The Cats Trying to Kill Curiosity

[level_head]

I was delighted, as were millions, by the successful touchdown of the Curiosity rover on the surface of Mars.  It was a monumental achievement, of equipment working right (thanks to tremendous engineering and science) despite nearly a year’s exposure to extraordinary conditions and extremes in rapid succession. But as Sam Rayburn (48th, 50th, and

Comments

[tuftears]

If they actually do this, they are dead to humanity, IMO.

[level_head]

It is troubling, how their reputation is not already terrible as a result of their actions. I commented at length to Tora Kiyoshi below.

===|==============/ Keith DeHavelle

[torakiyoshi]

The question is, why would they? Anonymous, internet terror though they may be, seems to be focused on punishing groups that deserve it, but are beyond the law to receive the punishment (like hacking Sony for their legal, but [i]alegedly[/i] abusive TOS). So what abuse did NASA commit that Anonymous would want to punish?

[level_head]

Ah. According to many, you "deserve it" for what you are -- in a couple of different categories, perhaps an unusual combination. The same can be said of me.

Anonymous is destructive by nature, but portrayed favorably in the media when their targets happen to also be the media's enemies, like the American military, the US in general, and "evil corporations." But when the Obama administration was attacked, suddenly the media were conflicted - the target was the US in general, which they were happy about, but it made their favored one look bad. Many spiked or downplayed the story at first as a result, or noted that they were above repeating information from the hacked materials.

I do not look on them as any sort of force for justice at all; quite the reverse. (This sentence could be construed as talking about Anonymous or the media; I think it works for both.)

===|==============/ Keith DeHavelle

[tuftears]

I think they're mainly bored but intelligent teenagers who have more recipes for destruction than wisdom. -_- I certainly don't view them as some sort of modern day 'Robin Hood'-- I haven't seen them going out of their way to make life better for anyone.

[torakiyoshi]

It would seem the researchers I heard this spring were less well informed than they should have been. Most likely, their research came from those same media moguls.

[prester_scott]

I can't believe this. I mean, I can, but I can't. I really hope that everyone who has the power to do this, has enough decency not to. If they do it, they need to be booked onto the next rocket off this planet.

[level_head]

And not an electronic booking.

===|==============/ Keith DeHavelle

[shockwave77598]

As I have insider info about the systems involved, unless they have a member working in the DSN who is willing to lose his job and go to jail for this stunt, there is no way at all they can pull it off. But let them try; try all they want. I'll not lose a second of sleep.

[melvin_udall]

This wouldn't surprise me.

If they succeed these anarchists will, as usual, end up causing a universal increase of the loss of liberty, as public opinion will swing toward government intrusion and control.

If I personally knew one of these people and that they were a part of it no one would ever find the body.

from the Last-National-Prank-Dept.

[acertaindoebear]

The global jihad is already doing a good job with causing a universal increase in the loss of liberty...I don't even know if the US will be able to maintan it's own 'democracy' in that world?

Has there been any society or civilization that has been successful, permanently, against the 'barbarians'?