Short Takes – 2-10-23

SpaceX Test Fires 31 Engines on the Most Powerful Rocket Ever. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “At 4:14 p.m. Eastern time, on a video feed provided by SpaceX, the engines roared to life for a few seconds and shut down, kicking up that rose clouds above the rocket and prompting masses of birds to flee the area. An update on Twitter from SpaceX indicated the test was a success, lasting as long as intended. The booster and launch stand appeared to be in good shape afterward.”

FBI’s Christopher Wray Wants Business to Help Fight China, Cyber Threats. WSJ.com article. Pull quote: “When FBI agents last year infiltrated the networks of Hive, a notorious ransomware group that had demanded hundreds of millions of dollars in ransom payments from some 1,500 companies, hospital networks and other targets, they made an uncomfortable discovery. Only 20% of the victims had approached law enforcement about their attacks.”

Free Speech vs. Disinformation Comes to a Head. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “The attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana, both Republicans, have sued the White House and dozens of officials like Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, accusing them of forcing the platforms to stifle the voices of its political critics in violation of the constitutional guarantee of free speech.”

U.S. Shoots Down High-Altitude Object Over Alaska. NYTimes.com article. Pull quote: “Several officials said they believed the object shot down Friday was a balloon, but a Defense Department official said it broke into pieces when it hit the frozen sea, which added to the mystery of whether it was indeed a balloon, a drone or something else.” So, technically this was a UFO that was shot down….