When they said they couldn’t bid GPS without RD-180s, they meant it.
Bill Nye
I’m completely unsurprised that he is clueless about the purpose of NASCAR. Does he really think that people would come to watch Prius’s toottling around the track?
France’s “Merciless” Response To ISIS
Michael Totten writes that it’s anything but.
Heart Disease
Google is committing $50M to conquering it. Considering how much it costs (as the article points out), this is chump change.
Mocking Concerns Over Syrian Refugees
When Kevin Drum says it makes leftists look out of touch with normal Americans, you should listen.
Given its history of incompetence and ideology, concerns about this administration properly vetting refugees are totally legitimate.
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 17, 2015
Peer Review
Is it time to end it?
Yes. It’s as worse-than-worthless as the climate models, in that it provides far too many false positives. And as we saw with Climategate, it’s too easy for it to become “pal review.”
Coddling The Snowflakes
An interesting interview with Jonathan Haidt on the victims and crybullies on campus. With a bonus Mars reference.
And “Microaggression, meet Ralph Waldo Emerson.” Yes, the modern progressives are the lineal ideological descendants of the Puritans. It’s the reason Massachusetts is so blue.
Also, the seductions of safety. [Via Glenn]
George Will weighs in: On campus, freedom from speech. And Ross Douthat says it’s a crisis our campuses deserve. Yes, they created this monster.
Ed Driscoll has more, related links.
Climate Science
Thoughts from Bob Zimmerman on the tremendous uncertainty.
The models are worse than worthless as a guide to policy.
A Rewriting Of Space-Policy History
Over at Space News, from the usual suspect.
And then there’s this: SLS rocket could help scientists answer big questions.
Big questions like "Why is this monstrosity chewing up so much budget we can't afford to do any actual science?" https://t.co/q4VgWDs9lo
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 16, 2015
#ProTip To space-telescope aficionados. SLS is the most expensive possible way to put up a space telescope. https://t.co/q4VgWDs9lo
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) November 16, 2015
The Martian As A Comedy
I didn’t think of the movie as one, but I did almost laugh out loud at parts of the book.