Category Archives: Popular Culture

Popular Culture, Space, Technology and Society

The Pima Air (And Space) Museum

7 Comments

OK, since I have to check out of my room, and I have a few hours to kill before my flight, I’m going to check it out, since I’ve never actually been there. Like Aviation Week (and space technology) I expect the “Space” part to be an afterthought.

[Update, waiting at the airport]

As I expected, the emphasis was on the “Air,” but there were a lot of pretty neat aircraft there. It was 104 degrees, but didn’t seem that bad to me (as it generally doesn’t in the desert, particularly in the shade). I was more put off from wandering far out in the field by the sun for which I had no sunblock than the heat itself. I pointed out to a docent that Gene Kranz never said “Failure is not an option,” at least while he was a NASA mission controller. He said he’d talk to the curator.

I also showed the book to the space docents, and they all wanted a copy. The gift-shop manager was out for the day, but I’ll email her. But it would look pretty lonely amidst the other books. Almost nothing about space –mostly aviation. But I did put it up on the shelf to see how it stood out. It did, a lot. I think we’ll be glad we spent extra time on the cover design.

[Update a while later, before boarding]

I forgot to mention that it happened to be Orville Wright’s birthday. There were remnants of a cake (I had a small piece). I got a picture of it, but not on my phone — on my good camera, and I don’t have a card reader with me, so I’ll have to post it later.

[Bumped]

Media Criticism, Philosophy, Political Commentary, Popular Culture, Social Commentary, Space

Matt Damon Movies

15 Comments

The five most destructive ideas in them. I liked this review of Elysium in comments:

Spoiler alert:

The liberals win and create a future society that makes the entire Earth into Detroit. Obamacare is in full effect and as a result — shock — there is a shortage of doctors, medicine and advanced medical equipment.

The conservatives leave the Earth (kinda aka Atlas Shrugged) and build this magnificent Space Station with all the trappings of a productive and prosperous people — replete with advanced medical technology.

Since they cannot build and create a similarly advanced and prosperous society, the liberals decide that they will take what they did not earn and ultimately (through violence and magic of course) heal everyone in the world — especially the babies.

I’ll wait until it’s on free television. I don’t really like to put any money in the hypocritical moron’s pocket.

Popular Culture, Social Commentary, Technology and Society, Weird

Amazon Local, Los Angeles Edition

2 Comments

Every day, I get offers for: acting classes, teeth whitening, massage packages with reflexology and aromatherapy, microdermabrasion facials, tanning salons, exfoliation…

It’s like they’re trying to live down to the expectations of the rest of the country.

[Update a few minutes later]

Are you the kind of person likely to be suckered into a conversation with a Twitter-bot?

I’m not.

Business, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Popular Culture

Hail Hillary!

7 Comments

Get ready for the disgusting biopics:

What did surprise me was that the series will cover none of her life before the Monica Lewinsky scandal, which took place five years into her husband’s second term as president and when Hillary was already 51 years old. It’s as if her first half-century will be airbrushed away, along with the many scandals that dogged her in those decades.

Oh, John, didn’t you hear? That’s old news.

And Hillary Clinton is no Diane Lane.

As Glenn says, maybe we should take a page from the Left’s playbook, and do a sponsor boycott.

[Update a while later]

Suggestions for the mini-series title.

Political Commentary, Popular Culture, Space, Technology and Society

Extrasolar Space Law

9 Comments

Transterrestrial reader (and occasional commenter) Laura Montgomery has what appears to be an interesting new SF book out on Kindle.

She writes:

I noticed that you’ve mentioned an independent author from time to time at Transterrestrial, and thought I’d let you know about my own attempts along those lines. I’ve published on Kindle and other ereaders The Sky Suspended.

It’s bourgeois, legal science fiction with a hearty helping of space policy wonkery.

The short version of the blurb is:

A generation has passed since asteroid scares led the United States to launch its first and only interstellar starship. The ship returns and announces the discovery of another Earth. People are star-struck, crowds form in Washington, DC, and a boy from Alaska and two lawyers grapple with issues surrounding the question of whether ordinary people will be able to emigrate to the stars.

I haven’t read it, but the few reviews are positive. You might want to check it out and add your own.