What Obama Fails to Understand
What Obama fails to understand.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
How the U.S. Snoops on Russian Nukes From Space
How the U.S. snoops on Russian nukes from space.
SpaceShipTwo completes its third glide flight
Hooray for private space! SpaceShipTwo successfully completed its third glide flight yesterday.
Shuttle launch no earlier than December 3
NASA managers have once again delayed the launch of Discovery, now set for no earlier than December 3.
Johnny Carson Lie Detector Politician
An evening pause:
Brian Marsden dies
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.
The climategate email anniversary
Some cogent thoughts from James Delingpole about climate politics on the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails and the refusal of the elite ruling class to address the issue. Key quote:
And why is this so? In part, at least, it is because of the abject, ongoing failure of our Mainstream Media to report environmental issues with the robust scepticism that ought to be the natural tack of responsible journalists. Too many environmental reporters are still regurgitating press releases handed to them by activist organisations like the WWF, Greenpeace and Friends Of The Earth. In the MSM, as in government, it’s like Climategate never happened.
A snowstorm in space
Almost literally, the probe Deep Impact flew through a snowstorm when it flew past Comet Hartley 2 on November 4. Below is one of the best pictures from the moment. More images can be found here. Key quote:
[The images] revealed a cometary snow storm created by carbon dioxide jets spewing out tons of golf-ball to basketball-sized fluffy ice particles from the peanut-shaped comet’s rocky ends. At the same time, a different process was causing water vapor to escape from the comet’s smooth mid-section. This information sheds new light on the nature of comets and even planets.
Note that all the close-up images taken by Deep Impact are going to be slightly out of focus, as the camera was launched with a defect.
Cops bust seven men playing chess in upper Manhattan park
More madness: Police arrested seven men, for playing chess in an upper Manhattan park.
California prosecutors say they’ll charge TSA agents if pat-downs are inappropriate
California prosecutors say they’ll charge TSA agents if pat-downs are inappropriate.
How to properly fight terrorism
How to properly fight terrorism at airports.
Sharpton wants FCC to threaten stations that carry Limbaugh
Freedom of speech alert! Al Sharpton wants the FCC to threaten stations with a loss of their license if they carry Rush Limbaugh.
Orlando airport dumps TSA
Orlando airport dumps the TSA.
Link fixed! Sorry.
TSA allowed to unionize despite law forbidding such action
The law, a living document! The Federal Labor Relations Authority has given TSA staffers permission to unionize, despite the fact that the law creating the TSA expressly forbids such action. More here.
Reviewing the flight rationale for Discovery’s launch
NASA management is reviewing the “flight rationale” for Discovery’s next mission, considering the cracks in the external tank. Key quote:
Troubleshooters are assessing the structural integrity of the tank and its foam insulation to develop the necessary flight rationale, or justification, for proceeding with another launch as early as Nov. 30.
The dying stars that look like jellyfish
The dying stars that look like jellyfish.
Scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter for the first time
For the first time scientists succeed in trapping atoms of anti-matter. Key quote:
The team know the trap worked because they made about 10 million antihydrogen atoms which promptly obliterated themselves. Then they turned off their new trap and saw 38 more obliterations — meaning those 38 antihydrogens stuck in the trap.
Hailstorm in Oklahoma, May 16, 2010
An evening pause:
Sea Life Flourishes in the Gulf
Despite the howls of panic over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill this past summer, sea life is flourishing in the gulf. Key quote:
A comprehensive new study says that in some of the most heavily fished areas of the Gulf of Mexico, various forms of sea life, from shrimp to sharks, have seen their populations triple since before the spill. Some species, including shrimp and croaker, did even better. [emphasis mine]
European Budget Snafu Could Delay Progress on Fusion Reactor
Government marches on! Budget disagreements in the EU could delay construction of an experimental fusion reactor.