Well, actually, engineers aren’t supposed to be superstitious like that, but here’s hoping for a successful Falcon 1 launch this evening (late afternoon on the west coast).
Propellant Depot Questions?
Go submit them for the panel at New Space.
Beware The Killer Elevators
…and their deadly accomplices, the trash cans. This is probably the a result of one particular Darwin Award winner, and an edict subsequently went out for warning signs throughout the mighty Swedish nation. I particularly like the political metaphorical analysis in comments.
[Via Geek Press]
Where Were You?
Alan Boyle has some memories (he and I are about the same age), and a lot of links to Apollo XI sites. Thursday will be the fortieth anniversary of the launch.
Paul Krugman Acolytes
…versus reality:
…it should be clear that the Fed causing a housing bubble in order to bring about “soaring household spending” was Krugman’s optimal situation, whether or not he thought it was doable at the time. Given the consequences of the housing bubble that did ultimately happen, that alone should be enough cause for the public to stop listening to this fellow.
But…but…! He has a Nobel Prize! And he writes for the New York Times! The New. York. Times.
Not listen to Paul Krugman? Why, it would be madness!
Next, they’re going to tell me I should pay no attention to Maureen Dowd, or Frank Rich.
[Via Joe Katzman]
A Truth And Reconciliation Commission
Does Boeing need one for the Dreamliner?
When you look at both Boeing and Airbus, you have to ask, can’t anyone play this game? And how did we get in a position in which there are only two manufacturers of large air transports in the world?
If The Bill Is Too Long To Read
…it’s too long to pass:
This sort of behavior — passing bills that no one has read — or, that in the case of the healthcare “bill” haven’t even actually been written — represents political corruption of the first order. If representation is the basis on which laws bind the citizen, then why should citizens regard themselves as bound by laws that their representatives haven’t read, or, sometimes, even written yet?
To quote someone else, indeed. As I’ve noted before, this issue is ripe for a new Contract with America. I think that it would find a lot of resonance with the voters.
Who Knew I Was A Racist?
…because I hate (and always hated) disco?
Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I hate rap, too. But as a commenter over there says, if I’m intolerant, it’s intolerance of sh***y music. And non-music (which I consider much of rap to be). In the case of both disco and rap, I’ve little interest in a repetitive form of music in which the percussion carries the melody.
And if I supposedly base my musical preferences on the melanin content of the musician, please explain my long-time love of Delta blues. In fact it never really occurred to me at the time that disco was black, or gay music. The Bee Gees were black? Or gay? Who knew? I only knew that it was really, really bad, musically speaking, and of appeal to no one except people for whom the only purpose of music is to grind around on a dance floor, and most of whom are probably tone deaf.
This is one of those things so stupid that only an academic could come up with it.
The Threat To Innovation
…from Obamacare.
[Update a few minutes later]
…the truest answer as to why we do not accept Medicare is that the service does not focus on what we feel is paramount: practicing effective and efficient medicine in order to ultimately achieve and maintain the good health of our patients. The service’s paltry reimbursement structure coupled with its impossible to-adhere-to regulations doesn’t allow us to offer a complete service to our patients. This complete service includes wellness care as well as the ability to take the time to understand each patient’s unique medical needs and circumstances.
The crux of the issue is that Medicare worries about the forest, in other words, the internal process, money management, reimbursement and policing agreements, data mining, and organizing dozens of internal bureaucracies. These agendas and policing policies help the Medicare service to manage the forest, however these are often in direct conflict with what we feel is key to effective healthcare: taking care of the individual, or each tree.
OK, Dems, want us to have confidence in a “public option”? Fix Medicare first.
“Too Dumb To Be Jewish”
This exercise in political correctness is hilarious. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.