Category: Behind The Black
TSA management loves the pat downs
Meanwhile, TSA management has its head up our ass, insisting that everyone who enters the security area submit to its abuse or face heavy fines.
Meanwhile, TSA management has its head up our ass, insisting that everyone who enters the security area submit to its abuse or face heavy fines.
TSA agents hate pat downs
Even the TSA agents know how stupid and ugly the new security procedures are. That they hate the more aggressive pat downs means everyone should insist on them, if only to increase the chances they will finally decide it ain’t worth doing them.
Even the TSA agents know how stupid and ugly the new security procedures are. That they hate the more aggressive pat downs means everyone should insist on them, if only to increase the chances they will finally decide it ain’t worth doing them.
X-34s moved from storage
Via Clark Lindsey, it appears that NASA has taken from storage its two X-34 suborbital spaceships and is considering returning the ships to flight status.
Via Clark Lindsey, it appears that NASA has taken from storage its two X-34 suborbital spaceships and is considering returning the ships to flight status.
Simon’s cat, lunch break
Virgin and KLM – the new space race?
The new space race: Virgin Galactic and KLM Airlines.
The new space race: Virgin Galactic and KLM Airlines.
Another TSA stupidity of the day
While sexually abusing the rest of America, Homeland Security head Napolitano is considering allowing Muslim women to pat themselves down at airports.
While sexually abusing the rest of America, Homeland Security head Napolitano is considering allowing Muslim women to pat themselves down at airports.
TSA stupidity of the day
TSA stupidity of the day: Nail clipper bad! Assault rifle good!
TSA stupidity of the day: Nail clipper bad! Assault rifle good!
Pluto a planet?
Scientists are once again debating whether Pluto really is a planet.
Scientists are once again debating whether Pluto really is a planet.
Future tests of SpaceShipTwo will be even more challenging
Hooray for private space! Future tests of SpaceShipTwo will be even more challenging.
Hooray for private space! Future tests of SpaceShipTwo will be even more challenging.
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
Former Shuttle Manager Decries NASA’s Commercial Crew Safety Regs
A deal with the devil: Former shuttle manager decries NASA’s commercial crew safety regulations. Key quote:
The U.S. government did not always rely on voluminous specifications to safeguard pilots or astronauts, Hale said, citing requirements for the first U.S. military aircraft which covered only 2.5 pages and those of NASA’s Gemini capsule which were about 12 pages long.
A deal with the devil: Former shuttle manager decries NASA’s commercial crew safety regulations. Key quote:
The U.S. government did not always rely on voluminous specifications to safeguard pilots or astronauts, Hale said, citing requirements for the first U.S. military aircraft which covered only 2.5 pages and those of NASA’s Gemini capsule which were about 12 pages long.
Wind and solar energy bankrupt
Maybe these businesses are simply not economically viable? Faced with the end of federal grants, the wind and solar power industries are pushing for more federal money or legal mandates to prop up their business.
Maybe these businesses are simply not economically viable? Faced with the end of federal grants, the wind and solar power industries are pushing for more federal money or legal mandates to prop up their business.
Sightseeing on Mars
Those who visit this website regularly know that I repeatedly post images from the various Mars orbiters and rovers. I do this not only because the images have scientific interest or that they are cool, but because it is simply fun to sightsee, even if it is done by proxy using a robot many millions of miles away. Here are two more images of the sights of Mars.
The first is a mosiac image of a small crater that the rover Opportunity strolled past on November 9 in its four year journey to Endeavour Crater.
What always amazes me about the images that Opportunity has taken as it travels across the Martian desert is how totally lifeless this desert is. You would be very hard-pressed to find any desert on Earth like this. On Earth, life is everywhere, even in deserts with their harsh environment. Moreover, life on Earth has reshaped the surface drastically. Environmentalists like to whine about the havoc humans wreck on nature, but the truth is that all life does this continually. Plants and trees help soften the terrain. Animals (not just humans) mold the surface to their needs.
On Mars, however, all one sees is wind-strewn sand across barren bedrock. What this suggests is that, if there is life on Mars, it is well buried, not very visible, and possibly quite rare. It will thus be difficult to spot.
The second image is another one of those Martian collapse features, where some form of fluid flow under the surface washed out the supporting material. causing the surface to eventually collapse. In this case, however, the collapse left at least one natural bridge. Based on the scale (25 cm = 1 pixel), this bridge is about 80 feet wide and 100 feet long. (To calculate its height requires more mathematical skills than I have.)
Boy, wouldn’t this be a magnificent thing to hike under and across!
It came from another galaxy
It came from another galaxy.
It came from another galaxy.
A gas explosion in New Zealand coal mine, trapping 27
Gas explosion today in a New Zealand coal mine has trapped 27 miners.
Gas explosion today in a New Zealand coal mine has trapped 27 miners.
The Climate Coincidence
“She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’.
Our TSA at work: “She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’.
Our TSA at work: “She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’.
NPR funds approved by Democrats, rejected by Republicans
The future of funding for public radio in the next Congress truly looks dim. NPR had zero Republican support in a funding bill approved by Democrats on Thursday,
The future of funding for public radio in the next Congress truly looks dim. NPR had zero Republican support in a funding bill approved by Democrats on Thursday,
What Obama Fails to Understand
What Obama fails to understand.
What Obama fails to understand.
How the U.S. Snoops on Russian Nukes From Space
How the U.S. snoops on Russian nukes from space.
How the U.S. snoops on Russian nukes from space.
SpaceShipTwo completes its third glide flight
Hooray for private space! SpaceShipTwo successfully completed its third glide flight yesterday.
Hooray for private space! SpaceShipTwo successfully completed its third glide flight yesterday.
Shuttle launch no earlier than December 3
NASA managers have once again delayed the launch of Discovery, now set for no earlier than December 3.
NASA managers have once again delayed the launch of Discovery, now set for no earlier than December 3.
Johnny Carson Lie Detector Politician
Brian Marsden dies
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.
The climategate email anniversary
Some cogent thoughts from James Delingpole about climate politics on the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails and the refusal of the elite ruling class to address the issue. Key quote:
And why is this so? In part, at least, it is because of the abject, ongoing failure of our Mainstream Media to report environmental issues with the robust scepticism that ought to be the natural tack of responsible journalists. Too many environmental reporters are still regurgitating press releases handed to them by activist organisations like the WWF, Greenpeace and Friends Of The Earth. In the MSM, as in government, it’s like Climategate never happened.
Some cogent thoughts from James Delingpole about climate politics on the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails and the refusal of the elite ruling class to address the issue. Key quote:
And why is this so? In part, at least, it is because of the abject, ongoing failure of our Mainstream Media to report environmental issues with the robust scepticism that ought to be the natural tack of responsible journalists. Too many environmental reporters are still regurgitating press releases handed to them by activist organisations like the WWF, Greenpeace and Friends Of The Earth. In the MSM, as in government, it’s like Climategate never happened.
A snowstorm in space
Almost literally, the probe Deep Impact flew through a snowstorm when it flew past Comet Hartley 2 on November 4. Below is one of the best pictures from the moment. More images can be found here. Key quote:
[The images] revealed a cometary snow storm created by carbon dioxide jets spewing out tons of golf-ball to basketball-sized fluffy ice particles from the peanut-shaped comet’s rocky ends. At the same time, a different process was causing water vapor to escape from the comet’s smooth mid-section. This information sheds new light on the nature of comets and even planets.
Note that all the close-up images taken by Deep Impact are going to be slightly out of focus, as the camera was launched with a defect.
Cops bust seven men playing chess in upper Manhattan park
More madness: Police arrested seven men, for playing chess in an upper Manhattan park.
More madness: Police arrested seven men, for playing chess in an upper Manhattan park.
California prosecutors say they’ll charge TSA agents if pat-downs are inappropriate
California prosecutors say they’ll charge TSA agents if pat-downs are inappropriate.
California prosecutors say they’ll charge TSA agents if pat-downs are inappropriate.
How to properly fight terrorism
How to properly fight terrorism at airports.
How to properly fight terrorism at airports.