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.


Senate hearing on commercial space postponed

11:06 am

A Senate hearing on commercial space, organized by Ted Cruz (R-Texas) as part of a series, has been postponed.

It had been scheduled for today, but appears to now be delayed until after the July 4th break.

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

10 comments

10 comments

  • Willi
    June 21, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    There’s a podcast on Batchelor’s podcast page that claims to be with Bob. Actually, it’s a duplicate of one titled “Future War: Who you are…”

  • Robert Zimmerman
    June 21, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    Willi: Thank you for letting me know. I have contacted Batchelor. This should be fixed soon.

  • Robert Zimmerman
    June 21, 2017 at 9:42 pm

    Willi: Podcast is fixed. It is also posted here.

  • LocalFluff
    June 22, 2017 at 5:13 am

    This kind of link mix up happens about once or twice every week to his shows. I of course assume that any mishap is caused by Russian hacking. I follow JBS daily when I can, because he makes great radio. I wonder how he can produce quality radio hours every day, without any exception, and still be well read on the books the guests have written as well as the current news flow. Makes me think he has maybe been a reporter for more than a few years, and loves it. How does this guy know what mix of subjects I am interested in?

    I wouldn’t’ve (that’s bad spelling, isn’t it?) discovered him if it weren’t for this blog.

  • wayne
    June 22, 2017 at 6:20 am

    ‘Fluff–
    This Q&A from C-span, is highly informative (although dated)
    https://www.c-span.org/video/?200850-1/qa-john-batchelor

    This is pretty good as well (from 2015) even though Art thinks Men In Black, was a documentary.

    Art Bell Interview With John Batchelor
    https://youtu.be/SazJ2af3VL8
    (39:57)

  • wayne
    June 22, 2017 at 8:38 am

    LocalFluff–
    excellent word!
    [wouldn’t’ve]

  • LocalFluff
    June 22, 2017 at 10:49 am

    wayne,
    Your link shows that John Batchelor is as good a guest as he is a host. He kind of takes over the talking anyway. Because he’s interesting. He makes things interesting, because he is interested.

    I like his putting-things-in-a-historical-context kind of style. His rational realistic skeptical pragmatic optimistic philosophical romantic responsible informed attitude, or however to characteristic it, is great. (I only object that I don’t always agree with his conclusions, but no one is perfect, and let’s not jump to conclusions about which one of us is not in this case).

    Spooky topic choice:
    Just the other day an old friend reminded me about when we were in a zoo many years ago. A herd or family (whatever) of giraffes came to us. And the super tallest of them curved its enormous neck over the fence and sniffed my shoulder or chin with its nostrils (maybe I’d eaten something it likes). I got petrified like a rabbit. Not that I thought this vegetarian would eat me or knock me over with its horns, but because it was sooo alien in shape, size, color, everything.

    And a day after, JBS had a short interview with some giraffe to-know-something-about’em person. He’s interested in big strange things, and I’m too. I suppose everyone who has time for it is. But this image (you like movies) illustrates how I felt and what I were reminded of when this overgrown leggy unicorn paid me some interest while I was just trying to enjoy my $5 popcorn box. The thing suddenly became alive for real, behind the eyes so to speak.
    http://www.cinema.com.my/images/news/2017/7f_top10mostterrifying02.jpg

  • wayne
    June 22, 2017 at 11:07 am

    ‘Fluff–
    highly enjoy JB’s author-interviews. (He actually reads & understands, the books.)

    Great Giraffe story, they are cool animals.
    This (Giraffe-Cam) was very popular a few months ago.

    April the Giraffe and her baby: Behind the scenes
    https://youtu.be/oc0iOCaEem8
    (1:34)

  • wayne
    June 22, 2017 at 11:16 am

    Excuse while I digress tangentially–
    Giraffes are “Megafauna.” (not just regular old normal fauna, but megafauna!) Learned that from the giraffe-expert on JBS.

    Delaying Senate Hearing’s…. bad.
    Signals to me, the back-room dealing is escalating. Log-rolling, buy-in’s, and strange bedfellow’s.

  • Anthony Domanico
    June 23, 2017 at 1:09 pm

    LocalFluff,

    Russian hacking, haha! Despite the disturbing implications that cracked me up.

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 *