Monthly Archives: June 2012

ATK Completes Software TIM for Liberty under NASA's Commercial Crew Program

Posted: June 28, 2012 at 8:21 pm

ARLINGTON, Va., June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ATK (ATK) completed its Liberty software technical interface meeting (TIM), which was held to support further development of the Liberty space transportation system under the company's Space Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA for the Commercial Crew Development Program.

The software TIM was conducted to evaluate Liberty's software development plan with the NASA Liberty team. The plan governs the software process used by Liberty and its subcontractors throughout development, integration, test and flight.

"Understanding how your system will work together throughout the mission is critical in reducing risk and schedule delays," said Kent Rominger, ATK Vice President and Program Manager for Liberty. "Holding this TIM provides us valuable insight into expertise provided by the NASA team and ensures there are no issues we are overlooking."

The development of software is critical for understanding the entire system to support Liberty's test flights. Unmanned test flights are scheduled for 2014 and 2015, followed by the first crewed flights in 2015 with Liberty astronauts.

The TIM was held this month at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.'s Boulder campus and the Lockheed Martin Waterton facility near Denver.The team also toured both facilities, including the integration and test laboratories where Liberty's flight and ground software will be checked out prior to its test flights.

Team members involved with Liberty's software development include ATK (first stage and ground support equipment (GSE)), Lockheed Martin (spacecraft subsystem support, launch vehicle ascent control and spacecraft GSE), Ball Aerospace ((Situation Awareness Fault Evaluation (SAFE) and Subsystems)), Astrium (second stage) and L3 Communications Cincinnati Electronics (Integrated Avionics and Flight Safety Systems), and Teledyne Brown (cargo carrier).

The CCDev-2 Liberty unfunded SAA enables NASA and the Liberty team to share technical information related to the Liberty Transportation System during the preliminary design review phase of the program. ATK has completed four milestones and held three TIMs, all on internal funding. The fifth and final milestone under the agreement is schedule for July.

"This SAA with NASA's Commercial Crew Program has enabled us to further advance development as we receive valuable feedback from a team of experienced human space flight experts," said Rominger. "As a result, we are able to offer a complete commercial crew service, and provide safe, reliable, cost-effective crew transportation to low Earth orbit."

ATK announced last month it had developed Liberty into a complete commercial crew transportation system, including the Liberty composite spacecraft, abort system, launch vehicle and ground and mission operations, all designed from inception to meet NASA's human-rating requirements.

Additional subcontractors for Liberty include Safran/Snecma, Moog Inc., Honeywell, Astrotech Space Operations (ASTC), Aerojet, Reynolds, Smith and Hills, Dynamic Concepts, Inc. and Hamilton Sundstrand. More information on the Liberty system can be found at http://www.libertyspace.us

Posted in Liberty | Comments Off

Liberty second stage one step closer to production

Posted: at 8:21 pm

ARLINGTON, Va., June 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Astrium, the number one company in Europe for space technologies and systems, has successfully completed a set of tests on tank structures proving that key design and manufacturing processes used for Ariane launchers are ready for production of the Liberty commercial launch vehicle second stage with ATK (ATK).

Download film of the tests at: http://46.218.194.177/astrium/ASTRIUM_LIBERTY

The tests covering load-carrying cryogenic tanks demonstrate that existing Astrium processes can be leveraged to confirm the overall Liberty schedule and enable a speedy entry into service and into orbit. Astrium is also working on leaner production processes for the second stage to bring best value to the Liberty launch vehicle.

Liberty is a complete commercial crew transportation service, including the spacecraft, abort system, launch vehicle, and both ground and mission operations, designed from inception to meet NASA's human-rating requirements with a planned first test flight in 2014 and Liberty crewed flight in 2015. Astrium, as a major subcontractor, will provide the second stage of the Liberty launch vehicle - based on the liquid-fuelled cryogenic core of the Ariane 5 vehicle powered by the Safran-built Vulcain 2 engine. The Ariane 5 launcher, for which Astrium is the Prime Contractor, was developed under the aegis of the European Space Agency and is operated by Arianespace. With 48 consecutive successful missions over nearly nine years, it is the world's most reliable launcher. This includes the launch of three Autonomous Transfer Vehicles to resupply the International Space Station in the last four years. During this time, the Ariane 5 has launched more commercial satellites into orbit than any other launch vehicle in the world.

A film from the Astrium site in les Mureaux, near Paris (France), shows the work done to complete the stage testing. It shows the machining, forming, computerized automatic welding and inspection of cryogenic tank elements to provide the increased thickness and stiffened profiles necessary for the Liberty second stage. An additional tank panel of increased thickness is welded and tested in a cryogenic environment at the Euro Cryospace facilities (an Astrium and Air Liquide joint-venture). These successful tests demonstrate that Astrium's manufacturing technology has the capability to process panels that are several times thicker than those of Ariane 5. These panels meet the needs for the strengthened cryogenic tanks of Liberty's second stage.

Alain Charmeau, CEO of Astrium Space Transportation, said: "These tests take the Liberty second stage one step closer to production. They demonstrate conclusively that our proven processes can manufacture thicker and stiffer cryogenic tanks for the Liberty second stage.

"Welding, machining, and forming space hardware is a highly sophisticated industrial process. Our extensive experience in manufacturing all Ariane launchers has given us comprehensive and unmatched capability that we can now utilize for a new commercial space transportation system Liberty. We are proud to be a valued partner alongside ATK and Lockheed Martin and look forward to the success of Liberty," he continued.

"Astrium's world-class commercial launch team provides unique vehicle and systems capabilities to Liberty," said Kent Rominger, ATK program manager for Liberty. "These tests by our Astrium teammates demonstrate how our flight-proven Liberty team is hard at work and keeping Liberty on schedule for first launch in 2014."

For additional information on the Liberty Transportation Service please visit the Liberty website at: http://www.libertyspace.us/

About Astrium

Posted in Liberty | Comments Off

Stolen Valor ruling a win for free speech, common sense

Posted: at 8:18 pm

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Todays Supreme Court decision in United States v. Alvarez is a victory for free speech and common sense.

The Supreme Court in a 6-to-3 vote struck down the Stolen Valor Act, which made it a crime to falsely claim military honors. The Court concluded that the act violated the First Amendment by criminalizing lies without a showing of fraud or other criminal conduct.

Permitting the government to decree this speech to be a criminal offense, whether shouted from the rooftops or made in a barely audible whisper, would endorse government authority to compile a list of subjects about which false statements are punishable. That governmental power has no clear limiting principal. Our constitutional tradition stands against the idea that we need Oceanias Ministry of Truth, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the plurality opinion.

That reference to George Orwells novel 1984 is appropriate. The Stolen Valor Act would have given government the right to weigh the truth or falsity of someones statement and prosecute the person even if no one had been defrauded and the liar had obtained no material benefits.

Xavier Alvarez, the defendant in the case, has quite a track record of lying. He once claimed to have played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings and to have married a starlet. But those paled in comparison to his biggest lie: claiming to have been awarded the Medal of Honor.

Thats when he ran afoul of the Stolen Valor Act, which proponents claimed would uphold the honor of those who legitimately received the medal.

But the law ran afoul of the Constitution by requiring no more than an untruthful statement about military honors, regardless of setting, audience or whether the liar intended to defraud.

The Supreme Court reviewed the rare instances in which mere speech can lead to prosecution in this country. Content-based limits on free expression are tied to criminal fraud, perjury, incitement of violence or defamation of others. Self-aggrandizement is not on the list.

A public database of Medal of Honor winners would have much the same deterrent effect as this flawed law, Kennedy noted. People claiming honors they didnt earn could be quickly exposed, and liars would face the appropriate penalty: public humiliation.

Read the original post:
Stolen Valor ruling a win for free speech, common sense

Posted in Free Speech | Comments Off

High Court: Free Speech Trumps Insulted War Heroes

Posted: at 8:18 pm

The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C.

The Constitution's guarantee of free speech for all Americans outweighs a law created to punish liars who insult the nation's most-decorated war veterans, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

In striking down the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, the high court determined the law was too strict and lacked a legal cut-off valve. Justices warned that had the Valor Act been upheld, the government legally could have brought charges against individuals who merely told white lies over beers with a buddy about getting a military award.

"Fundamental constitutional principles require that laws enacted to honor the brave must be consistent with the precepts of the Constitution for which they fought," Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion.

"The government's argument simply lacked a limiting principle. Perfectly respectable people sometimes lie to protect their privacy, avoid hurt feelings, make others feel better, duck minor obligations, or protect themselves and others from prejudice," says Jameel Jaffer, deputy legal director at the ACLU. "If the court had endorsed the government's sweeping argument, the government could regulate all of these false statements--and even criminalize them."

[Photos: At the Supreme Court.]

Xavier Alvarez in July 2007 told those assembled for a local California water district meeting that he was a "retired Marine of 25 years" who in 1987 "was awarded the Congressional Medal of honor" after he "got wounded many times."

It soon surfaced that none of that is true. Federal investigators soon came looking for Alvarez, and charged him with violating the Stolen Valor Act, created by Congress to penalize individuals who falsely claim to have earned a military citation.

The six Supreme Court justices who ruled to overturn the law made clear in written opinions released Thursday their collective feelings about Alvarez. (Three justices voted to uphold the 2005 law.)

"Lying was his habit. Xavier Alvarez...lied when he said that he played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings and that he once married a starlet from Mexico," Kennedy wrote. "But when he lied in announcing he held the Congressional Medal of Honor, respondent ventured onto new ground."

Posted in Free Speech | Comments Off

Freedom Days kicks holiday off on Friday in Farmington

Posted: at 7:16 am

FARMINGTON Every year, the buzz surrounding Freedom Days can be heard early in summer. It's grown into an event that businesses, families and the entire community looks forward to all year.

"Freedom Days is a great family oriented event that not only attracts locals but draws interest region wide," said Tonya Stinson, interim Farmington Convention & Visitors Bureau manager. "With great community minded sponsors and committee members that work hard to keep it going, it offers high quality, fun and inexpensive activities for people of all ages to enjoy. It is a great way to honor and remember the freedoms we are so fortunate to have in this country and those that fight to protect our freedoms."

Celebrating its 26th year, Freedom Days has events spread throughout the five-day celebration that begins Friday.

The annual Gem and Mineral Show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, at the Farmington Civic Center.

Rock collectors from all over venture to this show to bring the best of what they have or to find one-of-a-kind pieces to add to their collections.

A silent auction will take place as well as a raffle, with proceeds to be used toward funding a scholarship for a San Juan College geology student.

What has grown to become a staple during Freedom Days, the Sullivan Hill fireworks display will take place Tuesday night beginning around 9:25 p.m.

The best places for viewing are from Gateway Park or San

A Freedom Days favorite is the "Party in the Park" at Brookside Park from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Food vendors and live music will take over the park, offering families a great opportunity to kick back and enjoy the holiday with others. A skateboard competition will take place during the party at the skate park.

"The Farmington Convention & Visitors Bureau, the city of Farmington and the Freedom Days committee work very hard on this event from January till the start of Freedom Days," Stinson said. "We are always looking for ways to keep events fresh, fun and accessible to everyone. With so many events on the schedule, it takes a lot of dedicated people and sponsors to make all the logistics come together. But everyone is happy to help out with something so fun, rewarding and meaningful."

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off

Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Florida, North Carolina Properties Has Closed

Posted: at 7:16 am

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Freedom Communications announced today that the sale of all of its newspaper properties in Florida and North Carolina to Halifax Media Group has closed.

The properties involved in the transaction include Holmes County Times-Advertiser, Bonifay, FL; Times-News, Burlington, NC; Havelock News, Havelock, NC; The Daily News, Jacksonville, NC; Free Press, Kinston, NC; The Star, Port St. Joe, FL; The Walton Sun, Santa Rosa Beach, FL; Washington County News, Chipley, FL; The Crestview News Bulletin, Crestview, FL; The Destin Log, Destin, FL; Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, FL; The Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, NC; Jones Post, Kinston, NC; Santa Rosa Press Gazette and Santa Rosa Free Press, Milton, FL; Sun Journal and The Shopper, New Bern, NC; The News Herald, Panama City, FL; The Star, Shelby, NC; The Times, Apalachicola, FL and The Topsail Advertiser, Surf City, NC.

Providing value for our shareholders was a major goal of this transaction and the others weve undertaken, said Mark McEachen, Freedom Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. At the same time we wanted to make sure current employees would transition to the new owner and that the new owner shared our view of the importance of community journalism.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP acted as legal advisors to Freedom.

About Freedom Communications

Freedom Communications Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, CA, is a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications and interactive businesses. The Companys print portfolio includes approximately 50 print publications, including seven daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, plus ancillary magazines and other specialty publications. The Companys news, information and entertainment websites and mobile applications complement its print properties. For more information, visit http://www.freedom.com.

Read the original post:
Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Florida, North Carolina Properties Has Closed

Posted in Freedom | Comments Off

Liberty Mutual’s Indian Joint Venture Receives Insurance License

Posted: at 7:16 am

Liberty Mutual Insurance Group announced that Liberty Videocon General Insurance Company Ltd, a joint venture between Liberty Mutual Insurance Group and Videocon Industries Ltd., has received the necessary license from Indias insurance regulatory authority to commence its operations.

The operation is headquartered in Mumbai, and will provide multi-line insurance underwriting capabilities nationally to various distribution channels, with an emphasis on personal insurance products, said the announcement.

Liberty Mutuals President and CEO David Long noted: Indias rapidly growing economy and personal income levels mean more and more Indians will be buying insurance to protect their property and possessions. We have an exceptional partner and a very professional management team in place. We believe the combination will enable us to provide high-quality products and service in the growing Indian insurance marketplace.

The bulletin described Videocon Industries Ltd. as the flagship company of $4.75 billion Videocon Group, with diversified interests in consumer electronics, household appliances, oil and gas, power generation, retail, DTH and telecom businesses. The parties entered in to the joint venture agreement in December 2010.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Venugopal N. Dhoot, CMD, Videocon Industries stated: Videocon Group has a strong presence in the Indian consumer space ranging from white and brown goods to mobile telecom services covering the entire geography of India. Domain expertise of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group coupled with our huge platform of brand, trade and customer relationships should provide a robust business model for Liberty Videocon General Insurances business.

Source: Liberty Mutual Insurance Group

See more here:
Liberty Mutual’s Indian Joint Venture Receives Insurance License

Posted in Liberty | Comments Off

Michigan Court Zaps State Stun-Gun Ban

Posted: at 7:14 am

By Joe Palazzolo

Michigans second-highest court on Tuesday ruled that the states stun-gun ban violates the SecondAmendment. In so doing, the Michigan Court of Appeals also said the Second Amendment protects the open carrying of at least some weapons.

From the opinion:

Because tasers and stun guns do not fit any of the exceptions to the Second Amendment enumerated in [D.C. v. Heller], we find that they are protected arms. Heller found unconstitutional a law which completely banned the possession of protected arms in the home. We therefore hold that a complete ban on tasers and stun guns in the home violates the Second Amendment.

The next question is whether the protected status of these arms makes unconstitutional a complete ban on carrying them in public. Heller specifically addressed only a full ban of protected weapons inside the home, not in public. Further, the analysis in Heller focused in part on the unmatched popularity of handguns for self-defense, and did not make clear to what extent greater restrictions could be applied to less popular weapons.

On the other hand, Heller states that concealed weapons may be banned, but makes no such statement regarding openly carried arms. Indeed, Heller cites with approval two state cases that struck down laws prohibiting the public carrying of hand guns. The Second Amendment explicitly protects the right to carry as well as the right to keep arms. Likewise, the Michigan Constitution specifically allows citizens to bear arms for self-defense. We therefore conclude that a total prohibition on the open carrying of a protectedarm such as a taser or stun gun is unconstitutional.

Stun guns are legal in 43 states. They are banned in Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virgin Islands and Wisconsin.

h/tthe Volokh Conspiracy

View original post here:
Michigan Court Zaps State Stun-Gun Ban

Posted in Second Amendment | Comments Off

Megaupload's Closure: The Impact on Free Speech and More…

Posted: at 7:14 am

Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening '../zinc/fetchad.php' for inclusion (include_path='.:/usr/lib/php:/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/slyckco/public_html/forums/includes/functions.php on line 4390

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/slyckco/public_html/forums/includes/functions.php:4390) in /home/slyckco/public_html/forums/includes/functions.php on line 4527

You have been permanently banned from this board.

Please contact the Board Administrator for more information.

A ban has been issued on your IP address.

See the original post here:
Megaupload's Closure: The Impact on Free Speech and More...

Posted in Free Speech | Comments Off

Ethiopia's terror conviction of journalist raises doubts on free speech

Posted: at 7:14 am

Ethiopia conviction of journalist Eskinder Nega for covering planned protests sparks international condemnation. US Sen. Patrick Leahy suggests cutback in aid to Ethiopia.

Dissident Ethiopian writer Eskinder Nega was today convicted of conspiring to commit acts of terror, sparking an outpouring of international condemnation.

The eloquent, long-standing critic of the Ethiopia Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front's rule who has also been jailed at least seven times was awarded the PEN American Center Freedom to Write prize last month. PEN called today's verdict demonstrated a "shameful disdain for Ethiopias obligations to its citizens and to international law."

Judges at the Federal High Court found Mr. Eskinder along with 23 other activists and writers guilty of being involved in plotting a violent revolt. Supporters say his actual crime was voicing pro-democracy views and discussing the possibility of peaceful protests in the wake of the Arab Spring.

RELATED How well do you know Africa? Take our quiz

Supporters include US Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) of Vermont, who wants at least $500,000 of existing American aid to Ethiopia's military next year to be potentially withheld, depending on whether the Ethiopian government respects press freedom.

"That means enabling journalists like Eskinder Nega to do their work of reporting and peaceful political participation," he said in a congressional statement on June 14.

The conditions in the bill, expected to become law, also press Ethiopia to protect judicial independence and a host of other human rights.

Despite these moves, Eskinders conviction is just one indication that there will be little change of course from Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government, which relies heavily on up to $3 billion of Western aid a year in its much-lauded mission to improve health and education.

"The net result of the legislation's passage would be to annoy the current Ethiopian government without really pressuring it," says J. Peter Pham, director of the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center at the Atlantic Council. There is no substance to the conditions and the sole consequence will be denying young Ethiopian military officers a chance to be educated at a US university, he says.

Continue reading here:
Ethiopia's terror conviction of journalist raises doubts on free speech

Posted in Free Speech | Comments Off

Monthly Archives: June 2012

ATK Completes Software TIM for Liberty under NASA's Commercial Crew Program

Liberty second stage one step closer to production

Stolen Valor ruling a win for free speech, common sense

High Court: Free Speech Trumps Insulted War Heroes

Freedom Days kicks holiday off on Friday in Farmington

Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Florida, North Carolina Properties Has Closed

Liberty Mutual’s Indian Joint Venture Receives Insurance License

Michigan Court Zaps State Stun-Gun Ban

Megaupload's Closure: The Impact on Free Speech and More…

Ethiopia's terror conviction of journalist raises doubts on free speech

The Prometheus League

Breaking News and Updates

Prometheism

Forbidden Fruit

The Evolutionary Perspective

Transtopia Menu

Library Updates

Library Books

Future Euvolution

Lucid Dreams from Childhood

Genetic Revolution

Speciation + Self-Directed Evolution