I am actually quite optimistic that at least some (more) lefties will wake up, as time goes by, to the absurdity of them being in alliance with radical Islamists. The only rationale for this otherwise ridiculous arrangement is (see above) that the enemy of your enemy (the USA) is your friend, no matter what. If you really do think that the USA is the biggest baddest thing in the world and that curbing its power is the only thing that matters (think Hitler Churchill Stalin), then this alliance makes a kind of primitive sense. Although even if you do think that, encouraging the development of rampant capitalism everywhere except in the USA would make a lot more sense. That really would reduce the USA to the margins of history. But, if you think that lefty-ism is anything at all to do with positive support for civilisation, decency, freedom, female (in particular) emancipation, life being nice even if you do not submit to Islam etc., then you should surely turn your back on all such alliances.
Million-Dollar View
I’m not in the room, but sitting out on the patio checking email, listening to the speakers on the…speakers. Listening to an astronaut (not sure which one) describing his flight experiences, and the awe and wonder of seeing an 800-mile-long aurora borealis from orbit. Listening to the whole panel (including Anousheh Ansari), I’m once again boggled at people who think that the spaceflight experience will be a “fad,” or that once a few people have done it the interest will drop off, or that no one will want a repeat trip.
[Update late afternoon]
Clark Lindsey has much more extensive coverage of the space tourism sessions.
At The Symposium
The wireless seems to be working all right, though it’s a tad slow.
No big news this morning. There was a press conference with Elon Musk, Alex Tai, Clay Mowry (of Arianespace) and Peter Diamandis.
The most notable thing about the conference was the fact that there was someone there from Arianespace. The giggle factor continues to diminish.
In response to the first question, from me, Alex said that they are not in a position to make any announcements as to what happened in Mojave–that is for Scaled and Northrop-Grumman to announce when they have made a determination. He said that how they will respond will be at least partly a function of what caused the accident, but that they are in a reevaluation period with regard to propulsion, so that it’s possible, but not definite that there will be changes (this is a paraphrase, not a quote). In response to a related question, he noted that propulsion has never been on the vehicle critical path, so the accident didn’t necessarily set them back. It remains to be seen whether or not it will be a factor, and going to a new propulsion system could potentially slip the schedule, which remains internal (off-the-cuff comments from Richard Branson aside).
Perhaps more thoughts later.
[Update a few minutes later]
Clark Lindsey is live blogging, and has some results of the morning sessions here and here.
Coming Attractions
I can’t wait to see this piece from the ‘Hawk:
I must remain tight-lipped, but can tell you my assignment involves Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, Pancho Villa, nuclear radiation, lost treasure, Mexican carnival sideshows, Tom Wolfe, alien autopsies, satanists, tequila, John Wesley Hardin, chupacabras, Aztec blood sacrifice, Mexican outlaw biker gangs, my dad, Pershing missiles, porn shops, peyote, Billy the Kid, eating brains, and a cursed hot rod.
I am not making any of this up.
Hunter Thompson, except without the drugs (other than the tequila…well, and the peyote), and a lot funnier I’ll wager.
In NM
I got in last night, but the advertised wireless in my hotel didn’t work. I did manage to get a late dinner at the Frontier Restaurant on Central. Not a bad Mexican combo.
I had a meeting out at Kirtland this morning, and I’m heading down to Las Cruces soon. I hope that the wireless at my hotel down there isn’t falsely advertised.
[Evening update]
I arrived without incident. I actually did consider taking the scenic drive recommended in comments, just based on how it looked on the map, but I decided that I’d be doing half of it in the dark. Maybe some other time.
And thankfully (again per comments) my Albuquerque visit was carjacking free.
We’ll see how the wireless is this year out at the symposium, which starts at 8 AM tomorrow.
Zero Divided By Zero = Space Solar Power
Taylor Dinerman thinks that solar power is the answer to China’s future electric power woes:
While China may turn to widespread use of nuclear power plants, the Communist Party leadership is certainly aware of the role that glasnost and the Chernobyl disaster played in the downfall of another Communist superpower. Thus, China may be reluctant to rely heavily on nuclear power plants, at least not without strong safety measures, thus making them more expensive and more time consuming to build. Wind power and terrestrial solar power will not be able to contribute much to meeting China
Off To The Land Of Enchantment
Probably no posting until tomorrow morning. I’m in Albuquerque tonight, then down to Las Cruces tomorrow afternoon for the Persona Spaceflight Symposium and X-Prize Cup.
The Dems Lack Of Imagination
Michael Barone says that it’s not 2006 any more.
Peak Oil?
Well, according to this article, we’re past it. I don’t buy it, though. It says nothing about shale or tar sands, which are going to come on line in quantities that will make current prices unsustainable. Another encouraging thing is that solar may become competitive within a decade. As the Guardian article points out, we are in an energy transition period, but it’s nowhere near as apocalyptic as it makes it out to be.
The Contrast
I was at home in the United States just one day before the magnitude hit me like vertigo: America seems to be under a glass dome which allows few hard facts from the field to filter in unless they are attached to a string of false assumptions. Considering that my trip home coincided with General Petraeus