On the fortieth anniversary of Apollo 8, a couple of years ago, I reflected on its significance.
Category Archives: History
107 Since Kitty Hawk
The Wrights first flew a controlled heavier-than-aircraft over a century ago, on this date in 1903. On the hundredth anniversary, I wrote three articles that are still worth reading if you haven’t, or rereading if you have. They contain a lot of lessons for spaceflight development.
[Update a couple minutes later]
I notice that the TCS Daily link from the old Instapundit post is busted. Here‘s another one.
Party Like It’s 1773
It’s been 237 years since they dumped the tea into Boston Harbor. And this year’s elections shows that the spirit of 1773 remains alive.
A Sad Anniversary
I think that today is the thirty-eighth anniversary of the day that Gene Cernan climbed back into the LEM and headed off to lunar orbit with Jack Schmitt to meet up with the command module for the trip back to earth (perhaps depending on what time zone you use). Humans haven’t walked on the moon since, for many reasons, but foremost because too many people think that the only way to return was the way we went the first time, with massive government expenditures and a big rocket. This false perception has held us back for almost four decades now.
Don’t Show This To The Kids
It’s very disturbing. And yes, it was clear early on that it was a parody of the killing of “Mr. Howard,” aka Jesse James.
So do today’s kids know Yogi? Is it on the cartoon channels? Or are they being introduced via the new movie?
Cultural Defenses Of Incest
Thoughts from Eugene Volokh. I found interesting the comment about the intrinsic incompatibility between Christian and Jewish law in this regard. But I agree with Glenn — if father/daughter relations are an intrinsic part of the culture at Columbia University, academia is in even bigger trouble than we thought.
Dwindling
Sixty-nine years later, there aren’t many survivors of Pearl Harbor left. The war itself is passing out of living memory. And sadly, many of the lessons learned from it will probably have to be relearned, at the cost of how knows how many more innocent lives.
[Update a few minutes later]
Bing remembers. But it’s just another day to Google. You’d think it a significant date even to a “citizen of the world.”
[Update a while later]
When Japan attacked.
Did Stalin Commit Genocide?
…and does it matter?
I think the answers are yes, and no. This artificial distinction between “genocide” and the mass murder on a grander scale by Stalin, Mao et al is just a means to distract from the fact that Hitler was not the worst man in history, and that his depredations were actually typical of the left.
Ancient Rome
And the Jetsons. From (who else?) Lileks.
Honoring Those Who Sacrificed For Us
In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
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