Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Friday, December 21, 2012

Now some crazy person wants President Obama to withdraw from the Outer Space Treaty and claim the moon as sovereign American territory.

Addendum: The 'Claim the Moon' White House Petition - Why I Did It

Addendum 2: Rand Simberg, whose own ill-considered space property rights proposal was such an embarrassment, screams and leaps.

Addendum 3: Bob Zimmerman is much more supportive.

Bumped

After the Mayan Apocalypse, the next end of the world draws nigh

For your listening pleasure...

Skylab II: A NASA 'Back to the Future' Concept to Open Up Space Exploration
'Tar Sands Blockade' Thus Far Ineffective in Efforts to Stop Keystone XL Pipeline
'Burn Notice' Season Six Ends: The Day the Running Stopped
The Mayan Apocalypse was Fun While it Lasted
Fiscal Cliff 'Plan B' Bill Collapse Shows Incompetence of Political Class

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

NASA releases an after the Mayan Apocalypse video early
Former congressman proposes that NASA sell naming rights to space craft
For your edification, the complete 1980s miniseries "Amerika" which depicted the United States under Soviet occupation. It was, to say the least, controversial and has not be aired since. But it is now apparently available in 13 parts thanks to YouTube. The series starred Kris Kristofferson as a John Kerry like Senator who is put in the American Gulag and Sam Neil as a somewhat sympathetic KGB agent.
Democrats Belatedly Discover that Medical Device Tax Kills Jobs
Union Mob Violence Over Michigan Right to Work Shows Double Standard

Monday, December 10, 2012

Proof positive that Sarah Palin still terrifies the left, coming for 2013, an alternate history novel called "Christian Nation." Here is the blurb:

“They said what they would do, and we did not listen. Then they did what they said they would do.”

So ends the first chapter of this brilliantly readable counterfactual novel, reminding us that America’s Christian fundamentalists have been consistently clear about their vision for a “Christian Nation” and dead serious about acquiring the political power to achieve it. When President McCain dies and Sarah Palin becomes president, the reader, along with the nation, stumbles down a terrifyingly credible path toward theocracy, realizing too late that the Christian right meant precisely what it said.

One is chillingly reminded of the persecution of non Christians that occurred in Alaska when Palin was that state's governor...oh, wait a minute. That didn't happen. In any case, it is hard not to laugh at such fancies when one is living in a real life dystopia run by left wingers.

Sierra Nevada Prepares for Flight Tests of Lift Body Dream Chaser Spacecraft
Texas Gov. Rick Perry Speaks His Mind on Obamacare

Ayn Rand's John Galt as a secular Jesus Christ?

Manipulating the Tax Withholding Rates May Be a Disaster for the Obama White House
Jamie Foxx's 'Kill All the White People' Statement Unsetttling
NASA: the world will not end on December 21, despite Mayan calendar
Ron Paul Joins Dennis Kucinich to Demand Obama Drone Documents
Sir Patrick Moore, Astronomer, Author, Host of 'The Sky at Night,' Dead at 89
Why Hillary Clinton Should Not Run in 2016
Bill Maher Hates ... Andy Williams?
Jim DeMint's Leaving the Senate May Benefit Ted Cruz
Petition to Build a 'Death Star' May Not Be so Fanciful After All
Obama Cracking Down on Legal Pot Smoking Shows Typical Political Hypocrisy
Here's Hoping George Zimmerman Takes NBC to the Cleaners

Saturday, December 08, 2012

Now some libs think that Obama might "cave," though it seems to be a unique definition of the term.
A movie based on the life of Arminius, the German warlord who ambushed three Roman legions and thus destroyed the Roman Empire's power in Germany beyond the Rhine is now in development. It is said to be kind of like "Braveheart," but with legionaries instead of English knights.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

Currently reading the following:

My call for a new tea party uprising is starting to bear fruit
Opposition to Obamacare fueled the Tea Party wave of 2009-2010. The next wave will include continued opposition to Obamacare, along with other fiscal issues, The Tea Party tsunami at the gates. The fight over Obamacare as a law ended when Chief Justice John Roberts enganged in mental gymnastics to uphold the law under Congress’ taxing authority, and then again when Obama’s reelection removed any possibility of complete repeal. The fight over Obamacare now is over implementation. There are inherent problems in the law itself which will raise popular ire, but the battle now is over exchanges and other aspects of implementation. One of the first orders up is whether states will implement the Obamacare exchanges, or let it default to the federal government, which will have a difficult time doing so. Only 13 states have taken steps to set up the exchanges, and 17 state governors have declared an intention not to set up exchanges. One state where there is a disconnect between the population and the governor is Tennessee, where Governor Bill Haslam is wavering. The Lt. Governor has come out against implementation. In response, a variety of groups led by local Tea Party organizations are organizing rallies for December 5,
Golden Spike Co. may announce private lunar expedition at December 6 event
Engine breakthrough by British company points the way to single stage to orbit

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The Man from Mars -- Chapter Five
Former NASA Official, Astronaut Urge China Partnership in ISS
'Covert Affairs' Season 3 Ends with a Rescue, a Resolution, Sex, and a Big Question
Spacecraft tracking facility to be built in Brownsville
Ron Paul Blames the Gaza Conflict on Israel, American Middle East Policy
If Obamacare Falls on Religious Liberty Grounds, Obama Has Only Himself to Blame
Barack Obama is Not 'Our Lord and Savior'
Abuse of Tracking Technology in San Antonio, Saudi Arabia Raises Concerns
Fallout of Texas Secession 'Fever' Include a Middle Name, a Bumper Sticker, and an Old Novel
NASA, Los Alamos researchers test new space nuclear power system

Monday, November 26, 2012

NASA, Russia Choose Astronaut, Cosmonaut for Year Long Space Mission
Matthew Dowd and Ken Burns: Liberals Behaving Badly on the Sunday Talk Shows
Avoid the Fiscal Cliff by Repealing Obamacare
Election 2016: Not Bush vs. Clinton, but Palin vs. Biden
Mursi Ends Egypt's Experiment in Democracy, Much to Obama's Consternation
What to Do with J.R. Ewing Now that Larry Hagman is Dead?
Banning Killer Robots May Not Be a Good Idea, or Even Possible
Will Obama's EPA Kill Fracking, Hence the Economic Recovery?
Ironically, Falling Over Fiscal Cliff to Fall Heaviest on Obama States
Susan Rice Should Be Criticized Without Recourse to the Race or Gender Card
Marco Rubio Must Be Vilified and 'Palinized'

Saturday, November 17, 2012

For all you fans of the Twilight series of books and movies, a different kind of vampire, Gabriella Doria

Charlotte Allen makes the case for Sarah Palin running for president in 2016. She's pretty much hated by the establishment. But we ran with their candidate and now see how that turned out.
'Skyfall' Brings James Bond Back Full Circle

Thursday, November 15, 2012

This is how missile defense works.

NASA, SpaceX Work to Fix Anomalies from Last Dragon Cargo Flight
Ron Paul Gives His Farewell Address, Touting His Views on Freedom
The Roles of Susan Rice and David Petraeus in Obama's Benghazi Scandal
Nancy Pelosi Clings to Power, to the Detriment of House Democrats
Report: commercial astronauts may beat NASA and China back to the moon by 2020

Addendum: Predictably Rand Simberg has gone orgasmic.

If this is true, it’s going to make it harder for NASA to justify SLS. Or even being in the human spaceflight business at all. We’ll soon see, perhaps. December isn’t far off.

Actually, no. Rand did not quote the part of the article that suggested that the current thinking on space exploration involves heavy lift and fuel depots. We don't have any details about the venture or who is involved. So it is a little premature to predict the death of NASA as a space exploration agency.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Speculation Mounts About a Return to the Moon
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to Become Minority Whip Despite GOP Senate Losses
NASA Radiation Belt Probes Named After James Van Allen
I am your father.
The future of NASA space exploration may lay in the private sector, with robots
Peggy Noonan's 'Rage' Against the Tea Party Misplaced
Obamacare is Not Yet Inevitable if the State Exchanges Can Be Stopped
George P. Bush Extends Political Dynasty by Preparing for Public Office
Petraeus' Resignation as CIA Chief a Tragedy -- and a Little Too Convenient
Sarah Palin for President, 2016

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Thursday, November 08, 2012

Scientists Develop Genetically Modified Tomato that Treats Heart Disease
The Best Way to Fix a Relationship After an Election is Not to Break It
Report: NASA May Be Headed on a Mission Near the Moon
By Passing Prop 30, California Votes to Commit Economic Suicide
Rand Simberg is spinning fairy tales of secret plans to scrap the heavy lift Space Launch System in favor of the latest scheme to put more money into Elon Musk's pocket, fuel depots in space supplied by "commercial" launches. If such a plan were to even be proposed it would be proof (if it was needed) that space policy under Obama is driven by politics and graft. But it would not fly otherwise because (a) it's unworkable and much more expensive and risky than some people pretend and (b) Congress will never go for it.
What If Sarah Palin Had Run?
'South Park' Episode 14, Season 16, 'Obama Wins!' a Balm for Electoral Disappointment
Three Republicans vie for chairmanship of the House Science Committee
Bebionic Bionic Hand Helps Amputees Perform Everyday Tasks

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

How might 'Star Wars Episode 7' affect real world space travel

Of course this means Leia is officially a Disney Princess. And maybe she will show up on "Once Upon a Time" along with Han Solo

Disney has bought Lucasfilm and intends to release Star Wars Episode 7 in 2015. Since Lucas will not be making it, this has possibilities.
NASA Mulls Space Launch System for Planetary Missions, Large Space Stations

Addendum: Keith Cowing, not surprisingly, has a decidely negative take. The problem is that none of these missions will fly until the 2020s at the earliest. Predicting the budget situation for ten years from now is folly to say the least. In the meantime NASA is playing it smart by imagining what the extra capabilities the SLS will buy it. This gets the planetary science community behind continuing the rocket's development.

Effects of Sandy on the Election Are Unclear, but Might Favor GOP, Governors
'Future Children' Anti-Romney Video Likely to Anger Adults

The ultimate battle of the Bonds to the death.

Don't listen to Joss Whedon, Mitt Romney's the guy you'd want in charge during a zombie apocalypse

Sunday, October 28, 2012

A wonderful and disturbing combination of humor and utter Hollywood rich guy cluelessness as I have rarely seen. Joss, I love your work, but really, seriously?

Addendum: It occurs to me that Joss is wrong and it was Obama who started the Zombie Apocalypse in the form of the Occupy movement. Fortunately, unlike in the movies, it was contained in time.

Addendum 2: 'The Zombie Apocalypse' is a Strange Campaign Issue

Converting Coal to Methane Through Microbes Could Change Energy Economy
Boeing Develops a Weapon to Shut Down an Enemy's Electronics
Study: It's Hard for Men and Women to Be Just Friends
SpaceX Dragon returns from NASA's ISS with astronaut blood and urine samples
MIT grad student proposes deflecting asteroid with 'paintballs'
It appears that Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty killed 60 of the attacking force in Benghazi while saving 20 or so Americans. I know they were technically no longer in the military, but this is Medal of Honor stuff.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Rand Simberg is being named in a lawsuit brought by Michael Mann, a climate scientist and global warming advocate who apparently does not take criticism very well. Rand will likely set up a legal defense fund, but in the meantime feel free to contribute to his regular tip jar.

Mark Steyn too.

NASA Engineers Build Mockup of Deep Space Station
'Starvation Hormone' Could Extend Life, Research Suggests
Obama's 'Bayonets and Horses' Line Not as Sharp Against Romney as Hoped
Just reading between the lines, but I think this Challenger disaster project appears to be oriented toward the commission that determined the cause. One hopes it will be better than the exploitive movie of the week that was made a few years back.
Clark Kent to Become the 'Next Matt Drudge,' and About Time Too

Monday, October 22, 2012

Thomas Jefferson and James Hemings Brought French Cuisine to America

Romney Seemed Presidential in Debate 3; Obama Not so Much

Some apologies from Barack Obama.

Romney NASA-Based Endorsements Elicit Vehement Responses
Blue Origin tests 'pusher' launch escape system for future spacecraft
Beirut Wrong to be Angry at Depiction in 'Homeland' as a Hotbed of Terrorism
George McGovern Betrayed Anti-War Stance, Proposed the Invasion of Cambodia in 1978
If Mitt Romney Carries Pennsylvania, the Race Will Be a Wipeout

Addendum: Sure enough, the return of the bitter clingers.

Chris Stevens Warned of Benghazi Security, Raising Questions on Obama Libya Policy
Politicians, Experts Call for Mission Stability, More R&D for NASA
Scott Pace, formerly of NASA,and Eric Anderson, commercial space magnate: ... Or Ready To Restore Lost U.S. Leadership in Space?

Sunday, October 21, 2012