Britain faces a mini-ice age.
The uncertainty of science: Great Britain faces a “mini-ice age.”
The uncertainty of science: Great Britain faces a “mini-ice age.”
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Britain faces a mini-ice age.
Getting to the right orbit, the hard way
Getting to the right orbit, the hard way.
Getting to the right orbit, the hard way.
A new report has found that Big Ben in London is leaning just under a half a meter off the perpendicular
A new report has found that Big Ben in London is leaning, just under a half a meter off the perpendicular.
A new report has found that Big Ben in London is leaning, just under a half a meter off the perpendicular.
How to build a Soyuz
Video: How to build a Soyuz rocket.
Video: How to build a Soyuz rocket.
Richard Kiley – The Impossible Dream
An evening pause: How about something uplifting? Sung by Richard Kiley, the man who created the role.
Eco-friendly festival closes down due to lack of attendence
Eco-friendly festival closes down due to lack of attendance.
Reminds me of a local news piece here in Maryland last week, where a team from the University of Maryland in College Park won a Department of Energy competition for the best built solar powered house. The problem is that the house cost $330,000 to build, is only 920 square feet in size, and the best price they hope to get for it is $250,000, if that.
In other words, it appears that these ecological projects have little to do with the real world, where creating something that customers will want to buy is the only way to succeed. All else is fantasy.
Eco-friendly festival closes down due to lack of attendance.
Reminds me of a local news piece here in Maryland last week, where a team from the University of Maryland in College Park won a Department of Energy competition for the best built solar powered house. The problem is that the house cost $330,000 to build, is only 920 square feet in size, and the best price they hope to get for it is $250,000, if that.
In other words, it appears that these ecological projects have little to do with the real world, where creating something that customers will want to buy is the only way to succeed. All else is fantasy.
The Wave in the Paria Vanyon Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, Arizona
An evening pause: Taking a walk through the Wave in the Paria Vanyon Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area, Arizona.
The new hockey stick
Steven Hayward at Powerline has noted a new hockey stick graph, produced by scientists and described in detail by the journal Nature. This one is not specifically about climate, but about the reliability of science and the peer-review process itself. To quote the Nature article:
[Retraction] notices [of science papers] are increasing rapidly. In the early 2000s, only about 30 retraction notices appeared annually. This year, the Web of Science is on track to index more than 400 (see ‘Rise of the retractions’) — even though the total number of papers published has risen by only 44% over the past decade.
Below is the graph from the Nature paper. As Hayward says, “Lo and behold, it looks like a hockey stick! (Heh.)”
» Read more
Chain reaction
An evening pause: “A grid of over 300 wooden matches is lit from one corner.” No sound, but you’ll watch anyway. There is something about a fire that compels us to watch.
For the third year in a row the federal government runs a deficit exceeding $1.3 billion
For the third year in a row — all Obama years — the federal government ran a deficit exceeding $1.3 trillion.
For the third year in a row — all Obama years — the federal government ran a deficit exceeding $1.3 trillion.
Obama Supporters Crash St. Louis Tea Party – Call Black Candidate “Ni**er”, “Uncle Tom”, Cuss In Front of Children
Left wing civility: Obama supporters crashed a St. Louis Tea Party protest Tuesday, calling a black Congressional candidate “ni**er” and “Uncle Tom” while cursing in front of children.
Left wing civility: Obama supporters crashed a St. Louis Tea Party protest Tuesday, calling a black Congressional candidate “ni**er” and “Uncle Tom” while cursing in front of children.
Internal NASA documents portray a dysfunctional, political agency
Surprise, surprise! Internal NASA documents portray a dysfunctional, political agency.
Surprise, surprise! Internal NASA documents portray a dysfunctional, political agency.
Russia puts off building space lab
More Russian space industry news: Russia puts off building a space lab while announcing that it will use its Soyuz 2 rocket to launch manned missions from its new spaceport in the Vostochny spaceport in Amur, to be opened in 2015.
More Russian space industry news: Russia puts off building a space lab while announcing that it will use its Soyuz 2 rocket to launch manned missions from its new spaceport in the Vostochny spaceport in Amur, to be opened in 2015.
Anik F2 communications satellite back in operation
Anik F2 communications satellite is back in operation.
Anik F2 communications satellite is back in operation.
Five truths about climate change
Five truths about climate change. I like #2:
Regardless of whether it’s getting hotter or colder—or both—we are going to need to produce a lot more energy in order to remain productive and comfortable.
Five truths about climate change. I like #2:
Regardless of whether it’s getting hotter or colder—or both—we are going to need to produce a lot more energy in order to remain productive and comfortable.
Fighting forest fires, with water balloons
Fighting forest fires, with water balloons.
Fighting forest fires, with water balloons.
If all goes well, 2012 will be a busy year at ISS for both Dragon and Cygnus
If all goes well, 2012 will be a busy year at ISS for both Dragon and Cygnus.
The article outlines the preliminary cargo schedule for both ferries next year, assuming their initial test flights succeed (a big assumption).
If all goes well, 2012 will be a busy year at ISS for both Dragon and Cygnus.
The article outlines the preliminary cargo schedule for both ferries next year, assuming their initial test flights succeed (a big assumption).
Russia drops plans to build a replacement for Soyuz rocket
Russia has dropped its plans to build a replacement for its Soyuz rocket.
This is not the first time that the Russians have abandoned plans to come up with a new rocket, which suggests once again that — as successful as their space effort has been — they lack the ability to come up with new product. This in turn makes vulnerable the Russians’ market share in commercial space.
Russia has dropped its plans to build a replacement for its Soyuz rocket.
This is not the first time that the Russians have abandoned plans to come up with a new rocket, which suggests once again that — as successful as their space effort has been — they lack the ability to come up with new product. This in turn makes vulnerable the Russians’ market share in commercial space.
The moon contains a vast resource of titanium
There’s gold in them hills! Actually, it’s titanium, and it’s on the Moon.
The highest titanium abundances on Earth are around 1 percent or less. The new map shows that in the [Moon’s] mare, titanium abundances range from about one percent to a little more than ten percent. In the highlands, everywhere TiO2 is less than one percent. The new titanium values match those measured in the ground samples to about one percent.
There’s gold in them hills! Actually, it’s titanium, and it’s on the Moon.
The highest titanium abundances on Earth are around 1 percent or less. The new map shows that in the [Moon’s] mare, titanium abundances range from about one percent to a little more than ten percent. In the highlands, everywhere TiO2 is less than one percent. The new titanium values match those measured in the ground samples to about one percent.
Pat Condell: The great Palestinian lie
Some honest and blunt thoughts from Pat Condell:
Some honest and blunt thoughts from Pat Condell:
The first “basic essential health package,” as determined by the federal government under Obamacare, were released today.
We’re to help you: The first recommendations for a “basic essential health package,” as determined by the federal government under Obamacare, were released today.
Until now, designing benefits has been the job of insurers, employers and state officials. But the new health care law requires insurance companies to provide at least the federally approved package if they want to sell to small businesses, families and individuals through new state markets set to open in 2014.
Isn’t it nice that a handful of Washington apparatchiks are going to dictate the health plans that all of us must have? Doesn’t this feature of Obamacare make you feel happy and secure?
NOT. Repeal the damn thing, and throw as many of the bums who voted for it out of office, as fast as possible.
We’re to help you: The first recommendations for a “basic essential health package,” as determined by the federal government under Obamacare, were released today.
Until now, designing benefits has been the job of insurers, employers and state officials. But the new health care law requires insurance companies to provide at least the federally approved package if they want to sell to small businesses, families and individuals through new state markets set to open in 2014.
Isn’t it nice that a handful of Washington apparatchiks are going to dictate the health plans that all of us must have? Doesn’t this feature of Obamacare make you feel happy and secure?
NOT. Repeal the damn thing, and throw as many of the bums who voted for it out of office, as fast as possible.
A shutdown of a satellite today cut communications in Canada for thousands
A shutdown of a satellite today cut communications in Canada for thousands.
A shutdown of a satellite today cut communications in Canada for thousands.
Astronauts on ISS conduct eye exams in connection with recent eye problems caused by long term weightlessness
Astronauts on ISS have been conducting regular eye exams in an effort to understand the eye problems caused by long term weightlessness.
Astronauts on ISS have been conducting regular eye exams in an effort to understand the eye problems caused by long term weightlessness.
Neil Diamond – Coming to America
An evening pause: The video is a bit too darkly lit, but the chemistry of the audience with Neil Diamond’s singing is enthralling. “Today!”
More on making the X-37B an ISS supply and crew ferry
More on making the X-37B an ISS supply and crew ferry.
More on making the X-37B an ISS supply and crew ferry.
Venus has an ozone layer too
Tracing the Canals of Mars
1.6 million hand-signed petitions handed to Congress demanding Obamacare be repealed before it can be fully implemented
Right on! On Wednesday a petition with more than 1.6 million signatures was delivered to Congress, demanding Obamacare be repealed before it can be fully implemented.
Right on! On Wednesday a petition with more than 1.6 million signatures was delivered to Congress, demanding Obamacare be repealed before it can be fully implemented.
“A good scientist is a humble and listening scientist and not one that is sure 100 percent in what he read in the textbooks.”
Steve Jobs has passed away
Steve Jobs has passed away.
Steve Jobs has passed away.