Scroll down to read this post.

 

Readers!

 

The time has come for my annual short Thanksgiving/Christmas fund drive for Behind The Black. I must do this every year in order to make sure I have earned enough money to pay my bills.

 

For this two-week campaign, I am offering a special deal to encourage donations. Donations of $200 will get a free autographed copy of the new paperback edition of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, while donations of $250 will get a free autographed copy of the new hardback edition. If you desire a copy, make sure you provide me your address with your donation.

 

As I noted in July, the support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.

 

Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.

 

Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:

 

1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.

 

2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
 

3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:

 

4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
 
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

 

You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.


Republican introduces bill to end California space tax

A state Republican legislator has introduced a bill that would end the special taxes that California’s Franchise Tax Board imposed on space companies last year.

The bill would repeal the space tax formula and exempt space flight income from state taxes, which Lackey contends would give companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic and United Launch Alliance an incentive to stay in the state. For example, Moon Express, a startup working to mine the moon for natural resources, moved from Mountain View to Florida in 2016, Lackey said.

In an email, Moon Express CEO and founder Bob Richard reiterated a statement he made last year that the decision to move was “in part due to the state of Florida’s progressive economic development incentives designed to attract commercial space companies.”

Since California has rigged its elections in a way that makes it impossible for Republicans to win, Republicans have little power in the state legislature. I therefore don’t expect this bill to pass.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

5 comments

  • Max

    I do not think that they will lower taxes, California has too many mouths to feed. (most of which live on beach front property)

    The Z man wrote, “Since California has rigged its elections in a way that makes it impossible for Republicans to win”

    The methods used to erase the Ronald Reagan legacy are now being employed in other states like Utah.
    Congressman Jason chaffetz recently quit just after being reelected and jump ship just as we needed him the most as chairman of house oversight and reform committee.
    A special election was held to replace him.

    John Curtis Failed to be elected in 2000 as a Democrat. He became the leader of the Democrat party in Utah County where he decided to run for mayor of Provo “as a Republican” in 2007. In the most conservative city, most conservative County, in the most conservative state in the United States. With the Democrats help he won. (And raised taxes of course)
    He decided to try this trick again in the special election to replace Jason. In the primaries, he came in ninth place.
    A controversial movement was started called “count my vote”. Where a person with enough signatures on a petition can be added to the election ballot. The people were directed to go to two websites to support or to be against this proposal. We didn’t learn till after the election that both sites were run by the same people from California.
    Only registered Republicans are eligible to vote in the race, but Utah County elections officials mistakenly sent congressional ballots to unaffiliated voters, as well. (In a prior election I was sent two ballots)
    John Curtis won the election, the Democrats are pleased. Especially as he told everyone in numerous public forums that he was “unable to support” Trump and chose to write in a candidate instead.

    Today I was listening to the governor and the establishment getting behind mitt Romney running for retiring oral hatches place in the Senate. He has already been chosen for a high responsibility not befitting a junior senator because he has “friends”. They are already rolling out the red carpet and he hasn’t even filed yet. He is still recovering from his prostate cancer. Everyone is wondering why Utah keep sending people that have never lived in Utah to represent them.
    That will be two government officials from Utah openly hostile to President Donald Trump.

  • Lee S

    Jesus H Christ on a bike….
    If even half of what you just described is true…
    Well, from Scandinavia I’m sitting and watching the [deleted] that seems to be the us government today…..

  • Cotour

    Your “Cluster PH33C” (I don’t dare go anywhere near that) I.E. political warfare is the proper way to conduct political warfare, don’t be confused.

    Its your Scandinavian system of “civility” and social welfare that you need to be worried about.

  • Lee S: I have made it clear I do not want obscenities on BtB. I have also stated that changing one letter in a curse word and making believe this hides the fact that you are writing a curse is also unacceptable.

    I have also made it clear that from now on I will suspend anyone who breaks these rules for a week the first time they do it, and ban them the second time. You are now on a week long suspension.

    I should have added that this rule applies to those who have commented previously and are clearly regular readers. I will give newbies a bit more slack.

  • Lee S: I have ended your suspension. I was a bit late in doing it, mostly because of other issues taking priority. Sorry about that. Either way, I hope you do continue to comment, but remember the rules: No crudeness. We are civilized adults here.

Readers: the rules for commenting!

 

No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.

 

However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.

 

Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *