TSA apologizes to man whose pat down caused him to be drenched in urine
Progress! TSA apologizes to man whose pat down caused him to be drenched in urine.
Progress! TSA apologizes to man whose pat down caused him to be drenched in urine.
Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
TSA apologizes to man whose pat down caused him to be drenched in urine
NASA solar sail reaches orbit
A prototype solar sail was launched from Alaska on Friday. If it unfurls as planned, it will be the U.S.’s first solar sail success after several failures.
A prototype solar sail was launched from Alaska on Friday. If it unfurls as planned, it will be the U.S.’s first solar sail success after several failures.
500th exoplanet found
The numbering ain’t really that precise, but today scientists announced the discovery of the 500th extrasolar planet.
The numbering ain’t really that precise, but today scientists announced the discovery of the 500th extrasolar planet.
FAA issues license to SpaceX to allow it to land its Dragon capsule
Better late than never: The FAA today issued a license to SpaceX, allowing it to bring its Dragon capsule back to Earth after launch.
Better late than never: The FAA today issued a license to SpaceX, allowing it to bring its Dragon capsule back to Earth after launch.
On the road
Sorry about the late posting, as I spent the day on the road, driving halfway across the country (rather than fly and get treated like a criminal).
Sorry about the late posting, as I spent the day on the road, driving halfway across the country (rather than fly and get treated like a criminal).
TSA Confiscates Camera of Woman filming man stripped to underwear
More airport insanity. The TSA confiscated the camera of a woman filming the arrest of a man who decided to strip down to his underwear rather than go through the pat down. Note that man got arrested, not for taking off his clothes, but for refusing to put them back on so the TSA security guards could then give him the pat down.
Update: link fixed. Sorry about that!
More airport insanity. The TSA confiscated the camera of a woman filming the arrest of a man who decided to strip down to his underwear rather than go through the pat down. Note that man got arrested, not for taking off his clothes, but for refusing to put them back on so the TSA security guards could then give him the pat down.
Update: link fixed. Sorry about that!
TSA pat-down leaves traveler covered in urine
TSA pat-down leaves traveler covered in urine. Key quote:
“Every time I tried to tell them about my medical condition, they said they didn’t need to know about that.”
TSA pat-down leaves traveler covered in urine. Key quote:
“Every time I tried to tell them about my medical condition, they said they didn’t need to know about that.”
Update on trapped New Zealand mine rescue
An update on the efforts to rescue 29 trapped New Zealand miners.
An update on the efforts to rescue 29 trapped New Zealand miners.
TSA management loves the pat downs
Meanwhile, TSA management has its head up our ass, insisting that everyone who enters the security area submit to its abuse or face heavy fines.
Meanwhile, TSA management has its head up our ass, insisting that everyone who enters the security area submit to its abuse or face heavy fines.
TSA agents hate pat downs
Even the TSA agents know how stupid and ugly the new security procedures are. That they hate the more aggressive pat downs means everyone should insist on them, if only to increase the chances they will finally decide it ain’t worth doing them.
Even the TSA agents know how stupid and ugly the new security procedures are. That they hate the more aggressive pat downs means everyone should insist on them, if only to increase the chances they will finally decide it ain’t worth doing them.
X-34s moved from storage
Via Clark Lindsey, it appears that NASA has taken from storage its two X-34 suborbital spaceships and is considering returning the ships to flight status.
Via Clark Lindsey, it appears that NASA has taken from storage its two X-34 suborbital spaceships and is considering returning the ships to flight status.
Virgin and KLM – the new space race?
The new space race: Virgin Galactic and KLM Airlines.
The new space race: Virgin Galactic and KLM Airlines.
Another TSA stupidity of the day
While sexually abusing the rest of America, Homeland Security head Napolitano is considering allowing Muslim women to pat themselves down at airports.
While sexually abusing the rest of America, Homeland Security head Napolitano is considering allowing Muslim women to pat themselves down at airports.
TSA stupidity of the day
TSA stupidity of the day: Nail clipper bad! Assault rifle good!
TSA stupidity of the day: Nail clipper bad! Assault rifle good!
Pluto a planet?
Scientists are once again debating whether Pluto really is a planet.
Scientists are once again debating whether Pluto really is a planet.
Future tests of SpaceShipTwo will be even more challenging
Hooray for private space! Future tests of SpaceShipTwo will be even more challenging.
Hooray for private space! Future tests of SpaceShipTwo will be even more challenging.
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
Former Shuttle Manager Decries NASA’s Commercial Crew Safety Regs
A deal with the devil: Former shuttle manager decries NASA’s commercial crew safety regulations. Key quote:
The U.S. government did not always rely on voluminous specifications to safeguard pilots or astronauts, Hale said, citing requirements for the first U.S. military aircraft which covered only 2.5 pages and those of NASA’s Gemini capsule which were about 12 pages long.
A deal with the devil: Former shuttle manager decries NASA’s commercial crew safety regulations. Key quote:
The U.S. government did not always rely on voluminous specifications to safeguard pilots or astronauts, Hale said, citing requirements for the first U.S. military aircraft which covered only 2.5 pages and those of NASA’s Gemini capsule which were about 12 pages long.
Wind and solar energy bankrupt
Maybe these businesses are simply not economically viable? Faced with the end of federal grants, the wind and solar power industries are pushing for more federal money or legal mandates to prop up their business.
Maybe these businesses are simply not economically viable? Faced with the end of federal grants, the wind and solar power industries are pushing for more federal money or legal mandates to prop up their business.
It came from another galaxy
It came from another galaxy.
It came from another galaxy.
A gas explosion in New Zealand coal mine, trapping 27
Gas explosion today in a New Zealand coal mine has trapped 27 miners.
Gas explosion today in a New Zealand coal mine has trapped 27 miners.
The Climate Coincidence
“She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’.
Our TSA at work: “She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’.
Our TSA at work: “She put her full hand on my breast and said, ‘What is this?’.
NPR funds approved by Democrats, rejected by Republicans
The future of funding for public radio in the next Congress truly looks dim. NPR had zero Republican support in a funding bill approved by Democrats on Thursday,
The future of funding for public radio in the next Congress truly looks dim. NPR had zero Republican support in a funding bill approved by Democrats on Thursday,
What Obama Fails to Understand
What Obama fails to understand.
What Obama fails to understand.
How the U.S. Snoops on Russian Nukes From Space
How the U.S. snoops on Russian nukes from space.
How the U.S. snoops on Russian nukes from space.
SpaceShipTwo completes its third glide flight
Hooray for private space! SpaceShipTwo successfully completed its third glide flight yesterday.
Hooray for private space! SpaceShipTwo successfully completed its third glide flight yesterday.
Shuttle launch no earlier than December 3
NASA managers have once again delayed the launch of Discovery, now set for no earlier than December 3.
NASA managers have once again delayed the launch of Discovery, now set for no earlier than December 3.
Brian Marsden dies
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.
The climategate email anniversary
Some cogent thoughts from James Delingpole about climate politics on the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails and the refusal of the elite ruling class to address the issue. Key quote:
And why is this so? In part, at least, it is because of the abject, ongoing failure of our Mainstream Media to report environmental issues with the robust scepticism that ought to be the natural tack of responsible journalists. Too many environmental reporters are still regurgitating press releases handed to them by activist organisations like the WWF, Greenpeace and Friends Of The Earth. In the MSM, as in government, it’s like Climategate never happened.
Some cogent thoughts from James Delingpole about climate politics on the one year anniversary of the release of the climategate emails and the refusal of the elite ruling class to address the issue. Key quote:
And why is this so? In part, at least, it is because of the abject, ongoing failure of our Mainstream Media to report environmental issues with the robust scepticism that ought to be the natural tack of responsible journalists. Too many environmental reporters are still regurgitating press releases handed to them by activist organisations like the WWF, Greenpeace and Friends Of The Earth. In the MSM, as in government, it’s like Climategate never happened.