Budget negotiations — and the possibility of a shutdown — are coming to a head
Budget negotiations — and the possibility of a shutdown — are coming to a head.
Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
Five anti-hunger organization leaders plan open-ended fasts to protest proposed cuts
The pigs continue to squeal: Five anti-hunger organization leaders plan open-ended fasts to protest proposed cuts.
Russia and Israel agree on cooperation in outer space
Not bigots: Russia and Israel have agreed on a framework for cooperating in outer space.
Johannesburg University Ends Research With Israeli School
Bigots: The University of Johannesburg has ended research with an Israeli School, “a step hailed as a ‘boycott’ by proponents of an international academic campaign to shun Israeli researchers.”
Japan Reopens Space Station Control Room After Quake
Good news: Japan has reopened its space station control room following the earthquake.
The NASA space war mess
The NASA space war mess.
Congress is now looking to flatline or cut NASA budget (or not enact new ones) while also playing its own game of telling NASA to do things it simply does not have the budget to do. A new slow motion train wreck is in the making.
Quarter-mile diameter asteroid to pass only 200,000 miles from the Earth on November 8, 2011
Get those telescopes out! A asteroid, a quarter-mile in diameter, is going to pass only 200,000 miles from the Earth on November 8, 2011. Key quote:
Although classified as a potentially hazardous object, 2005 YU55 poses no threat of an Earth collision over at least the next 100 years. However, this will be the closest approach to date by an object this large that we know about in advance and an event of this type.
Send the space-bureaucrats to Mars
Human-caused climate change – then and now
The question of human-caused climate change – unclear now and unclear 8,000 years ago.
Stardust to end its mission after twelve years
Stardust has ended its mission after twelve years and two comet flybys.
Ground controllers will command the spacecraft to fire up its four rocket thrusters one last time at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) today to use up its remaining fuel. Engineers plan to watch closely while the probe’s propellant tank ran dry to help future missions gauge their fuel reserves more precisely.
Thousands of Christians Displaced in Ethiopia After Muslims torch churches and homes
Islamic tolerance: Thousands of Christians displaced in Ethiopia after Muslims torch churches and homes.
X-ray stripes in the expanding remnant of a supernova explosion
X-ray stripes in the expanding remnant of a supernova explosion.
Egypt Air removes Israel from map
Arab good will: Egypt Air removes Israel from map.
Just when you think they finally get it
Another example of the great disconnect: Just when you think they finally get it.
A new Russian rocket
No Vision = No Innovation
An critique of NASA: No vision equals no innovation.
That NASA (and our government) lacks vision is not necessarily a bad thing. For the first time in decades, this is leaving room for new and independent companies to move in and fill the vacuum left by NASA. In the end, I think we will be far better off.
Orbital Science facility at Wallops opens
The spaceport at Wallops Island, Maryland has unveiled its rocket assembly building to be used by Orbital Sciences in launching cargo to ISS.
Hideaki Akaiwa: Badass of the week
Surrounded by incredible hazards on all sides, ranging from obscene currents capable of dislodging houses from their moorings, sharp twisted metal that could easily have punctured his oxygen line (at best) or impaled him (at worst), and with giant fucking cars careening through the water like toys, he pressed on. Past broken glass, past destroyed houses, past downed power lines arcing with electrical current, through undertow that could have dragged him out to sea never to be heard from again, he searched.
Hideaki maintained his composure and navigated his way through the submerged city, finally tracking down his old house. He quickly swam through to find his totally-freaked-out wife, alone and stranded on the upper level of their house, barely keeping her head above water. He grabbed her tight, and presumably sharing his rebreather with her, dragged her out of the wreckage to safety. She survived.
And that’s only the beginning. Read the whole thing.
Top 10 Failures of ObamaCare After One Year
Repeal the damn bill! The top ten failures of ObamaCare after one year.