Cliff May comments on the inanity of the notion that the problem in Iraq are caused by resentment of foreign occupation:
So when Iraq day laborers are mass-murdered by a suicide bomber, when teachers are taken from their classrooms, lined up and shot
Apparently, Canada is reassessing its future in space:
The federal government has turned down a request by Canada’s space industry to support a contract that would have allowed the companies to build the European Space Agency’s Mars surface rover, CBC News has learned.
The decision stunned the companies and has left the ESA scrambling to find a new partner, as no European firm is adequately prepared to match the technical abilities of Canadian firms to build its ExoMars rover.
This points out once again that government space programs are first and foremost jobs programs. If having the best robotics (which at least in theory might translate into the best science) were really important to the Europeans, they’d simply send CSA the money, and hire them as a contractor. But space development funds are not allowed to cross borders. ESA insists that each government get an amount of work on its projects in proportion to each member nation’s contributions. Now they’ll have to spend a lot of money for one of the European partners to get up to speed, and it will result in schedule delays, cost overruns, and risk of failure, all because (at least) when it comes to space, they don’t believe in comparative advantage.
We will make much more progress on the high frontier when it starts to pay for itself, and management decisions can be made independently of politics.
I haven’t talked much about this, but apparently, as things stand now, NASA is not going to get the funding increase it anticipated for 2007, because the federal government is apparently going to be funded on a continuing resolution.
This could mean a new bloodletting to continue to fund the Constellation-related programs. Under those circumstances, I won’t be shocked to see COTS put on the block. Millennium Challenges are probably at risk as well.
On the Pillsbury Doughboy:
…a few weeks ago I made disparaging remarks about the Green Lantern; this was not meant to disparage his creator, who has died
A good (and depressing) description of the problem that we face (and have faced since day one) in Iraq.
A good (and depressing) description of the problem that we face (and have faced since day one) in Iraq.
A good (and depressing) description of the problem that we face (and have faced since day one) in Iraq.
I’m hearing that Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) has suffered a stroke. No word yet on how serious it is, and here’s hoping that it’s minimal, and that he recovers soon.
But if it’s serious, and he dies or has to step down for health reasons, Republican Governor Mike Rounds would almost certainly appoint a Republican in his place, giving control of the Senate back to them (or rather, if it happens before new Senators are sworn in in January, allowing them to retain control, since the new leadership hasn’t been elected yet).
[Evening Update]
Good news for the Senator and his family (and yes, incidentally, for the Dems)]
It appears that it wasn’t a stroke. Glad to hear it, Senator. Get well soon.
[Morning update]
Not so good news. Sounds like it was an aneurysm, or some other kind of brain hemmorhage. He just had surgery, which was reportedly successful. No word on the prognosis, but right now he’s in critical condition.
This looks like it’s going to be a tough team to beat:
ATK Launch Systems, Lockheed Martin Inc. and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne have formed Team Ares and said they will bid to develop the upper stage of the Ares I rocket.
On top of their loss of the CEV contract, and in the wake of Lockheed Martin’s aggressive marketing of the Atlas V, this will be another blow to Boeing’s human spaceflight business prospects if they can’t win (or decide not to bid) the Ares upper stage. And this one can be chalked up to the fact that they decided they didn’t want to own Rocketdyne any more. That decision to sell it to Pratt a couple years ago isn’t looking so smart now.
This looks like it’s going to be a tough team to beat:
ATK Launch Systems, Lockheed Martin Inc. and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne have formed Team Ares and said they will bid to develop the upper stage of the Ares I rocket.
On top of their loss of the CEV contract, and in the wake of Lockheed Martin’s aggressive marketing of the Atlas V, this will be another blow to Boeing’s human spaceflight business prospects if they can’t win (or decide not to bid) the Ares upper stage. And this one can be chalked up to the fact that they decided they didn’t want to own Rocketdyne any more. That decision to sell it to Pratt a couple years ago isn’t looking so smart now.