Weather scrubs X-37B launch
Weather has scrubbed today’s X-37B launch. They’ll try again tomorrow.
Weather has scrubbed today’s X-37B launch. They’ll try again tomorrow.
Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
Weather scrubs X-37B launch
Democrat state lawmakers want to ban photography at accident sites
Freedom of speech alert: Democrat state lawmakers in Illinois want to ban photography at accident sites.
Freedom of speech alert: Democrat state lawmakers in Illinois want to ban photography at accident sites.
Biden leaving in middle of budget talks
How can anyone take this administration seriously? On Wednesday Obama announces that Biden will be his lead negotiator with Congress on the budget, even though Biden already had a prearranged trip to Europe beginning on Monday. He attended one meeting on Thursday, and then said goodbye!
How can anyone take this administration seriously? On Wednesday Obama announces that Biden will be his lead negotiator with Congress on the budget, even though Biden already had a prearranged trip to Europe beginning on Monday. He attended one meeting on Thursday, and then said goodbye!
Fraud in drug studies investigated
A research anesthesiologist has been stripped of his professorship, fired from a German hospital, and is under criminal investigation for forging the medical research for more than 90 papers. Key paragraph:
German medical authorities are examining 92 of Boldt’s published papers amid allegations he forged documents, tested drugs on patients without their consent and fraudulently claimed payments for operations he never performed. Twenty-nine of the 92 papers have been identified as “highly suspected” of containing forged or distorted data, authorities said.
One third or more of his peer-reviewed papers are now suspect? Isn’t it the claim of peer-review science journals that this kind of fraud is impossible because the work will be carefully reviewed by the best people, most qualified to spot any fraud in their field? Yet, in this case this system failed at least one third of the time, if not more so, and did so frequently.
To me, this is further evidence that the best method for finding fraud is not review, but independent competition. Let others challenge the result or try to duplicate it. That way, we find out very quickly whether it is real or not.
A research anesthesiologist has been stripped of his professorship, fired from a German hospital, and is under criminal investigation for forging the medical research for more than 90 papers. Key paragraph:
German medical authorities are examining 92 of Boldt’s published papers amid allegations he forged documents, tested drugs on patients without their consent and fraudulently claimed payments for operations he never performed. Twenty-nine of the 92 papers have been identified as “highly suspected” of containing forged or distorted data, authorities said.
One third or more of his peer-reviewed papers are now suspect? Isn’t it the claim of peer-review science journals that this kind of fraud is impossible because the work will be carefully reviewed by the best people, most qualified to spot any fraud in their field? Yet, in this case this system failed at least one third of the time, if not more so, and did so frequently.
To me, this is further evidence that the best method for finding fraud is not review, but independent competition. Let others challenge the result or try to duplicate it. That way, we find out very quickly whether it is real or not.
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card.
Read the entire article. For more reasons than one can count (with the most important of all being that the public doesn’t want it), this is a bad idea at a bad time.
House Republicans attempt to impose a national ID card.
Read the entire article. For more reasons than one can count (with the most important of all being that the public doesn’t want it), this is a bad idea at a bad time.
Senate Republicans introduce bill to defund public radio and television
Couldn’t be soon enough for me! Two senate Republicans introduced a bill on Friday to defund public radio and television.
Couldn’t be soon enough for me! Two senate Republicans introduced a bill on Friday to defund public radio and television.
Britain slashes spending to UN
Great Britain has slashed its UN contribution, including eliminating all funds to four UN agencies. Key quote:
The British actions change the focus of the debate, from gauzy generalizations about the need for and importance of the U.N. to a realistic look at what it actually achieves.
Great Britain has slashed its UN contribution, including eliminating all funds to four UN agencies. Key quote:
The British actions change the focus of the debate, from gauzy generalizations about the need for and importance of the U.N. to a realistic look at what it actually achieves.
FAA Seeks Funding for New Space Prize
The FAA is seeking funds for a new space prize, $5 million for launching a small payload into Earth orbit.
No further details are yet available. One wonders what the criteria will be, as many established companies already routinely launch payloads into orbit.
The FAA is seeking funds for a new space prize, $5 million for launching a small payload into Earth orbit.
No further details are yet available. One wonders what the criteria will be, as many established companies already routinely launch payloads into orbit.
TSA wants to expand its jurisdiction to searching people on sidewalks
FOIA documents show that the TSA has plans to expand its jurisdiction to searching random people on city streets. More here.
FOIA documents show that the TSA has plans to expand its jurisdiction to searching random people on city streets. More here.
Five hundred customers into space in the first year of operation
Five hundred customers into space in the first year of operation.
Five hundred customers into space in the first year of operation.
Glory satellite falls to Earth after launch failure
The Glory climate satellite has crashed in the Pacific when its rocket failed during launch today.
The Glory climate satellite has crashed in the Pacific when its rocket failed during launch today.
The elongated craters of Mars
Water and ice at the bottom of the Antarctic Ice Sheet
The uncertainty of science: Unexpectedly large amounts of flowing water and refrozen ice found at the bottom of the Antarctic icecap. Key quote:
It’s too early to know whether this new finding means that global warming will melt ice sheets slower or faster than scientists have predicted. But the work does suggest that current models of ice sheet dynamics are missing a huge factor, said glaciologist Donald Blankenship of the University of Texas, Austin. “The take-home message of this work is that [the bottom of ice sheets] can no longer be ignored” in the models, he says.
The uncertainty of science: Unexpectedly large amounts of flowing water and refrozen ice found at the bottom of the Antarctic icecap. Key quote:
It’s too early to know whether this new finding means that global warming will melt ice sheets slower or faster than scientists have predicted. But the work does suggest that current models of ice sheet dynamics are missing a huge factor, said glaciologist Donald Blankenship of the University of Texas, Austin. “The take-home message of this work is that [the bottom of ice sheets] can no longer be ignored” in the models, he says.
The secrets of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space project
The secrets of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space project.
The secrets of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin space project.
Sheriff deputies find live ammunition outside Wisconsin capitol building
The new civility: Sheriff deputies find rounds of live ammunition outside the Wisconsin capitol building.
This is a typical union warning to those whom they dislike. When I was producing non-union movies in New York City back in the 1980s it was not unusual for me to find live rounds appearing in unexpected places on the set.
The new civility: Sheriff deputies find rounds of live ammunition outside the Wisconsin capitol building.
This is a typical union warning to those whom they dislike. When I was producing non-union movies in New York City back in the 1980s it was not unusual for me to find live rounds appearing in unexpected places on the set.
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead. And he really means it.
Judge gives Obama administration seven days to appeal or Obamacare is dead. And he really means it.
Images of an exoplanet
Cutting the federal budget two weeks at a time
Cutting the federal budget — two weeks at a time.
Cutting the federal budget — two weeks at a time.
Some unusual commercial caves
A look at some truly different commercial caves.
A look at some truly different commercial caves.
Russia lacks enough rockets to fulfill 2011 launch plans
This is both good and bad: Russia appears to lack enough available rockets to fulfill its 2011 launch plans.
This is both good and bad: Russia appears to lack enough available rockets to fulfill its 2011 launch plans.
Leonardo cargo module installed on ISS
The Leonardo cargo module was permanently installed on ISS yesterday.
The Leonardo cargo module was permanently installed on ISS yesterday.
Traffic and more roads
Puncturing the myth that more roads mean more congestion Key quote:
Read enough of these studies and you get a sense that much of the induced-demand hubbub is really a sub rosa extension of the war on the suburbs: Stop highway expansion and you can make life miserable enough for the minivan-driving masses that they’ll move out of their gauche “urban-fringe developments” and back to high-density metropolitan cores, where they belong.
In reading the full essay, I was struck by how much the scientific campaign against road construction reminded me of climategate.
Puncturing the myth that more roads mean more congestion Key quote:
Read enough of these studies and you get a sense that much of the induced-demand hubbub is really a sub rosa extension of the war on the suburbs: Stop highway expansion and you can make life miserable enough for the minivan-driving masses that they’ll move out of their gauche “urban-fringe developments” and back to high-density metropolitan cores, where they belong.
In reading the full essay, I was struck by how much the scientific campaign against road construction reminded me of climategate.
X-37B launch set for March 4
The launch of the Air Force’s second X-37B is set for March 4.
The launch of the Air Force’s second X-37B is set for March 4.
29 Teams, One Purchased Ride, and One Mystery for The Google Lunar X Prize
29 teams, one purchased ride, and one mystery for the Google Lunar X Prize.
29 teams, one purchased ride, and one mystery for the Google Lunar X Prize.
Some thoughts on a government shutdown and NASA
Some thoughts on how a government shutdown would affect NASA.
Some thoughts on how a government shutdown would affect NASA.
Station photo op cancelled
The Soyuz fly-around of the space station to photograph it with the shuttle docked has been canceled.
The Soyuz fly-around of the space station to photograph it with the shuttle docked has been canceled.
Interior Secretary Salazar issues first Gulf of Mexico drilling permit since oil spill
Faced with pressure from Congress and the courts, Interior Secretary Salazar finally stopped stalling and issued late Monday the first Gulf of Mexico drilling permit since the BP oil spill.
Faced with pressure from Congress and the courts, Interior Secretary Salazar finally stopped stalling and issued late Monday the first Gulf of Mexico drilling permit since the BP oil spill.
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase.
As the 14 Wisconsin Democrats run, meet the numerous Illinois Tea Party activists giving chase.
For 50 Straight Weeks, the Majority Has Supported Repeal
Repeal Obamacare already! And for fifty straight weeks, the majority in every poll has agreed.
Repeal Obamacare already! And for fifty straight weeks, the majority in every poll has agreed.
Democratic lawmaker threatens female Republican lawmaker: “You Are F***king Dead!”
The civility of a mainstream Democrat lawmaker: “You Are F***king Dead!”
The civility of a mainstream Democrat lawmaker: “You Are F***king Dead!”