He talks a lot like Ross Perot.
Except without the east Texas twang.
Category Archives: Technology and Society
The War On Cars
I share many of the New Urbanist ideas for cities, but I can’t cast my lot in with the group because they are screwball-daft when the subject of cars comes up, and will entertain any inconvenience as long as it’s anti-car. I don’t want to ride a got-damned bicycle to work. Most people don’t. Period. So you have to force them out of their cars into something else. If a neighborhood is made sufficiently inconvenient for cars, some will adapt, and some will find a home in a placewhere they can have a car. That’s your choice. If you stay, fine; glad you’re happy. If you go out into the far-flung exurbs because you want to drive, and are willing to endure a few inconveniences, then fine; that’s yhour choice. You’d think the Critics of Everyone Else’s Choices would be happy that people are living far out and taking the train in, but no, a fresh new horror has revealed itself as people continue to show the depthless roiling stinky-pitch of their hearts:
While city planners generally welcome transit hubs to their community, they are concerned that, if improperly located, the stations will actually increase sprawl by encouraging people to drive to rail stations instead of walking, biking or taking the bus.
People are driving to the train.
And PARKING.
The monsters.
SLS Update
Bob Zimmerman notes the ongoing (and increasing) absurdity of the program.
The Cloud People
I totally get the anger that has created Trump. I share it. But I will never understand why they don’t see that he’s a false vessel for it.
Also, this is funny but sad, about Whole Foods customers.
[Update a while later]
This seems related: The new WASPs are Asians in Silicon Valley.
Five Problematic Events
…that could sway the election.
I think they’re more than five. And his fifth one is more of an ongoing process than an “event.”
SpaceX’s Manifest And Schedule
Peter Selding has a good report on what Gwynne said earlier this week.
I don’t think sixteen more flights this year is overly ambitious. I’d sure like to see the heavy fly in November, the new announced date, but I also won’t be at all surprised to see it slip into 2017. And from what she said, I’m very encouraged about minimum refurbishment.
[Update in the afternoon]
Oh, isn’t this cute. Roscosmos thinks it can compete by cutting manufacturing costs on Angara.
More On Blue Origin
Eric Berger has more details from Jeff Bezos on flight-test plans. If I were to do a new edition of the book, I’d replace references to Armadillo with what we now know about Blue Origin. It’s an entirely different approach from XCOR and Virgin Galactic; “Look ma, no pilot.”
[Update a while later]
“To let space travel flourish, leave it to the cranks and crackpots.”
Yes. Let’s end Apolloism and NASA worship.
[Update a few minutes later]
I think that Loren Grush has a legitimate complaint about who was, and wasn’t invited to that tour. It’s not at all clear how Blue Origin came up with the list. Alan Boyle was obvious, because he’s in Seattle and has been covering this stuff for years, as were Eric Berger and Jeff Foust, but I think that they could have accommodated more, and more women.
Parabolic Arc
It’s hard to believe that Doug Messier has been blogging for nine years. But in order for him to continue, he needs some help.
Vulcan And AR1
Boeing and Lockmart still seem on board with the new rocket development, despite Congressional idiocy. Of course, they know that the only way to survive against SpaceX is to build a new rocket.
Outer Space
The manifesto of the committee to abolish it.
To be honest, I had never previously realized how terrible outer space is.