https://twitter.com/JayReding/status/1240356315882500099
Category Archives: Technology and Society
Wet Markets
Yes, it’s long past time to ban them. It should be a condition of re-engagement with the Chinese economy.
GPS
Can it be used on the moon?
Maybe, but only on the near side. It really needs its own constellation (and the satellites wouldn’t be in stable orbits).
The MLP
It’s only 44% over budget.
At what point will it be generally recognized what a fiasco SLS is? Maybe when Starship flies?
Al Worden
America’s Micro And Macro Efforts
…to combat the epidemic. At the least, it’s an interesting experiment.
[Update a few minutes later]
Meanwhile, the Manchurian media.
[Update w while later]
South Korea infections are dropping; what’s the key to its success?
Basically, testing and tracing. I’ll feel better once there’s a lot more testing going on here.
[Update late morning]
When will it be over, and how will be know? TL;DR, it’s about getting R naught below 1.
Meanwhile, despite the slow start, there’s a lot we can be proud of.
When The Virus Departs
The world will be changed.
Yes, and in many ways, for the better.
The Gateway
…has been taken off the critical path for 2024.
This is probably the beginning of the end for it. Long before 2026, it will have become very clear that the road to the planets lies with the private sector, not NASA.
The Toyota A/C
The A/C in our RAV4 quit working a few weeks ago (we discovered it during a winter heat wave in January). Turns out that the condenser sprung a leak, and won’t hold refrigerant. A new one is $278 from AutoZone. I’ve been looking at the manual, trying to work up the gumption to replace it. I called a local shop to get a quote on labor, and he told me they’re not doing A/C work right now, because they think discharging the system is too risky for lungs, but when they start doing it again, it would be about $600, including recharging it. Fortunately, it’s a cool, rainy week, and repairing it isn’t urgent, even with our planned trip up the coast this weekend.
A Revolutionary New Concept
The Europeans are thinking about building a rocket that retrofires and lands vertically. Eric Berger brings the snark.