“We need to protect our authority.”
O really? “We need to protect our authority.”
O really? “We need to protect our authority.”
Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
“We need to protect our authority.”
“Space beer,” one giant leap for mankind
“For example, many metals burn more easily in reduced gravity, liquids behave differently, both of which have important implications for safety and the way machinery and equipment operate in spacecraft and space stations. The beer experiments assisted in determining the correct level of carbonation, so that it can in the future be appropriately enjoyed by humans in reduced gravity,”
“For example, many metals burn more easily in reduced gravity, liquids behave differently, both of which have important implications for safety and the way machinery and equipment operate in spacecraft and space stations. The beer experiments assisted in determining the correct level of carbonation, so that it can in the future be appropriately enjoyed by humans in reduced gravity,”
Obama will attend last Endeavour launch; Rep. Giffords also expected
Politicians go sightseeing: Obama will attend the last Endeavour launch; Rep. Giffords is also expected to attend.
Giffords makes sense, as her husband will be on the flight. Obama is merely taking another of his numerous breaks from work to get a last look at a program he helped kill.
Politicians go sightseeing: Obama will attend the last Endeavour launch; Rep. Giffords is also expected to attend.
Giffords makes sense, as her husband will be on the flight. Obama is merely taking another of his numerous breaks from work to get a last look at a program he helped kill.
Government Cash Handouts Now Top Tax Revenues
Time is truly running out: The federal government’s cash handouts to all households now exceed what those households pay in tax.
Time is truly running out: The federal government’s cash handouts to all households now exceed what those households pay in tax.
Budget chaos at NASA causes ESA to halt work on its own Mars orbiter and rover
Sounds crazy, but it’s true: The budget chaos at NASA has caused the ESA to halt work on its own Mars orbiter and rover.
Sounds crazy, but it’s true: The budget chaos at NASA has caused the ESA to halt work on its own Mars orbiter and rover.
Saturn and Enceladus linked by electricity
Saturn and Enceladus linked by electricity.
Saturn and Enceladus linked by electricity.
India launches three satellites on single rocket
India has successfully launched three satellites using its low-Earth-orbit rocket.
The launch could not have come at a more apt time than now. The old reliable workhorse vehicle was last used in a July 2010 launch. ISRO’s next two launches of the indigenous higher-powered GSLV failed.
India has successfully launched three satellites using its low-Earth-orbit rocket.
The launch could not have come at a more apt time than now. The old reliable workhorse vehicle was last used in a July 2010 launch. ISRO’s next two launches of the indigenous higher-powered GSLV failed.
University of Iowa Professor Tells College Republicans to “F” Off
Leftwing civility: A University of Iowa professor tells college Republicans to “F” off.
Leftwing civility: A University of Iowa professor tells college Republicans to “F” off.
Barack Obama at the Pearly Gates
Barack Obama at the pearly gates.
Having arrived at the Gates of Heaven, Barrack Obama meets a man with a beard. ‘Are you Mohammed?’ he asks. “No my son, I am St. Peter; Mohammed is higher up.” Peter then points to a ladder that rises into the clouds. . . .
Barack Obama at the pearly gates.
Having arrived at the Gates of Heaven, Barrack Obama meets a man with a beard. ‘Are you Mohammed?’ he asks. “No my son, I am St. Peter; Mohammed is higher up.” Peter then points to a ladder that rises into the clouds. . . .
Global warming advocate discovers that anti-nuclear activists lie!
Confusion in the environmentalism movement: A global warming activist discovers that anti-nuclear activists lie!
Confusion in the environmentalism movement: A global warming activist discovers that anti-nuclear activists lie!
Sift through Kepler data and find exoplanets
Got some spare time for original science? Volunteers wanted to sift through the Kepler data to find exoplanets.
Got some spare time for original science? Volunteers wanted to sift through the Kepler data to find exoplanets.
Pluto’s atmosphere is expanding, and scientists don’t know why
Pluto’s atmosphere is expanding, and scientists don’t know why.
Pluto travels along a highly elliptical path and last passed closest to the sun in 1989. Many planetary scientists expected the atmosphere to shrink as the icy orb began receding from the sun’s warmth. The unanticipated expansion may be related to changes in the darkness of the orb’s surface a decade or so ago, which may have caused the surface ices to absorb more solar radiation and more efficiently evaporate. Or, Greaves suggests, long-term variations in the sun’s ultraviolet output, changes linked to the roughly 11-year cycle of solar activity, may be playing a role.
Pluto’s atmosphere is expanding, and scientists don’t know why.
Pluto travels along a highly elliptical path and last passed closest to the sun in 1989. Many planetary scientists expected the atmosphere to shrink as the icy orb began receding from the sun’s warmth. The unanticipated expansion may be related to changes in the darkness of the orb’s surface a decade or so ago, which may have caused the surface ices to absorb more solar radiation and more efficiently evaporate. Or, Greaves suggests, long-term variations in the sun’s ultraviolet output, changes linked to the roughly 11-year cycle of solar activity, may be playing a role.
Met Office chief says he has received death threats from climate change skeptics
This is wrong, if true: The chief of the UK’s Met Office said yesterday that he has received death threats from climate change skeptics.
A Met Office spokesman confirmed Mr Hirst had received death threats made in a number of ”unsavoury emails”, but said they were ”isolated incidents” and the organisation had not felt it necessary to involve the police.
This is wrong, if true: The chief of the UK’s Met Office said yesterday that he has received death threats from climate change skeptics.
A Met Office spokesman confirmed Mr Hirst had received death threats made in a number of ”unsavoury emails”, but said they were ”isolated incidents” and the organisation had not felt it necessary to involve the police.
Exploring London’s abandoned Mail Rail subway system
Exploring London’s abandoned Mail Rail subway system.
Exploring London’s abandoned Mail Rail subway system.
Orion Program Shrinking To Save Money, Time
More on the incredibly shrinking Orion program.
It ain’t gonna fly, and if I’m wrong and it does, it will accomplish little in the process — except spend a lot of pork money we no longer can afford.
More on the incredibly shrinking Orion program.
It ain’t gonna fly, and if I’m wrong and it does, it will accomplish little in the process — except spend a lot of pork money we no longer can afford.
State agency spends $73,000 giving out “6,000 red superhero capes” to the unemployed
Our government at work: Red superhero capes for the unemployed!
Our government at work: Red superhero capes for the unemployed!
“You have the right not to pray.”
Medicine in space does not have the right stuff
Medicine in space does not have the right stuff.
After 28 months, the medication stored in space generally had a lower potency and degraded faster than those stored on the ground. Six medications on the space station underwent physical changes, such as discoloration and liquefaction, while such changes only occurred in two medications stored on the ground.
Medicine in space does not have the right stuff.
After 28 months, the medication stored in space generally had a lower potency and degraded faster than those stored on the ground. Six medications on the space station underwent physical changes, such as discoloration and liquefaction, while such changes only occurred in two medications stored on the ground.
Could black trees blossom in a world with two suns?
India’s problems in space
NASA Awards Next Set Of Commercial Crew Development Agreements
NASA has awarded the next set of commercial crew development agreements, giving contracts worth from $22 to $92 million to four companies, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, SpaceX, and Boeing. More here and here.
The amounts that NASA is giving these companies is minuscule, compared the monies spent on the program-formerly-called-Constellation. Yet I bet they all get their rockets/capsules launched and in operation, supplying cargos and crews to low Earth orbit, before NASA even test fires its heavy-lift rocket.
NASA has awarded the next set of commercial crew development agreements, giving contracts worth from $22 to $92 million to four companies, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada, SpaceX, and Boeing. More here and here.
The amounts that NASA is giving these companies is minuscule, compared the monies spent on the program-formerly-called-Constellation. Yet I bet they all get their rockets/capsules launched and in operation, supplying cargos and crews to low Earth orbit, before NASA even test fires its heavy-lift rocket.
Christian protesters in France destroy “Piss Christ” and other anti-christian art
Christian protesters in France destroy “Piss Christ” and other anti-christian art on display in a museum.
As inappropriate and disgusting I might consider this art, it is not good for westerners to lower themselves to Islamic standards.
Christian protesters in France destroy “Piss Christ” and other anti-christian art on display in a museum.
As inappropriate and disgusting I might consider this art, it is not good for westerners to lower themselves to Islamic standards.
“Wear a headscarf or we will kill you.”
In London: “Wear a headscarf or we will kill you.”
In London: “Wear a headscarf or we will kill you.”
The UN loses the 50 million climate refugees that they predicted in 2005 would exist by 2010
The UN loses 50 million nonexistent climate refugees, predicted by them in 2005 to overwhelm us by 2010.
The UN loses 50 million nonexistent climate refugees, predicted by them in 2005 to overwhelm us by 2010.
Always Forgetting Passwords? I’m With the Government, and I’m Here to Help
What could possible go wrong? The Obama administration on Friday proposed that all your private passwords be replaced by a single credential, issued and controlled by the federal government.
What could possible go wrong? The Obama administration on Friday proposed that all your private passwords be replaced by a single credential, issued and controlled by the federal government.
Bolden says Orion to be scaled back
Surprise! NASA administrator Charles Bolden told lawmakers on Monday that with the new budget the Orion capsule had to be scaled back somehow.
Watch over the next few years as Orion and the new heavy-lift vehicle (the program-formerly-called-Constellation) slowly evaporate, even as both cost us billions in money we no longer can afford.
Surprise! NASA administrator Charles Bolden told lawmakers on Monday that with the new budget the Orion capsule had to be scaled back somehow.
Watch over the next few years as Orion and the new heavy-lift vehicle (the program-formerly-called-Constellation) slowly evaporate, even as both cost us billions in money we no longer can afford.
China finds SpaceX’s launch prices challenging
Competition! China finds SpaceX’s launch prices low — and a challenge to meet.
Declining to speak for attribution, the Chinese officials say they find the published prices on the SpaceX website very low for the services offered, and concede they could not match them with the Long March series of launch vehicles even if it were possible for them to launch satellites with U.S. components in them.
Competition! China finds SpaceX’s launch prices low — and a challenge to meet.
Declining to speak for attribution, the Chinese officials say they find the published prices on the SpaceX website very low for the services offered, and concede they could not match them with the Long March series of launch vehicles even if it were possible for them to launch satellites with U.S. components in them.
TSA security looks at people who complain about … TSA security
So you think you have freedom of speech? The TSA specifically singles out people who complain about TSA security.
So you think you have freedom of speech? The TSA specifically singles out people who complain about TSA security.
SWAT Team Sent In to Confiscate 13-Year-Old Over Unneeded Medication
Our land of freedom: SWAT team sent in to confiscate 13-year-old over unneeded medication.
Our land of freedom: SWAT team sent in to confiscate 13-year-old over unneeded medication.