Jim Meigs over at Popular Mechanics has some immediate policy suggestions for the new administration. I disagree that the moon isn’t a useful goal — my concern is the horrific expense of the way that NASA proposes to do it, and following Jim’s advice on building a heavy lifter isn’t going to help with that. Whether or not we need heavy lift is one of those assumptions that need to be reexamined. What we need is low-cost lift, not heavy lift, and building a huge rocket won’t provide it.
Category Archives: Political Commentary
“The Right Man Won”
Jim Geraghty is relieved that John McCain lost:
Mac is back — back to his moral preening about how bipartisan he is, back to his reflexive demonization of his own party, back to his refusal to recognize any legitimate concerns raised by those who disagree with him. If we’re going to have Democratic agenda enacted, better it be by a Democrat than a Republican obsessed with avoiding the “partisan” label in the White House.
So am I — he deserved to. That doesn’t mean that Obama deserved to win, though. The right man lost, but that doesn’t mean that the right man won. I just wish that McCain hadn’t been the nominee. The Republican Party needs to figure out how to prevent such a debacle again, by at least closing its primaries.
[Update a few minutes later]
Iowahawk has updated the Idiossey:
“Who dares challenge me now?” asked Obamacles. “For I am Obamacles, vanquisher of Hildusa, of whom all of Demos sing;
Make him the mightiest, so that I might find him worthy.”“Your foe will be the grizzled warrior Crustius,” said the Doritos,
As Obamacles laughed in disbelief; for though brave Crustius had once proved great valor in the tragic war of Namos,
He had grown old and addled sailing the Sea of Maverikus.
In years a full score he sailed, seeking the fabled Microphone of Media,
Only to crash on its shoals, lured to doom by the flattery of the Sirens.“Be not hasty in thy hubris, Obamacles,” warned the Doritos.
“Although he is old and stranded and beset by mutineers, grizzled Crustius is far craftier than in your imaginings.”True to the prophesy of the Doritos, wily Crustius had a secret trick up his toga.
From his rock-strewn shipwreck he summoned Palina, huntress of Wasilla,
Whose fertile loins had many odd-named children bore,
Bristol and Trig, Dakota and Algebra, Calculus and Physed,
And yet she retained the visage and figure of a goddess.Palina emerged from the sea, springing fully formed from a clamshell,
Brandishing the spear that had slain a thousand antlered beasts.
Once mutinous, the Crustonauts were instantly heartened,
For now they sensed a chance at victory.
Sadly, the tale has a tragic ending.
A Nation Disgraced
Some thoughts on the shameful trial of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands.
Drawing The Battle Lines
This will be the first major battle that the administration will face, and the opponents are mobilizing: No Stimulus.
Here Comes Socialism
Some cheery thoughts from Dick Morris.
Geez Louise, we had an awful choice in November.
Freedom Politics
A new web site. Can’t have too many web sites on this topic.
New Link Category
I’ve created a category called “Inadvertent Comic Relief.” It will contain links to sites that are serious, but hilariously and relentlessly stupid. The honor of the first link goes to perennial anti-military-space loon Bruce Gagnon. As an example, here he expresses his frustration that the Obama administration is going to do nothing to prevent those evil Anglospherians from colonizing the moon and terrorizing the moon people:
In Obama’s opening words he talked about the early vision of our “founding fathers”. He intends to remain loyal to the rich white men who dreamed of their own empire — one that would challenge England’s global power. An empire that would push the Native Americans from their land, ravage the Earth for its natural resources, and move overseas to terrorize and colonize people in Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam, Latin America, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and ultimately the moon in the sky.
End the madness.
[Update a few minutes later]
I’ve also added another of my favorite whacko conspiracy mongers — Elaine Supkis (who also happens to be L-5 Society founder Carolyn Meinel’s sister).
Ten Movie Cliches
..that should die. As they note in comments, he left out the Evil Corporation, and tired trope that businessmen are heartless monsters. I’ve written about the latter in the past.
Of course, if you got rid of all these cliches, Hollywood would pretty much be out of business.
And Heeeeeerrrre’s Barack
Is it just me, or did the announcer for the inauguration today sound more like Ed McMahon or a WWF announcer than a sober and somber master of ceremonies? The tone seemed quite inappropriate to the occasion, to my ear.
The Economy Is Not A Machine (Part Two)
I had a post on this subject the other day, but Brian Micklethwait (boy, is that an English name or what?) is more pithy:
In the mind of the anti-free-marketeer, the government occupies the same kind of intellectual territory as the divine designer in the mind of an anti-Darwinian.
Just so.