Space

Says More About “Us” Than Them

Thomas James notes that:

Michael Griffin spoke at JSC today, and is reported to have said that the Chinese are “five or six years closer to the Moon than we are.”

Depends on what he means by “we.” This statement needs elaboration, and a description of how he thinks that, at their current snail’s pace, the Chinese are going to get to the Moon at all, let alone before “us.” If he means Americans, I’ve no worries at all–the government-copycat Chinese space program is not going to beat private enterprise.

On the other hand, if he means NASA, I suspect he’s right. Of course, the way NASA goes about things, I don’t expect them to get to the Moon before 2040 or so…

Economics

More Economic Ignorance

Apparently, they haven’t read my TechCentralStation piece. Here come the dumb stories about “price gouging”:

“They are gouging me–$1,600 for a $700 generator,” complained Aventura resident Jorge Linkewer, who bought the device despite the price. “My kids have medication that needs to be refrigerated.”

Apparently he’d rather have no generator for his kids’ medication at $700, than an actual one for $1600. Because that would have been a likely outcome had the price not increased, to discourage someone from buying one who just wanted to run his big-screen television.

Administrative

Hurricane Status

For those who are wondering, I talked briefly to Patricia last night, when she managed to get her cell phone to work momentarily. She and the house both weathered the storm well, but the yard is a mess, and we have no power and for now no phone service. I think the problem with the phones may just be that we need a phone that doesn’t need power (also, the business line is running outside, and it may have been blown out of the box, so she’ll check that tomorrow).

I talked longer to her tonight, and she’s just getting ready to live in the nineteenth century for a few days, or weeks, until power is restored. I was planning to fly back on Friday, but Fort Lauderdale Airport is still closed, with no word on when it will be open. Miami’s open, but that’s not where my ticket is, so it would be more costly. Also, if I go back, I won’t be able to work there without power or communications, so not only will my client not get my services, but I won’t get paid, so I’ll probably be extending my stay in California, as much as I miss home and her, and want to get back and help her.

Anyway, no flooding, no injuries, no damage to the house. We are inconvenienced, but blessed, and will contribute to those less fortunate.

Political Commentary

The Hypocrisy Of Self-Righteous Leftists

…and the mainstream media that ignores it. An interview with Peter Schweizer:

I’m not sure that most people take Franken seriously, but the media most assuredly does…His vicious attacks against conservatives as racists are not meant to be funny. He really does think that we’re bigots. So questions about his absolutely abysmal record when it comes to hiring minorities should be exposed. (For those who want a hint, less than one percent of his employees have been black. That’s a worse record than Bob Jones University, which Franken claims is “racist.”)

There’s more there about Michael Moore, Barbara Streisand, and Noam Chomsky, among others. He’s written a book.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!