On The Spot

Clark Lindsey has dropped in on the Mars Society conference, which is in DC this year, and has some first-hand reports, on Mike Griffin’s speech and the latest from Elon Musk and SpaceX.

I haven’t spent much time reading them myself, being too busy, but when I do later, I may have some thoughts.

One question I do have, though. Just how big does Mike think is big enough for a heavy lifter for a Mars mission? How many decades does he plan to put off developing the critical technologies of orbital storage and handling of propellants, and vehicle assembly?

Not Anti-War, Just On The Other Side

Lileks has some thoughts on current events in the Levant. There’s a hint of sarcasm to them:

The US continues to support Israel. This is becoming difficult, since many important nations with well-dressed, urbane spokesmen have decided that Israel should stop its strange policy of firing rockets on UN-run stem-cell research facilities for no apparent reason. These diplomats will tolerate a little wartime madness

Shake And Bake

There’s apparently been a pretty good temblor up in the north bay of the Bay Area (think Marin County) about twenty minutes ago. Maybe they’ll mention it at the top of the hour.

You can bet that, with the heat we’ve had lately in CA (as well as everywhere else),people will be dredging up the claims about “earthquake weather.”

Hopefully it’s not a foreshock of something a lot bigger.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!