Korean folk song – Arirang
An evening pause:
Year: 2012
“Long-term budget pressures on NASA mount.”
Why SLS will surely die: “Long-term budget pressures on NASA mount.”
Whether the cheaper, more efficient, and competitive commercial space program will survive remains unknown. It could be that our brilliant Congress, which wants SLS, will keep that very expensive program alive just long enough to choke the life out of the commercial space program. Then, with the government part of private space dead from lack of support, they will suddenly be faced with the gigantic bill from the NASA-built SLS and will, as they have done repeatedly during the past four decades, blanch at paying the actually construction and launch costs, and will kill that too.
Even the cows are fleeing California’s regulatory climate.
Even the cows are fleeing California’s regulatory climate.
“The majority of state governors are Republicans, and they have the power to disarm the health-care law.”
The head of the company building Russia’s version of GPS has been fired.
The head of the company building Russia’s version of GPS has been fired.
It appears there are allegations of fraud and embezzlement. (He should have worked for MF Global, raising funds for Obama. Then he would have gotten off scott free!)
SpaceX’s launch manifest for 2013 included three commercial launches in addition to its cargo flights to ISS.
SpaceX’s launch manifest for 2013 includes three commercial launches in addition to its cargo flights to ISS.
All told, it appears that 2013 will a crucial year for SpaceX. They first need to solve the question of that engine failure from their October Falcon 9 launch. Then they need to begin putting into orbit the long list of private satellites that they have contracts for but have held off launching pending the success of the NASA deal. Once they do that, set to begin next year, they will have proven – beyond a shadow of a doubt — that they are for real.
And on that subject, Elon Musk had some thoughts yesterday about his European competitors: “Europe’s rocket has no chance.”
SpaceX’s Falcon is a new entrant to the launcher market. It has so far made only four flights, but it has a backlog already of more than 40 contracted launches. Its quoted price under $60m per flight is proving highly attractive to satellite operators who have to pay substantially more to get on an Ariane. “Not only can we sustain the prices, but the next version of Falcon 9 is actually able to go to a lower price,” warned Mr Musk. “So if Ariane can’t compete with the current Falcon 9, it sure as hell can’t compete with the next one.”
Three astronauts safely returned to Earth today after a 125-day stay on ISS.
Three astronauts safely returned to Earth today after a 125-day stay on ISS.
Fry & Laurie – Chicken
An evening pause:
Lorrie Morgan – Something In Red
An evening pause: One of my favorite love songs, telling a life story in five verses.
TorQ Percussion Quartet – Stinkin’ Garbage by E. Argenziano
An evening pause:
A new audit has found that the Federal Housing Administration has a deficit of $13.5 billion for the fiscal year ending in September.
The day of reckoning looms: A new audit has found that the Federal Housing Administration has a deficit of $13.5 billion for the fiscal year ending in September.
California now has the highest poverty rate in the nation.
Success! California now has the highest poverty rate in the nation.
California’s state legislature and governorship have both been held by the Democrats for years. Both have repeatedly raised taxes. Both have repeatedly failed to balance the state’s budget. And both have been and continue to be eager to increase government regulation on the state’s citizenry. What could go wrong?
Update: In related news, Los Angeles’ film and television industry has lost 16,100 jobs in past seven years, mostly due to businesses leaving the state.
Governor Bobby Jindal’s letter rejecting Obamacare implementation
Good for him: Governor Bobby Jindal puts his rejection of Obamacare in writing.
Hostess Brands — already in bankruptcy — has decided to shut down because one of its unions refused to end a strike.
Be careful what you wish for: Hostess Brands — already in bankruptcy — has decided to shut down because one of its unions refused to end a strike.
The closing will result in Hostess’ nearly 18,500 workers losing their jobs as the company shuts 33 bakeries and 565 distribution centers nationwide, as well as 570 outlet stores. The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union represents around 5,000 Hostess employees. “We deeply regret the necessity of today’s decision, but we do not have the financial resources to weather an extended nationwide strike,” said CEO Gregory Rayburn in a statement.
So, because 5,000 union workers wanted more from a company that had nothing more to give, 18,500 lose their jobs, including those same union workers.
Sounds sensible, and right in line with most leftwing math.
Five ways to protect yourself from Obamacare.
Five ways to protect yourself from Obamacare.
It’s coming and you asked for it. And no one can yet guess how many problems it will cause.
Dust devils and radiation in Gale Crater.
Dust devils and radiation in Gale Crater.
More on why that communications cable was cut at Russian mission control.
More on why that communications cable was cut at Russian mission control.
It appears that because of routine maintenance of other equipment, the company that controlled the cable was supposed to mark it so that the repair crew would leave it alone. That repair company is now claiming that the marking never happened.
The pie crusts of Mercury.
ENYA – Book of Days
An evening pause:
The Democratic senator seeking the chairmanship of the Senate Budget Committee has refused to promise to write a budget next year.
What Americans apparently wanted: The Democratic senator seeking the chairmanship of the Senate Budget Committee has refused to promise to write a budget next year.
This will be the fourth year in a row that the Democrats in the Senate have failed to write a budget. And note, they don’t need a single Republican vote to do it, since budget bills cannot be fillibusted.
As I like to say, the day of reckoning looms.