No room for Drones in this Dream

Dear Friends, 

I spent my day with approximately 7000 fellow resident's of the World House (in Seattle, Washington) celebrating the birth (and incredibly full life) of a great peacemaker and possibly the greatest prophetic voice of modern times.  I have hesitated to share this visual as I do not want to be disrespectful in any way.  That being said, the contrasts between these two people are staggering.  For President Obama to invoke Martin Luther King Jr. in any way after the past four years is unconscionable.  To earn that Nobel Peace Prize President Obama needs to start living out the words he speaks; otherwise it is merely empty rhetoric.

Happy Birthday Dr. King.  We will hold Obama's feet to the proverbial fire.  He will either live up to his promises (such as those in his famous Prague speech on nuclear weapons) or get burned.  We will uphold the rich legacy you left for us.  We are in it for the long haul.

There is certainly no room for drones in Dr. King's dream!

In Peace and Toward a Just and Peaceful (Nuclear Free) World,

Leonard

Put a drone on your Holiday wish list!!!

Hey Kids,

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa... They're right around the corner, and it's never too early to start your Holiday wish list. 

You probably know - as does every weapons contractor - that there is a huge future in drones, and I just bet you would love to pilot a drone some day.  Maybe right here in the United States, or in one of the dozens of other countries acquiring drone technology.  Just think; sitting back in the comfort of your air conditioned trailer flying a drone thousands of miles away, looking for a wedding party some terrorists to whack.

Well, it's never too early to get started.  And now, if you've been good all year long, you can have your very own drone.  The folks at Brookstone have the newest thing in consumer drone technology, ready to ship right to your front door.

The Parrot® AR.Drone® 2.0 App-Controlled Quadricopter comes with everything you need to do what the real drone pilots do - fly all over your neighborhood, spy on your neighbors, and maybe even unleash an occasional Nerf Hellfire missile (optional accessory) on an unsuspecting victim.

Having a blast with Quadricopter mounted with optional machine gun firing
depleted uranium armor-piercing incendiary rounds, (adult supervision required)
 Just think what you could do to the neighbor's annual potluck???

Just think of the thrill of hovering over the neighbor's pool party and unleashing a barrage of paintball containing missiles (optional accessory).  On-board cameras let you see in real time the anguish on your victims faces as they scramble for safety in a futile effort to escape the hail of paint balls.

But here’s the best part–while in flight, the copter's all-new front camera captures video and stills in sharp 720p HD that you can stream live or record to share with friends on YouTube®, the AR.Drone community or other sites with just a tap. 

The future of drones, now even easier to fly.

• Fly your AR.Drone 2.0 with the free downloadable app for your iOS or Android Device
• Perform advanced stunts ordinary drones can't
• Fly up to 165 feet from your Wi-Fi device
• See what the pilot sees with new front facing camera
• Capture 720p HD videos and stills to stream live or record and share online
• Enjoy controlled, level flying with automatic stabilization system
• AR.FreeFlight 2.0 app lets you save flight data (altitude, speed, duration, and place) to share online
• Play augmented reality games that turn the world around you into a video game
• Terrorize your neighbors with optional weapon systems
• Fly indoors or out–included hull protectors guard rotors around tight corners
• Made of carbon fiber and impact resistant plastic so parts can be changed for easy repair

And the really, really best part is that the Parrot® AR.Drone® 2.0 App-Controlled Quadricopter can be yours for only $299.99, and shipping is absolutely free.  And did I mention??? The Quadricopter comes in three sick color schemes - orange/blue, orange/green and orange/yellow.

Be the first one on your block to own one of these bad boys.  In fact, you had better be the first.  Pretty soon everyone is going to own one, and then all hell is going to break loose.  But hey, you can worry about that later (just like our government).  For now, have fun and spread some terror around the neighborhood.  It's all in good fun!

Click here to order your Parrot® AR.Drone® 2.0 App-Controlled Quadricopter today.  Gift wrap is available at a small additional charge.  And don't forget to remember extra batteries!!!

Note: Due to U.S. Department of Homeland Security requirements, Broodstone is unable to ship AR.Drone 2.0 to addresses outside of the United States. For ages 14 and up. WARNING: Choking hazard due to small parts. Adult supervision required for certain optional weapon systems.   Exposure to Depleted Uranium may cause leukemogenic, genetic, reproductive, neurological, developmental and carcinogenic effects.

Batteries and missiles NOT included!

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OK, so how could we pass this one up???  The same people developing these things for the military (and just about everyone else as well) are obviously going to capitalize on the mass consumer market.  So just when is a drone not a drone???  It's kind of like the old days when kids (mostly boys back in my day) played with toy guns, and enlisted later on to pick up the real thing.  Soon kids will be playing with their "toy" drones in preparation for the real (and lethal) thing.  The real Brookstone URL: http://www.brookstone.com/parrot-ar-drone-2-quadricopter?bkiid=body_zone  Of course, there is not need to worry about the high cost at Brookstone.  Wait long enough and they will be available at Wal-Mart: "Save money.  Live Better." 

Hey kids... Droney's Back!!!

Look out kids (only if you live in a foreign country... for now that is)!  Droney's back, and with a vengeance!!! 

Yes - That fearless cartoonist Tom Tomorrow has done it once again (as he does soooooo well), humanizing those misunderstood mass murdering (soon to be autonomous, and coming to a developing nation far from you) euphemistically termed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). 

And you know; Tom's got something there.  It's not the drones we should be angry at. They aren't "unmanned" at all.  They really ARE "manned" (or womanned, as the case may be) by a couple of human beings in a trailer, thousands of miles from their "target", backed up by dozens or more fellow human beings. 

 

Yes it requires upwards of a hundred or more highly trained specialists to make sure they've got the right wedding target before unleashing HELLfire missiles on anyone with dark skin, a beard, turban and an AK-47 (nearly every male in Afghanistan). 

 

And don't forget the President (of the United States) who gets to decide (every Tuesday) all the really special victims targets.

 

But what is really special is when drones go back for a second helping (after the first shot) to take out anyone who comes to the aid of those blasted to kingdom come by the initial missile attack.

 

But hey kids, I'm getting off track.  We should really let those cute, little, innocent, freedom-protecting drones speak for themselves.  Don't take my word for it.  Click here to hear more from Droney.

And remember - Drones are YOUR friends!

Bye Kids!!!

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Link to Cartoon: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/01/1137164/-The-return-of-Droney

Raytheon launches Teeny Weeny Tactical Munition (TWTM)

Raytheon’s new teeny weeny tactical munition (TWTM), which the U.S. group claims is the first purpose-built weapon for really small tactical unmanned air systems (UAS), could be in active service within a few months.

J.R. Smith, business development manager of Raytheon Missile Systems, said that this summer the company expects to conduct a live warhead demonstration. “It's going to be really fun!  We’re just tweaking the software and running some environmental tests,” he explained.

The TWTM is 22 inches long, 3.6 inches in diameter and weighs 13.5 pounds, and could be used on a UAS with a payload as low as 50 to 60 pounds. According to Smith, it also has value for use on larger UAS that would be more operationally flexible if they carried a larger number of weapons. For instance, the Predator would be able to carry 12 TWTMs, compared with just two of the larger Hellfire missiles. “This would have helped [in the NATO campaign] over Libya.  We could have killed a whole lot more people far more efficiently with the TWTM versus larger munitions,” he commented.

Raytheon's TWTM on a test run

Smith explained that there are both practical and philosophical reasons for "going small" as he put it.  "We have some amazing project managers.  One of them, who is passionate about E.F. Shumacker's economic concept (articulated in his book Small is Beautiful) took the idea of 'sensible scale' to the next level.  His out-of-the box thinking helped create a product that will reap huge financial rewards for Raytheon."

When asked about the name of the newly developed small tactical munition, Smith said "Well, you know engineers.  They were just having a little fun. In fact, in the initial test of the TWTM they fired it at a rival product group's drone mock-up.  You should have seen them scramble when they saw that thing coming.  What a great sense of humor!"

The day of the Pentagon's announcement to initially procure 10,000 of the TWTMs sent Raytheon's stock to a new high of 56.80.

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Editor's Note: Thanks to AIN Online for material taken from the following article, http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2012-07-08/raytheons-purpose-built-uas-bomb-ready-live-tests for this fake news piece.  Raytheon really is building a new missile called the Small Tactical Munition (STM). 

National Do Not Kill Registry launched

News Release

June 21, 2012  - For Immediate Release

Contact:   Emma Haltsworth, Director of Public Relations
                  National Agency for Ethical Drone-Human Interactions
                  donotkillregistry@gmail.com

Washington, DC - The National Agency for Ethical Drone-Human Interactions (NEDHI) announced the formation of a Do Not Kill Registry, its first public program.

The National Agency for Ethical Drone-Human Interactions (N.E.D.H.I.) was founded in September of 2001 to monitor and regulate the use of drones both domestically and internationally.

While the use of drones is intentionally not bound by international treaties or constitutional limits, NEDHI simultaneously understand the urgent need to develop and enforce new ethical frameworks as drone use becomes more commonplace as a tool of U.S. foreign policy.

Through an active collaboration between N.E.D.H.I., the brave pilots and operators of the U.S. drone program, and the American public, NEDHI believes that it can find the political and moral solutions needed to both protect the security of the United States while also satisfying the concerns of the broader global community.

The Do Not Kill Registry, the agency's first public program, forges an innovative path towards new solutions that will help give people around the world the peace of mind urgently needed during these times of escalating drone conflict.

While what the future holds for the U.S. drone program remains uncertain, U.S. citizens can rest safely knowing that NEDHI will continue to diligently review and monitor the national drone kill list in order to ensure proper cautionary measures are taken while also continuing to take advantage of the military effectiveness of targeted drone strikes on militants around the world.

NEDHI Director of Public Relations Emma Haltsworth
on a recent field visit to Afghanistan. 

United States citizens can apply to add their names to the Do Not Kill Registry, thereby avoiding accidental casualties in NEDHI's mission to make the world a safe place for Democracy and Free Enterprise.

When asked by a reporter at today's news conference whether the Do Not Kill Registry would have some of the nagging problems of the National Do Not Call Registry, Haltsworth retorted, "This is about alot more than robo calls.  We're pushing for nothing less than 100 percent here."

Another reporter asked whether some people might mistakenly sign up on the National Do Not Call Registry thinking they are signing up for the Do Not Kill Registry Haltsworth paused for a moment and said, "We'll have to get back to you on that one."

You can read more about the agency and NEDHI's mission by clicking here.

For further information on the drone program and new Do Not Kill Registry citizens can contact NEDHI directly by e-mailing donotkillregistry@gmail.com.

DISCLAIMER: Adding your name to the 'Do Not Kill' Registry does not guarantee that you will not be the target of a drone strike but only that an additional review process will be undertaken before you are labeled an enemy militant and added to the national kill list.

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Note:  Thanks to the creative genius of the people at Occupy Wall Street for creating this wonderful parody on yet another dark chapter in the latter days of a dying empire.  This "news release" was fashioned out of the following URLs created by Occupy Wall Street: http://occupywallst.org/article/add-yourself-national-do-not-kill/ and http://www.donotkill.net/about.php.

Get Your Master of Drones Degree Today!

Are you depressed about the high cost of a college education?  Worried that your bachelors degree (or even a Masters or PhD) won't help you pay off that huge college debt until you're ready to retire (and maybe not even then)??  Worried that there won't even be jobs in your chosen profession???

Well, worry no more!!!  The folks at Unmanned Vehicle University (UVU) have got you covered.
It's "Unmanned Education" at its best.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are the wave of the future.  They are all the rage in terrorist tourist hotspots like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen where they're killing people in droves.  And the market for UAVs (and all the jobs associated with them) is huge.  There is no end in sight for their possible uses, although picking off would-be "terrorists" (pretty much anyone with dark skin, a beard and a gun it would seem) is still Numero Uno for President Obama and his merry band of hunter-killers.

Learn the basics now . For the latest UAV developments take the online UAV FUNDAMENTALS EXECUTIVE COURSE course. This 8 week, 2 hours per week, course is taught online with a live instructor and is for anyone who wants a solid understanding of "Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle Components, UAV Communications & Data Links, UAV Sensors & Characteristics, UAV Ground Control  Systems, Civil UAV Types, Roles and Operations, Small UAVs, Civil Airspace Integration, Sense and Avoid Systems, UAV Mishaps, Causes of Failure, Improving Reliability, Human Machine Interface, UAV Alternative Propulsion (Fuel Cells and Solar), UAV Navigation, UAV Autonomous Operations, UAV Swarming, Future UAV Roles & Technologies."

In addition to the Executive Course you can work towards your Master's of Engineering
Unmanned (Air/Ground/Sea) Systems Engineering, or even a PhD Degree
Unmanned (Air/Ground/Sea) Systems Engineering.  With one of these degrees you will be soaring toward a brighter future.

The military is currently the largest user of UAVs, and growing.  There is no end to the possibilities for arming UAVs and killing people.  The Pentagon is even considering Unmanned nuclear powered and nuclear weapons-capable bombers.  Just imagine handling the joystick for one of those bad boys!!! 

Still not convinced?  Just check out some of the other applications for UAVs:

"Pipeline Inspection
Stratospheric Telecommunications Airship
High Altitude Imagery
Maritime Surveillance
Environmental Sensing
Media and Traffic Monitoring
Law Enforcement
Natural disasters
Real Estate Photography
Meteorology
Hurricane Monitoring
Cryospheric Research - Arctic and Antarctic
Bridge Inspection
Transmission Line Inspection
HAZMAT Inspection
Emergency Medical Supply
Traffic Monitoring
Aerial Surveying
Damage Assessment
Insurance Claim Appraisal
Real Estate Marketing
Concert Security
Sports Video
Runway Inspection
Virtual Tours
Landmark Inspection
Coffee Harvest Optimization
Crop Disease Management
Herd Tracking and Management
Entomology
Forestry Inspection
Fisheries Management
Species Conservation
Wildlife Inventory
Mineral Exploration
Remote Aerial Survey
Forest Fire Surveillance
Forest Fire Mapping
Volcano Monitoring
Remote Aerial Mapping
Oil Spill Tracking
Snow Pack Avalanche Monitoring
Ice Pack Monitoring
Poaching Patrol"

UVU Courses are selling out fast, so don't wait.  You don't want to miss this opportunity of a lifetime.  Start your education today so you'll be ready for the future.  And that future is UAVs!!!

"Unmanned systems and their supporters will be invading Las Vegas for AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems North America 2012! For four exciting days, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center will become the world’s largest robotics playground!"

Two happy UVU graduates at play, er... work.

Drop by the Unmanned Vehicle University Booth #5040 at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, 6 - 9 August, Mandalay Bay Casino, Las Vegas, and receive $100 off your first course at UVU.

Check out the Website for information on faculty, classes, e-learning and more.  Better yet, drop in to the main campus in Tacoma, Washington.  Operators are standing by 24/7 to talk with you.

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Material in this post is from the Unmanned Aerial University Website: http://www.uxvuniversity.com/ 

And YES, Unmanned Aerial University IS for real!!!  And so is the photo of the young lad named Ali who (along with much of his family) was a victim of a drone strike.

Home brewers targeted by police in NATO Summit sweep

Home Brewers Beware!!!  This just in from Chicago, which is hosting the NATO Summit:

Chicago police have reportedly engaged in a preemptive raid against activists that planned to protest the NATO summit. The raid is believed to have taken place late last night in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.

The National Lawyers Guild reports:

…Police broke down a door to access a 6-unit apartment building near 32nd & Morgan Streets without a search warrant. Police entered an apartment with guns drawn and tackled one of the tenants to the floor in his kitchen. Two tenants were handcuffed for more than 2 hours in their living room while police searched their apartment and a neighboring unit, repeatedly calling one of the tenants a “Commie faggot.” A search warrant produced 4 hours after police broke into the apartment was missing a judge’s signature, according to witnesses. Among items seized by police in the Bridgeport raid were beer-making supplies and at least one cell phone…

A short time later passersby observed police officers in the back of an open police van laughing and telling jokes while drinking what appeared to be a pale ale.  When officers realized they were being watched they immediately closed the van doors and sped off.

A Chicago Police Department spokesperson declined comment except to say that a search warrant was not required in this situation since the aroma of fermenting hops and roasted barley was clearly emanating from the building in question. 

Some of the equipment siezed by Chicago Police in the pre-emptive raid
(looks deceptively like Weapons of Mass Inebriation).

A police department drone outfitted with a special "sniffer" device was evidently responsible for locating the apartment with the beer making apparatus.  A resident of the neighborhood where the raid occurred reported seeing a "strange looking, small aircraft" flying erratically, and saw it crash into a nearby building.  It was recovered by police, and investigators are looking into the cause of the crash.

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(Original Source article: Police Preemptively Raid Apartment & Arrest Activists Ahead of NATO Summit, By: Kevin Gosztola Thursday May 17, 2012 6:31 pm, http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/05/17/police-preemptively-raid-apartment-arrest-activists-ahead-of-nato-summit/)

Riot police perform traditional line dance at drone protest

Knob Noster, MO, April 15, 2012:  Riot police greeted peace activists with a traditional Air Force line dance during a drone protest at Whiteman Air Force Base.

Activists had gathered at Whiteman Air Force Base on April 15, 2012 to oppose the continued use of drones by the U.S. military.  The protestors were expressing their concerns that drones, piloted from thousands of miles away, have been killing scores of innocent children, women and men in other countries.

The peaceful protestors were greeted by roughly 50 Air Force Military Police lined up across the base entrance in full riot gear.  As the activists, led by Nobel Peace Prize nominee and megaphone toting diva Kathy Kelly, broke into a rousing chorus of Alleluia the entire troop of riot police responded by line dancing in rhythm to the music. 

Beating their batons against their plastic shields and high stepping in perfect rhythm to the music, the riot police moved forward toward the protestors like a precision drill team.  One protestor said she had never seen anything like it in her 30 years of peace protests.  "They just seemed to be so moved by our singing," she remarked. 

Tamara Severns of KC, a protest coordinator, took the megaphone, telling the young MPs, “As I look around, you’re the same age as all the kids out here. We want peace, and you guys want peace. You don’t want to go kill people.” Kathy Kelly called to them, “We assuredly mean you no harm.”

Referring to the shields covering their faces and bodies, she said, “I think of the Good Witch Glenda in The Wizard of Oz.” Kathy sang, “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” She added, “You’re very good–you don’t frighten us. But the U.S. owns half of the world’s weapons. We could change this … together. We look forward to being in the front line with you” to ban war’s weapons.

Following the action at Whiteman Kathy Kelly's agent contacted the base commander to ask if the MP precision drill team might be available to  perform with her at her next gig.  The base commander had not yet responded to his messages as of the following day.

See the line dance on video:



Editor's Postscript:  Check out Kathy Kelly's post at Voices for Creative Nonviolence, For You, A Thousand Times Over