Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Obama's Schoolyard Taunt Against Romney About Killing Bin Laden
One of the most bizarre accusations made by the Obama administration against Mitt Romney is that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee would not have given the order to snuff out Osama bin Laden, according to the Weekly Standard.
It looks like, to use the ancient Roman metaphor that he might have favored, Al Armendariz has been forced to fall on his sword.
Addendum: EPA Regional Chief Armendariz Resigns Over 'Crucify' Remarks
Addendum: EPA Regional Chief Armendariz Resigns Over 'Crucify' Remarks
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Obama’s Space Shuttle funeral dirge a show for all to see
The American moon mission was America’s finest moment in time, signaling to the world not just proof of American ingenuity but keeping aflame man’s dream to reach the moon.
In this final chapter, Obama didn’t just gut the space program’s manned moon missions, he flew proof of America’s dead dream over Washington and New York landmarks.
The American astronaut and the concept of space shuttles have been relegated almost overnight to the obscurity of museum relics.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
I had no idea that necrophilia was permitted under Islam. It may soon be the case in Muslim Brotherhood dominated Egypt.
Labor Department's War on Rural America
Addendum, as one of the comments points out and Newsmax confirms, the parental exemption is rather meaningless because a lot of family farms are jointly owned by a number of family members, say a group of siblings, or a couple and their siblings, which would not fall under the exemption. It's proof once again about the folly of city slickers trying to make rules about a milieu about which they know nothing.
Addendum 2: Obama backs off.
Addendum, as one of the comments points out and Newsmax confirms, the parental exemption is rather meaningless because a lot of family farms are jointly owned by a number of family members, say a group of siblings, or a couple and their siblings, which would not fall under the exemption. It's proof once again about the folly of city slickers trying to make rules about a milieu about which they know nothing.
Addendum 2: Obama backs off.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Does Asteroid Mining Violate Space Law?
Opinions seen to vary, depending on what one thinks the Outer Space Treaty says. It would seem to point to renegotiating the treaty, clarifying the treaty, or as a last ditch withdrawing from the treaty.
Meanwhile, Neil deGrasse Tyson weighs in.
Opinions seen to vary, depending on what one thinks the Outer Space Treaty says. It would seem to point to renegotiating the treaty, clarifying the treaty, or as a last ditch withdrawing from the treaty.
Meanwhile, Neil deGrasse Tyson weighs in.
Monday, April 23, 2012
There are several takeaways to be had about Planetary Resources
It seems to have some serious money and technical expertise behind it.
It's main market appears to be space travelers, supplying them with rocket fuel and building materials.
On that note, by the way, it pretty much destroys the idea of fuel depots supplied from Earth. Depots supplied from space resources make much more economic sense. A 500 ton or so asteroid parked at one of the Lagrange points would make a wonderful resupply/refueling depot when it's fully developed.
Much more anon, obviously.
It seems to have some serious money and technical expertise behind it.
It's main market appears to be space travelers, supplying them with rocket fuel and building materials.
On that note, by the way, it pretty much destroys the idea of fuel depots supplied from Earth. Depots supplied from space resources make much more economic sense. A 500 ton or so asteroid parked at one of the Lagrange points would make a wonderful resupply/refueling depot when it's fully developed.
Much more anon, obviously.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Burning Down the Homes of Global Warming 'Deniers'
Steve Zwick, an environmental advocate, has written about what he thinks should happen to the people who dispute the "settled science" of climate change, formally known as global warming, in the pages of Forbes.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Discovery's Last Flight: End of an Era or Beginning of One?
Addendum: Bolden and Holdren reply to Krauthammer with administration talking points. What is most interesting is that NASA has become sensitive to criticism of how dysfunctional the space program has become.
Addendum: Bolden and Holdren reply to Krauthammer with administration talking points. What is most interesting is that NASA has become sensitive to criticism of how dysfunctional the space program has become.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Jonathon Frid, 'Dark Shadows'' Vampire, Has Suffered the True Death
Jonathon Frid, the original vampire known as Barnabas Collins, has died at the age of 87. Or, perhaps, as aficionados of vampire stories might say, Barnabas has at last suffered the true death.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
How Mitt Romney Saved a Girl's Life and What it Means
A little known story about Mitt Romney involving the missing 14-year-old daughter of a business partner is recounted in Buzzfeed. The incident which shows a hitherto unsuspected heroic side of the presidential candidate is illuminating.
Obama Eats Dog Story Sends Campaign 2012 into Surreal Territory
Addendum: PETA gives Obama a pass but comes down hard on his step dad.
Addendum: PETA gives Obama a pass but comes down hard on his step dad.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Gallup Poll Results Bad News for Obama
A Gallup Poll of registered voters shows that Mitt Romney is topping President Barack Obama in a trial presidential heat, 48 to 43 percent. It is the third recent poll that shows the Republican challenger beating the Democratic incumbent.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Titanic First Class Dinner Served at Houston-Area Restaurant
Plus, some people don't know that the sinking of the Titanic really happened.
Plus, some people don't know that the sinking of the Titanic really happened.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
'Noah' Movie to Be an Environmental Allegory
Darren Aronofsky, whose last film was "Black Swan," the ballet story staring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis that featured insanity and lesbian fantasy, is undertaking a film version of the story of Noah, staring Russell Crowe.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Rowling Novel 'A Casual Vacancy' a 'Darkley Comic' Political Tale
The title and plot of J.K. Rowling's new novel for adults has been revealed, according to Big Hollywood. The title is "A Casual Vacancy" and is described as "blackly comic" about politics and life in the fictional English village of Pagford.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Obama Neither Pays nor Treats Women at the White House Equally
The Washington Free Beacon is reporting that if anyone is conducting a war on women, it is the Obama White House. Women employees at the White House make 18 percent less of the median salary as do male employees.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
'Newsroom' Trailer Proves Aaron Sorkin Doesn't Get Conservatives
It is a truism that the left, especially the Hollywood left, does not really understand conservatives. There are basically two templates that people on the right are depicted on TV and in the movies.
There are, evil or liberal.
Monday, April 09, 2012
'Mad Men' Takes on Richard Speck, Vietnam
One of the more interesting aspects of the AMC TV series "Mad Men" is how it intersects the lives of Madison Avenue ad men and real world events of the 1960s. This is no better illustrated than in the recent episode "Mystery Date."
I got a lot of grief from the Palin haters when I compared the former governor to Katniss, the Artemis-like character in "The Hunger Games." That's alright, as I both expected and counted on it.
Now it looks like that Jennifer Lawrence, the actress who plays Katniss, has something in common with Ms. Palin as well.
I like that woman.
Now it looks like that Jennifer Lawrence, the actress who plays Katniss, has something in common with Ms. Palin as well.
The 21-year-old beauty gutted a squirrel in the most talked about scene for her role in 2010’s Winter’s Bone, (for which she was nominated). The scene was not faked, she told Rolling Stone magazine: “I should say it wasn’t real, for PETA,” she said. “But screw PETA.”
I like that woman.
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Bad Jobs Report May Mean Obama Loses His Job
The good news is that the March unemployment rate went from 8.3 percent in February to 8.2 percent. The bad news is that only 120,000 private sector jobs were created, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Friday, April 06, 2012
It's Nikki Haley's Turn to Be Hated
It seems that Sarah Palin is not the only telegenic, conservative woman to receive the slings and arrows of misogynist liberals. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has been on the receiving end of left wing ire.
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
John Birmingham ruminates how the Australian Labour Party is tearing itself apart trying to satisfy both the greenies and the working folk. Obama and the Democrats are likely going to face that challenge sooner than they think.
Glenn Reynolds says that we need more inspiring science fiction. I.e. less Hunger Games more Heinlein juveniles. I could not agree more. Then there is the recent offering below:
P. J. O'Rourke has a caustic, sarcastic and -- sadly -- spot on assessment of the state of space politics currently.
About what Santorum would do in space the engineer said, “No idea. His people don’t know and don’t care.”
“From Romney,” the engineer said, “we’ll get a careful and thoughtful reassessment of the space program. I don’t know what will come of it. He’s so opposed to Newt that he might not be able to back down about the moon. That was pure politics, but Romney did commit himself.”
“Gingrich,” he said, “is highly educated and purely impractical. He understands the bold sweep of space policy. But, with the moon, he’s an engineering idiot. With the prizes, it won’t work.” And, the engineer added, “I have no faith in anything he says.”
If Obama is reelected, “He’ll kill the SLS,” the engineer said. “He’ll kill the manned space program. He’ll finish what he set out to do.”
Then the engineer asked me a question. “What message will it send in 2023 or so when China can put a man on the moon and we can’t put one in low Earth orbit?”
Not to offend any sensitivities, but I believe the answer is “rots of ruck.”
“Our government needs to be in space,” the engineer said. “I don’t see another tool large enough to accomplish the task. U.S. leadership—I look at it as job one for space policy. It’s not just the military or tech benefits and all that. People look up to the United States.”
But if these people keep looking up for long, there won’t be any United States to see among the stars.
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Monday, April 02, 2012
Sunday, April 01, 2012
Ever since the news was reported about a secret meeting between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich in New Orleans, there has been speculation about what the subject of it was. New revelations about who else was in attendance at the meeting have brought the answer to that question into focus.
Also in attendance at the meeting were former NASA administrator Mike Griffin as well as Scott Pace and Mark Albrecht. The main subject of the meeting is the development of a Romney space policy platform, known to be in the works by a group of space experts including Griffin, Pace, and Albrecht.
Gingrich, who has all downgraded his own campaign for the presidency, proposed the construction of a lunar base before the end of the current decade. The idea was savagely attacked by Romney at the time.
There seems to now be an about face by Romney on the idea of a lunar base. Informed sources suggest that Romney will make a major space speech in Houston in advance of the Texas primary, sometime in April. It seems that those who thought that the former Massachusetts governor was opposed to space exploration may have been fooled all along.
That Gingrich seems to be involved in the crafting of this speech is of considerable interest. It means that he is angling for a position in a future Romney administration, as NASA Administrator it is speculated.
The space speech will include some ground breaking proposals.
Romney will propose that NASA’s budget be gradually doubled over the next ten years, in keeping with the suggestions being made by Neil degrasse Tyson.
He will redirect NASA back on a course for a manned lunar landing by 2019, the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. There will be no lunar base by 2020, but one will be gradually built up over the decade of the 2020s.
Romney will propose a new Outer Space Treaty that will govern the recognition and protection of private property on celestial bodies, such as the moon. He will hold out the possibility that the United States might withdraw from the current treaty and claim the moon as American territory if other countries such as Russia or China balk.
Romney will scrap the current commercial crew program in favor of a system of tax breaks and indirect incentives to encourage commercial space development.
Romney will propose the creation of a Space Technology Institute, to be directed and funded by NASA, which will develop and test future spacecraft, using exotic propulsion methods such as nuclear rockets and nuclear powered ion engines.
Using deep space craft developed by the STI, NASA will begin deep space exploration in earnest, with expeditions to Mars, Earth approaching asteroids, and main belt asteroids. Unmanned probes would be sent to targets around the Outer Planets.
Also in attendance at the meeting were former NASA administrator Mike Griffin as well as Scott Pace and Mark Albrecht. The main subject of the meeting is the development of a Romney space policy platform, known to be in the works by a group of space experts including Griffin, Pace, and Albrecht.
Gingrich, who has all downgraded his own campaign for the presidency, proposed the construction of a lunar base before the end of the current decade. The idea was savagely attacked by Romney at the time.
There seems to now be an about face by Romney on the idea of a lunar base. Informed sources suggest that Romney will make a major space speech in Houston in advance of the Texas primary, sometime in April. It seems that those who thought that the former Massachusetts governor was opposed to space exploration may have been fooled all along.
That Gingrich seems to be involved in the crafting of this speech is of considerable interest. It means that he is angling for a position in a future Romney administration, as NASA Administrator it is speculated.
The space speech will include some ground breaking proposals.
Romney will propose that NASA’s budget be gradually doubled over the next ten years, in keeping with the suggestions being made by Neil degrasse Tyson.
He will redirect NASA back on a course for a manned lunar landing by 2019, the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. There will be no lunar base by 2020, but one will be gradually built up over the decade of the 2020s.
Romney will propose a new Outer Space Treaty that will govern the recognition and protection of private property on celestial bodies, such as the moon. He will hold out the possibility that the United States might withdraw from the current treaty and claim the moon as American territory if other countries such as Russia or China balk.
Romney will scrap the current commercial crew program in favor of a system of tax breaks and indirect incentives to encourage commercial space development.
Romney will propose the creation of a Space Technology Institute, to be directed and funded by NASA, which will develop and test future spacecraft, using exotic propulsion methods such as nuclear rockets and nuclear powered ion engines.
Using deep space craft developed by the STI, NASA will begin deep space exploration in earnest, with expeditions to Mars, Earth approaching asteroids, and main belt asteroids. Unmanned probes would be sent to targets around the Outer Planets.