Even wizards can get PTSD
Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Monday, July 21, 2025
@NASAArtemis will finish what we started: we're going back to the Moon &, this time, we're STAYING! Then, we're going to MARS!
Captain Pike prays on screen to God to save his lover from certain death. If religion can be brought back to Trek, maybe free market capitalism is not far behind.
Sunday, July 20, 2025
NASA has had a difficult early summer, between a proposed budget that would eviscerate the space agency’s science programs and President Trump’s sudden withdrawal of billionaire private space traveler Jared Isaacman from the nomination to be administrator of NASA.
Even so, there are signs that NASA’s fortunes may be looking up.
Saturday, July 19, 2025
The consequences for NASA were dramatic and negative. Thanks to Gor’s last-minute intervention, NASA was left without a Senate-confirmed administrator for the foreseeable future. Officials warned the agency wouldn’t get a new chief approved for “at least nine months,” hampering leadership of the nation’s space program. A Trump adviser involved in the process vented frustration to Axios: “Isaacman is eminently qualified… exactly the type of person we want. And now look at it.” In short, Gor’s purity tests sacrificed a crucial agency head for a partisan grudge. Even Senate Republicans were angry. According to Axios, GOP senators privately blamed Gor for undermining the NASA pick purely to “settle a score” with Musk.
Looks like the Grima Wormtongue of the Trump administration is not pleased and is threatening to sue. I bet discovery would be fascinating,
Friday, July 18, 2025
Thursday, July 17, 2025
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Monday, July 14, 2025
Sunday, July 13, 2025
The “big, beautiful bill” recently signed into law enacted a number of tax, spending and regulatory measures. President Trump and his supporters regard the new law as a triumph. Trump’s enemies not so much.
NASA spending measures are tucked inside the bill that can best be described as ugly, or at the very least ill-advised.
Saturday, July 12, 2025
Friday, July 11, 2025
Thursday, July 10, 2025
Wednesday, July 09, 2025
“I don’t think it ever does any good for somebody like Elon Musk to annoy his biggest customer, which is the United States government,” space policy expert Mark Whittington said.
However, he underscored the government is also highly dependent on SpaceX, making it hard for Trump to realistically cut off the company.
Musk’s threat last month to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which is responsible for ferrying astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station, sent shockwaves through the space community. He ultimately walked back the threat.
“SpaceX is so good at what it does, launching things into space, and is far beyond any of his competitors,” Whittington added. “There’s not much the federal government can do to him without alternatives.”
Tuesday, July 08, 2025
Monday, July 07, 2025
The statement about his political contributions is incorrect based on public records. Isaacman has donated to Republican candidates, including Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), now the chairman of the House Transportation Committee. However, more recent donations, including those in the 2024 election cycle, were to Democratic candidates and organizations. That donation history almost certainly would have been part of the vetting process for his nomination, which Trump announced in December 2024.
Isaacman has also pushed back on claims, advanced by Democratic senators during the confirmation process, that he is close friends with Musk. “I do not have a close personal relationship with Mr. Musk,” he said in written responses to questions for the record after his April 9 confirmation hearing, calling his relationship with Musk “professional.” He also denied that Musk had contacted him about leading NASA, saying that his interactions were with the Trump transition team.
Sunday, July 06, 2025
Now, the Earth approaching asteroid has a new target. A small chance exists that it will hit the moon in 2032. The prospect presents new dangers, though not as great as the destruction of a city.