Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
For the folks at Intutive Machines, from one of my favorite poems:
T is not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and tho'
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
From Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson
Prof: Liking Taylor Swift Is Racist
So if you hate Taylor Swift, you're a fascist but if you like her you're a racist. There's no winning with some people. Also, Lena Dunham? Ewww, gross!
Monday, February 26, 2024
Sunday, February 25, 2024
I got a chance to see the movie Oppenheimer, based on the book American Prometheus, and I have to say that I was less than impressed. The time jumping was confusing, to say the least. Too little about building the bomb and too much on the main character’s “persecution” for flirting with communism. His constant terror of a global thermonuclear war would have had more resonance in the 1980s than the present day. The movie was about an hour too long too.
The first US moon landing in decades validates NASA’s commercial goals
Shortly after 1 a.m. EST on Feb. 15, the second attempt of a commercial lunar landing mission lifted off on board a SpaceX Falcon 9. The Nova-C lander, also dubbed the Odysseus, successfully landed near the lunar south pole on Thursday.
(This article was turned in before the news that the Nova-C had actually landed on its side. So far, the Hill has not updated the piece to reflect this fact. I hope that this will happen in due course. In the meantime, my apologies. )
(The update has been made thanks to my esteemed editor.)
Saturday, February 24, 2024
Guess who likes the Intuitive Machines commercial lunar lander?
For the first time in over 50 years, an American spacecraft landed on the Moon – made possible by American ingenuity, innovation, and curiosity. Congratulations to the teams at NASA and Intuitive Machines on this thrilling step forward. We're leading the world back to the Moon.
More from the White House.
Friday, February 23, 2024
About that Moon Lander! What’s Up?
I just turned in my piece to @thehill that will cover the @Int_Machines moon landing. But a couple of observations in advance The last minute scramble to upload a software patch to bring the NASA lidar hardware on line was a moment of high drama. It also proves that CLPS is a partnership between the space agency and the new space commercial companies. The biggest loser of the @Int_Machines moon landing has to be Russia's Vladimir Putin. Russia's failed moon landing contrasts with the American success. Putin needs to learn that national greatness resides in space and not ill-advised military adventures.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Monday, February 19, 2024
How new space race threatens to turn the Moon into the next 'Wild West' - as competition for resources could see nations turn their gaze to the stars
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Axiom 3’s return to Earth comes with a potential cancer breakthrough
Recently, a crew of commercial astronauts on the Ax-3 mission returned to Earth after a period of performing experiments on the International Space Station with a possible new cancer treatment.
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Friday, February 16, 2024
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
How Texas nuclear power can restore American energy dominance
Nuclear power has gotten a bad reputation, thanks to high-profile accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and most recently Fukushima. However, both environmentalists and energy investors have begun to notice that nuclear power has certain advantages that both renewables (solar and wind) and fossil fuel plants lack.
Monday, February 12, 2024
'Free Palestine' written on gun in shooting at Lakewood Church, but motive a mystery: Sources
Motive a mystery. Yeah, sure.
Also, apparently, trans.
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Commercializing Mars exploration could be NASA’s best bet
Still, it is not too early to start discussions on how humans can cross the interplanetary gulfs to Mars in a cost-effective manner. Congress could hold a hearing or two. NASA can start discussions with potential commercial partners about how they could enable the long-dreamed but long-delayed crewed mission to Mars.
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Friday, February 09, 2024
Thursday, February 08, 2024
Wednesday, February 07, 2024
Tuesday, February 06, 2024
Frustrated by the constraints of Earth, a team of California scientists took tumor research to space—and may have discovered a ‘kill switch’ for cancer
Monday, February 05, 2024
Was Alzheimer’s almost nonexistent in Greek and Roman times? Why this devastating disease may be a modern plague
Sunday, February 04, 2024
Trump’s revival of a US missile defense plan is a job for the Space Force
Recently, while campaigning in New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump proposed reviving an oldie but goodie from the Reagan era. He said, “I will build an Iron Dome over our country, a state-of-the-art missile defense shield made in the USA. We do it for other countries. We help other countries, we build, we don’t do it for ourselves.”
Trump invoked the spirit of Reagan when he went on to say, “You know, Reagan proposed that many years ago, Star Wars. He proposed it many, many years ago. But at that time, there was no technology. It was just, like, it looked good. But we have unbelievable technology. We should have then.”
Saturday, February 03, 2024
Arizona bill would make Pluto the official state PLANET. “A bunch of Europeans got mad that we made this discovery and downgraded it to a dwarf planet.”
Friday, February 02, 2024
A Brother on the Moon #CommissionEarned
It's Black History Month, but what about Black Alternate History Month?
On a December day in 1967, a pilot whose jet fighter is in the process of cracking up ejects a moment sooner and therefore lives when he otherwise might have died. A life that would have ended on the tarmac at Edwards Air Force Base continues on. Six years later, Major Robert Lawrence, United States Air Force, becomes the first black American to walk on the Moon.