They’re now eligible for second place for Level I. Wish I’d gone up to see it, but I had a meeting this morning in Torrance. I’ll have to try to get up there for their Level II attempt.
I’m sure glad that they funded multiple awards. I think that this is going to directly energize a lot more companies than the X-Prize did.
Clark Lindsey points out the difference between the senator’s view of the space industry, and that of other industries. Somehow, I suspect that his views would be (or at least appear to be) more consistent if he were a Senator from some other state. But as is, the disparity is jarring.
[Wednesday morning update]
Here’s more on the latest nonsense from the senator, at the Orlando Sentinel, and Space Politics. Note the comments.
The latest mantra from the Ares defenders is apparently to pick up on Doug Stanley’s comment that the committee didn’t have enough time to properly evaluate it. The response to this, of course, is that if they didn’t, then Doug didn’t have enough time to select it, either, because he had about the same amount of time, if not much less. The Augustine panel worked this for most of the summer. ESAS only took sixty days.
[Bumped]
One of Washington’s all-time dumbest ideas. And that’s saying something, given the level of stupidity that reigns in the Beltway.
…and accountability:
To be clear, this lack of accountability is not a feature on this specific administration but is, instead, a reflection of the inherent uncertainties associated with macroeconomics. The administration, however, has not been particularly forthright in admitting to this lack of accountability. Indeed, the act of releasing quarterly reports on how many jobs have been “created or saved” gives the illusion of accountability without the reality.
The country is in the very best of hands. If you like having it run by thieves and charlatans. The press certainly doesn’t seem to mind.
Today, October 4th, is the fifty-second and fifth anniversaries of Sputnik I, and SpaceShipOne’s winning of the Ansari X-prize, respectively. I’ll probably have more thoughts up later today or tomorrow, at Popular Mechanics or Pajamas media.
[Update a few minutes later]
Some thoughts from Michael Belfiore on the X-Prize anniversary.
…call for desperate tax reforms? If California would do something like this, I’d feel a lot better about moving back, and maybe even start a business. I can’t see it happening, though, absent a massive voter revolt that throws out the gerrymandered morons in Sacramento. And the gerrymandering dictates against that, absent some kind of proposition to blow up the redistricting system.
A warning for America, from (Dr.) Paul Hsieh.
…kill GM and Chrysler? Not single handedly, but it may have proven the fatal blow. Between that, and the fact that so many consider them Government Motors, and run by union thugs, they may never recover. The question is, what does the administration come up with next to punish Ford and level the playing field?
[Update a few minutes later]
More thoughts from Mickey:
…they seem to have grossly misperceived consumers’ reaction to the equities of the bailout itself. And that 45% can’t be all Republicans.
Nope.
I also have to say that this saddens me immensely, having come from a GM family (and having a brother who still works there). If they do go under, I hope that someone can take the assets and do something more productive with them. But that might also require an overhaul of the government in Lansing, and I’m not sure what the prospects are for that.
[Update mid morning]
Speaking of my last point: Michigan’s budget train wreck. And to think that some people a few years ago (and maybe even now) were bewailing that pesky Constitution that didn’t permit darling Jennifer to run for president.
Thoughts on Barack Obama’s deficits.
[Thursday morning update]
Related thoughts from John Stossel: “No matter what the numbers say, it’ll be called a success.”
[Another update a few minutes later]
Happy fiscal New Year! Out with the old deficits, in with the new.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been half a decade since the first X-Prize flight. I remember it well because I had moved to Florida only a month before, was still recovering from being hit by two hurricanes within two weeks (Frances and Jeanne), and watching on television, frustrated that I could no longer just get in the car and drive up to Mojave to see it.
Now I’m back in California, and hope I’ll have more opportunities to go up and see the other exciting activities that it spawned. Things haven’t moved along as fast as people hoped, either for Virgin Galactic (due to some poor technical and contracting decisions on their part, in my opinion), or the field in general, but things are starting to pick up. As Arthur Clarke noted, we are often overoptimistic about schedules in the short run, but overpessimistic in the long run. It’s starting to be a longer run from 2004.