Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black., You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
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Soaring Hoover Dam bypass bridge finally complete
Upsets in northern California?
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon, any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
South Carolina man ordered by the government to remove religious signs from his property
A South Carolina man has been ordered by his local county government to remove religious signs on his own property or face fines. He is suing.
A South Carolina man has been ordered by his local county government to remove religious signs on his own property or face fines. He is suing.
Competing interests could spell a troubled future for NASA
According to this Nature article, competing political interests spell a troubled future for NASA, despite Obama’s signing of the authorization bill on Monday. Didn’t someone already predict this, months ago?
According to this Nature article, competing political interests spell a troubled future for NASA, despite Obama’s signing of the authorization bill on Monday. Didn’t someone already predict this, months ago?
Now available in hardback and paperback as well as ebook!
From the press release: In this ground-breaking new history of early America, historian Robert Zimmerman not only exposes the lie behind The New York Times 1619 Project that falsely claims slavery is central to the history of the United States, he also provides profound lessons about the nature of human societies, lessons important for Americans today as well as for all future settlers on Mars and elsewhere in space.
Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space, is a riveting page-turning story that documents how slavery slowly became pervasive in the southern British colonies of North America, colonies founded by a people and culture that not only did not allow slavery but in every way were hostile to the practice.
Conscious Choice does more however. In telling the tragic history of the Virginia colony and the rise of slavery there, Zimmerman lays out the proper path for creating healthy societies in places like the Moon and Mars.
“Zimmerman’s ground-breaking history provides every future generation the basic framework for establishing new societies on other worlds. We would be wise to heed what he says.” —Robert Zubrin, founder of the Mars Society.
All editions are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all book vendors, with the ebook priced at $5.99 before discount. All editions can also be purchased direct from the ebook publisher, ebookit, in which case you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
Autographed printed copies are also available at discount directly from the author (hardback $29.95; paperback $14.95; Shipping cost for either: $6.00). Just send an email to zimmerman @ nasw dot org.
Hubble tracks the aftermath of a possible asteroid collision
Using the Hubble Space Telescope over the last ten months, astronomers have tracked the decaying aftermath of a possible asteroid collision. Key quote:
Astronomers think a smaller rock, perhaps 10 to 15 feet wide, slammed into the larger one. The pair probably collided at high speed, about 11,000 mph, which smashed and vaporized the small asteroid and stripped material from the larger one. Jewitt estimates that the violent encounter happened in February or March 2009 and was as powerful as the detonation of a small atomic bomb.
The image sequence below, taken from the original paper describing the discovery [pdf], shows the slow changes that have occurred since January. At the moment scientists do not have an satisfactory explanation for the nucleus’s X-shaped pattern in the earliest images.
Last Chilean miner reaches the surface safely
The last Chilean miner has reached the surface safely. Key quote from one of the miners in answer to a question about their future as media stars:
“The only thing I’ll ask of you is that you don’t treat me as an artist or a journalist, but as a miner. I was born a miner and I’ll die a miner.”
The last Chilean miner has reached the surface safely. Key quote from one of the miners in answer to a question about their future as media stars:
“The only thing I’ll ask of you is that you don’t treat me as an artist or a journalist, but as a miner. I was born a miner and I’ll die a miner.”
Leaving Earth: Space Stations, Rival Superpowers, and the Quest for Interplanetary Travel, can be purchased as an ebook everywhere for only $3.99 (before discount) at amazon, Barnes & Noble, all ebook vendors, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big oppressive tech companies and I get a bigger cut much sooner.
Winner of the 2003 Eugene M. Emme Award of the American Astronautical Society.
"Leaving Earth is one of the best and certainly the most comprehensive summary of our drive into space that I have ever read. It will be invaluable to future scholars because it will tell them how the next chapter of human history opened." -- Arthur C. Clarke
Most Incredible Volcano Footage Ever
We won’t release our contributors because the adminstration will then harass them
Is this how a government in a free society functions? The Chamber of Commerce won’t release its contributors because they fear the administration will harass and threaten them. And they have experience to back that fear up. Key quote:
What this administration wants is a list of who the companies are who are contributors, and we saw last year . . .when we very publicly ran ads against the Patients Protections and Affordable Care Act . . . there was an attempt to try and find out who were the corporations that were contributing to that effort. When some of those corporate names were divulged, not by us, by others, what did they receive? They received protests, they received threats, they were intimidated, they were harassed, they had to hire additional security, they were recipients of a host of proxies leveled at those companies that had nothing to do with the purpose of those companies. So we know what the purpose here is. It’s to harass and intimidate. [emphasis mine]
That the White House and President Obama are right now willing to accuse their opponents of all manner of evils (taking money from foreign governments) without any evidence is further evidence that there are reasons to fear them.
MTV Denies That Obama Telecast Is Political
How stupid do they really think people are? MTV and Viacom deny that a one hour Obama telecast only three weeks before the election, A Conversation with President Obama, is not political and does not require them to give equal time to Republicans. Note that the White House came up with the idea, and that the audience is being pre-screened in advance.
How stupid do they really think people are? MTV and Viacom deny that a one hour Obama telecast only three weeks before the election, A Conversation with President Obama, is not political and does not require them to give equal time to Republicans. Note that the White House came up with the idea, and that the audience is being pre-screened in advance.
ObamaCare will result in increased out-of-pocket costs for seniors
Surprise, surprise! The healthcare bill passed in March will result in increased out-of-pocket costs for seniors, according to Medicare officials.
Surprise, surprise! The healthcare bill passed in March will result in increased out-of-pocket costs for seniors, according to Medicare officials.
More details of SpaceShipTwo’s test flight from pilot
Democrats face 60 to 70 seat loss, according to leftwing press
Something’s coming: According to the generally leftwing Huffington Post, the Democrats now face a 60 to 70 seat loss in the House on November 2.
Something’s coming: According to the generally leftwing Huffington Post, the Democrats now face a 60 to 70 seat loss in the House on November 2.
Media mayhem mars family’s joy at Chile mine rescue
EPA Funnels Taxpayer Money to Dozens of Liberal Community Activist Groups
Proof that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has more to do with propaganda and politics than regulation: “EPA funnels taxpayer money to dozens of liberal community activist groups.” I especially like this one:
A grant recipient in Appalachia — the heart of coal country — will teach households in Franklin County, Ky., how to reduce household greenhouse gas emissions. The project called “Lighten Up, Frankfort!” will use the book “The Low Carbon Diet” to guide households through a series of actions to reduce their household energy use. The actions include “empowering” people to “lose unwanted pounds.”
Proof that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has more to do with propaganda and politics than regulation: “EPA funnels taxpayer money to dozens of liberal community activist groups.” I especially like this one:
A grant recipient in Appalachia — the heart of coal country — will teach households in Franklin County, Ky., how to reduce household greenhouse gas emissions. The project called “Lighten Up, Frankfort!” will use the book “The Low Carbon Diet” to guide households through a series of actions to reduce their household energy use. The actions include “empowering” people to “lose unwanted pounds.”
APS responds to Harold Lewis’s resignation letter
The American Physical Society has responded to Harold Lewis’s resignation letter.
It appears from their response that they are feeling some pressure about their past position, which stated “The evidence is incontrovertible: Global warming is occurring.” Compare that with what they say now, in their response to Lewis:
APS continues to recognize that climate models are far from adequate, and the extent of global warming and climatic disruptions produced by sustained increases in atmospheric carbon loading remain uncertain.
How nice. A science organization recognizing the uncertainty of science!
More details of the Chilean mine rescue
More details about the Chilean mine rescue. Updated and bumped. The first few miners are up on the surface, safe and sound, with the rescue operation continuing.
More details about the Chilean mine rescue. Updated and bumped. The first few miners are up on the surface, safe and sound, with the rescue operation continuing.
Hayseed Dixie: she was skinny When I met her
The first powered flight of SpaceShipTwo could come before year’s end
Habitable exoplanet might not exist
The uncertainty of science: The extrasolar planet discovered orbiting Gliese 581 in its habitable zone might not exist, according to other scientists.
The uncertainty of science: The extrasolar planet discovered orbiting Gliese 581 in its habitable zone might not exist, according to other scientists.
The World’s First Everything-Proof Underground Luxury Community
The world’s first everything-proof underground luxury community. Fun quote:
The Barstow bunker was built to withstand a 50-megaton nuclear blast 10 miles away, 450mph winds, a magnitude-10 earthquake, 10 days of 1,250°F surface fires, and three weeks beneath any flood. Vicino says that a soon-to-be-installed air-filtration system will also neutralize any biological, chemical or nuclear attacks. The Barstow branch will stock enough food and clothing to sustain 135 people for at least a year, and in a lifestyle that Vicino describes as compact but luxurious, like being on a cruise ship.
The world’s first everything-proof underground luxury community. Fun quote:
The Barstow bunker was built to withstand a 50-megaton nuclear blast 10 miles away, 450mph winds, a magnitude-10 earthquake, 10 days of 1,250°F surface fires, and three weeks beneath any flood. Vicino says that a soon-to-be-installed air-filtration system will also neutralize any biological, chemical or nuclear attacks. The Barstow branch will stock enough food and clothing to sustain 135 people for at least a year, and in a lifestyle that Vicino describes as compact but luxurious, like being on a cruise ship.
The first trapped miner about to hauled free
The first trapped Chilean miner is expected to be hauled from the mine sometime before midnight tonight.
The first trapped Chilean miner is expected to be hauled from the mine sometime before midnight tonight.
The possibilities for China’s Chang’e 2 lunar probe
The 500th extrasolar planet about to be discovered
Based on the pace of discovery, scientists expect to discover the 500th extrasolar planet by the end of October.
Based on the pace of discovery, scientists expect to discover the 500th extrasolar planet by the end of October.
A lost Michelangelo painting found in Buffalo, NY home
The state of NASA’s commercial crew program
The state of NASA’s commercial crew program. Key quote:
The Obama administration requested $3.3 billion for commercial crew services over the next three years, but a so-called compromise bill forged in the Senate slashed the proposal in half. After months of heated contention, the House of Representatives finally agreed to the Senate authorization bill in late September, calling for $1.6 billion for the commercial program.
The state of NASA’s commercial crew program. Key quote:
The Obama administration requested $3.3 billion for commercial crew services over the next three years, but a so-called compromise bill forged in the Senate slashed the proposal in half. After months of heated contention, the House of Representatives finally agreed to the Senate authorization bill in late September, calling for $1.6 billion for the commercial program.
Five Chilean miners ‘originally formed breakway group’
Asteroid to zip past Earth on Tuesday
A 20 foot diameter asteroid is going to zip past the Earth on Tuesday, passing over East Asia only 28,000 miles away.
A 20 foot diameter asteroid is going to zip past the Earth on Tuesday, passing over East Asia only 28,000 miles away.
Obama signs the NASA authorization bill
Obama signed the NASA authorization bill today.
Update and bumped: This Spaceflight Now article includes this quote from Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida):
“What is in this bill is $11.5 billion over the next six years, anticipated, even though it’s a three-year authorization, for development and testing of a heavy lift rocket. Now if we can’t develop a new rocket for $11.5 billion, building on a lot of the technologies that were already developed in spending $9 billion (on the Constellation program’s Ares rockets), if we can’t do it for that, then we ought to question whether or not we can build a rocket.”
Based on NASA’s track record in trying to build a replacement to the shuttle, I remain very skeptical indeed whether NASA can build this rocket. I do hope, however, that my skepticism is proven wrong.
Note also that the funding for this authorization bill is as yet not appropriated. Plans to do so during the lame duck session of Congress after the elections remain fraught with problems.