Understatement

Via Clark Lindsey, here’s an interesting first-hand description of what it’s like to pilot SpaceShipOne.

I was amused at this part:

We talked about G forces on Tuesday. He
says that he gets hit with about 3Gs kicking him backwards as soon as
he lights the rocket motor. He’s supersonic within about 9 seconds
later. But he immediately starts to pull up into an almost vertical
climb. So he also gets over 4.3Gs pushing him down into his seat just
from that maneuver. The combined force is “very stressful” and Mike
says it’s “important not to black out” at that point.

Emphasis mine.

Sympathy

Peggy Noonan has a gracious, balanced and I suspect correct ode to Dan Rather and his career.

People are complicated, careers are complicated, motives are complicated. Dan Rather did some great work on stories that demanded physical courage. He loved the news, and often made it look like the most noble of enterprises. He had guts and fortitude. Those stories he covered that touched on politics were unfortunately and consistently marred by liberal political bias, and in this he was like too many in his profession. But this is changing. The old hegemony has given way. The old dominance is over. Good thing. Great thing. Onward

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!