Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
An evening pause: The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain doing the music (with sound effects!) from the film The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966).
Year: 2010
Lawmakers Curb Spending on Defense Weather Satellites
Congress cuts the budget on a proposed military weather satellite system.
For the fifth time in two years Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has had computer problems.
For the fifth time in two years Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has gone into safe mode because of a computer reboot.
An update on SpaceX’s Falcon 9, with pictures
Here’s a good inside look, with pictures, at the preparations for the October 23 launch of the second Falcon 9 rocket.
The day the Constitution was ratified
An evening pause: As today is the day in which our Founding Fathers ratified the Constitution, I thought it might be worthwhile to allow Andrew Klavan the opportunity to give us his “A Young Person’s Guide to the United States Constitution.” To quote: We are going to have a little civics lesson, to make up for what you’ve been learning in school.
You do not have to answer any questions at the airport
Microbes survive 553 days attached to ISS
Microbes survive 553 days attached to the outside of the International Space Station as part of a scientific experiment.
White House tries rebranding global warming
Rather than address the many questions people have about climate research (questionable research, unclear data, corrupt scientists), the White House has come up with a much better approach: Change the name of “global warming” to “global climate disruption.” Now, doesn’t that explain everything?
Earliest Kodak color tests
An evening pause: Though this sequence of shots from a 1922 Kodak test of Kodachrome film (possibly the earliest in existence) is hardly the stuff of drama, it is fascinating nonetheless, as it gives as an honest glimpse into the culture of its time. As you watch the different women pose for the camera, ask yourself: Has anything changed?
Second Falcon 9 rocket passes fuel test
The second Falcon 9 rocket passes fuel test in anticipation of an October 23 launch.
Global topography of the Moon
New results from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, including a new global topographic map.
From the caption: A lunar topographic map showing the Moon from the vantage point of the eastern limb. On the left side of the Moon seen in this view is part of the familiar part of the Moon observed from Earth (the eastern part of the nearside). In the middle left-most part of the globe is Mare Tranquillitatis (light blue) the site of the Apollo 11 landing, and above this an oval-appearing region (Mare Serenitatis; dark blue) the site of the Apollo 17 landing. Most of the dark blue areas are lunar maria, low lying regions composed of volcanic lava flows that formed after the heavily cratered lunar highlands (and are thus much less cratered).
Another summary of the space war
The space war continues. Here is another article outlining the political state of war between the House, Senate, and administration over NASA’s future. Don’t expect anything good to come out of these political shenigans.
Arctic icecap reaches 2010 minimum
It appears that the Arctic icecap has reached its 2010 minimum. Though the icecap extent in the spring was the largest since 2002 (see image below), the melt was fast and the minimum appears to be the third lowest since 1979.
Does this mean the icecap is melting and will disappear shortly, as some politicians like to believe? Hardly. Though the data suggests a long term decline in ice extent, recent trends also show evidence that the icecap might be recovering. What will actually happen is still anyone’s guess.
Europe to the Moon
Artist goes into hiding
Lost freedom, compounded! The artist who had first proposed the idea of “Everybody Draw Mohammad Day”, then backed off out of fear of attack, has now been forced to abandon her life and career and go into hiding.
It is just this kind of event that makes me wonder: Why would anyone consider Islam a “religion of peace?”
First spacecraft to use Earth-Moon L2 point
The U.S. is doing its own satellite maneuvers, placing for the first time a spacecraft into the Earth-Moon L1 and L2 points.
China continues satellite maneuvers
China is continuing the mysterious maneuvers of the two satellites that might have actually touched earlier this month. Key quote:
The maneuvers, which appear to involve rendezvous operations between the SJ-06F satellite and the more recently launched SJ-12 craft, could amount to practice for space station dockings or coordinated satellite observations from orbit. Few folks would have a problem with that. But they also could be aimed at developing the expertise for lurking near someone else’s satellte and eavesdropping, or even knocking that satellite out of commission in the event of a crisis. That’s the worrisome part.
Judge overrules local town over Constitution Day rally
A judge has overruled Andover Township in Ohio over its effort to squelch a Constitution Day rally by a Tea Party group, allowing the rally to go forward. Key quote:
“It’s very ironic that an effort to celebrate the Constitution results in a violation of the Constitution,” attorney Curt Hartman, part of the legal team representing the group, noted.
Mirror, Mirror
An evening pause: Though appearing somewhat hokey today, the original Star Trek is still one of the most intelligent television show ever produced, with decent writing that often expressed profound ideas. And it was about space exploration and the future! The clip below, from the episode Mirror, Mirror, illustrates all these things perfectly. And Kirk’s speech to the Spock from the alternative-universe expresses beautifully the significance of each individual’s responsibility to the world.
“One man cannot summon the future,” says the bearded Spock.
“But one man can change the present,” responds Kirk.
Ohio Town forbids Tea Party to Celebrate U.S. Constitution in Town Square
Freedom of speech alert! Ohio town forbids celebration of U.S. constitution in town square because of the “political affiliation” of the event’s organizers. Key quote:
Several residents of the small central Ohio town formed the Andover Tea Party in May 2010, and in that same month, they asked to use the square for a rally to commemorate Constitution Day, which celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution on September 17, 1787. But on July 19, a trustee informed one of the tea party organizers, Margaret Slingluff, that they would not be allowed to hold the event, which would have included singers performing patriotic songs and public policy-related speakers, in the square.
A court suit has already been filed.