steem

Friday, May 30, 2014

NASA's Voyager Probes Still Healthy After Nearly 4 Decades in Space

NASA's Voyager Probes Still Healthy After Nearly 4 Decades in Space

NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft are still going strong after nearly 37 years in space.

“Both spacecraft are still operating, still very healthy. I guess as healthy as we are at the table right now,” Suzanne Dodd, the Voyager project manager at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said, drawing a big laugh from the audience at the SpaceFest VI conference in Pasadena, California, on May 11.

Dodd was fresh out of college in 1985 when JPL recruited her as it geared up for Voyager 2’s upcoming encounter with Uranus. Nearly 30 years later, she is project manager of the Voyager Interstellar Mission under which the two spacecraft continue to explore the vast expanse of space beyond the planets.

NASA's Lost Satellite Just Made Its First Contact With Earth in 17 Years

NASA's Lost Satellite Just Made Its First Contact With Earth in 17 Years



It’s official: ISEE-3, the 36-year-old satellite that NASA left for dead over a decade ago, is back in touch with humankind. This afternoon, a group of citizen scientists who raised almost $160,000 to fund the process of taking control of ISEE-3 announced that two-way contact has been established with the little satellite that could. So what’s next?

30 MORE Astonishing Historical Photos That You May Have Never Seen Before

30 MORE Astonishing Historical Photos That You May Have Never Seen Before




Baby Critically Burned During SWAT Raid, Stun Grenade Thrown into His Crib

Baby Critically Burned During SWAT Raid, Stun Grenade Thrown into His Crib






Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Texas VA Run Like a ‘Crime Syndicate,’ Whistleblower Says

Texas VA Run Like a ‘Crime Syndicate,’ Whistleblower Says

Last week, President Obama pledged to address allegations of corruption and dangerous inefficiencies in the veterans’ health-care system. But before the president could deliver on his pledge, the scandal has spread even further. New whistleblower testimony and internal documents implicate an award-winning VA hospital in Texas in widespread wrongdoing—and what appears to be systemic fraud.

Emails and VA memos obtained exclusively by The Daily Beast provide what is among the most comprehensive accounts yet of how high-level VA hospital employees conspired to game the system. It shows not only how they manipulated hospital wait lists but why—to cover up the weeks and months veterans spent waiting for needed medical care. If those lag times had been revealed, it would have threatened the executives’ bonus pay.

What’s worse, the documents show the wrongdoing going unpunished for years, even after it was repeatedly reported to local and national VA authorities. That indicates a new troubling angle to the VA scandal: that the much touted investigations may be incapable of finding violations that are hiding in plain sight.

U.S. FOOD INFLATION RUNNING AT 22%

U.S. FOOD INFLATION RUNNING AT 22%



The DOA tried to blame food inflation on the drought conditions in California, but last year’s drought was worse and food prices fell by -6%. The real problem is Federal Reserve monetary stimulus is stimulating inflation. I reported in “Food Price Inflation Scares the Fed” two months ago that commodity food costs were exploding on the upside. Given the lag in commodity costs impacting prices on grocery store shelves, annual U.S. food inflation is now running at 22% and rising.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

MegaCon 2014: Battlestar Galactica TV Show

MegaCon 2014: Battlestar Galactica TV Show



Everything you wanted to know about the main characters of the popular original Battlestar. Q & A with Richard Hatch, Dirk Benedict, Anne Lockhart and Herbert Jefferson Jr.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ERRn6QUrJw




Compute!'s Gazette, November 1983

Compute!'s Gazette, Issue Number 5, November 1983




Friday, May 23, 2014

J.J. Abrams wants to give you a part in 'Star Wars: Episode VII'

J.J. Abrams wants to give you a part in 'Star Wars: Episode VII'



J.J. Abrams wants you to donate $10 for the chance to appear in Star Wars: Episode VII. Abrams, who is directing the upcoming sci-fi sequel, appeared in a video recorded at the movie's Abu Dhabi set today to help announce a new charity campaign run by Disney, Lucasfilm, and his own production company, Bad Robot. The initiative, called Star Wars: Force for Change, will begin its charitable venture by asking people to donate $10 or more to UNICEF for the opportunity to play a role in the galaxy far far away.

Rand Paul Stands Up for Civil Liberties Again. And Against David Barron

Rand Paul Stands Up for Civil Liberties Again. And Against David Barron

“I rise today to oppose the nomination of anyone who would argue that the President has the power to kill American citizens not involved in combat,” Paul will say on the Senate floor Wednesday. “I rise today to say that there is no legal precedent for killing American citizens not directly involved in combat and that any nominee who rubber stamps and grants such power to a President is not worthy of being placed one step away from the Supreme Court.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), whose filibuster last year against the nomination of Barack Obama’s pick to head the CIA won plaudits from across the political spectrum, is pushing back against the nomination of David Barron to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2014 - The New Minstrel Revue - Guinness In Us (pub sing)

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2014 - The New Minstrel Revue - Guinness In Us (pub sing)



The New Minstrel Revue perform 'Guinness In Us' at the closing pub sing at the 2014 Hoggetowne Medieval Faire.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfCb1JmXzkc




Sega Visions, May 1995

Sega Visions, May 1995




Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Stockman slams Justice Department scheme to stamp out businesses Obama disagrees with

Stockman slams Justice Department scheme to stamp out businesses Obama disagrees with

“Under Obama’s ‘Operation Choke Point’ banks are complaining that government agents are threatening them because they service legal businesses engaged in legal commerce. Often the customer is a gun retailer or other businesses that poses no risk, but differs with Obama’s political agenda,” said Stockman.

Thousands of gun retailers have had their bank accounts forcibly closed, despite engaging in no illegal activity whatsoever.

“This is just the latest example of the Obama administration exploiting executive power to target political opponents. It would appear the only purpose of Operation Choke Point is the choke the life out of businesspeople with political views that may differ from the President,” said Stockman.

We are all veterans now

We are all veterans now

The national scandal and disgrace at the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) is the perfect example of the disaster that awaits America with ObamaCare. We’re about to find out what it’s like to receive health care from the government.

The VA scandal is proof that with government in charge of health care, it will bankrupt the entire country.

Countless Americans will die through bureaucratic incompetence, neglect, long waiting lists and fraud.

Just like what our veterans have already experienced.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Monday, May 19, 2014

A Star Wars Spy Reports Chewbacca And Stormtroopers In The Snow

A Star Wars Spy Reports Chewbacca And Stormtroopers In The Snow

I think it's a given that some of the second unit work on Star Wars Episode VII will take place in Iceland. Newspapers from the country have been reporting as much since March, and in just the last week they even gave a specific account of an accident that forced a helicopter to make an emergency landing during the shoot.


But what's going on out there? Though Empire Strikes Back shot its Hoth scenes in Norway, Iceland's a close match, and if we're to assume JJ Abrams and company are going to keep things tidy and avoid bringing two different snowy planets into the picture, I think we can assume we're set for a return to the same world once again.

'Biggest dinosaur ever' discovered

'Biggest dinosaur ever' discovered




Thursday, May 15, 2014

New Emails: Democratic Senator Pressured IRS To Target Groups

New Emails: Democratic Senator Pressured IRS To Target Groups

The IRS’ Washington, D.C. headquarters targeted conservative groups in part due to pressure from Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, according to emails obtained by the watchdog group Judicial Watch and reviewed by The Daily Caller.

 Levin, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ permanent subcommittee on investigations, wrote a March 30, 2012 letter to then-IRS commissioner Douglas Shulman discussing the “urgency” of the issue of possible political activity by nonprofit applicants. Levin asked if the IRS was sending out additional information requests to applicant groups and citing an IRS rejection letter to a conservative group as an example of how the IRS should be conducting its business.

Joe Biden’s son joins Board of largest Ukraine gas producer

Joe Biden’s son joins Board of largest Ukraine gas producer




Christopher Columbus's Santa Maria wreck 'found'

Christopher Columbus's Santa Maria wreck 'found'




South Carolina passes bill to nullify federal hemp ban

South Carolina passes bill to nullify federal hemp ban

The bill reads, in part, “It is lawful for an individual to cultivate, produce, or otherwise grow industrial hemp in this State to be used for any lawful purpose, including, but not limited to, the manufacture of industrial hemp products, and scientific, agricultural, or other research related to other lawful applications for industrial hemp.”

Three states – Colorado, Oregon and Vermont – have already passed similar measures. Farmers in SE Colorado started harvesting the plant in 2013, effectively nullifying federal restrictions on such agricultural activities. A similar bill passed the Tennessee legislature this year and awaits action from Gov. Haslam.

Experts suggest that the U.S. market for hemp is around $500 million per year. They count as many as 25,000 uses for industrial hemp, including food, cosmetics, plastics and bio-fuel. The U.S. is currently the world’s #1 importer of hemp fiber for various products, with China and Canada acting as the top two exporters in the world.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Abuse in court? Deputy strikes boy in court, boy charged with assault

Abuse in court? Deputy strikes boy in court, boy charged with assault

The civil-rights complaint is filed against Huskey and the Cocke County Sheriff’s Department. It alleges that the bailiff committed battery and violated D.W.’s constitutional rights by using excessive, unnecessary force. The suit is also claims that the relatively small — and historically troubled — Cocke County Sheriff’s Department has “maintained a policy or practice of encouraging the use of needless force to intimidate citizens.”

The boy’s mother, Christi Williford, believes a security camera was rolling the day her son was in court and captured the incident. But when Williford spoke in person the next day with a sheriff’s department detective, he refused to give her a copy of the security video, according to the suit. The detective allegedly told Williford that he had heard about the incident, viewed the tape and decided no further action was warranted.

Williford then asked the Cocke County District Attorney’s office to take action, which it did not, the lawsuit alleges. But because she pursued action against the deputy, Williford claims in the suit, the department retaliated against her son — by accusing the boy of assault.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Texas cop guns down 93-year-old woman, but police ‘not ready’ to say whether she was armed

Texas cop guns down 93-year-old woman, but police ‘not ready’ to say whether she was armed




Obama administration releases disturbing photo of Obama depicted as a king

Obama administration releases disturbing photo of Obama depicted as a king

Last year, United States Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) criticized Obama for acting “like a king or monarch” as the administration threatened to unconstitutionally bypass Congress on gun control. It seems as though the administration felt the title should stick.

The picture depicts “King Obama” sitting upon the “Iron Throne” at Kings Landing in the ancient kingdom of Westeros from the HBO hit series Game of Thrones. The photo looks as if it was lifted straight from The Onion. However, it is not. The image is a result of Obama’s speech at last week’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner where he joked about enacting more executive orders. The administration took it upon themselves to create the photo of King Obama, and the official White House Twitter account sent out the tweet before last week’s episode aired.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Watch What Happens When One Parent Speaks Out at a School Board Meeting About a Controversial Book Assigned to His Daughter

Watch What Happens When One Parent Speaks Out at a School Board Meeting About a Controversial Book Assigned to His Daughter

A New Hampshire parent was arrested at a Monday night school board meeting after he voiced outrage his ninth grade daughter was assigned a book that contains a page detailing a graphic sexual encounter.

Gilford school officials claim the book, “Nineteen Minutes” by Jodi Picoult, contains important themes about a school shooting. But some parents believe a scene described in the book is inappropriate for their children.

According to WCVB-TV, the book contains a graphic description of rough sex between two teenagers, which parents were unaware of until the book had already been distributed to their kids.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2014 - Pub Sing - The Black Velvet Band

Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2014 - Pub Sing - The Black Velvet Band



The Black Velvet Band performs 'The Black Velvet Band' at the pub sing at the 2014 Hoggetowne Medieval Faire in Gainesville, Florida.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-VgW5v9tBY




Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt (NES, SNES, Game Boy)

Advertisement for Pugsley's Scavenger Hunt for the Nintendo, Super Nintendo and Game Boy from Super NES Buyer's Guide volume 3, issue 3.




Monday, May 5, 2014

Federal Court: The Police Can Stop And Search You For Behaving Innocently

Federal Court: The Police Can Stop And Search You For Behaving Innocently

A federal appeals court just ruled that the police have a legal right to stop, search and arrest you for innocent behavior including driving with your hands at the ten-and-two position on the steering wheel at 7:45 p.m., taking a scenic route and having acne.

To the Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, these factors added up to fit the profile of a person smuggling undocumented immigrants and drugs. The court said, “Although the factors, in isolation, may be consistent with innocent travel … taken together they may amount to reasonable suspicion.”

In other words, the police can now stop you for no reason at all. Law enforcement just needs to add a sinister context to your behavior, and off you go to jail. The court endorsed this expansion of aggressive police behavior in USA v. Cindy Lee Westhoven, No. 13-2065.

Department of Defense to study bitcoin as possible terrorist threat

Department of Defense to study bitcoin as possible terrorist threa

A division within the Department of Defense is investigating whether the digital currency bitcoin is a possible terrorist threat.

The Combatting Terrorism Technical Support Office is spearheading a program that will help the military understand how modern technologies could pose threats to national security, including bitcoin and other virtual currencies, the International Business Times reported.

A memo detailing some of the CTTSO projects states, “The introduction of virtual currency will likely shape threat finance by increasing the opaqueness, transactional velocity, and overall efficiencies of terrorist attacks,” as reported by Bitcoin Magazine, according to IBTimes.

One of the greatest concerns reportedly rests with the anonymity afforded bitcoin transactions. The transactions are public, but the people involved in the operations are unnamed.

Less Than Half of the States Met their Obamacare Enrollment Targets

Less Than Half of the States Met their Obamacare Enrollment Targets




Thursday, May 1, 2014

Rep. Thompson doubles down on racial remarks in interview with CNN's Dana Bash

Rep. Thompson doubles down on racial remarks in interview with CNN's Dana Bash

In an exclusive interview with CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash, Rep. Bennie Thompson doubled down on controversial remarks he made about race over the weekend.

The Mississippi Democrat had argued Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, a black conservative, is an “Uncle Tom” who doesn’t stand up for African Americans.

 In his interview with the New Nation of Islam webcast on Sunday, which was first reported by BuzzFeed, the eleven-term African American argued President Barack Obama has been mistreated by other politicians, including Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, because he is black.

AMAZON NOW URGED TO BLACKLIST 'HATERS'

AMAZON NOW URGED TO BLACKLIST 'HATERS'

Several of the targeted organizations have criticized the “thuggish” behavior of SPLC, charging the organization is “somewhere to the left of Karl Marx.”

Renowned Islam expert Robert Spencer, whose Jihad Watch monitor on Islamic radicalism was targeted, said it shows “the desperate insecurity of the left: even at a time when they control the government, the media, and the entertainment industry, they have to strike out against the small, under-financed voices of truth that challenge their hegemony.”

“It also demonstrates their true totalitarian colors, in their absolute unwillingness to tolerate the smallest dissent. This is Goliath striking out against David. But we all know who wins,” Spencer said.