Opportunity is out of standby mode and has resumed normal operations.
Good news: Opportunity is out of standby mode and has resumed normal operations.
Good news: Opportunity is out of standby mode and has resumed normal operations.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Opportunity is out of standby mode and has resumed normal operations.
Modern Mongolian Music – “Sandy Desert”
Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) says the federal government isn’t spending enough to implement Obamacare.
Gee what a surprise: Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) says the federal government isn’t spending enough to implement Obamacare.
Even if the federal government was not spending money it doesn’t have and was in the black, there will never be enough money to fund this monstrosity. Too bad Reid and the rest of the Democrats couldn’t figure that out. (Or maybe they did and simply wanted the country to go bankrupt. I wonder.)
Gee what a surprise: Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada) says the federal government isn’t spending enough to implement Obamacare.
Even if the federal government was not spending money it doesn’t have and was in the black, there will never be enough money to fund this monstrosity. Too bad Reid and the rest of the Democrats couldn’t figure that out. (Or maybe they did and simply wanted the country to go bankrupt. I wonder.)
The total benefits paid by private companies declined outright in the first quarter of 2013 as employers prepare for the onset of Obamacare.
Finding out what’s in it: The total benefits paid by private companies declined outright in the first quarter of 2013 as employers prepare for the onset of Obamacare.
Finding out what’s in it: The total benefits paid by private companies declined outright in the first quarter of 2013 as employers prepare for the onset of Obamacare.
Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown neighbor to the Milky Way.
Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown neighbor galaxy to the Milky Way.
Astronomers have discovered a previously unknown neighbor galaxy to the Milky Way.
In a NASA contest, a nine-year-old has named asteroid 1999 RQ36 after the Egyptian god Bennu.
A rose by any other name: In a NASA contest, a nine-year-old has named asteroid 1999 RQ36 after the Egyptian god Bennu.
1999 RQ36, or Bennu, is an important asteroid for two reasons. First, NASA is sending an unmanned sample return mission to it in 2016. Second, some calculations suggest the asteroid has a 1 in a 1000 chance of hitting the Earth in 2182.
In other naming news, the private space company Uwingu has launched its “Adopt-a-Planet” campaign.
This open-ended campaign gives anyone in the public—worldwide—the opportunity to adopt exoplanets in astronomical databases via Uwingu’s web site at www.uwingu.com. Proceeds from the naming and voting will continue to help fuel new Uwingu grants to fund space exploration, research, and education.
As noted earlier, they are ignoring the IAU’s stuffy insistence that only the IAU can name things in space.
A rose by any other name: In a NASA contest, a nine-year-old has named asteroid 1999 RQ36 after the Egyptian god Bennu.
1999 RQ36, or Bennu, is an important asteroid for two reasons. First, NASA is sending an unmanned sample return mission to it in 2016. Second, some calculations suggest the asteroid has a 1 in a 1000 chance of hitting the Earth in 2182.
In other naming news, the private space company Uwingu has launched its “Adopt-a-Planet” campaign.
This open-ended campaign gives anyone in the public—worldwide—the opportunity to adopt exoplanets in astronomical databases via Uwingu’s web site at www.uwingu.com. Proceeds from the naming and voting will continue to help fuel new Uwingu grants to fund space exploration, research, and education.
As noted earlier, they are ignoring the IAU’s stuffy insistence that only the IAU can name things in space.
Eight abandoned and truly gigantic construction projects.
Eight abandoned and truly gigantic construction projects.
Probably the most amazing is the one in North Korea.
Eight abandoned and truly gigantic construction projects.
Probably the most amazing is the one in North Korea.
From Palestine’s moderate leader: Palestinians who murder Israeli Jews cannot be punished.
From Palestine’s moderate leader: Palestinians who murder Israeli Jews cannot be punished.
From Palestine’s moderate leader: Palestinians who murder Israeli Jews cannot be punished.
Large majorities in the Muslim world want the Islamic legal and moral code of sharia as the official law in their countries
Large majorities in the Muslim world want the Islamic legal and moral code of sharia as the official law in their countries.
While the poll included many encouraging things, I found this to be its most disturbing statistic:
Suicide bombing was mostly rejected in the study by the Washington-based Pew Forum, but it won 40 percent support in the Palestinian territories, 39 percent in Afghanistan, 29 percent in Egypt and 26 percent in Bangladesh.
Name for me any other culture or religion in the world today where more than a quarter of the population thinks suicide bombings are a good thing.
Large majorities in the Muslim world want the Islamic legal and moral code of sharia as the official law in their countries.
While the poll included many encouraging things, I found this to be its most disturbing statistic:
Suicide bombing was mostly rejected in the study by the Washington-based Pew Forum, but it won 40 percent support in the Palestinian territories, 39 percent in Afghanistan, 29 percent in Egypt and 26 percent in Bangladesh.
Name for me any other culture or religion in the world today where more than a quarter of the population thinks suicide bombings are a good thing.
In NASA’s new contract with Russia to launch astronauts to ISS Russia has raised the ticket price from $63 million to $70.6 million per seat.
The competition heats up: In NASA’s new contract with Russia to launch astronauts to ISS, announced today, Russia has raised the ticket price from $63 million to $70.6 million per seat.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union the Russians have become very good capitalists indeed. Consider: the price the Russians were charging for a single ticket on Soyuz was about $33 million in 2004, when George Bush announced the planned retirement of the shuttle. Since then they have repeatedly jacked up the price, knowing that we have no where else to go.
In the end, these price increases are actually a good thing, as they will make it easier for the new American companies to undercut them while simultaneously making a bigger profit.
The competition heats up: In NASA’s new contract with Russia to launch astronauts to ISS, announced today, Russia has raised the ticket price from $63 million to $70.6 million per seat.
Since the fall of the Soviet Union the Russians have become very good capitalists indeed. Consider: the price the Russians were charging for a single ticket on Soyuz was about $33 million in 2004, when George Bush announced the planned retirement of the shuttle. Since then they have repeatedly jacked up the price, knowing that we have no where else to go.
In the end, these price increases are actually a good thing, as they will make it easier for the new American companies to undercut them while simultaneously making a bigger profit.
Schools from Puerto Rico dominated the competition at this past weekend’s Great Moonbuggy Race.
Schools from Puerto Rico dominated the competition at this past weekend’s Great Moonbuggy Race.
Schools from Puerto Rico dominated the competition at this past weekend’s Great Moonbuggy Race.
Better buy your tickets now because in a week the price for a flight on SpaceShipTwo is going up 25%.
The competition heats up: Better buy your tickets now because in a week the price for a flight on SpaceShipTwo is going up 25%.
The competition heats up: Better buy your tickets now because in a week the price for a flight on SpaceShipTwo is going up 25%.
The meteoric rise in Texas oil production since 2010.
The meteoric rise in Texas oil production since 2010.
Amazingly, oil production in the Lone Star State has more than doubled in less than three years, from 1.142 million bpd in July 2010 to 2.295 million bpd in February 2013, which has to be one of the most significant increases in oil output ever recorded in the history of the US over such a short period of time. A million bpd increase in oil output in less than three years in one state is remarkable, and would have never been possible without the revolutionary drilling techniques that just recently started accessing vast oceans of Texas shale oil.
The article does not going into any detail about why this boom suddenly started in 2010. They indicate that it is linked to the development of new drilling techniques, but I’d like to know more.
The meteoric rise in Texas oil production since 2010.
Amazingly, oil production in the Lone Star State has more than doubled in less than three years, from 1.142 million bpd in July 2010 to 2.295 million bpd in February 2013, which has to be one of the most significant increases in oil output ever recorded in the history of the US over such a short period of time. A million bpd increase in oil output in less than three years in one state is remarkable, and would have never been possible without the revolutionary drilling techniques that just recently started accessing vast oceans of Texas shale oil.
The article does not going into any detail about why this boom suddenly started in 2010. They indicate that it is linked to the development of new drilling techniques, but I’d like to know more.
Smithsonian researchers have recovered a short recording of Alexander Graham Bell’s voice, made in 1885.
Smithsonian researchers have recovered a short recording of Alexander Graham Bell’s voice, made in 1885.
Smithsonian researchers have recovered a short recording of Alexander Graham Bell’s voice, made in 1885.
Opportunity went into safe mode during the communications pause in April when the Sun was between Mars and the Earth.
Opportunity went into safe mode during the communications pause in April when the Sun was between Mars and the Earth.
Mission controllers for Opportunity, which landed on Mars in January 2004, first learned of the issue on Saturday (April 27). On that day, the rover got back in touch after a nearly three-week communication moratorium caused by an unfavorable planetary alignment called a Mars solar conjunction, in which Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the sun. The Opportunity rover apparently put itself into standby on April 22 after sensing a problem during a routine camera check, mission managers said.
It sounds like this is a recoverable problem and the rover will be back in operation momentarily. Stay tuned.
Opportunity went into safe mode during the communications pause in April when the Sun was between Mars and the Earth.
Mission controllers for Opportunity, which landed on Mars in January 2004, first learned of the issue on Saturday (April 27). On that day, the rover got back in touch after a nearly three-week communication moratorium caused by an unfavorable planetary alignment called a Mars solar conjunction, in which Mars and Earth are on opposite sides of the sun. The Opportunity rover apparently put itself into standby on April 22 after sensing a problem during a routine camera check, mission managers said.
It sounds like this is a recoverable problem and the rover will be back in operation momentarily. Stay tuned.
A dozen Democrats are calling for action on global warming because it might cause women to become hookers.
Is there nothing global warming can’t do? A dozen Democrats are calling for action on global warming because it might cause women to become hookers.
I shouldn’t be surprised by this idiocy. These are the same politicians that voted for Obamacare without even reading the bill.
Is there nothing global warming can’t do? A dozen Democrats are calling for action on global warming because it might cause women to become hookers.
I shouldn’t be surprised by this idiocy. These are the same politicians that voted for Obamacare without even reading the bill.
On the air, twice!
Tonight is radio night here at Behind the Black. I will be on two different syndicated radio shows, one in the United Kingdom, The Moore Show, followed by two hours live beginning at 10 pm (Pacific) on Coast to Coast with George Noory.
Both interviews should be a lot of fun. I intend to talk a bit about today’s SpaceShipTwo flight and how that lays the groundwork for the future of space travel. The subject of climate will also be a topic on both shows.
Tonight is radio night here at Behind the Black. I will be on two different syndicated radio shows, one in the United Kingdom, The Moore Show, followed by two hours live beginning at 10 pm (Pacific) on Coast to Coast with George Noory.
Both interviews should be a lot of fun. I intend to talk a bit about today’s SpaceShipTwo flight and how that lays the groundwork for the future of space travel. The subject of climate will also be a topic on both shows.
The Herschel Space Telescope has closed its eye on the universe.
The Herschel Space Telescope has closed its eye on the universe.
After four years of operation, the telescope’s supply of helium coolant has run out, leaving the infrared telescope blind to the sky.
The Herschel Space Telescope has closed its eye on the universe.
After four years of operation, the telescope’s supply of helium coolant has run out, leaving the infrared telescope blind to the sky.
“The truth is that the Koran directly compels Muslims to commit violent acts against disbelievers.”
SpaceShipTwo broke the sound barrier on its first powered flight.
SpaceShipTwo broke the sound barrier on its first powered flight.
Below the fold is video of the flight.
» Read more
SpaceShipTwo broke the sound barrier on its first powered flight.
Below the fold is video of the flight.
» Read more
Cassini snaps an amazing image of Saturn’s north pole vortex.
Cassini snaps an amazing image of Saturn’s north pole vortex.
Cassini snaps an amazing image of Saturn’s north pole vortex.
SpaceShipTwo has successfully completed its first powered flight.
The competition heats up: SpaceShipTwo has successfully completed its first powered flight. Some images here.
The competition heats up: SpaceShipTwo has successfully completed its first powered flight. Some images here.
The excitement builds in Mojave for SpaceShipTwo’s first powered flight, expected on Monday..
The excitement builds in Mojave for SpaceShipTwo’s first powered flight, expected on Monday..
The flight window appears to stretch from 6 pm (Pacific) Sunday to noon Tuesday.
The excitement builds in Mojave for SpaceShipTwo’s first powered flight, expected on Monday..
The flight window appears to stretch from 6 pm (Pacific) Sunday to noon Tuesday.
Jacqueline Abbott and Iris Dement – You’ve done nothing wrong
An evening pause: Jacqueline Abbott and Iris Dement sing a song by Iris Dement, “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
More Democratic senators discover that Obamacare is a train wreck about to happen.
More Democratic senators discover that Obamacare is a train wreck about to happen.
They wrote it. They rammed it through Congress. It is their baby, lock, stock, and barrel.
More Democratic senators discover that Obamacare is a train wreck about to happen.
They wrote it. They rammed it through Congress. It is their baby, lock, stock, and barrel.
It appears the Progress freighter has successfully docked with ISS.
It appears the Progress freighter has successfully docked with ISS.
The story is not entirely clear on whether this was a successful hard dock, or only a soft dock. However, I’ve done a search on the web and it sounds like the docking was good. This story says the astronauts on ISS will conducting leak tests (a normal procedure) and then begin unloading, which suggests that all is well.
A hard docking is confirmed.
It appears the Progress freighter has successfully docked with ISS.
The story is not entirely clear on whether this was a successful hard dock, or only a soft dock. However, I’ve done a search on the web and it sounds like the docking was good. This story says the astronauts on ISS will conducting leak tests (a normal procedure) and then begin unloading, which suggests that all is well.
A hard docking is confirmed.
Cassini has imaged meteorites as they crash into Saturn’s rings.
Cassini has imaged meteorites as they crash into Saturn’s rings.
Cassini has imaged meteorites as they crash into Saturn’s rings.
Congress is considering exempting itself and its staffers from Obamacare.
Now Congress has found out what’s in it: Lawmakers are considering exempting themselves and their staffers from Obamacare.
If they think the law is too onerous for themselves, then maybe they might finally realize that it is too onerous for everyone, and repeal the damn thing. Unfortunately, such common sense is not likely to appear in Washington.
Update: The story above suggested the exemption was being pushed by both parties. This apparently is not entirely true. There does appear to be some common sense in Washington, at least among some on the Republican side, as indicated by Republican statements from both the House and Senate. As noted by Speaker John Boehner’s office,
» Read more
Now Congress has found out what’s in it: Lawmakers are considering exempting themselves and their staffers from Obamacare.
If they think the law is too onerous for themselves, then maybe they might finally realize that it is too onerous for everyone, and repeal the damn thing. Unfortunately, such common sense is not likely to appear in Washington.
Update: The story above suggested the exemption was being pushed by both parties. This apparently is not entirely true. There does appear to be some common sense in Washington, at least among some on the Republican side, as indicated by Republican statements from both the House and Senate. As noted by Speaker John Boehner’s office,
» Read more
An image of the hot spots of the supergiant red star Betelgeuse.
Astronomers have produced an image of the hot spots of the supergiant red star Betelgeuse.
Astronomers have produced an image of the hot spots of the supergiant red star Betelgeuse.
A new report from Russia suggests that the undeployed antenna on the Progess freighter will interfere with ISS’s docking port and prevent a docking.
A new report from Russia suggests that the undeployed antenna on the Progess freighter will interfere with ISS’s docking port and prevent a docking.
It appears that the antenna would allow a soft docking but prevent the hard docking necessary to allow for the opening of the hatch. Something similar to this had happened on the Russian Mir station in the 1987. Two astronauts did a space walk to clear the hatch of a piece of debris. Now the Russians are suggesting again that if a hard dock becomes impossible a spacewalk be performed to get the antenna out of the way.
A new report from Russia suggests that the undeployed antenna on the Progess freighter will interfere with ISS’s docking port and prevent a docking.
It appears that the antenna would allow a soft docking but prevent the hard docking necessary to allow for the opening of the hatch. Something similar to this had happened on the Russian Mir station in the 1987. Two astronauts did a space walk to clear the hatch of a piece of debris. Now the Russians are suggesting again that if a hard dock becomes impossible a spacewalk be performed to get the antenna out of the way.