Making buildings invisible to earthquakes
Making buildings invisible to earthquakes.
Making buildings invisible to earthquakes.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Making buildings invisible to earthquakes
“Even if Congress were to enact this budget we would still be left with–in the outer decades as millions of Americans retire–what are still unsustainable commitments in Medicare and Medicaid.”
From Obama’s own Treasury Secretary, describing Obama’s own budget proposal:
Even if Congress were to enact this budget we would still be left with – in the outer decades as millions of Americans retire – what are still unsustainable commitments in Medicare and Medicaid.
The day of reckoning looms.
From Obama’s own Treasury Secretary, describing Obama’s own budget proposal:
Even if Congress were to enact this budget we would still be left with – in the outer decades as millions of Americans retire – what are still unsustainable commitments in Medicare and Medicaid.
The day of reckoning looms.
A new study in China has found that electric cars are more harmful to public health per kilometer traveled than conventional vehicles.
Surprise, surprise! A new study in China has found that electric cars are more harmful to public health per kilometer traveled than conventional vehicles.
The problem here isn’t the effort to develop electric cars in the hope they can reduce pollution. The problem is that our government is imposing its preference, prior to anyone finding out if this technology can actually do the job.
Surprise, surprise! A new study in China has found that electric cars are more harmful to public health per kilometer traveled than conventional vehicles.
The problem here isn’t the effort to develop electric cars in the hope they can reduce pollution. The problem is that our government is imposing its preference, prior to anyone finding out if this technology can actually do the job.
Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Jewish leaders all testified at a Congressional hearing today that they would go to prison rather than obey the Obamacare mandates being imposed by the Obama administration.
Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Jewish leaders all testified at a Congressional hearing today that they would go to prison rather than obey the Obamacare mandates being imposed by the Obama administration. Key reaction from one Congressman:
“Well, just so everybody understands what is going to happen: These guys are either going to go to jail because they won’t violate their religious beliefs, or the hospitals and the schools are going to close, which means governemnt is going to get bigger, because they’re going to have to fill the void that is left when you guys quit doing it. And maybe that’s what [the Obama administration] wanted all along.”
When did we become a nation where government officials can order anyone to do anything, even if that order contradicts a person’s personal religious beliefs? And if you are a Democrat and don’t mind Obama’s orders because you agree with them, just remember that the Democrats are not going to be in power forever. Do you want a conservative Republican to have that same power?
In a free society, no politician should ever have such power. It is essential that everyone stand up against this attack on freedom. And it is even more important that these thugs be removed from office as soon as possible.
Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Jewish leaders all testified at a Congressional hearing today that they would go to prison rather than obey the Obamacare mandates being imposed by the Obama administration. Key reaction from one Congressman:
“Well, just so everybody understands what is going to happen: These guys are either going to go to jail because they won’t violate their religious beliefs, or the hospitals and the schools are going to close, which means governemnt is going to get bigger, because they’re going to have to fill the void that is left when you guys quit doing it. And maybe that’s what [the Obama administration] wanted all along.”
When did we become a nation where government officials can order anyone to do anything, even if that order contradicts a person’s personal religious beliefs? And if you are a Democrat and don’t mind Obama’s orders because you agree with them, just remember that the Democrats are not going to be in power forever. Do you want a conservative Republican to have that same power?
In a free society, no politician should ever have such power. It is essential that everyone stand up against this attack on freedom. And it is even more important that these thugs be removed from office as soon as possible.
The manslaughter trial of six scientists and one government official continued yesterday in Italy over their reassurances to the public prior to a deadly earthquake in 2009.
The manslaughter trial of six scientists and one government official continued yesterday in Italy over their reassurances to the public prior to a deadly earthquake in 2009.
Guido Bertolaso, former head of the Department of Civil Protection and De Bernardinis’s direct superior, had not been indicted and was originally expected to appear as a witness. But a few weeks ago a wiretap revealed that he had apparently set up the meeting to convey a reassuring message, regardless of the scientists’ opinion. He also seemed to be the source of the “discharge of energy” statement. He thus found himself under investigation and, at the beginning of the hearing, he was officially notified that he too may soon be formally indicted for manslaughter.
Bertolaso was asked by the prosecutor to explain that telephone conversation. He defended himself by saying that by defining the meeting as a “media move”, he was not trying to downplay risks but rather to put some order into the contradictory information that was reaching the citizens in those days. In particular, he referred to Giampaolo Giuliani — a laboratory technician and amateur seismologist who was alarming the population with claims that a major shock was coming — and to a newspaper article that had misquoted some Civil Protection experts and stated that the shocks would soon be over. The meeting, he said, was meant to make clear that both were wrong and that no deterministic prediction could be made. [emphasis mine]
This increasingly appears to be another case of science being corrupted by politics.
The manslaughter trial of six scientists and one government official continued yesterday in Italy over their reassurances to the public prior to a deadly earthquake in 2009.
Guido Bertolaso, former head of the Department of Civil Protection and De Bernardinis’s direct superior, had not been indicted and was originally expected to appear as a witness. But a few weeks ago a wiretap revealed that he had apparently set up the meeting to convey a reassuring message, regardless of the scientists’ opinion. He also seemed to be the source of the “discharge of energy” statement. He thus found himself under investigation and, at the beginning of the hearing, he was officially notified that he too may soon be formally indicted for manslaughter.
Bertolaso was asked by the prosecutor to explain that telephone conversation. He defended himself by saying that by defining the meeting as a “media move”, he was not trying to downplay risks but rather to put some order into the contradictory information that was reaching the citizens in those days. In particular, he referred to Giampaolo Giuliani — a laboratory technician and amateur seismologist who was alarming the population with claims that a major shock was coming — and to a newspaper article that had misquoted some Civil Protection experts and stated that the shocks would soon be over. The meeting, he said, was meant to make clear that both were wrong and that no deterministic prediction could be made. [emphasis mine]
This increasingly appears to be another case of science being corrupted by politics.
Has a British archeologist discovered the lost treasure mine of the Queen of Sheba?
Has a British archeologist discovered the lost treasure mine of the Queen of Sheba?
Has a British archeologist discovered the lost treasure mine of the Queen of Sheba?
Famous Paintings Improved By Cats
And now for something truly important: Famous paintings improved by cats.
And now for something truly important: Famous paintings improved by cats.
Obama administration has decided that volunteering will work to forgive a student loan, as long as that volunteer work is not for a religious organization
Obama administration has decided that volunteering will work to forgive a student loan — as per the law that Congress passed — as long as that volunteer work is not for a religious organization.
Congress created the loan forgiveness program in 2007 to encourage graduates to enter the public service field. In exchange for that service, the remaining balance of student loans would be considered repaid after 120 full payments.
To qualify for the loan forgiveness, one must now work for a federal, state or local government agency or organization, including public water, bridge or housing districts, or nonprofit organizations designated as tax exempt by the Internal Revenue Service.
More and more, it is obvious that this administration and those who support it are hostile to religion (except for Islam), hostile to freedom, and focused on gathering all power and control to the federal government.
Obama administration has decided that volunteering will work to forgive a student loan — as per the law that Congress passed — as long as that volunteer work is not for a religious organization.
Congress created the loan forgiveness program in 2007 to encourage graduates to enter the public service field. In exchange for that service, the remaining balance of student loans would be considered repaid after 120 full payments.
To qualify for the loan forgiveness, one must now work for a federal, state or local government agency or organization, including public water, bridge or housing districts, or nonprofit organizations designated as tax exempt by the Internal Revenue Service.
More and more, it is obvious that this administration and those who support it are hostile to religion (except for Islam), hostile to freedom, and focused on gathering all power and control to the federal government.
The decision by China to launch their next Shenzhou manned capsule unnamed has made at least one China space expert worried.
The decision by China to launch their next Shenzhou manned capsule unmanned has made at least one China space expert worried.
Why the sudden change? It seems clear that there must be technical issues at work, and they must be fairly serious. Statements in the Chinese media hint at performing tests on the small tunnel connecting the Shenzhou spacecraft to the Tiangong module after docking. If we decode the typically vague reportage, it seems fair to assume that there could be some sort of technical problem with the pressurization of this tunnel. This problem could have been exposed during the Shenzhou 8 docking.
The decision by China to launch their next Shenzhou manned capsule unmanned has made at least one China space expert worried.
Why the sudden change? It seems clear that there must be technical issues at work, and they must be fairly serious. Statements in the Chinese media hint at performing tests on the small tunnel connecting the Shenzhou spacecraft to the Tiangong module after docking. If we decode the typically vague reportage, it seems fair to assume that there could be some sort of technical problem with the pressurization of this tunnel. This problem could have been exposed during the Shenzhou 8 docking.
Dusty Springfield – Son of a Preacher Man
Detroit: the triumph of progressive public policy.
Detroit: the triumph of progressive public policy.
Imagine a city where all the major economic planks of the statist or “progressive” platform have been enacted:
- A “living wage” ordinance, far above the federal minimum wage, for all public employees and private contractors.
- A school system that spends significantly more per pupil than the national average.
- A powerful school employee union that militantly defends the exceptional pay, benefits and job security it has won for its members.
- Other government employee unions that do the same for their members.
- A tax system that aggressively redistributes income from businesses and the wealthy to the poor and to government bureaucracies.
Would this be a shining city on a hill, exciting the admiration of all? We don’t have to guess, because there is such a city right here in our state: Detroit.
Read the above article and then compare it to this essay: A thought experiment: Imagining the Republican majority in the House in complete control of Washington.
The contrasts are most illuminating.
Detroit: the triumph of progressive public policy.
Imagine a city where all the major economic planks of the statist or “progressive” platform have been enacted:
- A “living wage” ordinance, far above the federal minimum wage, for all public employees and private contractors.
- A school system that spends significantly more per pupil than the national average.
- A powerful school employee union that militantly defends the exceptional pay, benefits and job security it has won for its members.
- Other government employee unions that do the same for their members.
- A tax system that aggressively redistributes income from businesses and the wealthy to the poor and to government bureaucracies.
Would this be a shining city on a hill, exciting the admiration of all? We don’t have to guess, because there is such a city right here in our state: Detroit.
Read the above article and then compare it to this essay: A thought experiment: Imagining the Republican majority in the House in complete control of Washington.
The contrasts are most illuminating.
The volume of U.S. air traffic hit a ten year low last year.
The volume of U.S. air traffic hit a ten year low last year.
Though the state of the economy has a lot to do with this, another factor are the millions of travelers like myself who now choose to drive rather than fly to avoid TSA abuse and unreasonable baggage fees. The airlines themselves have to got stop doing things that hurt their customers and instead back those customers to the hilt, even if it means challenging the federal government’s efforts to control air travel.
And in a related story: TSA screeners force a woman to go through the body scanner three times after telling her she had a “cute” figure.
The volume of U.S. air traffic hit a ten year low last year.
Though the state of the economy has a lot to do with this, another factor are the millions of travelers like myself who now choose to drive rather than fly to avoid TSA abuse and unreasonable baggage fees. The airlines themselves have to got stop doing things that hurt their customers and instead back those customers to the hilt, even if it means challenging the federal government’s efforts to control air travel.
And in a related story: TSA screeners force a woman to go through the body scanner three times after telling her she had a “cute” figure.
Cats as fonts
Cats as fonts. With pictures.
Cats as fonts. With pictures.
A new study released Tuesday has found that snowfall in the Sierra Nevada has remained consistent for 130 years, despite increased global temperatures.
The uncertainty of science: A new study released Tuesday has found that snowfall in the Sierra Nevada has remained consistent for 130 years, despite increased global temperatures.
The uncertainty of science: A new study released Tuesday has found that snowfall in the Sierra Nevada has remained consistent for 130 years, despite increased global temperatures.
Great Scott
Meanwhile, the results of the changes began coming in. In Milwaukee, the reforms saved some $11 million, an embarrassing windfall for Democratic mayor Tom Barrett, who had predicted that the city’s structural deficit would “explode.” Localities across the state have seen similar savings. There is no disputing the central fact of Walker’s tenure as governor: His reforms are working.
Meanwhile, the results of the changes began coming in. In Milwaukee, the reforms saved some $11 million, an embarrassing windfall for Democratic mayor Tom Barrett, who had predicted that the city’s structural deficit would “explode.” Localities across the state have seen similar savings. There is no disputing the central fact of Walker’s tenure as governor: His reforms are working.
The FCC moved Tuesday to finally reject LightSquared’s broadband service license request.
Finally doing its job: The FCC moved Tuesday to kill LightSquared’s broadband service license request.
Finally doing its job: The FCC moved Tuesday to kill LightSquared’s broadband service license request.
Oklahoma – All ‘er nothing
California: Running out of other people’s money
California: Running out of other people’s money.
California: Running out of other people’s money.
“This is about freedom, full stop.”
A thought experiment: Imagining the Republican majority in the House ran things in Washington.
A thought experiment: Imagining the Republican majority in the House in complete control of Washington.
This is not an altogether quixotic exercise. A thorough review of roll-call votes cast since the 2010 electoral upheaval allows us to approximate the world view that guides the 243-member House Republican caucus. … It would: repeal Obamacare; place a firm limit on how much in taxes Washington can take from our paychecks; require federal bureaucracies to think before they regulate; restore considerable authority and decision-making power to state governments; and alter the structural DNA of two of the Big Three entitlement programs — Medicare and Medicaid. (Fundamental overhaul of Social Security, it seems, will have to wait.).
In a nutshell, the GOP House agenda would place the federal government on a fiscally sustainable path without eviscerating national security. America would reclaim its status as one of the freest and most opportunity-laden economies in the world. There would be real and enforceable limits on the power of the federal government. And our ability to defend America’s interests around the world would be robust and enduring.
Read the whole thing, especially if you have doubts about what a Republican Congress and President might do. Even if you disagree with many conservative goals, nothing described here is unreasonable, and all of it seems necessary, considering the bankrupt state of the federal government.
A thought experiment: Imagining the Republican majority in the House in complete control of Washington.
This is not an altogether quixotic exercise. A thorough review of roll-call votes cast since the 2010 electoral upheaval allows us to approximate the world view that guides the 243-member House Republican caucus. … It would: repeal Obamacare; place a firm limit on how much in taxes Washington can take from our paychecks; require federal bureaucracies to think before they regulate; restore considerable authority and decision-making power to state governments; and alter the structural DNA of two of the Big Three entitlement programs — Medicare and Medicaid. (Fundamental overhaul of Social Security, it seems, will have to wait.).
In a nutshell, the GOP House agenda would place the federal government on a fiscally sustainable path without eviscerating national security. America would reclaim its status as one of the freest and most opportunity-laden economies in the world. There would be real and enforceable limits on the power of the federal government. And our ability to defend America’s interests around the world would be robust and enduring.
Read the whole thing, especially if you have doubts about what a Republican Congress and President might do. Even if you disagree with many conservative goals, nothing described here is unreasonable, and all of it seems necessary, considering the bankrupt state of the federal government.
The Russians celebrate drilling into Lake Vostok.
The Russians celebrate drilling into Lake Vostok.
The Russians celebrate drilling into Lake Vostok.
Cyndi Lauper – True Colors
A transitional budget
There will be a lot of screaming and howling in the coming days about the proposed 2013 NASA budget [pdf], released today by the Obama administration. Though I have many bones to pick about this budget proposal, a longer view of the budget suggests it is merely a reflection of the transitions going on both in NASA and the federal government.
First, some bullet points:
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Finding the Higgs: what’s next
Finding the Higgs: what’s next.
Finding the Higgs: what’s next.
Europe’s new Vega rocket successfully put nine satellites into orbit this morning on its first flight.
Competition: Europe’s new Vega rocket successfully put nine satellites into orbit this morning on its first flight.
Competition: Europe’s new Vega rocket successfully put nine satellites into orbit this morning on its first flight.
Abraham Lincoln – A tribute to the song Ashokan Farewell
Want to buy a former NASA radio dish? All you need is $4.2 million.
Want to buy a former NASA radio dish? All you need is $4.2 million.
Want to buy a former NASA radio dish? All you need is $4.2 million.
“The longer we go in this presidency, the less relation MSM headlines have to reality.”
Eleven months after the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, a collection of amazing and inspiring before and after pictures.
Eleven months after the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, a collection of incredible and inspiring before and after pictures.
Eleven months after the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, a collection of incredible and inspiring before and after pictures.