Discovery Channel has an interview with Jim Oberg about NASA’s culture problem (you’ll need a media player).
All posts by Rand Simberg
NASA’s Culture
Discovery Channel has an interview with Jim Oberg about NASA’s culture problem (you’ll need a media player).
FAA vs FAA
Mitchell Burnside Clapp, of Pioneer Rocketplane, has started an interesting discussion on regulatory issues for space transports over at sci.space.policy.
I respond, as well as Henry Spencer (and Dan DeLong, Chief Engineer of XCOR). And no, I don’t really think that Mitchell is an ignorant slut…
And for those interested in this issue in the DC area, there’s a meeting on the subject of suborbital spaceflight on Capitol Hill tomorrow. The public is invited, and you can listen in on the web via a link at the Pro-Space site.
Another Rat Slinks Down The Mooring Line
Chris (the Weasel) Lehane is bailing out of the Kerry campaign.
Progress
Diapers are catching on in ever-modernizing China. Next step is a man in space…
Batten Down The Hatches
It looks like Isabel is heading for Hampton Roads. They’ve already evacuated Ocracoke Island (one of the barrier islands on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which was one of Blackbeard’s hangouts).
Expect a lot of wind and rain for the tarheels and cavaliers later this week.
The Wacky Ninth Circuit Strikes Again
They’ve (temporarily) postponed the recall election until March, prolonging the circus and giving Davis a much better shot, by having his fate decided by hordes of Democratic primary voters. It’s another attack of the chads!
We’ll see if the SCOTUS weighs in to preempt this nonsense.
[Update at 2 PM PDT]
The ever-perspicacious Eugene Volokh asks a great question:
Assuming that punch card ballots are generally less reliable than the alternatives, why should we think that using punch card ballots in several counties in Oct. 2003 would be less reliable than using the alternatives for the fist time in those counties in Mar. 2004?
Stairway To The Stars
Jeff Foust has a good overview on current prospects for building a space elevator.
Disappointed
Overall, I was impressed with Cheney in his interview by Russert yesterday on MTP, but I was dismayed by one exchange:
MR. RUSSERT: Vanity Fair magazine reports that about 140 Saudis were allowed to leave the United States the day after the 11th, allowed to leave our airspace and were never investigated by the FBI and that departure was approved by high-level administration figures. Do you know anything about that?
VICE PRES. CHENEY: I don?t, but a lot of folks from that part of the world left in the aftermath of 9/11 because they were worried about public reaction here in the United States or that somehow they might be discriminated against.
Sadly, I have a great deal of trouble believing him on that point. It strains credulity to believe that he knows nothing about it.
More Quagmire In Germany
This piece vindicates, at least to a degree, this one, which received a lot of (mostly ignorant) criticism as to its historical authenticity.