A grim assessment. I was particularly amused by the LAT’s complaint that Caruso doesn’t have a “climate plan.” Because, you know, climate is at the tippy top of southern California’s problems.
We’re not in LA, but California itself is headed downhill as well.
…from Joe Pappalardo:
It may be unfair to compare SpaceX and NASA, but SpaceX is built to be fast-but-risky whereas NASA is built to be slow-but-reliable. We’re now seeing that the fast-but-risky approach is actually leading to not only faster but more reliable results. Artemis is this giant U.S. government program that leaks money—as the Apollo program was—and that seems antiquated, but lots of members of Congress could get behind its traditional approach, which made use of languishing NASA facilities and had a supply chain stretching into lots of different communities. There are real benefits to NASA doing work across these communities, of course, but this approach can get in the way of doing things quickly, being able to change direction when engineers learn something new, or being free to adopt new technology and machinery. There’s less flexibility. And the Space Launch System isn’t reusable, either, meaning it’s a costly rocket that can only be used once. It would be foolish to stop this program now, but it would be grossly irresponsible to replicate it in the future.
He doesn’t explain why it would be “foolish to stop this program now.” I can only think that it’s the sunk-cost fallacy, but I think that what is foolish is to continue to throw good money after bad.
Yes, Malthus was always wrong.
Bob doesn’t say it, but the principle applies throughout the solar system. Humans will continue to take raw materials and create new resources.
Thoughts on the fecklessness of the administration:
…is that she’s AOC.
…created by AI.
…is much worse than many understand.
Can’t hurt to pick up a big bag of pintos and rice at Costco.
Apparently, they may be more deadly for the Russians than for the Ukrainians.
Elizabeth couldn’t outlive Charles, as she had hoped she might. RIP to the longest monarch in British history, but he will be a terrible king. He didn’t inherit the steel in her spine.
[Update a while later]
I’d love to be a fly on the wall in the first meeting between Charles and the new PM when she tells him she’s going to allow fracking.
[Update early evening]
An American remembrance of the Queen.
It is entirely possible to find her admirable without being a fan of the monarchy. She was a steadfast woman foremost of duty, but she greatly enjoyed life, and people, as well.
[Friday-morning update]
When it comes to not making controversial statements, it will be hard for Charles to follow his mother. When it comes to lunacy on climate, he’s the Al Gore of the UK.
Almost a quarter of Democrats think that men can get pregnant.