Julian Assange is in very real danger of assassination, says Bob Ellis.
It is now the Swedes’ plan, and their ally America’s plan, for a ‘Lee Harvey Oswald moment’ when, emerging handcuffed from the embassy gates, Assange will be shot from a high window across the street in an ‘incident’ Scotland Yard will profoundly regret — and his funeral will be watched by half a billion viewers across the world and the assassin will get away.
This is their plan now. Their previous plan was not to try him for rape in Sweden – since his accusers were plainly right-wing conspirators who publicly kissed and hugged him for days and days after the supposed offence – but to beat him to death in gaol in an ‘incident’ the authorities would profoundly regret.
This was always their plan. This is why they never charged him with anything — wanting only to ‘question’ him in Sweden. Though they could have questioned him in London, he had to be in Sweden. There can be no other reason for this, as any fan of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will tell you, but to kill him there.
It is not far-fetched or paranoid to say this. Four American presidential candidates have called for his death, two by assassination. His informant, Bradley Manning, is undergoing torture and facing execution. Drone missiles take out, once a month, America’s political opponents without an arrest, or a lawyer, or a period of detention, or a day in court — just a sudden explosion in the house that they – and their children, sometimes – live in. Assassination is American foreign policy now — and an assassinated Assange is on their menu.
How are we to save him?
Well, we could ask the Swedes to interview him in the embassy, and find him, as they did before, a person of no interest. Or we could ask the British to send him home. Once here, he could be questioned on what happened, and the accusers flown out to be questioned too. If they have a case, he can be tried by Skype from Sweden and, if found guilty, if a fair trial is possible after the publicity, gaoled here.
And his life preserved.
It is not too large a thing to call him our Dreyfus. For Dreyfus too was accused of giving information to the enemy, amid newspaper headlines that divided the nation, and families with it, for decades. Dreyfus was found to be guiltless of any breach of the law in any jurisdiction.
It is a pity that the now all-too-common alliance of American hubris, Fox News hysteria and the far right wing has brought this world hero – the truthful, stern, impelled auteur of the Arab Spring – to this pass with the craven assistance of Australian inertia, Swedish greed and mendacious American vengefulness.
Gerald Celente cannot give financial advices but he is telling you what he is doing personally , he is putting his money into the only safe heaven out there and that is Gold and Silver .He is also recommending to boycott these coming elections instead of voting for the lesser of two evils as usual . All politicians are one and the same. Vote for any, you get the same. Jamie Diamond has his cufflinks. We OWN you all. Gerald is so wise an in tune with reality. He is the hero of reason. His knowledge will set us free. Free of the fear the elites need to feed off. Where is the mafia? Um, lizards killed him. Save the truth. Save Julian of Wikileaks. Save the internet. Save yourself from the fear Washington offers Julian. TORTURE for telling truths? Who ruses us? None to choose from .Gerald gave you a high complement. With his knowing, he doesn't honor many. We should play by their rules. When they manipulate metal to lows, buy. Buy and don't sell out. They may crash metals, yet when their paper eft etc can't play off to the owners, It isn't there. All the 1% will fall. It is global. Fearlessness that will bring the "elites to their knees. To have and hold...the poor mans salvation, SILVER.. Buy low and HOLD on.
FREMONT, CA – It’s been nearly four years since Tesla announced plans to expand its electric line-up from a singular sports car to a four-door, five-seat sedan. In the interim, the upstart automaker has grown its dealer network, secured more funding, revealed a crossover concept, and purchased and converted the former NUMMI plant in Fremont, CA to begin production of the Model S.
And that’s where we’re at today, joined by a smattering of press, investors, and a handful of EV early adopters who’ve plunked down deposits and are finally taking delivery of one of the first 10 full-size, fully electric, U.S.-built sedans.
The road from inception to production is a long one, and we’ve covered the Model S extensively since its announcement. But today, we finally get to drive it. Albeit for a very specific “7 to 9 minutes.”
In typical Tesla fashion, this is a highly choreographed affair. Between owners arriving, investor briefings, the assembled masses of journalists and photographers, and us, everything has been planned down to the minute – if not the second.
Which is why this is not a comprehensive test of the Model S.
We can tell you that it accelerates, stops and turns. It’s got more than enough shove to power you up an on-ramp, an interior that’s capable of carrying you and a few companions for an EPA-estimated 265 miles on a six-hour charge, and an infotainment screen that takes up more dashboard real-estate than a three-story row home.
What we can’t tell you is what the Model S is like to commute in or what it’s like to cane through the twisting roads of Mount Hamilton. And more importantly, we’re unable to put Tesla’s range claims to the test.
But if our brief seat time is any indication, Tesla hasn’t just delivered a functional, all-electric sedan – it’s made a luxury EV that can outpace and outclass the stalwarts of the premium sports sedan segment, while changing the perceptions of electric mobility.
It’s also a complete hoot to drive.
If you need a refresher on the Model S’ stats and features, brace yourself for the numerical barrage.
Three battery capacities are available: a 40 kWh pack, a 60 kWh battery, or a range-topping 85 kWh of juice. Tesla is citing range figures of 160 miles for the low end, 40 kWh module and 230 miles for the 60 kWh pack. The EPA just put out its own stats on the maxed-out 85 kWh battery, and rates it at 265 miles on a single charge and a combined rating of 89 MPGe. Until the EPA does its thing with the other models, it’s safe to assume the lesser packs will be rated around 10 percent less than what Tesla is citing.
The price discrepancy between each battery capacity is easy to calculate – start with $49,900 (after the $7,500 federal tax credit) and add $10k for each upgraded pack, with the 85 kWh model topping out at $69,900.
No matter the battery spec, you’re getting a Model S with 362 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque, and fitted with the 17-inch, Nvidia-powered touchscreen infotainment system, 19-inch wheels and seating for five, or up to seven if you fit the optional and entirely daft hatch-mounted, rear-facing seats.
The Model S Performance adds a “high performance drive inverter” boosting output to 416 hp from 5,000 to 8,600 RPM and 443 pound-feet of torque from 0 to 5,100 revs, which combined with the upgraded tire and wheel package is good for a 0-60 MPH run of 4.4 seconds. Along with the 85 kWh battery pack, the Performance model also comes standard with Nappa leather interior, alcantara and carbon fiber accents, a sport-tuned traction control system that allows a minute amount of slip and an active air suspension that goes from spongy to sporty depending on the conditions. All that for $84,900.
What we’re driving today is the Signature Performance model, one of 1,000 limited edition variants that have been set aside for the earliest of Tesla’s early adopters. While the $87,900 base Signature edition packs the same high-range battery pack and air suspension, along with red exterior paint, coke dealer chic white interior, and a claimed 0-60 run of 5.6 seconds, the performance model comes with the same kit but commands a cool $97,900 for its exclusivity.
Acting like a proper consumer electronics company, Tesla will only be offering the topped-out 85 kWh pack at launch, with the 60 kWh pack coming this fall and the 40 kWh version arriving in the winter.
Tesla’s pre-planned, six-mile route covered short blasts of urban and highway driving, along with a few fast, sweeping bends that put the drivetrain, suspension and steering in its best light.
We make a hard left out of the former NUMMI plant and mat the throttle down a straight leading to a long, slightly on-camber left hand turn. Acceleration in this Performance model is beyond brisk and the complete lack of any engine or transmission noise feels odd as we’re whisked in near silence to over 90 MPH.
A quick lift off the accelerator and the regenerative braking comes on at full force, slowing the Model S down to near 70 MPH before we lightly dab the brake entering the bend.
No need. The regen handles most of the deceleration and we get back on the throttle to power through at a few ticks over 60 MPH.
First impressions: The steering – dialed into Sport mode – is remarkably tight, although there’s not a massive amount of feedback through the electromechanical wheel. More impressive is the complete and utter lack of body roll as we tramp it through the corner, the air suspension sorting things out and keeping the Model S nearly flat through the bend.
With a total tonnage well in excess of 4,000 pounds and a wheelbase comparable to a mid-size luxury sedan, the Model S drives surprisingly light on its feet. The majority of the mass is mounted low in the body, primarily comprised of the battery and rear-mounted A/C-type electric motor powering the rear wheels, and we’re told the overall weight distribution is a slightly rearward bias 49:51 front-to-rear.
So far, it feels better than the best small Bimmer. And as it should. This is clean sheet car creation, combining the sport of a sports sedan with the electro-powered shove of its Roadster fore bearer. But unlike the Roadster, the Model S is brimming with grunt all the way through the rev range.
After a quick crest over a freeway onramp, we’re put through a patch of less-than-perfect tarmac to test the overall ride and interior noise. Again, the Model S impresses, with bumps absorbed and dispatched in quick order. Then again, Tesla picked the road. With the windows up, the stereo off and the A/C dialed down, the only thing you hear inside is a slight amount of tire roar. It’s quiet, but the solitude doesn’t come close to complete isolation.
Back down on the throttle through a few fast corners and we lay on the brakes, sending the tripod in the rear trunk (there are two, after all, one “frunk” and a traditional hatch) into the seat backs. The Model S brakes with authority, hauling us down from 60 MPH to a crawl within seconds. That, we weren’t expecting.
Minutes later, we’re passing a slow-moving Civic as we merge onto the highway. It’s a short blast, but gives us a few miles to play with the center mounted touchscreen and see if the Model S just became the new posterboy of driver distraction.
Unlike similar systems fitted by Ford and Cadillac, the user interface is remarkably uncluttered – mainly because of the sheer size of the screen. The HVAC controls are a bit hidden at the bottom of the display, requiring a few more steps to crank up the air than we would like, but the majority of the controls are up-front and intuitive, with large touch points and quick responses.
We cycle through the different steering settings, dial up an internet radio station streamed through the embedded 3G data connection, and try out the redundant controls on the steering wheel. Everything works as advertised, but until we get more seat time, it’s hard to make a definitive call on the custom-designed, Linux-powered infotainment system.
The interior fit and finish is – as expected – far more polished than the prototype we rode in previously. Tesla couldn’t develop all the bits and pieces in-house, so anyone familiar with Mercedes-Benz products will instantly recognizes the “transmission” stalk jutting out of the steering console and the window switches on the doors. They’re pulled from an E-Class, and remind you that Tesla is still very much a start-up.
The build quality is impressive for such a small automaker, with the dash, seats and trim feeling solid and well assembled. There’s a notable lack of storage, with no door pockets available, but a massive tray sits between the driver and front seat passenger ready for a sizable amount of assorted detritus. The seats are comfortable enough, although in this Performance model we’d welcome a bit more side bolstering.
We make a quick set of lane changes and get off the freeway, letting the regen do all the braking. There’s no need to employ the sizable Brembo brakes fitted at each corner. Like most EVs, the regen takes some getting used to, but we’re already adapting.
Back inside the Tesla Plex, we pause for a few minutes to take stock of what Elon Musk and his crew have created. “We wanted to build the best car in the world to show that an electric car can be the best car in the world,” Musk says to a wall of cameras.
Best? Let’s start with top 10 and go from there.
Short seat time aside, it’s obvious that Tesla hasn’t simply made an electric appliance solely for commuter duty – it’s made a credible driver’s car with the eco-cred to match. And if the Model S can make that kind of impression in less then 10 minutes, Musk and Co. may have finally found the special blend of powertrain and chassis performance to make an EV appealing to both the masses and the enthusiasts.
One of the oldest prizes in aviation is one step closer to being claimed after a team from the University of Maryland flew a human-powered helicopter for 50 seconds yesterday. The students managed the tenuous indoor flight with the Gamera II, beating the team’s previous record of 11 seconds set last summer.
The flight came at the end of two action-filled days of flying, fixing and flying again with numerous hops above the University of Maryland’s basketball court heli-pad.
The prize is the Igor I. Sikorsky Human-Powered Helicopter Competition from the American Helicopter Society and a win earns $250,000. In order to claim the prize a human powered helicopter must lift off the ground, hover for at least 60 seconds, reach an altitude of 3 meters during the flight and stay within a 10-square-meter area.
Yesterday’s 50-second flight was one of more than a dozen over the past two days, including a 35-second flight on Wednesday and a 40-second flight earlier Thursday (video below).
The Gamera II is a far cry from its robust spinning terrapin namesake. Like its fixed wing, human powered cousins, the delicate helicopter is a rather large, yet extremely lightweight aircraft. The entire craft has a width of 105 feet and each of the four rotors has a span of just over 42 feet, 7 inches. But despite the size of the Gamera II, it weighs just 71 pounds. That’s more than 30 pounds lighter than the original Gamera that flew last year, thanks largely to redesigned rotors and an improved truss design.
The design is delicate and an incident on Wednesday had them making repairs and delaying further flights.
Carbon fiber rods and thread are used to create small trusses that in turn make the four large trusses that spread from the cockpit. At the end of each truss is a rotor that is perched just above the ground. With the rotors located close to the ground, the team can take advantage of ground effect, an aerodynamic condition where there’s a reduction in induced drag from the lift generated by the rotors. With the rotors spinning at just 20 revolutions per minute, less than one horsepower is needed to hover at 2 feet above the ground.
Gamera II is piloted and powered by a pair of students at the University of Maryland. Unlike its predecessor, Gamera II uses both pedals to power with the legs, and a hand crank to add a bit of extra power. The team estimates they gain around 20 percent with the arms over using legs alone.
The University of Maryland team is one of only three groups that have ever achieved human-powered helicopter flight. A Japanese team held the previous record with a 19-second flight back in 1994.
More flights are expected today and the team hopes to crack the 60-second barrier. A live stream of the Gamera II in action can be seen on the team’s website.
