Space, Space and Campaign 2008

Yeah, I’m Still Here

I’m actually suffering from a rare thing for me–writer’s block. Primarily because there is so much to blog about on the space policy front that I can’t even figure out where to start, and I have some personal issues (and no, not health, and not relationship–not that big a deal in the grand scheme–primarily financial and organizing my life) going on that are distracting. But until I can do so, here are some links.

Go read Shubber’s latest at Space Cynics, then Jon Goff’s semi-concurrence. Go read Jeff Foust’s account of Mike Griffin’s defense of his architecture choices (responding to that is a long blog post in itself). And then, what the hell, just go scroll through Space Politics, and Clark’s place. If you haven’t been doing that already (they’re all on my space blogroll to the left), then there will be a lot of food for thought, even before I weigh in.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Oh, and while it’s kind of last week’s news, go check out Thomas James’ interesting side-by-side comparison between his remembrances of Challenger and Columbia. More contrast than mine, because I was working in the industry during both, while (being younger than me) he went through a major life transition between the two.

Space, Space and Campaign 2008

Yeah, I’m Still Here

I’m actually suffering from a rare thing for me–writer’s block. Primarily because there is so much to blog about on the space policy front that I can’t even figure out where to start, and I have some personal issues (and no, not health, and not relationship–not that big a deal in the grand scheme–primarily financial and organizing my life) going on that are distracting. But until I can do so, here are some links.

Go read Shubber’s latest at Space Cynics, then Jon Goff’s semi-concurrence. Go read Jeff Foust’s account of Mike Griffin’s defense of his architecture choices (responding to that is a long blog post in itself). And then, what the hell, just go scroll through Space Politics, and Clark’s place. If you haven’t been doing that already (they’re all on my space blogroll to the left), then there will be a lot of food for thought, even before I weigh in.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Oh, and while it’s kind of last week’s news, go check out Thomas James’ interesting side-by-side comparison between his remembrances of Challenger and Columbia. More contrast than mine, because I was working in the industry during both, while (being younger than me) he went through a major life transition between the two.

Space, Space and Campaign 2008

Yeah, I’m Still Here

3 Comments

I’m actually suffering from a rare thing for me–writer’s block. Primarily because there is so much to blog about on the space policy front that I can’t even figure out where to start, and I have some personal issues (and no, not health, and not relationship–not that big a deal in the grand scheme–primarily financial and organizing my life) going on that are distracting. But until I can do so, here are some links.

Go read Shubber’s latest at Space Cynics, then Jon Goff’s semi-concurrence. Go read Jeff Foust’s account of Mike Griffin’s defense of his architecture choices (responding to that is a long blog post in itself). And then, what the hell, just go scroll through Space Politics, and Clark’s place. If you haven’t been doing that already (they’re all on my space blogroll to the left), then there will be a lot of food for thought, even before I weigh in.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Oh, and while it’s kind of last week’s news, go check out Thomas James’ interesting side-by-side comparison between his remembrances of Challenger and Columbia. More contrast than mine, because I was working in the industry during both, while (being younger than me) he went through a major life transition between the two.

Popular Culture

At Least It’s Not Hip Hop

The producers of the Superbowl half time show have obviously confused me with a Tom Petty fan. Let’s just hope there are no wardrobe malfunctions.

Though I do have to confess that, while this is the first time I’ve actually seen Justin Timberlake, and prior to tonight would not have recognized him, I was most gratified to see him so physically abused in that commercial.

[After-game update]

Well, some publisher made a bad bet:

19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England’s Unbeatable Patriots (Paperback)

Guess they weren’t as “unbeatable” as they thought. Given that the putative author was “Boston Globe,” presumably they were going to publish as well.

As Nelson Muntz would say, “Ha ha.”

But, you have to say, it was a hell of a game. And being a Wolverine, I did want Brady to pull it out at the end, but it was a tough call. It’s too bad that only one team could win. And of course, there were Michigan players on both sides of the ball. The Giants wouldn’t have won without wide receivers Plaxico Burress (a Spartan), who caught the winning touchdown, and Amani Toomer (a record-holding Wolverine, though slightly before Brady’s time).

Popular Culture

At Least It’s Not Hip Hop

The producers of the Superbowl half time show have obviously confused me with a Tom Petty fan. Let’s just hope there are no wardrobe malfunctions.

Though I do have to confess that, while this is the first time I’ve actually seen Justin Timberlake, and prior to tonight would not have recognized him, I was most gratified to see him so physically abused in that commercial.

[After-game update]

Well, some publisher made a bad bet:

19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England’s Unbeatable Patriots (Paperback)

Guess they weren’t as “unbeatable” as they thought. Given that the putative author was “Boston Globe,” presumably they were going to publish as well.

As Nelson Muntz would say, “Ha ha.”

But, you have to say, it was a hell of a game. And being a Wolverine, I did want Brady to pull it out at the end, but it was a tough call. It’s too bad that only one team could win. And of course, there were Michigan players on both sides of the ball. The Giants wouldn’t have won without wide receivers Plaxico Burress (a Spartan), who caught the winning touchdown, and Amani Toomer (a record-holding Wolverine, though slightly before Brady’s time).

Popular Culture

At Least It’s Not Hip Hop

8 Comments

The producers of the Superbowl half time show have obviously confused me with a Tom Petty fan. Let’s just hope there are no wardrobe malfunctions.

Though I do have to confess that, while this is the first time I’ve actually seen Justin Timberlake, and prior to tonight would not have recognized him, I was most gratified to see him so physically abused in that commercial.

[After-game update]

Well, some publisher made a bad bet:

19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England’s Unbeatable Patriots (Paperback)

Guess they weren’t as “unbeatable” as they thought. Given that the putative author was “Boston Globe,” presumably they were going to publish as well.

As Nelson Muntz would say, “Ha ha.”

But, you have to say, it was a hell of a game. And being a Wolverine, I did want Brady to pull it out at the end, but it was a tough call. It’s too bad that only one team could win. And of course, there were Michigan players on both sides of the ball. The Giants wouldn’t have won without wide receivers Plaxico Burress (a Spartan), who caught the winning touchdown, and Amani Toomer (a record-holding Wolverine, though slightly before Brady’s time).

Political Commentary

Compare And Contrast

35 Comments

John McCain is no Ronald Reagan.

Someone once said that there are two political parties–the Evil Party (Dems), and the Stupid Party (GOP). Occasionally they will band together and do something both evil and stupid. This is called bi-partisanship.

And in many such instances, it goes by the name of “McCain-SomeDemocrat.” As Levin notes, there would have been no “Reagan-Feingold,” or “Reagan-Kennedy” bills on restricting free speech or abandoning the borders. And that is why, for many Republicans (or at least for many conservatives), they will need extra strength nose plugs to pull the lever for him this fall, if they can muster the will to do it at all.

[Update on Sunday night, during half time]

Bill Quick lays out the bill of particulars against John McCain.

Technology and Society

What A Great Job To Have

5 Comments

Some people get all the fun. You could charge admission to watch a test like this:

The secret payload traveled a distance of 3.61 miles in about six seconds on three sleds. Each sled ignited in stages to propel the cargo down the track. A helium tent enclosed nearly three miles of the 10-mile track in order to reduce the aerodynamic heating and drag on the payload.

Despite our earlier speculation, no one is saying what it was that traveled so fast. Navy sources did admit that, on top of the multiple sonic booms heard in the desert, the payload itself detonated at the end of the track.

I’ll bet it did.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!