The 51 Factory has been established with the goals of supporting the legendary P51 Mustang, British Spitfire, and other Rolls Royce or Packard Merlin powered aircraft of the WWII era.
These superb aircraft powered by 1650 cubic inch, over 1500 hp, liquid cooled V-12 engines, represented some of the most advanced technologies of the day, and most certainly greatly contributed to the allied victory, both in the Pacific, and in Europe.
The fighters developed in WWII are the pinnacle of piston engine, propeller driven aircraft performance. Even today, the fastest piston engine aircraft in the world are modified WWII fighters with Rolls Royce/Packard Merlin V-12’s, as seen at the annual Reno Air Races.
The 20 most-commented-on tech support columns from On Call's first 500 instalments
Welcome once again to On Call, The Register's weekly column in which we recount readers' reactions to the drudgery of digital duties. This week, meet a reader we'll Regomize as "John Smith" who once worked for a very large bank. No doubt you've never met anyone with such an unusual name.
Mario Nawfal @MarioNawfal
BREAKING: MEGA MILITARY CONTRACTOR CAUGHT FAKING SATELLITE DATA TO TAKE DOWN STARLINK
SpaceX just exposed a dirty ploy by Lockheed Martin and Omnispace to block Starlink’s direct-to-cell service.
Lockheed’s partner allegedly rigged their aging satellite to fake interference and filed bogus FCC complaints, trying to stop Starlink from dominating the 5G space.
In a bombshell FCC filing, SpaceX revealed how Omnispace manipulated its MEO satellite to “intentionally detect” Starlink signals—despite the satellite barely being operational.
SpaceX slammed the claims as “bizarre,” accusing Omnispace of creating “artificial conditions” to fake interference.
The plot thickens: Omnispace refused standard coordination talks and went as far as licensing through Papua New Guinea to dodge regulations.
It’s all part of an effort to sabotage Starlink’s $34.9 billion future in global communications.
Will the FCC see through this sham, or will Lockheed’s shady tactics derail Starlink’s revolution?
Video shows moment multiple batteries exploded at South Korea factory: https://youtu.be/eY7eUbFY2X0
nagle
13 Jan
There’s a lot to be said for lithium-iron-phosphate batteries. They don’t have a thermal runaway problem and will survive the “nail test”. Energy density per unit weight is lower, though. Energy density per unit volume is about the same, but the batteries are heavier.
Lower-end electric cars, such as the Tesla low-end models and most of BYD’s output, have already gone to lithium-iron phosphate. Probably a good idea.
johnwalker 13 Jan
nagle:
Two islands with four chargers each can charge eight cars. Charging stations may be able to replace gas stations on the same real estate.
Current standards for electric vehicle charging stations have the following maximum power delivery:
- SAE J1772 DC Level 2 — 400 kW
- IEC 61851-1 — 80 kW
- Tesla NACS — 250 kW
(Again, these are maxima under the standards: many installed charging stations are lower power. A typical Tesla V2 Supercharger provides 120 kW.)
Plans for future higher power charging standards include the Megawatt Charging System 1 (MCS) with a rating of 3.75 megawatts (3000 amperes at 1250 volt DC).
Let’s compare this to a gasoline pump. A typical filling station pump in the developed world delivers around 50 litres per minute (38 l/min in Safetyland), and gasoline has an energy content of around 7500 kcal/litre depending on its formulation (around 5000 kcal/litre for pure ethanol and 8600 for #2 diesel). Plugging these into Units Calculator, we get:
(50 litres/minute) * (7500 kcal / litre) = 26.15 megawattso even the proposed MCS (which is primarily intended for large commercial vehicles and buses) delivers only around 1/7 the power of a gasoline pump.
Now, even getting installation of five megawatt electrical service is a pretty big thing in most places (that is the consumption of a very large office building), so it looks like building out an infrastructure which will allow electrical vehicle charging times competitive with gasoline filling will require very substantial upgrades to the power grid and local distribution facilities.
Transitioning your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org offers greater flexibility and control. Many beginners start with WordPress.com but soon run into its limitations and seek more advanced features.
By moving to the self-hosted WordPress.org platform, you gain access to a wider range of themes, plugins, and customization options that aren’t available on WordPress.com.
On a desolate slab of island tundra in western Alaska, a resident of Adak will again become the last American to cast an in-person ballot for president, continuing a 12-year tradition for the nation’s westernmost community.
The honor of having the last voter in the nation fell to Adak when they did away with absentee-only voting for the 2012 election and added in-person voting.
“People have a little bit of fun on that day because, I mean, realistically everybody knows the election’s decided way before we’re closed,” said city manager Layton Lockett. “But, you know, it’s still fun.”
When polls close in Adak, it’s 1 a.m. on the East Coast.
The United States is a big place. Roughly 3,000 miles separate the lower 48's east and west coasts - and roughly 3,000 miles separate the easternmost part of Alaska's panhandle, where Sitka and Juneau are found as well as Hyder, the easternmost settlement in Alaska, and the Aleutian island of Adak.
Note that there are U.S. possessions farther west than Adak, but while the people who live there are American citizens, they, like Puerto Ricans, don't vote for president:
Resist the Mainstream
@ResisttheMS
·
Follow
CNN Host doesn't want to get rid of illegal immigration because there will be nobody to 'pick your crops.'
11:12 AM · Oct 18, 2024 //
JENNINGS: He's going to crack down on immigration to the benefit of the American worker.
RAMPELL: He's going to deport 20 million people? The people who pick your crops? The people who process your meat? The people who, you know, care for your grandmother? The people who serve all sorts of critical functions in this country?
My word, talk about not hiding the ball. Apparently, illegal immigrants are the only people in the country who can pick crops, process meat, and take care of old people. Who knew? Never mind that there are already work programs in place that allow seasonal workers to come in and "pick the crops."
So what's Rampell really saying? She's saying that it's more important to have illegal quasi-slave labor to ensure her standard of living than for the nation's laws to be followed. That seems rather exploitative of the CNN panelist, doesn't it? Democrats sure love to talk about fair wages until it comes to illegal immigrants working for minimum wage to save a few cents on fruit.
Could you imagine NBC News in 1863 after Abraham Lincoln gave the Emancipation Proclamation? "Lincoln's plan to end slavery for the first time in history would jeopardize an agriculture industry already facing shortages and push costs higher." That is literally the argument these news outlets are making about illegal immigration. They don't even try to pretend anymore. They want their cheap labor, and they don't care about what they have to do to get it.
I really don't see how you finesse this. Buttigieg is with the Harris campaign; one assumes "ready to win" is not some obscure gay sex act and refers to the 2024 election. Harris campaign items festoon the wall behind him. The people are so enthusiastic that it can only be a Harris campaign event headlined by Buttigieg.
All joking aside, there is no way this is not some level of violation of the Hatch Act. Either he's actively campaigning for Harris or giving the impression of actively campaigning for Harris. Both are illegal. The real question is if anyone in the federal government cares. My guess is they don't for all the obvious reasons. //
anon-2hhh
3 hours ago
That’s really cool that we have all these laws concerning government employees and electioneering. Too bad election laws don’t mean any more than immigration laws to Democrats. If only ‘no one is above the law’ were true.
Trump has had anything but a "media blackout." As of October 18, Trump has done 59 interviews compared to 26 for Kamala. He outscores her in every form of media. //
Marc Caputo
@MarcACaputo
·
Follow
Trump’s schedule since Oct 1
✅28 in-person events
✅25 cities
✅12 states
✅21 interviews (including 7 long form podcasts)
✅Little sleep
Sam Stein
@samstein
NEW -- Is Trump tired?
“Of course he’s tired,” said one adviser. “Who wouldn’t be tired? I know the campaign isn’t supposed to say that. But it’s true. And it’s also true he’s kicking ass.”
Via @MarcACaputo
https://thebulwark.com/p/inside-trumps-sleepless-exhausting
8:24 AM · Oct 19, 2024 //
Trump War Room
·
Oct 18
·
@TrumpWarRoom
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Follow
Kamala: "He's not doing interviews... We need to ask if he's exhausted being on the campaign trail."
Media interviews since becoming the nominee:
Trump: 59
Kamala: 26
Press conferences since becoming the nominee:
Trump: 6
Kamala: 0
Total campaign events in the month of…
Jeff Schvey
@jeff_schvey
·
Follow
This is a good visual of the media appearances for both parties over time. Clearly Trump isn't slowing down. //
Trump is doing anything but engaging in a 'media blackout.' He's accessible and, unlike Kamala, he is able to talk policy and string a noun-verb-noun sentence together. What he is doing is engaging his base and persuadable voters. He's not spending any time giving people who hate him the opportunity to define him. This is a lesson I hope all future GOP candidates take to heart.
Creating and using a VHD from scratch
Since there are hundreds of email marketing service providers that you can choose from, we have hand-picked the best Mailchimp alternatives for specific use-cases such as small business, startups, non-profits, eCommerce businesses (online stores), etc.
The idea that Trump’s second term would usher in fascism isn’t just absurd—it’s a slap in the face to the millions who have suffered under actual fascist regimes throughout history. Fascism, by definition, involves the total suppression of opposition, the abolition of free elections, and the merging of state and corporate power into authoritarian control.
Think Benito Mussolini’s Italy or Adolf Hitler’s Germany, where dissent was brutally crushed, political opponents were jailed or executed, and the press was reduced to a government propaganda machine.
In comparison, Trump’s four years in office look like a model of democratic dysfunction, not dictatorship. During his first term, Americans were free to protest, criticize him openly, and vote him out of office. The 2020 election happened as scheduled, and despite the noise about election challenges, Trump left the White House on January 20, 2021. No coup, no military takeover, no indefinite suspension of power—just Trump boarding Marine One and Biden taking the oath of office. The peaceful transition may not have been pretty, but it happened.
If Trump was aiming for fascism, he did a spectacularly poor job.
Real fascism doesn't entertain opposing viewpoints—it eliminates them. Yet, under Trump, media outlets relentlessly attacked him without fear of government retaliation. There were no state-run news channels or purges of journalists. Compare that with Mussolini’s control over Italy’s press or Hitler’s use of propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels to manipulate information. In Trump’s America, CNN, MSNBC, and The New York Times freely published critical stories every day.
That’s not fascism—it’s freedom, even if it makes the media’s portrayal of Trump as a dictator seem laughably detached from reality. //
Fascist regimes historically centralize power by shutting down elections and political opposition. Hitler’s Nazi party outlawed opposition parties, while Mussolini dismantled Italy’s parliament entirely. Trump, by contrast, lost re-election after being dragged through two impeachment trials. His critics and political opponents—including members of his own party—remained vocal and visible throughout his presidency. Far from silencing dissent, Trump was often criticized for being unable to rein in factions within his own administration.
The media’s obsession with labeling Trump a “fascist” is little more than political theater designed to distract voters from the issues that matter. Poll after poll shows that Americans care most about inflation, crime, immigration, and the economy—not recycled narratives about January 6 or imaginary authoritarian takeovers.
Trump, for all his flaws, resonates with voters because he addresses these concerns directly, while his opponents—Biden and Harris—deflect or dodge tough questions.
Ultimately, the “fascist Trump” storyline reveals more about the media than it does about Trump. Americans know the difference between a leader who promises law and order and a dictator who seizes total control. //
writeofcenter
27 minutes ago edited
I’ve studied history my whole life (I’m 4 months short of 70). Especially the study of the quest for State power in the 20th century. The universal response of socialists, Bolsheviks, communists, Marxists to their opponents is to portray them as fascists. It’s automatic. Trumps opponents are basically socialists. Socialism has infiltrated our society and culture to such a degree that they no longer have to hide their political agenda. Everyone else is to the right of them and hence, fascists.
The portrayal of this election as close or neck and neck is a myth. The left will be shocked at (and will willfully deny) how wide Trumps margin of victory proves to be.
Americans love their liberty and freedom and abhor left powered bureaucracy and control. We are fortunate indeed that Americans still prefer to vote to change things. The alternative will be ugly. //
hy dudgeon writeofcenter
7 minutes ago
Any political system which depends on consolidation of power in the hands of elites who then administer/rule from a massively powerful Central Authority is, by definition, a Leftist system.
The claims that Trump was "authoritarian" are based on the fact that he rescinded so many extra-constitutional executive orders implemented by Obama as he exercised his "power of the phone and pen" to bypass Congress and simply declare things to be law. //
Cafeblue32
29 minutes ago edited
Trump is perhaps the most moderate President we've had since Eisenhower. Fascism is not a right wing ideology, it is an economic system whereby government colludes with corporations to do things government cannot do in exchange for preferential treatment and increased profits. COVID was the perfect example of it. Corporations got all kinds of exemptions, breaks, incentives, etc to implement and enforce vax and mask mandates by threatening them with loss of employment. Most of those companies were declared' ''essential businesses" and made record profits, while those who declined to jump on the panic bandwagon were shut down. Lots of them are out of business now.
Hitler was a committed socialist before he was a fascist. He realized socialism wouldn't keep up with war production for his ambitions, so he partnered with German industrialists to produce his materials for profit. In no time at all, Hitler had more new weapons designs come across his desk than anyone could ever build. And most of them were of high quality. It also made Daimler-Benz, Porsche, Will Messerschmitt and a bunch of other industrialists very rich.
That's fascism in a nutshell. It's socialism with a business license. Only now we call it corporatism, as if it were a good thing. //
Tommy
38 minutes ago
Hmmm. Well, for starters, fascists are socialists. Nazis, the real ones, are National Socialists. They demand social and political conformity and use violence to enforce it. They also sooner or later always go after jews because, well, maintaining a unique identity and culture for 3000 years is the opposite of conformity. The bolsheviks went after jews, the national socialists went after jews, the only reason the maoists didn't is because there are any jews in china. And they never wave national flags. They make their own (the nazis used a good luck symbol) and cram it down everyone elses throat with a constant threat of retribution if you don't wave the flag. I see alot of this, but not from trump.
ConservativeInMinnesota Tommy
14 minutes ago
They did have some Jews in China before the Communist revolution. The Maoists took them out.
https://breakingmatzo.com/history-of-jews/harbin-china-the-city-that-jews-built/
The tide of this war changed when Israel, and Netanyahu, stopped caring what America says or thinks.
The drone that hit the Prime Minister's house was accompanied by two others that were shot down. The only one to make landfall is the one that hit the home. There are concerns that no warning sirens were sounded. Reports say the military is investigating the incident and potential failures of Israel's warning system. //
Equally, even after the death of Hamas's leader Sinwar and the harrowing footage of his last moments, Hamas still pledges to hold the hostages until the end and not give up. The problem with this enemy has always been the ideology. Death is a reward for them and they care not for the lives of anyone around them, or their own.
Israel understands the complexity of the tragic conditions of this conflict. Complete victory is the only answer. They are well on their way and the days of this war are numbered.
Cox permanently struck down Rule 183-1-12-.12 (a) (5), which aimed to ensure that the number of physical ballots counted on Election Day matches the machine count total at the precinct level. //
While Cox justified blocking the rule under the guise that “all rules enacted by the SEB must be consistent with the Existing Election Code,” SEB member Janelle King noted during a hearing on the proposal that several Georgia counties already conduct ballot reconciliation by hand and that this rule would simply be creating uniform guidance, as allegedly required by state statute.
“I just want to point out that according to our Georgia code, the role of the [SEB], part of our role, is to ‘promulgate rules and regulations to define uniform and nondiscriminatory standards,’” King said, reading from what she indicated to be state election code. “As we stated several times, having some counties counting by hand and some counties not, does not establish uniformity. This rule will do that, and we do have the ability to do that.” //
Cox’s decision further nullified one rule requiring voters to present a photo ID and sign their name when dropping an absentee ballot at a drop box, a rule that would require surveillance cameras at each drop box, a rule that expanded the area where poll watchers could be positioned, and a daily reporting rule, which as described by Cox, would expand the daily reporting (already defined in Election Code) to include weekend reporting.
When drones swarmed our military bases, the only thing bureaucrats ‘shot down’ were proposals about how to deal with the problem. //
In the end, the Journal strongly implies that the drone intrusions over Langley Airforce Base came to a halt only because twenty-something Chinese student Fengyun Shi accidentally crashed his drone into a tree. Law enforcement identified Shi’s suspicious behavior, and he was arrested before he could escape on a one-way trip back to China. He was convicted of espionage and sentenced to only six months in prison.
This story provides a genuine, although probably unintentional, insight into American national security. U.S. policymakers tie themselves in knots over what they view as insurmountably complex technological and regulatory questions, instead of accepting common-sense approaches. //
Our national security apparatus is addicted to complexity. The more complex the problem, the more our elites feel justified in insisting that only the experts with the best credentials at the highest levels can be trusted to address the challenges we face. The larger the budgets that can be requested, the easier the excuses for when the problem remains unresolved.
The purpose of swarm tactics (whether from drones or otherwise) is to overwhelm a single target with multiple autonomous entities, which become increasingly difficult to track and react against.
The vulnerability being exploited isn’t a technological one. Rather it’s exploiting the opponent’s centralized and rigid decision-making process. This is the same logic deployed by Antifa rioters, who seek to overwhelm law enforcement with dozens of independently operating affinity groups.
Where all tactical decisions are increasingly centralized, and often subjected to political pressure (such as the role played by vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz in the loss of the Third Minneapolis Police Precinct during the 2020 riots), autonomous swarm tactics win the day. Where individuals and small groups are empowered to respond as needed and cut through the red tape, swarms can be defeated, as amply demonstrated by the response from Florida police to illegal efforts by pro-Hamas protesters to blockade major roads in April 2024. Where power is centralized, the swarm wins every time.
We should be wary when the national security apparatus insists that if we just granted them additional powers, they could defeat the latest and greatest threat. We should be skeptical of claims that we must continue to centralize power so our safety can be ensured. Instead, to defeat the swarms that threaten us, we should be on the lookout for ways to decentralize our security, spreading out responsibilities and empowering those closest to the problem to react with prudence.