Category: Video

Not Enough Bullets: PC Edition

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Because what billy wants, Billy gets.

And I don’t mean politically correct. I mean companies involved in the personal computer business, most notably Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, and Dell, who are aggressively lobbying against a proposal to prevent tax evasion through transfer pricing:

Software and computer companies such as Microsoft Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc. are gearing up to fight an Obama administration plan to curb offshore tax avoidance.

The $15.5 billion proposal in President Barack Obama’s 2011 budget targets what the Internal Revenue Service calls the growing problem of so-called transfer pricing. The technique allows companies to reduce their tax bills by transferring intangible property such as patents, trademarks and licenses to offshore subsidiaries.

They use our courts and our law enforcement and our regulators to enforce their IP licenses, and they want to assign that IP to dummy corporations

Additionally, Microsoft has evaded Washington state taxes over the past 13 years, to the tune of $1.27 billion, with a similar shift by opening up a store front in Nevada. (see vid)

But don’t you worry about Microsoft, they are lobbying to have the tax gutted, as well as getting an amnesty in the lege, so they won’t owe anything, and the state will find some way to deal with their $2.8 billion deficit over the next few years.

Silly voter, taxes is for plebes.

Well, Here is an Interesting Local Startup

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Click for full size


Basic VTOL Configuration


Wind Tunnel Testing


Control Surface Tests

Mission scenario video

Images and video, American Dynamics Flight Systems*

Aviation Week has noted that a startup company with a interesting take on a VTOL UAV has received funding from the Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) program for wind tunnel tests on their AD-150 UAS.

The company, American Dynamics Flight Systems, has an interesting take on the tilt rotor system, and I don’t mean just their use of shrouded propulsors, but the fact that they can operate the propulsors asymmetrically in order to provide control inputs.

The final product is looking to be a 14½ foot long vehicle that can carry a roughly 500 pound payload at 300 kts, which places it within the requirements for the US Marine Corps “Group 4” drone requirement.

Given the specifications, it certainly will be able to keep up with the Osprey, though I have not seen any range data.

The company’s other products are the High Torque Aerial Lift (HTAL) propulsor, which is used on the AD-150, and an improved launcher for the 2.75″ FFAR called the, “LH Series Launcher,” which is lighter and more streamlined than the existing launchers, and so more suited to UAVs.

There seems to be a fair amount of “neat” tech there, the AD-150 appears to be leveraging on their HTAL propulsor, and their LH launcher appears to fill a real need.

Basically, with the advent of guidance heads for the 2.75″ rocket, APKWS and DAGRS, it is rather likely that this will become the weapon of choice for UAVS,

The rocket, which is smaller, lighter, and has a smaller warhead than the AGM-114 Hellfire, which means that more can be carried with less collateral damage.

Using the hellfire to take out a guy on a motorbike, or a bunch of guys in an SUV, is kind of like using an elephant gun as a fly-swatter.

In any case, I emailed them about getting a tour of their Jessup, Maryland facility, and will be having a tour on Wednesday, assuming that their schedule or the vicissitudes of mother nature (more snow predicted next week) don’t intrude.

I will be posting a request for any ideas for questions on a shorter post, which will remain at the top of the list until late Tuesday evening, so I’ve closed comments on this post, if there is anything you want to know, post it there. (Link to request for questions)

I recommend checking out the web site. It’s chock full of neat stuff.™

*Their use statement on their website says, “Unless otherwise noted, the content in this collection is provided for non-commercial use and may be used for educational and editorial purposes only. All other uses require the explicit written consent of American Dynamics Flight Systems. For more information please contact media@adflightsystems.com.” My writing about them should qualify as an “editorial” purpose.

Have I Mentioned that I Love Alan Grayson*

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He lays into Pat Robertson’s comment on Haiti and the devil, and further notes that the religious right, and particularly Pat Robertson’s supporters have achieved none of their goals, specifically a constitutional amendment against gay marriage, and a ban of abortion, and he asks, “What about your own pact with the Devil? How’s that worked out for you?” (3:07)

I don’t think that everyone should be like Alan Grayson, but I think that it’s essential that the Democrats have a few of these sorts of firebrands to describe the wrong that the Republicans do in stark and moralistic terms.

*In a 110% purely heterosexual kind of way, of course, as the General would say.

OK, I Might Consider Donating to Fiorina

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Rachael Maddow’s take


Full ad

If just because she is an even bigger disaster as a candidate than she was as CEO of HP, where staffers broke out into “Ding, dong, the witch is dead” upon announcement of her firing.

You see, she has followed up the worst political website ever with the worst political ad ever.

I’m beginning to wonder if former HPers are working on her campaign ad just to f%$# with her.

In any case, when one considers her history at HP, where she demoralized and hurt the company but got pay increases, or her history at AT&T, where her staff falsified sales data, she is a poster child for over-privileged senior management, and so would be dead meat on the table in the general.

But right not, she is flinging sheep at Republicans, so she’s doing “God’s work.”