I’ve discussed this before, but I’m glad to see that Lileks agrees with me:
I’m not a big fan of the TV shows – the wailing, the stupidity, the ‘splaining to do. Whenever she’s in a movie she’s much more enjoyable.
That could be, but I’ve never watched a movie with her in it and am not motivated to do so, given my antipathy to the TV shows.
[Googling]
Ah, we agreed on the subject a year and a half ago, too. Sometimes I feel like I’m running out of new things to say.
Rest in peace. I hadn’t seen him in years, but used to occasionally in the eighties at various LA space events. He wasn’t as big an influence on me as a kid as Heinlein and Clarke, but I read all his books. Of course, as he often said himself, he wasn’t a science fiction writer.
[Update late afternoon]
The lights are going out.
The latest from Bill Whittle, with contrasting thoughts on Chris Hayes and Elon Musk.
Some amusing thoughts from Mark Steyn on how Americans have been propagandized into dramatically overestimating the number of homosexuals in our midst.
Rest in peace, Doc.
This is a good obit, but it’s a little strange that the only video they have of someone dubbed the father of flat picking is Deep River Blues, which he finger picks.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s a good example of his flatpicking, with Black Mountain Rag. Notice the key change midway through. This is also a good example of my long-standing thesis that this is a form of jazz.
You know what, Fedex?
If UPS would run an ad saying, we don’t do singing animals and sustainability — we just get your package there on time at a lower cost, I’ll use you every effing time. Unfortunately, I had to get something somewhere after three on Saturday by Monday, and only Fedex could do it.
Think about it.
Well, you can’t say that this guy isn’t ambitious.
Is the dream dead?
As noted in comments, they still have specialized applications, which may expand with evolving technology, though helium prices are an issue.
This freaked me out, though:
A dock at the top of the Empire State Building, it was thought, would allow airships like the Graf Zeppelin to fly passengers directly to Midtown Manhattan — where the vessels would “swing in the breeze” while those passengers walked an attached gangplank down to the street below.
“Walk” over a quarter of a mile on a “gangplank” that extended to the street? Not for me. No. Way. In. Hell.
That couldn’t be serious. Ignoring the wind issues at that altitude (that can’t be ignored), maybe mating it to the 86th-floor observation deck with something like a long jetway (I know I wouldn’t want to be looking down), so they could take the elevators, but the notion of walking all the way to the street from that height would be insane, even for the non-acrophobes.
[Update a while later]
Here’s a fascinating account of the history (and yes, they were supposed to embark/debark from the 103rd floor). It was so crazy it never happened.