It works, with caveats.
It probably makes sense for me at my age, but I do need to work out more. I’m doing it every morning, with beet root for my BP.
All posts by Rand Simberg
The British Caliphate
This was, and remains, one of the most phenomenal and sensationally brilliant animated videos ever produced to highlight the abuse and cruelty towards women in Sharia law.
— Mor Edge Insight (@MorEdge_Insight) August 28, 2026
Whoever has not yet watched it, I absolutely recommend you do.
Massive praise and credit to… pic.twitter.com/PsF2sJuJXr
Incompetence And Bigotry
I’m sure the problem is just as bad at Boeing.
As discussed on comments, I’m not sure how much Jared can do about this, except to not give contracts to the legacy contractors.
And I’m also sure that this is a huge problem for the Pentagon, not just NASA. I wonder to what degree Hegseth is aware?
The Business Of American AI
Is it sustainable?
“…the US AI companies remind me a lot of 1970s era Detroit with the Chinese companies today playing the role of Toyota, Honda and so on. At least Detroit had mostly depreciated the majority of its factories and the like and wasn’t in the middle of building massive new ones.”
Not clear to me what this implies for the viability of space data centers.
Starlink Out Of The Cape
Why is SpaceX really ending those flights?
I agree that Elon wants to see more competition in the industry, and it’s time for the other companies to step up. A prevailing theme of Smallsat this week was the seeming dearth of launch opportunities. If I get my new venture off the ground, it will be a personal concern to me as well.
Another Civil-Rights Victory
“Waiting periods” have been ruled unconstitutional. They’ve always obviously seemed that way to me. Heller continues to reap dividends.
Brightline
The slow-motion trainwreck that anyone paying attention saw coming.
We rode it last year from Miami to Orlando. It was fine, but hardly high speed. Driving through Vegas yesterday on our way back home from Park City, we saw no signs of construction of the planned HSR from there to Victorville, let alone Rancho Cucamunga. They clearly don’t have the money.
And yes, this:
High-speed rail is catnip to politicians. Except it doesn’t work in America. Not only do we drive, but we take airplanes. As I said in March, much better to build more lanes on an expressway.
I’ve been saying for years that widening I-5 between the Grapevine and i-680 (as Pat Brown always intended) would be a vastly better investment for ground transportation between LA and SF than rail. The two new lanes could be charging lanes for fast electric FSD cars.
[Update a few minutes later]
California’s HSR boondoggle meets another justifiable roadblock.
A Sad Day
RIP, Dolly Parton.
Hard to think of anyone more universally beloved–and deserving of it. RIP Dolly, and woe is we. https://t.co/k5FLH4Bsio
— Joel Engel (@joelengel) August 25, 2026
[Update a while later]
Apocalypse Draws Near As Last Remaining Universally Beloved Human Being Passes Away https://t.co/FNeIqbDq6p
— The Babylon Bee (@TheBabylonBee) August 25, 2026
More details and reactions.
Solid Rocket Motors
A brief history of their misbegotten use in spaceflight, by frequent-commenter Mike Puckett.
[Update late afternoon Mountain time]
I want to share my own condolences to Mike on the loss of his beloved cat. But it sounds like she had a good run.
Off The Air
We’re driving up to Salt Lake City for the Smallsat Conference. Staying in Mesquite, NV tonight, then Park City for the first half of the week. I’ll have laptop, but not sure how much posting I’ll be doing. Comments are open.