “abusive and insulting” and had the potential to cause “grave social harm”.
He added: “Such offences as these have, by their very nature, the potential to cause grave social harm, particularly in a society such as ours which has, for a number of years now, been multi-racial.
These two yahoos apparently distributed holocaust-denial rubbish. No evidence was given, at least in this article, that they were advocating violence; just historical lies and racist rubbish. And for this they’ve been sentenced to years in prison. As for the potential to cause “grave social harm,” I’ll note that it is perfectly legal to publish Holocaust denial nonsense in the US, and yet I’d wager that Jews in the US are probably as safe or safer than Jews in Europe.
I will also note the asymmetrical response to religious intolerance. These two chuckleheads were prosecuted. How about these idjits:
The measure of a wise society is not how far it will go to force people to not say offensive things. The measure is how well it *tolerates* offensive things. What the world needs is not more sensitivity… but more insensitivity. Do not arrest those who say stupid things (“The Holocaust was a hoax,” “Evolution is a lie,” “Islam will dominate the world,” “Socialism is a good idea,” “Gun control works,” etc.) . Instead… point at them and laugh. Laugh out loud. Laugh hard and long. Mock them mercilessly. Wave bacon at them, if that’s what’ll drive ’em bonkers. It’s only when violence is advocated (“Behead those who insult Islam,” etc.) that the cops should go in Tasers a’blazin’ and arrest people and put them on trial.
“You are too weak to live with freedom.” If you agree with that concept, then, great, support speech codes and anti-racism laws and “hate crime” legislation. Otherwise… laugh at these jackholes, and demand that your government support freedom rather than sensitivity.
Jul 102009
One of the great claims that the Obama administration promised was “transparency.” From the White House website, we can read:
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.
Government should be transparent. Transparency promotes accountability and provides information for citizens about what their Government is doing. Information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset. My Administration will take appropriate action, consistent with law and policy, to disclose information rapidly in forms that the public can readily find and use. Executive departments and agencies should harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online and readily available to the public. Executive departments and agencies should also solicit public feedback to identify information of greatest use to the public.
Wow. Sounds great, doesn’t it? But then comes the reality of “transparency” in the Obama regime:
‘Put nothing in writing,’ Browner told auto execs on secret White House CAFE talks
Carol Browner, former Clinton administration EPA head and current Obama White House climate czar, instructed auto industry execs “to put nothing in writing, ever” regarding secret negotiations she orchestrated regarding a deal to increase federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.
Jul 102009
Yet another Hiller museum wall hanger, this time showing a canard airliner with pusher turboprops (of the aft-fan variety). The artwork gave no indication of who produced it, but since pretty much everything else there was Boeing, this probably is as well. The cockpit and generally smallish size of the fuselage makes me think that this might be a mutant 757. Dates from 1987.
Jul 102009
At the G8 summit, Obama and Sarkozy were photographed apparently checking out the keister of a female delegate. Seeing the photograph, it’s not hard to figure out why:
Now, for the good part. The keister in question belongs to Mayora Tavares of Brazil.
Oh, and she’s 16… so if you looked at her keister as well, you’re clearly a perv.
Video if the incident has finally come to light which casts doubt on whether on not Obama was actually ogling Mayora. To me it’s fifty-fifty on Obama. But Sarkozy… oh, yeah, he’s focussed in on that backside like a laserbeam.
Of course, Sarkozy is hardly the only world leader to point his peepers at the local womenfolk…
And this was not Sarkozy & Obama’s only opportunity at this G-8 meeting:
Take a look at Sarkozy’s face. Haw!
Now, notice that Sarkozy seems to take a gleeful attitude towards admiring the female form, while Obama seems to show no joy. Why might this be? Well, there’s always “culture;” the stereotype of Frenchmen would have it that this sort of thing is perfectly acceptable, while Americans are puritanical about such things. But there’s also something else to consider… these men know they are being watched. And why might that have an effect?
On the left is Sarkozy’s wife; on the right is she whom Obama must go home to. Would *you* want to be caught publicly admiring another woman if you had to explain yourself to her?
Jul 082009
After 0bama’s snubs of Britain, it seems he’s expanding his range of European leaders he’s trying to annoy.
Good to see you? The moment Obama ignores Berlusconi’s handshake at G8 summit
It might not have been the best start for the host of the G8 summit. Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi offered his hand to Barack Obama, only for the U.S. President to carry on walking and seemingly ignore it.
Obama was arriving for the traditional family picture on the first day of the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy.
Berlusconi attempted to greet the U.S. President as he arrived but Obama walked off leaving the Italian’s hand empty.
<> 
This is perhaps a case of a simple mistake or misinterpretation. But Barky seems to have *lot* of those.
Jul 082009
Wow. This from the Mail Online:
More than one million jobless Britons have been living off state handouts for more than 12 years, it has emerged.
A hardcore army of unemployed have failed to find any sort of work since Labour came to power in 1997.
The true scale of the crisis has been laid bare by figures which break down for the first time the length of time people have been out of work.
A further 1.9million have been on benefits for seven years or more, according to the Department of Work and Pensions.
The 1.1million unemployed since 1997 amounts to more than a fifth of the 5.2million currently claiming out-of-work benefits.
Is it really in society’s best interest to permanently support the unproductive? It’s one thing to be hospitable to those in need. It’s quite another to force taxpayers to support parasites. This has been known for a very long time:
The tactful guest will take his leave Early,
not linger long:
He starts to stink who outstays his welcome
In a hall that is not his own.
A small hut of one’s own is better,
A man is his master at home:
A couple of goats and a corded roof
Still are better than begging.
A small hut of one’s own is better,
A man is his master at home:
His heart bleeds in the beggar who must
Ask at each meal for meat.
The Havamal
Many hundreds of years later, this was boiled down somewhat:
Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.
Benjamin Franklin
Franklin specified three days; the Havamal leaves it a little more vague… “linger long.” Might be more than three days. But I’m pretty sure that twelve fricken’ years is just a wee bit too long.
Jul 082009
Just about finished with the scale drawings for the next issue. Here are the head-on views…
Jul 082009
Another bit of art from the Hiller museum wall. This one shows an early 1970’s Boeing concept for a high-speed jetliner. Drag at transonic speeds would be reduced by taking area ruling to an extreme new level. The basic configuration was not unique to Boeing… Lockheed and Convair also studied nearly identical planes (ISTR that this basic configuration was a NASA-Langley concept). In the days after the 1973 oil crisis, reduced drag meant lower fuel use which meant lower cost. But the cost of manufacturing such a convoluted fuselage far outweighed the fuel cost benefits, so the idea died. The basic notion returned for Boeing “Sonic Cruiser,” which was a more “SST-like” configuration… but which was also killed off due to high cost.
Jul 082009
This particular perch has a clear view of my back deck, and I’ve noticed him/her tracking kittens. Hopefully they’re too big, but I dunno…
This particualr hawk also sometimes hangs out on the back of the shed. But there are already birdsnests up there, and the current tennants put up a protest.
