…has done more good than harm, and will likely continue to do so.
Category Archives: Technology and Society
CGI Obama
[Update a while later]
By 3-1, Americans think that we are losing the war to ISIS. And there’s no indication that Obama even cares.
[Update a couple minutes later]
It’s going to be a long eighteen months. Fortunately, there’s a lot of ruin in a country, particularly this one.
A “Design Peculiarity”
That’s an…interesting phrase for the cause of the Progress mission failure last month. Doesn’t that sort of imply a need for a redesign?
Clearing The Road To Mars
OK, here we go. I’ve launched my new Kickstarter. Spread the word.
Space Access Update
The latest version is out, describing the current hijinks in Congress:
Full-throttle political support for full-funding Commercial Crew at the requested $1.24 billion is a top (if not the top) political priority for this year. Down-selecting to one vendor to save money over the next two years would add multiple unacceptable program risks and lead to long-term monopoly pricing. Successful flight before the end of 2017 already apparently involves optimistic assumptions about not needing the full $300 million in NASA-required-extras contingency funding. NASA says that any shortfall from the $1.24 billion level this year risks further program delays, and our look at the numbers seems to bear that out.
Yes, as Bolden said a few weeks ago, they can’t accelerate it with more money, but they can delay with less, and they seem determined to do so.
[Early evening update]
OK, here‘s an even more recent update.
Space Blogging
I won’t bother to link to individual pieces, but Jon Goff seems to have been blogging up a storm over the past few days.
Kickstarter Video
Try, try again. I’ve punched up the audio in this version, though it still sounds like I’m in an empty lecture hall.
[Update a while later]
I think I’m ready to launch the project (and Kickstarter says I can do it at any time), but here’s the draft page, if anyone wants to provide feedback before I do so.
Crap Nutrition “Science” In Journals
I wish I believed that the situation was much better than this in climate science, but really, I have little reason to.
Discussing Science
No, Senator Whitehouse, it isn’t racketeering; it’s free speech.
The Bleed Hole In Aircraft Windows
Explained. Ideally, you’d have a similar setup for a spacecraft, but it would add weight. Lynx is single pane, AFAIK. I don’t know about SpaceShipTwo.