All posts by Rand Simberg

Business, Space

Teachers In Space

2 Comments

…is now Citizens In Space:

“The development of low-cost reusable suborbital spacecraft will be the next great enabler, allowing citizens to participate in space exploration and space science.

“Citizens have told us that education is not just a process that occurs within the public schools. Science fairs, hackerspaces, museums; private, religious, and home schools — all have a role to play. Today, we are listening to those citizens.

“We want to put a thousand astronaut teachers into American schools . We want to engage America’s students and reach out to the public through museums, science centers, and other venues. We want to make space research and space exploration part of the mainstream, not treasures locked away in the ivory tower.

“When Apollo 12 commander Pete Conrad was asked what it was like to fly in space, he said, ‘Everyone should go!’ We agree.

I agree, too. At least those who want to. It’s too bad the people in charge of the government space program don’t agree.

[Update a few minutes later]

Here’s the new web site.

Science And Society, Technology and Society

The Florida Pythons

20 Comments

Wow, this has really become an ecological disaster:

In areas where the pythons have established themselves, marsh rabbits and foxes can no longer be found. Sightings of raccoons are down 99.3%, opossums 98.9% and white-tailed deer 94.1%, according to a paper out Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“What if the stock market had declined that much? Think of the adjectives you’d use for that,” says Gordon Rodda, an invasive-species specialist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) who published research in 2008 showing that Burmese pythons could conceivably expand across the southern portion of the United States.

“Pythons are wreaking havoc on one of America’s most beautiful, treasured and naturally bountiful ecosystems,” says USGS Director Marcia McNutt.

I remember when we drove down to Flamingo, on Florida Bay, the only place in the world (I think) where alligators and crocodiles coexist, and seeing a family of raccoons on a hike.

At least they’re not endangered species. If they can figure out some way to exterminate the snakes, they could be repopulated in the Everglades from other regions. I suspect that the solution may be some kind of engineered tasty poison that only affects Burmese pythons, but we probably aren’t that far along in the tech yet.

Media Criticism, Political Commentary

Schadenfreude For Eric Holder

1 Comment

He really is a contemptible little man. And I’m referring to his moral, not his physical stature. I’m glad to see that CNN gave Hayden an outlet.

[Update a few minutes later]

Fisking the liar’s prepared remarks for this morning’s hearing.

[Update a few minutes later]

A failed “Fast and Furious” whitewash:

By turns whiny, petulant and deceitful, Holder would rather accuse his critics of racism than substantively address the scandal. But with each “withdrawn” letter, Friday-night document dump and sudden resignation, it becomes ever more clear that the man who facilitated the outrageous Marc Rich pardon for President Bill Clinton is incapable of shame.

The people who should really be ashamed are the senators, on both sides of the aisle, who voted to confirm this corrupt, sniveling, lying, gun-grabbing racist hack to the nation’s highest position in law enforcement.

I should note that my Twitter timeline is pretty busy with the hearings.

[Update mid-morning]

“Eric Holder should become a campaign issue today.”

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Space

Newt’s Mars Prize

9 Comments

Thoughts and some history from Bob Zubrin. The plan, at least as stated by Bob, has a (as Newt would say) “fundamental” flaw in it:

There would be at least two prizes: a $5 billion prize to develop and demonstrate a heavy-lift booster capable of lifting at least 100 tons to low Earth orbit, and a $10 billion prize for the first human mission to Mars. In addition, the winners of these prizes would be given contracts for the purchase by NASA of an additional five copies of their flight systems at a recurring cost of 20 percent of the respective prize per copy.

Prizes should specify the goal, not the means to achieve it. It presumes without evidence the need for an arbitrarily-sized heavy lifter. Bob, if you want to get to Mars, then put out a prize for Mars, but don’t tell people how to do it.