NASA to start exploring safer concept for a nuclear thermal rocket

The New Atlas is reporting that NASA has contracted with a company called BWXT Nuclear Energy to examine concepts for a nuclear thermal rocket engine that could take humans to Mars and beyond far quicker than chemical rockets. The plan is a revival of an old concept that was developed in the 1960s called NERVA but with some modern twists.

Judge in Palin defamation suit against the New York Times orders special hearing

The defamation suit that #Sarah Palin has brought against the #New York #Times has taken a strange turn. Judge Jed Rakoff has refused the request of the Times to dismiss the suit. However, the judge is not allowing the action to proceed right away either. Instead, he has issued a “close question” about the central issue of the suit. That matter is whether or not the editorial board of the New York Times showed actual malice when it suggested that Palin was directly responsible for the shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and a number of other people because of a campaign graphic that placed cross hairs over the then congresswoman’s district.

Some helpful advice for Daenerys, the mother of Dragons

Since certain jobs for advisors to Daenerys, #Mother Of Dragons and true ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, may about to be open, a number of people in the #Real World have looked at the strategy thus far for putting her on the #Iron Throne and have found it wanting. Naturally, they have some helpful suggestions for how things might be turned around.

Obama’s National Security Advisor says to not get too tough with North Korea

usan Rice, who served as Barack Obama’s UN Ambassador and then National Security Advisor, wrote a remarkable op-ed in the New York Times about the #North Korea crisis. She took President Trump to task for threatening North Korea with destruction should it continue to build nuclear weapons with the intent of striking at the United States and her allies. In so doing, Rice demonstrated how Obama’s foreign policy brought the world to the brink it now finds itself on.

The inventor of the EM drive is excited that it is on the TV show ‘Salvation’

The #Em Drive, a controversial piece of technology that allegedly creates thrust without propellant, is at the center of the plot of the current #TV Show “Salvation.” A commercial space entrepreneur named Darius Tanz, loosely based on Elon Musk is building the device to save the Earth from an impending collision with a giant asteroid. No one could be more excited by the use of the EM drive as a plot device than the inventor of the technology, #Roger Shawyer, according to the International Business Times.

Trump’s tough North Korea talk backed by Mattis and Tillerson

President Donald Trump has come into some criticism for promising to visit “fire and fury” on #North Korea if that country persists in threatening the United States and her allies. The president’s critics suggest that the words were unnecessarily provocative and might lead to war when there is still a chance for diplomacy. However, #Secretary Of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed the president’s tough talk, suggesting that a new, coordinated message is emerging from the administration designed to impress on Pyongyang the perils of proceeding on the course it has embarked on, according to the Washington Times.

The Koch brothers are major investors in ‘Wonder Woman’

The irony cannot be more delicious. “#Wonder Woman” is not only considered a shining example of feminist film making but is so far the most successful film of 2017. The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that none other than Charles and David Koch are silent investors in the #Movie as well as a number of other projects at Warner Brothers. The motive does not seem to be out of an ideological agenda, but rather motivated out of traditional desire to make money from what has turned out to be a shrewd investment.

Fox News’ Eric Bolling files defamation suit against Huffington Post reporter

When Eric Bolling, the Fox News, and Fox Business personality, was suspended from his on air duties pending an investigation into allegations of sexting, many people had a sense of déjà vu. FNC had previously been rocked by the forced resignations of its founder Roger Ailes and one of its most well-known on air personalities Bill O’Reilly under accusations of sexual harassment. Bolling has also been accused by one former female Fox guest of sexual harassment. However, Bolling has decided to pursue a different strategy by slapping the #Huffington Post reporter to the tune of $50 million.

Bernie Sanders tries to sell government health care with celebrity endorsements

According to the Washington Free Beacon, Sen. #Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) has hit upon what he thinks is a very good idea to push his dream for a government-run, single-payer #health care system. He has produced a video that shows testimonials from people like Warren Buffet, Michael Moore, and #Al Gore talking about what a wonderful system single-payer would be. However, Sanders has missed the mark, even with Buffet, who, despite his obvious acumen for making money, does not know the first thing about the economics of health care.

Hillary Clinton offered a ‘plea deal’ in connection with the email server

When the news that #Hillary Clinton, the twice failed presidential candidate, may be turning toward the Lord [VIDEO]for solace, eyebrows raised across the United States. Ed Klein, who has written several books on both the Clintons and the Obamas, has provided a possible explanation as to why Clinton has had a sudden spiritual awakening. It seems that the #justice department is taking a renewed interest in the matter of the email servers.

Alamo Drafthouse admits it broke the law with women only ‘Wonder Woman’ shows

The gentle reader may remember the kerfuffle that was stirred up a couple of months ago when the #Alamo Drafthouse movie #Theater Chain held a number of women only showings of “#Wonder Woman.” Some male fans suggested on social media that these screenings constituted sex discrimination. The complainers had to endure savage attacks by social justice warriors and radical feminists who stated that the men were crybabies and that they should just shut up. Now, it looks like the Alamo Drafthouse has admitted its error. For one thing, in many locales, including Austin, sex discrimination is against the law where admission to movie theaters is concerned, according to The Austin American Statesman.

Plurality of Americans support the RAISE Act

When President Trump proposed the RAISE Act, which would change the method of selecting legal immigrants to a “points system” based on merit, including education and English proficiency, the media and many proponents of unrestricted immigration decried it. The RAISE #Act was inhumane, contrary to the sentiment expressed by the poem that adorns the Statue of Liberty (“Give me your tired, your poor, etc.…”) However, it looks like a plurality of #Americans supports the bill at a 44 to 30 percent margin. Indeed, the merit based system is backed by a huge majority.

Researchers develop Tissue Nanotransfection that could heal injured tissue

One of the cool technologies that were demonstrated on “Star Trek” was an instrument that Dr. McCoy would use that instantly healed a wound, thus eliminating the need for dressings and bandages. The Tissue Nanotransfection device, being developed by Ohio State University, is not quite so fast, but it promises to be a game changer in the care of physical trauma brought on by accidents or diseases like strokes of heart attacks.

President Trump enjoys a surge in the polls

One of the constants thus far in the Trump presidency has been the fact that he is well below water in the approval polls and below 40 percent in most of them. Team Trump has dismissed these results, noting that he performed poorly in surveys during the election campaign before winning handily. The president has been the recipient of savage media coverage as well. In any #Case, Trump has a reason for some cheer, thanks to a Zogby poll, with a #Surge to 45 percent approval. The president is still under water, with 51 percent disapproval but he is no longer catastrophically unpopular.

North Korea threatens to destroy Guam

After President Donald Trump had offered to visit upon #North Korea “#Fire And Fury” if it attacked the United States or her interests, Pyongyang issued the particular threat to destroy American military bases on Guam. The island, an American territory, is an important part of the defense by the United States of the Western Pacific.

Alan Dershowitz and Maxine Waters get into a public feud

#Alan Dershowitz, the liberal law professor from Harvard, has gotten into a feud with Rep. #Maxine Waters, D-California. When Dershowitz noted that special counsel Robert Mueller had chosen a grand jury from the Washington D.C. area would mean that the panel would be less sympathetic to President Trump and his aides, Waters called him a racist. Professor Dershowitz, understandably exasperated, suggested that the congresswoman was “crying wolf” by playing the race card.

Fox mulling bringing back ‘King of the Hill’

The Fox Network is mulling the idea of bringing back one of its long-running animated shows to its block on Sunday night, “#King of the Hill.” The series, which ran between 1997 and 2010, depicted the trials and tribulations of the Hill family, including Hank, his wife Peggy, son Bobby, and niece Louanne in the fictional Texas town of Arlen. Along with their colorful neighbors, including Dale, Bill, Boomhauer, and Kahn, their ordinary adventures provided a great deal of gentle comedy during its 13-year run.

National Space Council Executive Director a commercial space skeptic

Absent a public rollout of a Trump space policy, the media has been reduced to making guesses based on the facts at hand. Eric Berger at Ars Technica notes that the new #Executive Director of the #National Space Council Scott Pace has been a skeptic of outsourcing a lot of NASA operations to commercial space, especially SpaceX. On the plus side, Pace favors a return to the moon in which both international partners and commercial firms will participate.

The prospect of a war in Korea draws nigh

If North Korean leader Kim Jong-un thought that his threats against his neighbors and the #United States were going to cow Americans, he seems to be in for a reality check. Hot Air is reporting that a poll conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs says that the majority of Americans favor going to war to defend #South Korea if that country is attacked. While only 40 percent of Americans approve a first strike against North Korean nuclear facilities less than 14 percent will accept a nuclear armed North Korea.

PETA condemns eating cheese because it's 'sexist'

PETA or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals have taken an absolutist view about how people should treat life forms that are beneath us on the food chain. The organization has come out against the eating of meat, the wearing of fur or leather, and even keeping animals as pets. So it is not really much of a surprise that #PETA has come out against the consumption of milk, butter, or cheese.

Trump is meeting with success in the war against ISIS

One of the underreported stories of 2017 has been the ongoing destruction of the #Islamic State, a terrorist enclave that was spread out through Syria and Iraq, from which ISIS launched attacks against targets in Europe and the United States. The success has been directly attributed to changes in policy by the Trump Administration, according to the Washington Post.

Firing of Google engineer over diversity critique memo kicks up firestorm

#Google kicked up a firestorm when it tracked down and fired the anonymous author of an internal memo that critiqued that company’s diversity programs. James Damore, a software engineer and holder of a Ph.D. in system biology, was identified as the author. The memo and the subsequent termination of Damore highlighted the disparity between male and female employees in the technology industry and whether a culture of political correctness has taken hold of Silicon Valley companies. Damore has promised that he is going to pursue legal action.

Hillary Clinton said to be mulling a career change to the ministry

The Washington Free Beacon is reporting that #Hillary Clinton, in a search for what to do with the rest of her life, has hit about talking more openly about spirituality and religion, subjects which she has eschewed for her public life. Indeed, she is said to be discussing going into the ministry. The possibility is fraught with the sort of scamming that was once the province of televangelists in the 1980s. On the other hand, if Clinton is serious, such a career change could be her redemption worthy of a Saint Paul or at least #Charles Colson.

Rocket Lab finds the cause of the failure of the Electron to achieve orbit

When Rocket Lab conducted the first test launch of its Electron rocket on May 25, 2017, the launch vehicle reached space but did not achieve low Earth orbit. Now, the company, after an extensive investigation, has discovered why the glitch occurred. It turns out that corrupted telemetry data due to a software bug caused the flight to be terminated prematurely, according to Space News.

Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Sequel’ officially a flop

When the news that Al Gore was coming out with a new movie, “An Inconvenient Sequel,” came out, questions were raised about why the project was undertaken. To be sure, Gore has not been in the news for quite a while, and the man who still thinks he should have been president needs media exposure as most people need their next breath. Also, a new movie might answer a lot of questions raised by “#An Inconvenient Truth,” such as how many of the predictions made in the first movie never panned out. In any case, “An Inconvenient Sequel” is officially a flop, having come in 15th for its first weekend and making just over $1 million so far. Some in the #Climate Change community are suggesting sabotage on the part of the distributor.

New ‘Huckleberry Finn’ film stirs controversy through use of the ‘n word’

At one time “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” was considered a classic of American literature, one of the most well-known stories written by #Mark Twain. The book was regularly taught in American public schools. However, in recent decades, the story about a boy named Huck and his runaway slave friend Jim who float up the Mississippi River on a raft during the 1930s, has become problematic at best. The reason is the use of a word that was common vernacular at the time Twain wrote the book that has become so obscene that it is only referred to as the “N word.” Therein resides the controversy in the latest screen adaptation of “Huckleberry Finn.”

How a Mars colony could become the Martian Republic

Neel V. Patel, writing in Inverse, wrestles with a problem that is not likely to be something that needs dealing with for a few decades, that being the politics of Mars Colony. How does one reconcile the settlement of another planet with the dictates of the #outer space treaty? Should Mars remain a kind of Antarctic-style science preserve? Should something called “cooperative sovereignty” be imposed? In fact, a solution is staring everyone in the face that involves some clever diplomacy that is likely to rub some people the wrong way.

Anthony Reardon faces a recall effort in California

#Anthony Reardon, the speaker of the #California Assembly, must be among the unhappiest people in American politics. He is a committed liberal in a state that is entirely dominated by the left. He, therefore, wields a remarkable amount of political power. Yet, his party, for which he has toiled for much of his life, has mounted a recall effort against him, all for the sin of knowing how to do the math.

What happened to Jamie Lannister when the dragon destroyed his army?

“Game of Thrones” has just proven that a new weapon can be a game changer when fighting a war, especially if it can give one an air of superiority in a medieval context. Also, family reunions can be poignant indeed.

Trump gets United Nations support against North Korea

The Trump administration scored a major diplomatic victory when the UN #Security Council voted 15 to one to impose crippling economic sanctions on North Korea. The sanctions would ban the export of items such as coal and seafood, slicing a billion dollars off of #North Korea’s annual $3 billion in exports. In the meantime, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi directly admonished North Korea’s top diplomat during a conference in Manilla and told him that Pyongyang should halt missile and nuclear tests.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel ready to rumble to defend illegal immigrants

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has promised to withhold federal grants related to law enforcement to local governments that operate so-called “sanctuary cities” in which officials, including law enforcement, do not cooperate with federal officials in the enforcement of immigration laws. Rahm Emmanuel, the mayor of Chicago, a city that has a severe crime problem, has vowed to sue the Justice Department in federal court, finding as he does the new policy, “unlawful and unconstitutional.” Hot Air wonders what the mayor is talking about.

Bill Maher thinks Donald Trump could have his enemies killed

Whenever anyone wants to find out what the cutting edge of left-wing hyperbolic rhetoric is, one can but tune into Friday night’s “Real Time” the HBO rant show hosted by #Bill Maher. Maher has done everything from calling Sarah Palin we do not use, to uttering the “N word” to denouncing the idea of Mars colonies. Most recently Maher outdid himself by suggesting that #Donald Trump, the president of the United States, is capable of having his enemies whacked.

Is planetary protection even necessary?

Some in the media have been entertaining the rest of us with stories that have headlines that suggest that NASA is searching for someone to defend the planet against alien invasion called a #Planetary Protection officer. The position comes with a six figure salary and generous government benefits. However, the job is not quite as glamorous as it seems and it may not be necessary.

With the failure of Obamacare repeal and replace Republicans have a new strategy

The conventional wisdom is that the Republicans damaged themselves for the 2018 midterm elections for failing to #Repeal and Replace Obamacare. The theory is that people who elected them to Congress to lift the scourge of the Affordable Care Act will throw up their hands and stay home, making #Nancy Pelosi the once and future speaker. However, according to the Washington Examiner, the GOP has a new gambit to prevent a health care induced blood bath from happening and to turn the tables on the Democrats.

How Seattle’s income tax on the rich will hammer small business

Seattle, Washington is the home of quite a number of high tech startups, some of which have grown into massive corporations that have changed the world, such as Microsoft and Amazon. The city also has a far left municipal government. The two facts are about to collide thanks to a soak the rich tax scheme that slaps a 2.25 percent levy on income over $250,000.

More of my wisdom via Space News What is the best way to mine the moon?

Do the majority of Americans really support single-payer health care?

As Hot Air reports, a recent #Quinnipiac Poll suggests that 51 percent of Americans support a single-payer, government-run #Health Care System, the so-called “Medicaid for all” system that is being advanced by people like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). However, there is less to the poll than meets the eye. We may be seeing a phenomenon that pollsters call “question bias.” Also, the vast majority of Republicans oppose such a system.

NASA finds out something fascinating about the next target for New Horizons

A couple of years ago, the #New Horizons space probe flew past Pluto and changed how we understand what was once considered the ninth planet from the sun forever. Since the probe was still in good shape, NASA scientists decided that it could fly by an object deeper inside the Kuiper Belt -- that area of #Rock And Ice that surrounds the solar system. They hit upon #2014 Mu69, an object about a billion miles further out from the sun than Pluto. New Horizons will pass by MU69 on New Year’s Day 2019. In the meantime, studies from the ground suggest that MU69 is far more interesting than a run-of-the-mill sphere of rock and ice.

Atheist group decry Bible study at the White House

When the news that some members of the Trump administration are participating in a Bible study group, the matter was thought to be unremarkable. However, according to the Washington Times, the #Freedom From Religion Foundation, an atheist group, is decrying the practice. In the view of the atheists, government officials studying and discussing the Bible is “disturbing, scary and maybe even an illegal use of taxpayer funds.”

Lena Dunham accused two flight attendants of ‘transphobic speech’

Actress, producer, and public nuisance #lena dunham has created another social media scandal for tweeting what she described as a traumatic experience of overhearing a private conversation between two #Flight Attendants that she described as “transphobic.” She described how she messaged #American Airlines describing the conversation and the company’s promise that it would investigate the matter. The tweet storm that followed was instantaneous and predictable.

Trailer for the Bruce Willis ‘Death Wish’ kicks up a tweet storm

The remake of “Death Wish,” the 1974 crime, action film, has just released a trailer. The new version stars #Bruce Willis and moves the story from 1970s crime ridden New York to 2017 crime ridden Chicago. Some in social media are already denouncing the movie, which depicts a trauma surgeon outraged by a gang that attacks his family in a home invasion and goes on a shooting spree of criminals, as an “alt.right” propaganda film. Others suggest that the movie makes a casting mistake by featuring action star Bruce Willis as the aggrieved family man.

Are Democrats getting ready to get rid of Nancy Pelosi?

McClatchy reported on a remarkable survey taken of 20 Democratic House candidates. They were asked whether or not they would support current #House Minority Leader #Nancy Pelosi as their leader in the next Congress. Only one answered yes, 18 refused to answer, and one stated flatly that he would not support Pelosi. The results of the survey illustrate the conundrum that the Democrats face if they hope to retake #The House.

What are the Russians doing on ‘Salvation?’

The double episode of “#Salvation” that recently aired revealed a new player in the drama surrounding the threat of an asteroid hitting the Earth. The #Russians have, by the end of the two hours, destroyed any chance of breaking up the asteroid by ramming a repurposed space probe into it through the use of hacking. They have also stolen Darius’ EM drive, though they failed to get either of the researchers involved in the project. Liam, the MIT grad student, shot his faculty advisors, Dr. Croft, who turned out to be a traitor. What are the Russians up to?

A Utah state representative supports Calexit

Calexit, the desire of some in #California secede from the Union, has acquired a strange ally in the form of State Rep. Paul Ray, a Republican in Utah. State Rep. Ray is drafting legislation that would support California secession. The resolution has little chance of passing and, in many quarters, is considered a joke. However, the proposed law does reveal a dirty little secret concerning the secession drive in California.

6 End of the World Prophecies for 2017

The problem with Kamala Harris is that she is too much like Hilary Clinton

On the surface, Kamala Harris [VIDEO], the junior senator from California, would seem to be the perfect person to go up against President Donald Trump in 2020. She is a young, fresh face from the most populous and, in many ways, the most liberal state in the union. She is saying all the correct things to appeal to the Democratic base. Harris has the advantage of not having any skeletons in her closet. She could be the first female president of the United States.

Some inconvenient truths about Al Gore’s climate change crusade

Just in time for the premiere of Al Gore’s new movie, “An Inconvenient Sequel,” which follows on the themes of apocalyptic #Climate Change ravaging the planet first presented in “An Inconvenient Truth,” the Washington Times reports on a study of the energy Gore’s #Nashville mansion. It turns out that the climate change crusader is not leading by example.

‘Death Wish’ to get a 21st Century reboot with Bruce Willis

“#Death Wish,” the 1974 crime/revenge drama that starred Charles Bronson, is getting a #21St Century reboot, this time with Bruce Willis in the title role as a mild mannered man moved to become an avenging vigilante. The new film, due on November 22nd, 2017, retains a lot of the plot and themes of the original movie but with some significant differences,

How Donald Trump almost became the president in a Sharknado movie

The “Sharknado” franchise is one of the weirdest phenomena ever to come out of the SyFy Channel. The movies feature giant tornadoes ravaging the coasts that drop human eating sharks on passersby. The scenario is played solely for laughs, but it has acquired a so bad it’s good cult status.

Some more of my wisdom. via the Hill: Trump says US will return to moon — Now he has to make it happen

Trump Justice Department to fight racism in college admissions

As Hot Air noted, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is gearing up to investigate and possibly litigate instances of racial discrimination in admissions to colleges and universities. The reason this policy change is somewhat different is that it aims at discrimination against white and Asian students as a result of so-called affirmative action policies that favor other ethnic groups.

How the Falcon Heavy killed the idea of orbital fuel depots

Several years ago, an argument raged in space policy circles over the best approach to deep space exploration. One side pushed for an architecture based on #Heavy Lift rockets, similar to the Saturn V that took men to the moon. People could go back to the moon and then on to Mars with fewer launches of a big rocket. The other side decried the great expense of developing and then operating a heavy lift rocket. Instead, they proposed using existing, commercially available rockets to fill orbital depots with rocket fuel. Then a ship going to the moon or Mars would dock with the depot and top off with fuel before proceeding on.

President Trump proposes to reform legal immigration through the RAISE Act

President Donald Trump, having cracked down on illegal immigration, has turned his attention to legal immigration reform. He proposed a piece of legislation called the RAISE Act, based on a bill being pushed by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. and Sen. David Perdue, R- Ga. The proposed law would change entirely how legal immigrants are chosen to enter the #United States.

Tucker Carlson has a Calexit leader on his show and hilarity ensues

The proposition that supports the secession of California from the Union will likely be on the 2018 ballot. Moreover, a third of the electorate in the state support it's leaving the #United States and becoming a republic. With that in mind, one of the leaders of the so-called Calexit movement, Shankar Singam, appeared on #Tucker Carlson’s Fox News program and opened his mind about the issues surrounding California’s leading the United States.

Rhetoric surrounding North Korea heats up

The test of the latest North Korean ICBM, even though it may have been less than successful, has got American policymakers concerned. The most recent missile might be able to deliver a nuclear weapon to targets beyond the west coast of the United States into its interior. However, the reaction has been somewhat mixed, though the Washington Examiner has put a good face on the matter by casting it as an example of good cop/bad cop.

Do men pretend to be ‘woke’ to get millennial women into bed?

Alexa Peters took to the pages of the Washington Post recently and wondered if men she was dating are truly “woke” or are they lying in order to get her into bed. That the question is even asked demonstrates a certain naiveté that causes people who are older, wiser, and more experienced to roll their eyes at millennials.

New Amazon series envisions a separate black nation after the Civil War

Deadline Hollywood has reported that Amazon is developing an alternate history series that seems an awful lot like a response to the controversial show being developed at HBO, ”Confederate,” even though it is said to have been in development for a year. The series is called “#Black America,” and it envisions a slightly different outcome to the American #Civil War.

Fighting climate change by turning CO2 into food

The climate change community has been entertaining us and one another with apocalyptic visions about what will happen to the #Earth if humans continue to pump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The scenario of an out-of-control greenhouse effect has been used to justify draconian cutbacks against the use of oil, natural gas, and coal to generate energy and mandates to use renewable energy such as wind and solar.

Rumor: ‘Star Trek’ spin-off series featuring Khan in the works

With the advent of “Star Trek: Discovery” drawing nigh, rumors abound of another Trek project being developed by Nicholas Meyer, the director of “#star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.” The project will, so the story goes, involve one of the more iconic villains of the Star Trek universe, #Khan Noonien Singh.

President Trump mulling executive action to help fix Obamacare

With the attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare in ruins in the Senate, President #Donald Trump is mulling what actions he can take on his own to address the dysfunction that the Affordable Care Act has wrought on the American health care system. He is already thinking of incentivizing Congress to have another go by cutting off subsidies to insurance companies and for congressional health care plans.

Maduro’s establishment of Venezuelan dictatorship elicits American response

The sham elections in Venezuela, which established a so-called National Constituent Assembly that is expected to give President Nicolas Maduro unlimited dictatorial powers, is eliciting a sharp response from the United States. Undeterred, Maduro is arresting his political opponents and is continuing a bloody crackdown in the streets. The development constitutes a new foreign policy headache for the Trump administration, a burgeoning #Humanitarian Crisis, and the prospect of a Cuba-style dictatorship aligned with Iran in #South America. The White House is examining its options.

America mulls arming Ukrainian military to counter Russian aggression

#The United States Defense Department and State Department has devised a plan to send arms to the Ukraine as a way to counter Russia’s #Vladimir Putin’s imperial designs on that country. Putin has already seized the Crimea from the Ukraine and is fomenting armed rebellion among Russian ethnic separatists. The plan to give the Ukrainian military anti-tank missiles and other weapons requires the approval of President Trump.

Environmentalists may derail California’s high speed rail project

That California has become a state governed by lunatics is becoming more apparent with every passing day. The latest case in point is a ruling by the California State Supreme Court that the infamous, high-speed rail project has to adhere to the state’s very draconian environmental laws. The decision, unless it is overturned by the federal courts, means that the project can be mired in law suits for years, perhaps decades.

Anthony Scaramucci out as Trump’s White House communications director

The New York Times is reporting that President Donald Trump has decided to remove #Anthony Scaramucci from the post of #White House communications director, a post that he held for just 11 days. It is not clear whether he will be transferred to another position or will be out of government service.

Why ‘Confederate’ will never air on HBO

During the most recent episode of “Game of Thrones” people who find the idea of HBO airing a TV series set in an alternate world in which the Confederacy won the Civil War and slavery still exists ran a tweet storm protest using the hashtag #NoConfederate. So far, HBO is standing fast, but #Hot Air believes that the writing is on the wall and that the show will never air.

How William Shatner is enraging the Left on Twitter

William Shatner is best known for having played the slightly perverted, politically incorrect, token right-winder in “Boston Legal.” Some people also recall his role as a star ship captain in that little known, long forgotten space opera that run for a brief time in the late 1960s. However, Shatner, who once famously told “#star Trek Fans” to “get a life” has come to take on snowflakes, #Social Justice Warriors, and misandrists (mainly feminazis who hate men) on social media. Social media is not pleased.

The one thing Bernie Sanders could not answer about ‘Medicaid for all’

Sen. #Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont thinks that his time has come. With Obamacare in a death spiral and efforts in the Senate to repeal and replace it having collapsed, history has aligned for his “Medicaid for all” scheme. With that belief in mind, Sanders intends to offer a bill that would impose a #Single Payer, government run health care system in America, similar to the ones that exist in Great Britain and Canada. However, as Hot Air notes, CNN’s Jake Tapper asks the one question about single payer that Sanders cannot answer around which all of his hopes and dreams revolve.

How CRISPR could be used to end genetic abnormalities

Futurists and science fiction writers have been wrestling over the issues surrounding “designer babies” ever since the science of genetics was invented. However, Seeker reports, a recent experiment using CRISPR, managed to alter the genetic makeup of several human embryos. What was once theoretical is now at hand. The old questions about how far we should go in controlling our genome have taken on increased relevance.

How Daenerys is losing the Game of Thrones

When Daenerys invaded Westeros, she had a powerful army of Dothraki and Unsullied, a powerful fleet from the Iron Islands, and an air force that consist of three dragons. She easily seized a formidable castle in the form of Dragonstone. The #Mother Of Dragons had powerful allies in the form of the Dornish and Olenna Tyrell, The people in the North were another potential ally. Daenerys’ primary enemy, Cersei Lannister, was wildly unpopular. And yet the Breaker of Chains, the true Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, is losing. How could this be?

Could Putin retaliate against sanctions by barring U.S. astronauts from the ISS

Both houses of Congress, by overwhelming bi-partisan margins, has passed a bill imposing stiff sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea in retaliation for the various misdeeds those countries have committed. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill into law, if for nothing else to avoid the humiliation of seeing his veto overridden.

President Trump mulling playing hardball to get repeal and replace roiling

President Donald Trump, clearly frustrated that the effort to repeal and replace Obamacare failed in the Senate, is contemplating playing a little hardball to get the issue moving again. To that end he is mulling two policy changes, one that would end cost sharing payments for Obamacare individual health care insurance policies, the other would then end exemptions from Obamacare for #Members Of Congress and their staffs. In any case, the clock is ticking as the system has entered a death spiral in which it will implode if nothing is done. Trump is reported to be counting on that process to get Congress moving on the issue.

How an artificial womb could end the practice of abortion

Gizmodo reported recently that a team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has developed what is, in effect, an #Artificial Womb that could help bring extremely premature babies to term. The prototype has been successfully tested on lambs and could be used on humans within the next few years. The technology could also be of help for women who desire children but cannot, for whatever reason, bring them to term. It could also, if refined enough, end the practice of abortion by making it unnecessary. The prospect has some pro-choice advocates up in arms.

J.K. Rowling goes on a Twitter rampage over a fake video of Donald Trump

One talent that President #Donald Trump seems to have in abundance is the ability to incite wild, over the top reactions to the various things he says and does. Such as the case with J.K. Rowling, the author of the beloved Harry Potter series of young adult novels. Rowling came upon a YouTube video of the president at a recent event where he seemed to snub a small child who was in a wheelchair. She let loose an epic "tweet storm" that started, “Trump imitated a disabled reporter. Now he pretends not to see a child in a wheelchair, as though frightened he might catch his condition.” She went on at length in the same vein. However, there was just one problem.

NASA report casts doubt on the decision not to put a crew on the EM-1 flight

Back at the beginning of the current Trump administration, the White House requested that #NASA study the idea of putting a crew on the first flight of the Orion spacecraft on a Space Launch System around the moon. The space agency ultimately rejected the idea for cost and safety reasons and the Trump administration accepted the assessment. However, NASA has released a summary of the report that, at the very least, suggests that its rejection of putting a #Crew on the flight designated Exploration Mission-1 is debatable.

Amazon is getting into the health care business

Technology Review is reporting that Jeff Bezos' Amazon.com is getting into the #health care business. On the one hand, a lot of people are going to be nervous about Jeff Bezos getting his hands on medicine. On the other hand, #Amazon is likely to have better success delivering more health care services at lower prices than the politicians in Washington have managed thus far. To be sure, none of what Amazon is contemplating is new. Other tech giants such as Apple and Google are bending their attention toward the practice of medicine. However, because the company is worth half a trillion dollars, it can bring a lot of resources to bear toward upending the way we get health services.

Charlie Gard has been ‘allowed to die’

#Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old infant whose plight captured the attention of the world, has died, his life support having been withdrawn by order of a British court and the National Health Service bureaucracy. The official cause of death will be complications of a terrible genetic abnormality called mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome. Charlie’s actual cause of death was the result of the judgment of a soulless, heartless medical and legal regime that has taken upon itself matters of life and death for human beings under its control.

The first launch of the Falcon Heavy will be the most exciting in a long time

As Eric Berger over at Ars Technica notes, SpaceX’s Elon Musk has set November 2017 for the first launch of the #Falcon Heavy, which will be, at least for a while, the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V. On the one hand, the launch will be the most exciting event to take place on the Florida space coast since the departure of the last space shuttle in 2011. On the other hand, it will be the most anxious launch since the liftoff of the first space shuttle in 1981. As Musk suggests, there are certain things that can only be tested in flight.

Report: ICE may charge ‘sanctuary cities’ officials of violations of federal law

Hot Air is reporting that ICE has been hard at work enforcing the #Immigration Laws with a renewed vigor not seen in quite a long time, apprehending and deporting illegal aliens who have been convicted of other crimes, such as rape, assault and drug offensives, besides violating the immigration laws. 114 have been picked up from New York City alone. However, that operation is just the beginning of what ICE has planned. Officials of so-called sanctuary cities have better beware.

John McCain sinks last ditch Senate effort to repeal and replace Obamacare

The Senate attempt to #Repeal and Replace Obamacare has failed. All 48 Democrats and three Republicans, including Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and #John McCain of Arizona. American voters who had elected a Republican congress were left wondering what they have to do to eliminate the terrible burden of a health care reform law that has proven to be so destructive. Liberals celebrated the failure. However, Obamacare continues to slowly collapse in a #Death Spiral. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a bitter speech, announced that the Senate is moving on, though he dared the Democrats to come up with their ideas.

Season 2 of National Geographic Channel’s ‘Mars’ to air spring 2018

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that #Season 2 of the #National Geographic Channel series “Mars” is being filmed for a spring 2018 airing. The second season will jump ahead a few years from the first season, when the early years of Mars exploration were depicted, and will show what life might be like in the first Mars colony, Olympus Town.

God has been banned from ‘Star Trek: Discovery’

Apparently, God has been banned from “Star Trek: Discovery” so thoroughly that the actors are not even allowed to reference him in dialogue. IO9, quoting Entertainment Weekly, notes a story in which Jason Isaacs adlibbed “For God’s sakes!” He got a lecture from the episode’s writer, Kristen Beyer, that religion had been abolished in the future of “Star Trek” and that #Gene Roddenberry, a militant atheist, had a dim view toward the idea of God, believing that an enlightened society will have abolished the concept to such a degree that no one would even reference him. In fact, Ms. Beyer is gravely mistaken.

Iran claims it has launched a satellite into space

#Iran has launched a rocket capable of placing a satellite into orbit, Fox News reports. While the Tehran government claims that the launch vehicle successfully deployed the satellite, this assertion could not be confirmed immediately.

The firestorm over HBO’s ‘Confederate’ continues to rage

The firestorm surrounding the future HBO series “Confederate [VIDEO],” which depicts an alternate history in which the South won the Civil War and slavery persists to modern times, continues unabated. According to Hot Air, HBO is starting to offer a mea culpa about how the project was announced if not the project itself. In the meantime, a piece in IO9 provides a window into why so many on the left are being triggered by the very idea of such a program.

For All Moonkind seeks to preserve the Apollo landing sites on the moon

Back in 2010, during his now infamous speech at the Kennedy Space Center, then President Barack Obama airily dismissed the idea of returning to the moon, saying, “We’ve been there before. Buzz has been there.” Seven years later, as Bloomberg notes, numerous companies and countries are preparing to mount expeditions to the moon. Lunar return has become so mainstream that it has got the lawyers worried.

Sarah Palin legal team moves to the discovery phase of the New York Times suit

The #New York Post reports that #Sarah Palin’s legal team has moved to the discovery phase of the defamation suit against the New York #Times. They would like to subpoena almost two dozen current and former Times reporters, editors, and other employees. Palin’s lawyers would also like all internal communications concerning the former governor at the newspaper dating back to 2011, the year that then Rep Gabby Giffords was shot. The Times would prefer that it not have to cough up this information and would like to see the suit dismissed.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign memoirs will blame everyone but herself

In one sense, it should come as a surprise to no one that #Hillary Clinton’s campaign memoirs are going to be one long whine about how everybody from the Russians to James Comey stole the election from her. Politicians’ memoirs are generally exercises in blame placing and patting oneself on the back. The only exception was “Decision Points,” an excellent study on what went into the major decisions taken by former President George W. Bush. However, according to sources, Hillary Clinton’s memoir is going to be epic in its self-pity.

‘Mythbusters’ slated to return to the Science Channel in November

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that the return of “Mythbusters” has been set for the Science Channel on November 15, 2017, at 9 p.m. eastern. The new season will be the first for the new team, Brian Louden and Jon Lung, who were selected in a competition in a special season of the series called “Mythbusters: The Search” that ran in late 2016 and early 2017. The original series ran on the Discovery Channel from 2003 through early 2016 and can be seen on reruns on the #Science Channel.

Donald Trump’s transgender military ban causes outrage and confusion on twitter

President Donald Trump has announced a total ban on transgenders serving in the United States military, citing the medical and social burdens that they would bring to military service. The announcement has not only caused outrage across both social and traditional media but some confusion as well. The Defense Department study on the matter is still ongoing. Twitter is, to say the least, an unusual medium to make an announcement of this nature.

Astrobotic makes deal with ULA to launch a Peregrine lander to the moon

Astrobotic Technology has announced that it has reached a deal with United Launch Alliance to carry its Peregrine #Lunar Lander to the moon in 2019, the #50Th Anniversary of the #Apollo 11 moon landing. The Peregrine will fly 35 kilograms of payloads provided by 11 customers from six nations.

Senate Republicans look at ‘skinny repeal’ to reform health care reform

Having gone through a considerable amount of time and drama even to debate the matter of reforming #Health Care Reform, the United States #Senate will now set about trying to find something that at least 50 senators will agree to. The theory is that whatever passes can then be brought to the conference and reconciled with the House bill. The formula that the Republican Senate leadership has hit about is called “skinny repeal.”

Driverless cars ban: Is India's decision shortsighted?

The announcement by #India’s transport and highway’s minister Nitin Gadkari that he intends to ban #driverless cars in that country to preserve #Jobs for drivers has received some well-deserved mockery. The decision is being seen a short sighted, the equivalent of banning the automobile to keep buggy whip makers and stable boys employed. The decision would also be short sighted. Driverless cars are set to create far more jobs than they destroy, according to an analysis in the Next Web. The primary factor is gaining back the hour, or so we commute every day for more productive pursuits. Also, India needs a transportation infrastructure upgrade, which would certainly employ a lot of people.

‘The Right Stuff’ to be developed as a series on the National Geographic Channel

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that the #National Geographic Channel has concluded a development deal with Appian Way Productions and Warner Horizons Scripted Series to produce “#The Right Stuff” as an episodic television series. Actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davidson will be the executive producers. It is unknown at this time whether DiCaprio will act in the series. “The Right Stuff,” based on a book by Tom Wolf, was made into a feature motion picture in 1983 starring Scott Glenn and Ed Harris.

John McCain saves the reform of health care to fight another day

Rising from the grave to which many pundits had consigned it, the Senate effort to reform health care reform showed new signs of life. The Senate voted 51 to 50 to proceed with debate on the bill, with no Democrats voting in favor, two Republicans, Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski voting against, and Vice President Mike Pence making the tie breaking vote. If any one man, besides Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell whose reputation for political wizardry has been restored, it is Senator #John McCain. R-Arizona, a man who has terminal brain cancer.

Why the Army Sprayed St Louis with Radiation for Years

Trump’s Boy Scout Jamboree speech causes outrage

Only President Donald Trump can stir up so much controversy and anger by addressing the #Boy Scout Jamboree. To be sure he gave a version of his political stump speech, a bit inappropriate. Usually, presidents will make a statement about timeless values that the Scouts try to inculcate in its members. They don’t denounce their political enemies and call for the advancement of their agenda. However, Trump’s various enemies seem to have gone full bore Godwin in their reaction to the speech and the response of the scouts to it.

Trailer for Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One’ gets social media hate

Steven Spielberg’s upcoming feature “#Ready Player One” is based on the novel, by the same name, by Ernest Cline. The trailer, the book, and the upcoming movie are getting a lot of attention on #social media for its 1980s #Pop Culture references. The real reason a lot of people are starting to hate the film even before it is released likely comes from something deeper.

Why the Democrats’ ‘Better Deal’ is really a ‘Boring Deal’

The Democrats recently rolled out their attempt at rebranding with a “Better #Deal,” a laundry list of liberal oldies but goodies repackaged to try to attract the American middle and working classes. In one sense, the effort is a good one as it recognizes that the Democrats did not lose because of the Russians or because Trump supporters are a crowd of racist deplorables. They lost because they spurned most of the voters in favor of identity politics. However, the “Better Deal” might be more accurately termed the “Boring Deal." As Damon Linker writes in The Week, Democrats need a little excitement, by which he means Bernie Sanders.

Why replacing Sessions at Justice with Ted Cruz is a bad idea

First, just to get it out of the way, firing Attorney General Jeff Sessions because of his recusal from the Russian nonsense is not a good idea. Glenn Reynolds makes a good case for giving Sessions the royal order of the boot for his embrace of civil forfeitures. In any event, reaching out to Sen. #Ted Cruz, R-Texas as a replacement for Sessions is also a #Bad Idea. Becoming Attorney General at this point in his career is not part of Cruz’s master plan.

‘Midnight, Texas’ is not as interesting a place to visit as Bon Temps

“Midnight, Texas” is a #Small Town somewhere outside of Dallas to where a psychic named Manfred Bernardo flees after the big city becomes too hot for him. It is also a new show airing on NBC based on a novel series by Charlaine Harris, the author of the “True Blood” series that was the basis of a long running show on HBO. The town, like #Bon Temps. Louisiana has some peculiar inhabitants who seem to attract trouble, mainly because it is located on, what fans of the show “Buffy: The Vampire Slayer” will recognize as a hell mouth.

A brief history of American politicians colluding with Russia to fix elections

While zero evidence exists that Team Trump colluded with the Russians to swing the 2016 election, a long history exists of American politicians plotting with Moscow for political advantage. The problem, where the current narrative is concerned, that all of the politicians in questions were Democrats, according to the Daily Wire.