Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
Why Americans hate modern economics
A reporter finds out the uselessness of Obama’s advice to call the USDA for help
A reporter finds out the naive uselessness of Obama’s advice to “contact the USDA” for help and advice about its new agricultural regulations.
In less than 24 hours, the reporter talked to about a dozen different offices, all of which passed the buck. And here is the final answer the reporter got, from media relations:
Secretary Vilsack continues to work closely with members of the Cabinet to help them engage with the agricultural community to ensure that we are separating fact from fiction on regulations because the administration is committed to providing greater certainty for farmers and ranchers. Because the question that was posed did not fall within USDA jurisdiction, it does not provide a fair representation of USDA’s robust efforts to get the right information to our producers throughout the country.
In other words, PR mumbo-jumbo that says nothing. Read the whole thing, as it is hilarious, tragic, and very very familiar, as we have all had this kind of experience trying to get answers from the government.
A reporter finds out the naive uselessness of Obama’s advice to “contact the USDA” for help and advice about its new agricultural regulations.
In less than 24 hours, the reporter talked to about a dozen different offices, all of which passed the buck. And here is the final answer the reporter got, from media relations:
Secretary Vilsack continues to work closely with members of the Cabinet to help them engage with the agricultural community to ensure that we are separating fact from fiction on regulations because the administration is committed to providing greater certainty for farmers and ranchers. Because the question that was posed did not fall within USDA jurisdiction, it does not provide a fair representation of USDA’s robust efforts to get the right information to our producers throughout the country.
In other words, PR mumbo-jumbo that says nothing. Read the whole thing, as it is hilarious, tragic, and very very familiar, as we have all had this kind of experience trying to get answers from the government.
EPA arbitrarily declares a couple’s property a wetland
We’re here to help you: The EPA arbitrarily declared a couple’s property a wetland and then threatened them with heavy fines if they didn’t restore the property to its pristine state.
The plot is not connected either to the lake or a nearby creek, though Mike Sackett, 45, says part of the land got “wet” at times in the spring. “We sued because we wanted our day in court to say, ‘This is not a wetland,’ ” he says.
The Sackett’s case is now before the Supreme Court.
We’re here to help you: The EPA arbitrarily declared a couple’s property a wetland and then threatened them with heavy fines if they didn’t restore the property to its pristine state.
The plot is not connected either to the lake or a nearby creek, though Mike Sackett, 45, says part of the land got “wet” at times in the spring. “We sued because we wanted our day in court to say, ‘This is not a wetland,’ ” he says.
The Sackett’s case is now before the Supreme Court.
Archeologists reap treasures from a newly-discovered POW camp from the Civil War
Archeologists reap treasures from a newly-discovered POW camp from the Civil War.
Camp Lawton’s obscurity helped it remain undisturbed all these years. Built about 50 miles south of Augusta, the Confederate camp imprisoned about 10,000 Union soldiers after it opened in October 1864 to replace the infamous Andersonville prison. But it lasted barely six weeks before Sherman’s army arrived and burned it during his march from Atlanta to Savannah.
Barely a footnote in the war’s history, Camp Lawton was a low priority among scholars. Its exact location was never verified. While known to be near Magnolia Springs State Park, archaeologists figured the camp was too short-lived to yield real historical treasures. That changed last year when Georgia Southern archaeology student Kevin Chapman seized on an offer by the state Department of Natural Resources to pursue his master’s thesis by looking for evidence of Camp Lawton’s stockade walls on the park grounds.
Archeologists reap treasures from a newly-discovered POW camp from the Civil War.
Camp Lawton’s obscurity helped it remain undisturbed all these years. Built about 50 miles south of Augusta, the Confederate camp imprisoned about 10,000 Union soldiers after it opened in October 1864 to replace the infamous Andersonville prison. But it lasted barely six weeks before Sherman’s army arrived and burned it during his march from Atlanta to Savannah.
Barely a footnote in the war’s history, Camp Lawton was a low priority among scholars. Its exact location was never verified. While known to be near Magnolia Springs State Park, archaeologists figured the camp was too short-lived to yield real historical treasures. That changed last year when Georgia Southern archaeology student Kevin Chapman seized on an offer by the state Department of Natural Resources to pursue his master’s thesis by looking for evidence of Camp Lawton’s stockade walls on the park grounds.
Government makes a Smartphone app tell outdoor workers it is hot
Your tax dollars at work: The Obama administration has made a Smartphone app that will tell outdoor workers whether it is hot and humid.
Your tax dollars at work: The Obama administration has made a Smartphone app that will tell outdoor workers whether it is hot and humid.
A Chinese launch failure today
Another rocket launch failure today, this time by the Chinese.
Another rocket launch failure today, this time by the Chinese.
Town shuts down yard sale of woman trying to raise money for medical expenses
We’re here to help you: The town of Salem, Oregon has shut down the yard sale of woman trying to raise money for medical expenses.
We’re here to help you: The town of Salem, Oregon has shut down the yard sale of woman trying to raise money for medical expenses.
Family of Marine Killed in Arizona SWAT Raid has sued Pima County for $20 Million
The family of the Marine killed in an Arizona SWAT Raid has now sued for $20 million.
The family of the Marine killed in an Arizona SWAT Raid has now sued for $20 million.
Citizen Journalism Stops a Liberal media lie In Its Tracks
Citizen journalism and the blogosphere stop a liberal media lie in its tracks.
Citizen journalism and the blogosphere stop a liberal media lie in its tracks.
Rats didn’t spread the Black Death
New research has shown that humans, not rats, spread the Black Death in the plague of 1348-1349. Also,
Sloane, who was previously a field archaeologist with the Museum of London, working on many medieval sites, is now attached to English Heritage. He has concluded that the spread of the 1348-49 plague, the worst to hit the capital, was far faster, with an impact far worse than had been estimated previously. While some suggest that half the city’s population of 60,000 died, he believes it could have been as high as two-thirds. Years later, in 1357, merchants were trying to get their tax bill cut on the grounds that a third of all property in the city was lying empty. [emphasis mine]
New research has shown that humans, not rats, spread the Black Death in the plague of 1348-1349. Also,
Sloane, who was previously a field archaeologist with the Museum of London, working on many medieval sites, is now attached to English Heritage. He has concluded that the spread of the 1348-49 plague, the worst to hit the capital, was far faster, with an impact far worse than had been estimated previously. While some suggest that half the city’s population of 60,000 died, he believes it could have been as high as two-thirds. Years later, in 1357, merchants were trying to get their tax bill cut on the grounds that a third of all property in the city was lying empty. [emphasis mine]
Russian company has unveiled its own space hotel
Competition for Bigelow! A Russian company has unveiled its own space hotel, set for launch in 2016. More here.
Competition for Bigelow! A Russian company has unveiled its own space hotel, set for launch in 2016. More here.
Russia has lost contact with a major new telecommunications satellite hours after its launch into orbit
Russia has lost contact with a major new telecommunications satellite hours after its launch today.
Russia has lost contact with a major new telecommunications satellite hours after its launch today.
Justice Department has begun an investigation of Standard & Poor
Revenge and the abuse of power: The Obama Justice Department has begun an investigation of Standard & Poor.
Revenge and the abuse of power: The Obama Justice Department has begun an investigation of Standard & Poor.
Space Boat: A Nautical Mission to an Alien Sea
The Titan Mare Explorer: A nautical mission to an alien sea.
If [NASA] green-lights the mission, the capsule will lift off in 2016. By 2023, TiME will be about 800 million miles away in Titan’s north-polar region, home to its biggest lakes and seas. The capsule will take photographs, collect meteorological data, measure depth, and analyze samples. TiME will have no means of propulsion once it is on Titan, so it will float, carried by breezes across the sea’s surface. Then, by the mid-2020s, it will enter a decade-long winter of darkness as the moon’s orbit takes it to the dark side of Saturn, away from the sun and communication. It won’t have a line of sight to Earth to beam back more data until 2035.
The Titan Mare Explorer: A nautical mission to an alien sea.
If [NASA] green-lights the mission, the capsule will lift off in 2016. By 2023, TiME will be about 800 million miles away in Titan’s north-polar region, home to its biggest lakes and seas. The capsule will take photographs, collect meteorological data, measure depth, and analyze samples. TiME will have no means of propulsion once it is on Titan, so it will float, carried by breezes across the sea’s surface. Then, by the mid-2020s, it will enter a decade-long winter of darkness as the moon’s orbit takes it to the dark side of Saturn, away from the sun and communication. It won’t have a line of sight to Earth to beam back more data until 2035.
Tennessee Woman Told to Remove American Flag Outside Her Optometry Office
A Tennessee woman has been ordered to remove the American flag she raised outside her optometry office.
A Tennessee woman has been ordered to remove the American flag she raised outside her optometry office.
“He takes more vacations than any human being I’ve ever seen.”
Two stories about a possible tourist flight around the moon
Fly me to the moon! Two stories today (here and here) from Russia about a possible tourist flight around the moon by 2016-2017.
Fly me to the moon! Two stories today (here and here) from Russia about a possible tourist flight around the moon by 2016-2017.
Ohio Business Owner Shot For Being Non-Union, Police Investigating
Union civility: An Ohio business owner, harassed for years for running a non-union business, was shot last week when he surprised a vandal scrawling “scab” on his car.
Union civility: An Ohio business owner, harassed for years for running a non-union business, was shot last week when he surprised a vandal scrawling “scab” on his car.
What caused a giant arrow-shaped cloud on Saturn’s moon Titan?
What caused a giant arrow-shaped cloud on Saturn’s moon Titan?
What caused a giant arrow-shaped cloud on Saturn’s moon Titan?
American manned space: dependent on the Russians in more ways than you think
American manned space: dependent on the Russians in more ways than you think.
As commentators from around the country gnash their teeth at U.S. dependence upon Russia to move cargo and astronauts to the mostly U.S. built/funded International Space Station (ISS), they’ve missed the bigger boat: With one exception, all the commercial spaceflight offerings currently in the works have Soviet or Russian engines as a key part of the rockets involved.
American manned space: dependent on the Russians in more ways than you think.
As commentators from around the country gnash their teeth at U.S. dependence upon Russia to move cargo and astronauts to the mostly U.S. built/funded International Space Station (ISS), they’ve missed the bigger boat: With one exception, all the commercial spaceflight offerings currently in the works have Soviet or Russian engines as a key part of the rockets involved.
The search for alien life saved by private donations
The Allen Telescope Array and the Search for Extraterrestial Intelligence (SETI) saved by private donations.
The Allen Telescope Array and the Search for Extraterrestial Intelligence (SETI) saved by private donations.
Obama’s clash with a Tea party activist during bus tour
About Obama’s clash with a Tea party activist during his bus tour this week: How long do you think it will take for the press to go after that activist to try to destroy him for daring to challenge this Democratic President?
I give it one week.
About Obama’s clash with a Tea party activist during his bus tour this week: How long do you think it will take for the press to go after that activist to try to destroy him for daring to challenge this Democratic President?
I give it one week.
“You may first beat them repeatedly with a tire iron.”
Union civility: “You may first beat them repeatedly with a tire iron.”
Union civility: “You may first beat them repeatedly with a tire iron.”
Guns permitted, crimes drop
All systems go on Juno
Things are so good on Juno ten days after launch that mission controllers have canceled a rocket burn to adjust the spacecraft’s course.
Things are so good on Juno ten days after launch that mission controllers have canceled a rocket burn to adjust the spacecraft’s course.
Russians to display new rocket and manned spacecraft at international air show today
Russians to display a new rocket and manned spacecraft design at an international air show in Russia today.
Russians to display a new rocket and manned spacecraft design at an international air show in Russia today.
A map of the core region of the Milky Way
According to Russian space officials, the next Soyuz tourist flight will be in 2014
According to Russian space officials today, the next Soyuz tourist flight to ISS will be in 2014.
The article above contradicts yesterday’s story where the head of the Russian space agency suggested that Russia is going to shift its focus from manned space. I suspect both stories reflect an underlying political battle going on within the Russian government.
According to Russian space officials today, the next Soyuz tourist flight to ISS will be in 2014.
The article above contradicts yesterday’s story where the head of the Russian space agency suggested that Russia is going to shift its focus from manned space. I suspect both stories reflect an underlying political battle going on within the Russian government.
Questions raised about an endangered species listing by EPA
Serious questions raised about the EPA process that designates a species as endangered.
Serious questions raised about the EPA process that designates a species as endangered.
Saving a failed orbiting satellite with engineering
Saving a failed orbiting satellite with engineering.
Saving a failed orbiting satellite with engineering.