Category Archives: General

Business, General, Space, Technology and Society

Yesterday’s Launch

8 Comments

We drove up to Lompoc yesterday to watch not just the launch, but the landing. We had clear skies for both events. When I saw the boosters land from the Falcon Heavy flight in Florida, I didn’t see them until they were almost down, but yesterday, we could see the deorbit burn, and then follow it all the way down to the pad. After entry, it dropped like a rock until it arrived near the pad, then rapidly decelerated and set down. We weren’t as close as we wanted to be, but it was on a hill by Vandenberg Village that gave us an unobstructed view. Despite the distance, the sonic boom of the booster coming in was impressive but, unlike the ones in Florida, where I was much closer and heard a pair of triple booms, I only heard a single one. I suspect the other two were too weak to carry as far.

[Update a while later]

Interestingly, this story doesn’t even mention the landing, even though it was historic. I think it was the first time they’ve landed there in the day time.

[Friday-afternoon update]

Here’s video of the landing.

[Bumped]

General, History, Law, Political Commentary, Social Commentary

Thanksgiving

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James Lileks’ obligatory essay.

I am not just today, but always thankful that I was born in this Republic, and for the opportunities that we will continue to have to preserve it. Speaking of which, Sidney Powell delivered the Kraken for Thanksgiving.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Also in my home state of Michigan which is, apropo of nothing other than the Lion’s loss today, having a very bad football season.

General, General Science, Science And Society, Technology and Society

Heat Wave

35 Comments

Looks like the next week and a half will be one of those times we wish we had A/C in coastal California. It was warm last night (temperature has been below seventy every morning when we get up, but it was 73 this morning). Can’t really justify the expense and electricity of central air, but maybe we’ll finally be motivated to get a window or portable unit for the bedroom.

[Noon update]

People are talking about split units in comments. No way we’d spend that kind of money, particularly when we have no use for a heat pump. We just need something to keep the bedroom cool to sleep at night.

[Saturday-morning update]

Well, so far, so good. It never got below 74 in the house, but we slept well. If it gets no worse than that, we’ll be OK. The worst thing about Santa Anas is that when the wind comes from the east, we can hear the sound of the 405 freeway, which is about a mile away. Otherwise, the neighborhood is quiet, because despite being half a block from a major thoroughfare to the west, the sound is blocked by a dune that our place is at the bottom of.

Education, General, History, Media Criticism, Political Commentary

Independence Day

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We have ribs in the smoker, and I’ve been doing odds and ends around the house (including laying conduit and PVC for power and water of a new irrigation system). I want to wish as happy a holiday as possible under the circumstances to all of my readers. If you’ve never done it (or even if you have), I recommend reading the Declaration aloud; too few understand what this is all about, particularly given the state of our educational system. I also recommend reading Coolidge’s speech on the sesquicentennial. It seems more timely than ever, and is one of the best of its breed.

I will say, though, that Trump’s speech last night was a pretty good one, and it kicked off the campaign much better than the one in Tulsa. And of course, it drove all the right people nuts.

General, Space, Technology and Society

Yesterday’s Launch

6 Comments

Something to finish the weekend with.

FWIW, Amiko is married to Scott Kelly, who is the Kelly twin who spent a year at ISS.