Monday, February 25, 2013

Drones Large and Small Coming to US

 unmanned aerial systems, unmanned aerial vehicles



Most of the drones that have begun to appear in the skies above the U.S. homeland don't resemble the Predators or Reapers flown by the U.S. military and CIA above Afghanistan and Pakistan. Instead, these smaller versions of flying, unmanned vehicles almost rival the animal kingdom in their diversity. Government agencies such as NASA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection operate aircraft-size military drones that take off from runways like airplanes. Labs in the United States have even built tiny drones that look like hummingbirds. But most drones resemble the radio-controlled aircraft and toy helicopters flown by hobbyists for decades, capable of taking off horizontally, vertically or by being thrown into the air like a trained falcon or hawk. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration does not plan to permit drones armed with weapons in U.S. civilian airspace, according to an official quoted by the Washington Times. But state agencies, sheriff's offices and universities have already found more widespread use for drones that carry cameras for taking photos or video from above. 

Draganfly Innovations builds small drones weighing less than 5 pounds that fly under the control of a human operator using two joysticks. The Canadian company has sold some drones to law enforcement for taking pictures or video of traffic accidents or crime scenes, as well as aiding SWAT teams preparing to storm a building or housing compound. FAA drone license applications tracked by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit digital rights organization, suggest many other possible uses. Some U.S. states have begun considering drones for checking on highway traffic conditions, inspecting bridges and fighting wildfires. U.S. corporations, such as FedEx, have already begun planning for the day when drones could deliver packages. Bird watchers accustomed to spotting a gaggle of geese or a murder of crows may someday spot similar groupings of drones. Such drone swarms will likely use advanced forms of today's artificial intelligence programs to coordinate their missions without precise human control, a future with possibilities both delightful and daunting. Tech News Daily

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

PlayStation 4 unveiled

 


NEW YORK (AP) -- Sony unveiled its next-generation gaming system, the PlayStation 4, and promised social and remote capabilities. Wednesday's announcement gives the struggling Japanese electronics company a head start over Microsoft and an Xbox 360 successor. The new PlayStation's controller resembles that of the PlayStation 3, but adds a touchpad, motion control and a "share" button. The Japanese electronics giant said the console will be part of a new ecosystem focused on hardware, software and "the fastest, most powerful gaming network." The PlayStation 4 will be Sony Corp.'s first major game console since the PlayStation 3 went on sale in 2006. Microsoft Corp. is expected to unveil the next Xbox in June at the E3 video game expo in Los Angeles. Last fall, Nintendo started selling the Wii U, though it plays catch-up in some respects in bringing the ability to play high-definition games.

Although the Xbox 360 came out a year before PlayStation 3, Microsoft's game machine has been more popular, largely because of its robust online service, Xbox Live, which allows people to play games with others online. The original Wii has sold more units since its launch than both its rivals, but it lost momentum as the novelty of its motion controller faded. Sales of the new Wii U have been slow. Underscoring the importance of a new PlayStation and the U.S. market, Sony is holding its announcement event in New York rather than in Japan, as it had in the past. The event is at the Hammerstein Ballroom in midtown Manhattan.

RareInk NBA Gallery vol. 2

Kobe Bryant
The Black Mamba


Kobe Bryant
K8


Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose


Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor


Kobe Bryant
Kobe


Kobe Bryant
Kobe to Shaq


Derrick Rose
D. Rose


James Harden
James Harden


Russell Westbrook
Russell Westbrook


Kevin Durant
K.D.


Dwayne Wade
Dwayne Wade


Paul Pierce
The Truth


Blake Griffin
B.G.


Chris Paul
Chris Paul


Anfernee Hardaway
Penny Hardaway


Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard


Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin


Dominique Wilkens

Dominique Wilkins


Spud Webb
Spud Webb


Blake Griffin
Blake


Julius Erving
Dr. J


Kevin Garnett
K.G.


Rajon Rondo
Rondo



Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Apple, Mac computers hit by hackers who targeted Facebook

 


BOSTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc (NSQ:AAPL - News) was recently attacked by hackers who infected the Macintosh computers of some employees, the company said on Tuesday in an unprecedented disclosure that described the widest known cyber attacks against Apple-made computers to date. Unknown hackers infected the computers of some Apple workers when they visited a website for software developers that had been infected with malicious software. The malware had been designed to attack Mac computers, the company said in a statement provided to Reuters. The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp's (ORCL.O) Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers, was used to launch attacks against Facebook (FB.O), which the social network disclosed on Friday
.
The malware was also employed in attacks against Mac computers used by "other companies," Apple said, without elaborating on the scale of the assault. But a person briefed on the investigation into the attacks said that hundreds of companies, including defense contractors, had been infected with the same malicious software, or malware. The attacks mark the highest-profile cyber attacks to date on businesses running Mac computers. Hackers have traditionally focused on attacking machines running the Windows operating system, though they have gradually turned their attention to Apple products over the past couple of years as the company gained market share over Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). MadOne

North Korea threatens South with 'final destruction'

An activist from an anti-North Korea civic group burns a portrait of North's leader Kim Jong-un during a rally against North Korea's nuclear test near the U.S. embassy in central Seoul February 12, 2013. North Korea conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday in defiance of U.N. resolutions, angering the United States and Japan and prompting its only major ally, China, to call for calm. The poster (front R) reads, "Let's pulverize North Korea's nuclear war provocations!"  REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji (SOUTH KOREA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)  




GENEVA (Reuters) - North Korea threatened South Korea with "final destruction" during a debate at the United Nations Conference on Disarmament on Tuesday, saying it could take further steps after a nuclear test last week. Jon's comments drew quick criticism from other nations, including South Korea, France, Germany and Britain, whose ambassador Joanne Adamson said such language was "completely inappropriate" and the discussion with North Korea was heading in the wrong direction. 

"In the 30 years of my career I've never heard anything like it and it seems to me that we are not speaking about something that is even admissible, we are speaking about a threat of the use of force that is prohibited by Article 2.4 of the United Nations charter," Catalina said. Since the North tested a nuclear bomb last week in defiance of U.N. resolutions, its southern neighbour has warned it could strike the isolated state if it believed an attack was imminent. Pyongyang said the aim of the test was to bolster its defences given the hostility of the United States, which has led a push to impose sanctions on North Korea. "If the U.S. takes a hostile approach toward the DPRK to the last, rendering the situation complicated, it (North Korea) will be left with no option but to take the second and third stronger steps in succession," he said, without indicating what that might entail. North Korea has already told key ally China that it is prepared to stage one or two more tests this year to force the United States into diplomatic talks, a source with direct knowledge of the message told Reuters last week.

Impoverished and malnourished North Korea is one of the most heavily sanctioned states in the world. It is still technically at war with South Korea after a 1950-53 civil war ended in a mere truce.
Washington and its allies are believed to be pushing to tighten the noose around North Korea's financial transactions in a bid to starve its leadership of funding. Jon said last week's test was an act of self-defence against nuclear blackmail by the United States, which wanted to block North Korea's economic development and its fundamental rights. Jon said the United States had conducted most of the nuclear tests and satellite launches in history, and he described its pursuit of U.N. Security Council resolutions against North Korea as "a breach of international law and the height of double standards".

Neither Russia nor China, which are veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council, spoke at Tuesday's meeting in Geneva. Before its nuclear test, North Korea was already facing growing diplomatic pressure at the United Nations. The U.N. Human Rights Council is widely expected to order an inquiry next month into its leaders' responsibilities for crimes against humanity. MadOne

Could Michael Jordan play at 50? His trainer is ready if he does

 
As Tim Grover walked out of the Hall of Fame induction speech four years ago, the observances of Michael Jordan's old slights, the settling of old scores, had already come and gone in the trainer's mind. All those years with Jordan, and Grover understood to always be lurching toward tomorrow with the game's greatest player.

"I heard that speech differently than everybody else," Grover said. Grover heard Jordan raising the idea of playing in the NBA in his 50s, and that was all the nod he needed to begin preparations.
"If I ever get that call," Grover said, "I was going to be prepared for it. And I am." 

Fifty pages inside a binder sit on Grover's desk inside his suburban Chicago home now, information and studies and research and innovations into regenerating the muscle fibers and anti-aging advances and nutrition. From his trips to Europe and Asia and the Far East, Grover has incorporated a small library of intelligence – backed with the most intimate knowledge of Jordan's body and mind and drive – to create a program that awaits the comeback of all comebacks at 50 years old. 

Deep down, Grover isn't so sure that call will ever come, because the complications of owning the Bobcats could ultimately make a return too intrusive into Jordan's business life now. All these years later, Grover still makes sure he incorporates every morsel of cutting-edge information and technology into the binder, because if Jordan ever reaches out for the comeback of all comebacks, he needs to know one truth will have never changed with the passing of the years. "I'll be ready for him," Grover says. Yahoo Sports

Friday, February 15, 2013

Chris Brown and Drake sue each other!



In another Chris Brown moment! 
 
Chris Brown and Drake are both pointing fingers at each other for the intense fight that went down last June in a NYC nightclub, TMZ reported. The rappers have each filed lawsuits claiming the other started the messy brawl, which was reportedly over Rihanna. MadOne 
 

0214_drake_chris_club_footer

Thursday, February 14, 2013

RareInk NBA Gallery vol. 1

Michael Jordan
 Free Throw Line Flight


Michael Jordan
Jilla



Scottie Pippen
PiP


Dennis Rodman
Dennis the Menace


Dennis Rodman
Bad Boy Rodman


Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway


Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler


Kyrie Irving
Kyrie Irving


John Starks
John Starks

Bernard King
Bernard King



Vince Carter
Vince Carter



LeBron James
Lebron James


Michael Jordan
The Arrival of Air Jordan


Allen Iverson
The Answer



Michael Jordan
Jordan


Kobe Bryant
Kobe



Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas



Dwayne Wade
D. Wade


Chris Webber
C. Webb



Allen Iverson
A.I.



Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett



Magic Johnson
Magic


Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant



Michael Jordan
MJ