…wants to emulate SpaceX. I take this much more seriously than anything the Chinese government claims to plan.
Category Archives: Technology and Society
Humanity’s Future In Space
There was a panel discussion at the Mars Society Convention Friday night in Irvine. Bob invited me to participate, but I was unfortunately in Florida, preparing for the storm.
The Space Industry
It’s “a fantastic time to be in” it.
I agree. Better late than never.
Service For Pournelle
An email I missed from Alex when I was on the plane Tuesday:
As you have probably heard, my father, Jerry, passed away on Friday, September 8, 2017. He had attended DragonCon as a guest, was lauded by thousands, and had a tremendously good time. As an author, it would be difficult to think of a better way to be sent off.
Our family also appreciates the outpouring of memorials and reminiscences, both public and private, which have followed.
The public service will be this Saturday, September 16:
12N PT: Services at St. Francis de Sales Church, 13368 Valleyheart Drive Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
We will be working to livestream the service as well.
Please let those who should know about the service. If you will be in town, we hope to see you there.
I’ll be going, hope to see a lot of old (in both senses of the word) friends.
[Late-evening update]
Just got back from a lovely service. pic.twitter.com/NN03CJrsmS
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) September 17, 2017
Huma
New emails reveal that she mishandled classified information much more than we previously knew.
This is my shocked face.
[Update mid morning]
As I’ve noted before, the Democrats’ tolerance of the Clinton’s corruption was the final straw for me with them in the 90s. And it continues.
Ron Paul
Boeing and Lockmart seem to be getting their money’s worth for their campaign donations to him. But while he’s clearly a tool, he’s never been the sharpest one in the shed. As Eric notes, the irony is that, prior to SpaceX, it was ULA had an actual monopoly on Air Force launches.
New Glenn
It will now have a seven-meter fairing.
This is another nail in the coffin of SLS.
Elon’s Rocket Failures
He’s released a spectacular mix tape of bloopers.
This is just crying out for a subtitled narrative, a la the Corporal Story.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here it is:
This is how you learn to fly rockets. NASA could never do this.
It’s Gaia’s Vengeance
If Jose hits DC and NY, I blame them, for voting for Hillary. And for being anti-science on gender and race.
Jerry Pournelle
Rest in peace (I have no idea how to copy/paste on these damned finger painting devices, but Instapundit has a text from his son, Alex)). He was an amazing person with an amazing life. I last saw him when I dropped by Chaos Manor a couple years ago to give him a copy of my book, which he reviewed very nicely.
I’ll have more to say when I’ve survived the hurricane and gotten back to a real computer.
[Sunday-morning update, as the winds rise outside our Boynton Beach apartment]
Sarah Hoyt remembers someone she considered a friend and colleague.
When I stopped by to see him a couple years ago, we talked about what was happening with SpaceX and NASA in general, and reminisced about our long-time mutual friend Bill Haynes, whom he hadn’t been aware had been killed in an auto accident on Palos Verdes on his way to church a couple years earlier (both Buzz and I had delivered a eulogy, but I think that Jerry was too sick at the time). It was a tough conversation because his hearing was shot, both from the brain cancer that he’d survived, but long-term from being an artillery handler in Korea. When Roberta let me into the library, I had to figure out how to get his attention without startling him, because the bell wasn’t doing so. I was unsuccessful, but he had no problem once he realized the unexpected intruder was me.
Heading back to LA, probably Tuesday, maybe Wednesday, Irma and American Airlines willing. I hope I’ll be able to attend the service and see a lot of old (sadly, in both senses of the word) friends.
[Late-evening update on Sunday]
J. Neil Schumann has some remembrances, too. I suspect we’ll see a lot of this over the next few days.
[Monday-morning update]
Glenn Reynolds writes that, as a kid in the gloomy 70s, Jerry gave him (and many others) hope for a better future.