Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
“Our current unfunded entitlement liabilities run about $100 trillion.”
Federal funding for IPCC back in budget
The pigs win: Funding for the IPCC restored to budget in 2011 budget deal.
The pigs win: Funding for the IPCC restored to budget in 2011 budget deal.
No deal
No deal. Key quote:
If Democrats are not going to do even minor surgery on Medicare and Medicaid and Republicans are not going to raise taxes, there is no hope of big budget deal to cut a deficit now running at 11 percent of gross domestic product.
And that raises another question. How long can the Federal Reserve continue financing these deficits? China, choking on U.S. debt, is reportedly beginning to divest itself of U.S. bonds. Japan will need to sell U.S. bonds to get hard currency to repair the damage from the earthquake and tsunami. And the Fed is about to end its QE2 monthly purchases of $100 billion in U.S. bonds. Where is the Fed going to borrow the $125 billion a month to finance this year’s deficit of $1.65 trillion, and another of comparable size in 2012? Bill Gross’ Pimco, the world’s largest bond fund, has sold all his U.S. bonds and begun to short U.S. debt. Pimco is betting that the value of U.S. Treasury bonds will begin to fall.
We may be about to enter a maelstrom.
No deal. Key quote:
If Democrats are not going to do even minor surgery on Medicare and Medicaid and Republicans are not going to raise taxes, there is no hope of big budget deal to cut a deficit now running at 11 percent of gross domestic product.
And that raises another question. How long can the Federal Reserve continue financing these deficits? China, choking on U.S. debt, is reportedly beginning to divest itself of U.S. bonds. Japan will need to sell U.S. bonds to get hard currency to repair the damage from the earthquake and tsunami. And the Fed is about to end its QE2 monthly purchases of $100 billion in U.S. bonds. Where is the Fed going to borrow the $125 billion a month to finance this year’s deficit of $1.65 trillion, and another of comparable size in 2012? Bill Gross’ Pimco, the world’s largest bond fund, has sold all his U.S. bonds and begun to short U.S. debt. Pimco is betting that the value of U.S. Treasury bonds will begin to fall.
We may be about to enter a maelstrom.
Useful idiot hanged by Palestinians
Useful idiot: Pro-Palestinian activist murdered by Islamic Palestinians.
Useful idiot: Pro-Palestinian activist murdered by Islamic Palestinians.
Air Force and NRO ink deal with SpaceX
Who says there aren’t customers for the new rocket companies? The Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office have inked a deal with SpaceX, preliminary to using the company’s rockets to launch military satellites.
Who says there aren’t customers for the new rocket companies? The Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office have inked a deal with SpaceX, preliminary to using the company’s rockets to launch military satellites.
Congress removes wolf from endangered list
Congress removes the wolf from the endangered list. From Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana):
“Right now, Montana’s wolf population is out of balance and this provision will get us back on the responsible path with state management. Wolves have recovered in the Northern Rockies. By untying the hands of the Montana biologists who know how to keep the proper balance, we will restore healthy wildlife populations and we will protect livestock. This provision is best for our wildlife, our livestock and for wolves themselves.”
I don’t know if Tester’s description of the situation in Montana is accurate (though I tend to rely on local expertise in these matters). However, to get an opposing viewpoint the article above goes to the Center for Biological Diversity, an organization I do know something about. In caving matters relating to white nose syndrome, CBD has pushed extremist and outright ignorant policy positions (trying for example to have all caves and mines on all public lands closed in order to protect bats, even though there is literally no evidence that such an action made sense). I would not trust their opinions under any condition.
Congress removes the wolf from the endangered list. From Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana):
“Right now, Montana’s wolf population is out of balance and this provision will get us back on the responsible path with state management. Wolves have recovered in the Northern Rockies. By untying the hands of the Montana biologists who know how to keep the proper balance, we will restore healthy wildlife populations and we will protect livestock. This provision is best for our wildlife, our livestock and for wolves themselves.”
I don’t know if Tester’s description of the situation in Montana is accurate (though I tend to rely on local expertise in these matters). However, to get an opposing viewpoint the article above goes to the Center for Biological Diversity, an organization I do know something about. In caving matters relating to white nose syndrome, CBD has pushed extremist and outright ignorant policy positions (trying for example to have all caves and mines on all public lands closed in order to protect bats, even though there is literally no evidence that such an action made sense). I would not trust their opinions under any condition.
No Future For X-37B?
Why Houston Did Not Get A Shuttle
Wayne Hale: Why Houston did not get a shuttle.
Wayne Hale: Why Houston did not get a shuttle.
An asteroid that winks
An asteroid that winks.
An asteroid that winks.
Battery powered Chevy Volt produces more CO2 than an ordinary gasoline engine
The electric-powered Chevy Volt actually produces more CO2 than an ordinary gasoline engine!
I don’t know if the analysis in the above article is completely accurate, but it sure suggests that switching to electric cars over gasoline is not all that it’s cracked up to be, and is probably not a good idea.
The electric-powered Chevy Volt actually produces more CO2 than an ordinary gasoline engine!
I don’t know if the analysis in the above article is completely accurate, but it sure suggests that switching to electric cars over gasoline is not all that it’s cracked up to be, and is probably not a good idea.
Liquefaction
The real disaster in Japan continues: Liquefaction.
The real disaster in Japan continues: Liquefaction.
The WISE space telescope results go online
The WISE infrared space telescope results are now online, for anyone to search.
Data from the first 57 percent of the sky surveyed is accessible through an online public archive. The complete survey, with improved data processing, will be made available in the spring of 2012. A predecessor to WISE, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), served a similar role about 25 years ago, and those data are still valuable to astronomers today. Likewise, the WISE legacy is expected to endure for decades.
You can hunt for new asteroids, comets, and galaxies here, with instructions on how to do it here.
The WISE infrared space telescope results are now online, for anyone to search.
Data from the first 57 percent of the sky surveyed is accessible through an online public archive. The complete survey, with improved data processing, will be made available in the spring of 2012. A predecessor to WISE, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), served a similar role about 25 years ago, and those data are still valuable to astronomers today. Likewise, the WISE legacy is expected to endure for decades.
You can hunt for new asteroids, comets, and galaxies here, with instructions on how to do it here.
NASA Faces Awkward, Unfortunate Spaceflight Gap
Reality bites: NASA faces awkward, unfortunate spaceflight gap.
Reality bites: NASA faces awkward, unfortunate spaceflight gap.
House approves 2011 budget deal in 260-167 bipartisan vote
With substantial numbers of Republicans and Democrats voting against, the House today nonetheless approved last week’s budget deal for the 2011 fiscal year by a vote of 260-167.
Next important deadline: on May 16 or so the federal government should reach its debt limit.
With substantial numbers of Republicans and Democrats voting against, the House today nonetheless approved last week’s budget deal for the 2011 fiscal year by a vote of 260-167.
Next important deadline: on May 16 or so the federal government should reach its debt limit.
A revolt on the right over budget deal?
A revolt on the right over budget deal?
“There is a gut feeling in some quarters today that the Boehner-Obama deal could be in bigger trouble than anybody realizes.”
A revolt on the right over budget deal?
“There is a gut feeling in some quarters today that the Boehner-Obama deal could be in bigger trouble than anybody realizes.”
Marvel ends publication of Fantastic Four comic
After 588 issues, Marvel to end publication of the Fantastic Four comic book.
After 588 issues, Marvel to end publication of the Fantastic Four comic book.
The Obama adminstration in 8 charts
The squeals at NOAA
The pig squeals at NOAA: The agency’s administrator told Congress yesterday that the 2011 budget deal will cause great harm to weather monitoring.
Note that NOAA is getting $4.5 billion in the 2011 budget, $700 million more than the weather agency got in 2008.
Only in Washington is a budget increase of almost 20 percent in three years called a draconian cut.
The pig squeals at NOAA: The agency’s administrator told Congress yesterday that the 2011 budget deal will cause great harm to weather monitoring.
Note that NOAA is getting $4.5 billion in the 2011 budget, $700 million more than the weather agency got in 2008.
Only in Washington is a budget increase of almost 20 percent in three years called a draconian cut.
Budget problems might delay JWST until 2018
The telescope that ate astronomy: More budget problems for the James Webb Space Telescope, with its launch likely delayed again until 2018.
The telescope that ate astronomy: More budget problems for the James Webb Space Telescope, with its launch likely delayed again until 2018.
Experiment fails to find dark matter
The uncertainty of science: An underground experiment in Italy has failed to detect dark matter, as theorized by scientists.
In a paper published online last night, the XENON100 researchers report three events detected during a 100-day run of the experiment last year that might have been due to dark matter1. However, as they expected to see between 1.2 and 2.4 background events — interactions mostly caused by a radioactive contaminant in the xenon — their result is statistically negative and therefore rules out the existence of many of the more strongly interacting and heavier WIMPs.
The uncertainty of science: An underground experiment in Italy has failed to detect dark matter, as theorized by scientists.
In a paper published online last night, the XENON100 researchers report three events detected during a 100-day run of the experiment last year that might have been due to dark matter1. However, as they expected to see between 1.2 and 2.4 background events — interactions mostly caused by a radioactive contaminant in the xenon — their result is statistically negative and therefore rules out the existence of many of the more strongly interacting and heavier WIMPs.
Boeing moves forward on its commercial manned capsule
Boeing moves forward on its commercial manned capsule.
Boeing moves forward on its commercial manned capsule.
Budget deal cuts this year’s deficit by just $352 million, not $38 billion
They really do think we are all fools: Last week’s budget deal actually cuts this year’s deficit by only $352 million, not $38 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
And they might be right.
They really do think we are all fools: Last week’s budget deal actually cuts this year’s deficit by only $352 million, not $38 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
And they might be right.
Three Little Kittens
Support for health care law drops again
Repeal it, dammit! Support for Obamacare continues to plummet.
Repeal it, dammit! Support for Obamacare continues to plummet.
Obama to call for tax increases in tonight’s speech
Tone deaf: The day before tax day, Obama is expected tonight to call for more tax increases.
More here about what Obama is proposing.
I meanwhile ask this obvious question: Why didn’t Obama make this proposal in his earlier budget proposals? Could it be that he isn’t serious, and is simply responding to the pressure he is getting from the right?
Tone deaf: The day before tax day, Obama is expected tonight to call for more tax increases.
More here about what Obama is proposing.
I meanwhile ask this obvious question: Why didn’t Obama make this proposal in his earlier budget proposals? Could it be that he isn’t serious, and is simply responding to the pressure he is getting from the right?
Soviet space capsule sold for $2.9M at NYC auction
A Soviet-era Vostok space capsule, flown prior to Gagarin as a test, has sold for $2.9M at a New York auction.
A Soviet-era Vostok space capsule, flown prior to Gagarin as a test, has sold for $2.9M at a New York auction.
“Afterwards she broke down with crying because she really didn’t understand what she’d done wrong.”
More on TSA child abuse: “Afterwards she broke down with crying because she really didn’t understand what she’d done wrong.”
More on TSA child abuse: “Afterwards she broke down with crying because she really didn’t understand what she’d done wrong.”
‘Hope Sarah Palin Dies’ Page Is Still Up and Running on Facebook
Leftwing civility: The “I hate when I wake up and Sarah Palin is still alive” Facebook page is still up and running.
Leftwing civility: The “I hate when I wake up and Sarah Palin is still alive” Facebook page is still up and running.
Town Bans political signs in Public Park to silence Tea Party protest
Freedom of speech alert: A Michigan town passed a ban on all political signs in a public park in order to silence a Tea Party protest.`
Freedom of speech alert: A Michigan town passed a ban on all political signs in a public park in order to silence a Tea Party protest.`
Details on the $38 billion budget deal
Some details on the $38 billion budget deal.
Overall, it looks like more of the same, gimmicks disguised as budget cuts. Nonetheless, considering that most of government is still controlled by status quo spenders — in both parties — the deal is still a good one, as it clearly sets that political tone for the future: budget cuts and more budget cuts.
Some details on the $38 billion budget deal.
Overall, it looks like more of the same, gimmicks disguised as budget cuts. Nonetheless, considering that most of government is still controlled by status quo spenders — in both parties — the deal is still a good one, as it clearly sets that political tone for the future: budget cuts and more budget cuts.