Why ObamaCare killed child-only health plans
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, 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
The central organization of the religion of peace declares war on the US
The religion of peace strikes again! The Muslim Brotherhood, one of Islam’s most dominant political organizations, has declared war on the United States.
The religion of peace strikes again! The Muslim Brotherhood, one of Islam’s most dominant political organizations, has declared war on the United States.
Using ISS as a launching platform to get to the Moon
The various partners running the ISS are considering using it as a platform to launch an orbital manned mission to the Moon.
The various partners running the ISS are considering using it as a platform to launch an orbital manned mission to the Moon.
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.
Archeologists find 400,000 year old spears in coal mine
Archeologists have found 400,000 year old spears in what appears to have been an ancient lake shore hunting ground, suggesting that organized hunting occurred far sooner than previously believed.
Archeologists have found 400,000 year old spears in what appears to have been an ancient lake shore hunting ground, suggesting that organized hunting occurred far sooner than previously believed.
X-37B goes missing.
Spaceweather.com noted yesterday that the amateur astronomers have reported the X-37B space plane missing. It did not show up when expected, based on its known orbit. Key quote:
It’s possible that the X-37B has landed. More likely, the space plane has maneuvered into a new orbit and will be recovered again in the nights ahead.
Spaceweather.com noted yesterday that the amateur astronomers have reported the X-37B space plane missing. It did not show up when expected, based on its known orbit. Key quote:
It’s possible that the X-37B has landed. More likely, the space plane has maneuvered into a new orbit and will be recovered again in the nights ahead.
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
Shutting Up Business
Footage of SpaceShipTwo’s first solo flight
Mars’ geology suggests it once had rich carbon dioxide atmosphere
The discovery by scientists of carbonate rock deep below the Martian surface suggests the planet once had a rich carbon dioxide atmosphere. It also suggests that conditions might be more habitable for life deep underground.
The discovery by scientists of carbonate rock deep below the Martian surface suggests the planet once had a rich carbon dioxide atmosphere. It also suggests that conditions might be more habitable for life deep underground.
Rescue shaft breaks through to Chilean miners
Kitten massage therapy
Chilean miners are arguing about who should be the last to exit
Things must be looking up! The trapped Chilean miners are now arguing about who should be the last to exit.
Things must be looking up! The trapped Chilean miners are now arguing about who should be the last to exit.
Sunspots return to the Sun
After a three day stretch of blankness, a new sunspot has appeared on the Sun. The question remains: Have we now seen the last blank day for the just ending solar minimum?
After a three day stretch of blankness, a new sunspot has appeared on the Sun. The question remains: Have we now seen the last blank day for the just ending solar minimum?
Bolden ignores Congress with trip to China
The effort of NASA administrator Charles Bolden to increase cooperation with China is apparently in direct conflict with the wishes of Congress.
The effort of NASA administrator Charles Bolden to increase cooperation with China is apparently in direct conflict with the wishes of Congress.
Hayabusa particles mostly rocky
Japanese scientists have announced that the particles found in the Hayabusa return capsule are mostly made up of rocky materials.
Japanese scientists have announced that the particles found in the Hayabusa return capsule are mostly made up of rocky materials.
December Soyuz flight to ISS delayed due to damage
The December Soyuz flight to ISS will be delayed due to the damage the capsule received during its transport by rail to Baikonur.
The December Soyuz flight to ISS will be delayed due to the damage the capsule received during its transport by rail to Baikonur.
SpaceShipTwo makes its first solo flight and landing
Physicist resigns for American Physical Society over climategate
Physicist resigns from the American Physical Society over climategate. Key quote:
It is of course, the global warming scam, with the (literally) trillions of dollars driving it, that has corrupted so many scientists, and has carried APS before it like a rogue wave. It is the greatest and most successful pseudoscientific fraud I have seen in my long life as a physicist.
Physicist resigns from the American Physical Society over climategate. Key quote:
It is of course, the global warming scam, with the (literally) trillions of dollars driving it, that has corrupted so many scientists, and has carried APS before it like a rogue wave. It is the greatest and most successful pseudoscientific fraud I have seen in my long life as a physicist.
An engineer’s guide to cats
A Night to Remember
An evening pause: With the death of film director Roy Ward Baker yesterday, I think it appropriate to watch a clip from one of his classics, A Night to Remember (1958). This understated but frighteningly powerful film captured the reality of the Titanic’s sinking in a style that is unfortunately rare today.
The Sci-Fi Airshow
Chile miners should be reached ‘within hours’
The shaft to rescue the trapped Chilean miners should reach them ‘within hours’, according to this BBC report.
The shaft to rescue the trapped Chilean miners should reach them ‘within hours’, according to this BBC report.
Asteroids of note
At today’s press conference at the 42nd meeting of the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences, the topic was asteroids, including one which holds the possibility of hitting the Earth.
- 65 Cybele has been found to have water ice and organic molecules on its surface, the second such asteroid so found. Key quote from the abstract:
We conclude that 65 Cybele is covered by fine anhydrous silicate grains, with a small amount of water-ice and complex organic solids. This is similar to comets where non-equilibrium phases coexist, e.g. water-ice and anhydrous silicates; thus we conclude that this is a very primitive object.
According to Humberto Campins of the University of Central Florida, this combination of water and organics could become hospitable to life should some form of energy be added, such as an impact to the asteroid.
- The origin of the asteroid Phaethon, cause of the Geminids meteor shower, has been traced to the Pallas family of asteroids, a family created by the debris thrown out during a crater impact on the large asteroid Pallas. Campins also noted that this proves Phaethon is an asteroid and not a comet, a question that astronomers had been debating beforehand. Read the abstract here.
- Asteroid 1999 RQ36, which has a 1 in a 1000 chance hitting the Earth in 2182 and is also the prime target of a proposed NASA sample return mission, has now been determined to be a member of the Polana family of asteroids. This makes 1999 RQ36 a very primitive asteroid from the very beginnings of the solar system. Moreover, this suggests that the Polana family could be the “most important” source of many near Earth asteroids. The abstract can be found here.
Preliminary rescue date for Chilean miners set
This graphic summarizes the effort underway to rescue the 33 trapped Chilean miners, including noting the October 10 target rescue date.
This graphic summarizes the effort underway to rescue the 33 trapped Chilean miners, including noting the October 10 target rescue date.
Saudis arrest Filipino Catholics for practicing their Catholic religion
Islamic tolerance on parade! A dozen Filipino Catholics and their priest were arrested by Saudi police last week, simply for gathering to practice their Catholic religion. More from Robert Spencer.
Islamic tolerance on parade! A dozen Filipino Catholics and their priest were arrested by Saudi police last week, simply for gathering to practice their Catholic religion. More from Robert Spencer.
A Tea Party in Maryland
Last night I attended the most recent meeting of the Maryland Society of Patriots, a tea party group that was founded back in 2009. Attendance was pretty typical, with about fifty people filling the meeting room of the local library in Burtonsville, Maryland. As usual, Sam Hale, the founder of the group, had garnered a range of candidates to speak to us, including Eric Wargotz, the Republican candidate for the Senator, running against Barbara Mikulski (D-Maryland).
For Wargotz, the questions got a bit heated at one point, as one member of the audience wanted to know his commitment to defending the Constitution.
What makes this group significant is that the majority of its members come from very Democratic districts. Yet, not only has attendance been high at almost every meeting, the membership has including a wide range of ordinary people, most of whom have never done politicial activitism in their lives.
This is Eric Cary, who is running for the Maryland State Senate. I’ve included more pictures below the fold. » Read more
Dingel trails in Detroit
Holy mackerel! John Dingell (D-Michigan) trails GOP challenger by four points in Detroit. This in a city that has voted Democrat from 93% to 96% in the last three general elections.
Holy mackerel! John Dingell (D-Michigan) trails GOP challenger by four points in Detroit. This in a city that has voted Democrat from 93% to 96% in the last three general elections.
Global hurricane activity at 33-year low
Didn’t Al Gore tell us that we were going to get more big storms? The global hurricane activity is at 33-year low.
Didn’t Al Gore tell us that we were going to get more big storms? The global hurricane activity is at 33-year low.
JPL scientists demand correction of White House statements before Supreme Court
Federal government spending rose 9% in 2010
So, Congressman Hare (D-Illinois), is the debt still a myth? According to numbers released today by the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government’s spending rose 9% in 2010, for a total deficit of $1.291 trillion.
So, Congressman Hare (D-Illinois), is the debt still a myth? According to numbers released today by the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government’s spending rose 9% in 2010, for a total deficit of $1.291 trillion.