Boeing’s Annus Horribilis

…continues with today’s failure of Starliner to get to the ISS. Stories from Eric Berger , Marina Koren, and Tim Fernholz.

The question is whether or not they’ll insist on another uncrewed test flight before putting in crew. Given the cost of an Atlas V, I’d be inclined to say no, given that this failure wouldn’t have resulted in loss of crew. Worst case for a crewed flight would be failure to dock, which would just mean a mission abort back to White Sands. But as we all know, SAFETY IS THE HIGHEST PRIORITY.

[Late-morning update]

Loren Grush has another take.

[Update mid-afternoon]

Here’s a story from Emilee Speck in Orlando.

The Rise Of Skywalker

Peter Suderman gives it a hearty thumbs down:

Skywalker is a frantic, disjointed mess—not a movie with good ideas poorly executed, not even a movie with bad ideas, but a movie with no ideas at all, save for saccharine paeans to fandom and nostalgia. As a story, it is empty and unengaging to the point of boredom. As a cinematic product, it is surprisingly lackluster, with shoddy effects and muddy visuals. And as an entry in the Star Wars franchise, an ostensibly major part of the pop-culture canon, it is a wasted opportunity: a total failure of both creative imagination and corporate brand management.

But other than that, I’m sure it’s great.

The FISA Mess

Yes, multiple someones need to go to prison. Or rather, justice requires them to.

[Update a few minutes later]

The problems pointed out by the IG go far beyond “errors” and “sloppiness.” It was a fraud on the court, in order to set up innocent people. And who knows how much more of it has been going on? At a minimum, Flynn’s conviction should be overturned.

[Update a while later]

John Brennan (someone else who should be wearing orange) says that the FBI were “doing their level best.”

[Update a while later]

James Comey is a pathological liar.

Well, yeah, ya think?

[Update late morning]

Horowitz destroys the media lie that he found no political bias.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!