Cinque Terre
An evening pause: I am actually not in Italy, but off in southern Arizona this weekend on a cave survey project. But I must admit, this video makes this part of Italy very tempting.
Paul Speer – Gobi
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
Visiting a nuclear missile silo
A fuel line for the Titan missile.
Last week my oldest friend Lloyd and his wife Denise came to visit Diane and I here in Tucson. One of Lloyd’s requests was to visit the Tucson Missile Museum. This museum is built at the site of one of the now disabled missile silos built in the 1960s as a means for launching nuclear weapons against the Soviet Union. Fifty-four silos total had been built and operated, with eighteen of those silos scattered around the Tucson, Arizona area. When the U.S. signed a nuclear arms treaty with the Soviet Union in the 1980s these silos were then shut down and sold. Some became private residences. Others remain buried and abandoned.
One silo, however, was kept as intact as allowed by treaty and made into a museum in order to preserve this artifact of history. Because Diane and I happen to know Chuck Penson, the archivist at the museum, we were able to arrange an augmented tour of the facility. Below are some of my pictures as Chuck took us down into the deepest bowels of the silo.
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A federal judge has ruled against the Obamacare contraceptive mandate imposed by the Obama administration on private businesses.
A federal judge has ruled against the Obamacare contraceptive mandate imposed by the Obama administration on private businesses.
A federal judge has ruled against the Obamacare contraceptive mandate imposed by the Obama administration on private businesses.
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.
“[We] don’t think there’s a problem.”
The Democratic Party leadership: “The debt is not endangering us a bit — not at all.”
And then there’s this comment on Wednesday from President Obama: “We don’t have an immediate crisis in terms of debt.”
The Democratic Party leadership: “The debt is not endangering us a bit — not at all.”
And then there’s this comment on Wednesday from President Obama: “We don’t have an immediate crisis in terms of debt.”
The return today of three astronauts from ISS has been delayed due to an ice storm in Russia.
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
The first Democratic Party budget from the Senate in four years calls for a 62% increase in federal spending over the next ten years.
Fiddling while Rome burns: The first Democratic Party budget from the Senate in four years calls for a 62% increase in federal spending over the next ten years.
The worst aspect of this story is that this is what the voters requested in the November elections. Bankruptcy, here we come!
Fiddling while Rome burns: The first Democratic Party budget from the Senate in four years calls for a 62% increase in federal spending over the next ten years.
The worst aspect of this story is that this is what the voters requested in the November elections. Bankruptcy, here we come!
Water and carbon monoxide detected in the atmosphere of a super-sized exoplanet 129 light years away.
Water and carbon monoxide have been detected in the atmosphere of a super-sized exoplanet 129 light years away.
Water and carbon monoxide have been detected in the atmosphere of a super-sized exoplanet 129 light years away.
Sierra Hull – Tell Me Tomorrow
For the first time in 25 years the U.S. has begun producing plutonium, to be used in future planetary space missions.
For the first time in 25 years the U.S. has begun producing plutonium, to be used as a power source for future planetary space missions.
For the first time in 25 years the U.S. has begun producing plutonium, to be used as a power source for future planetary space missions.
The top ten organizations slashing jobs and hours in order to deal with Obamacare.
The top ten organizations slashing jobs and hours in order to deal with Obamacare.
And we’ve only just begun!
The top ten organizations slashing jobs and hours in order to deal with Obamacare.
And we’ve only just begun!
Europe today inked a partnership deal with Russia for its two spacecraft ExoMars mission, planned to launch in 2016 and 2018.
Europe today inked a partnership deal with Russia for its two spacecraft ExoMars mission, planned to launch in 2016 and 2018.
Russia essentially replaces the United States, which backed out of the deal last year when the Obama administration eliminated the funding for most of NASA’s planetary program.
Europe today inked a partnership deal with Russia for its two spacecraft ExoMars mission, planned to launch in 2016 and 2018.
Russia essentially replaces the United States, which backed out of the deal last year when the Obama administration eliminated the funding for most of NASA’s planetary program.
Astronomers today celebrate the official turning-on of ALMA, the world’s largest telescope.
Astronomers today celebrate the official turning-on of ALMA, the world’s largest telescope.
ALMA is an array of 66 dishes tuned to wavelengths in the millimeter to submillimeter range of the electromagnetic spectrum, between the infrared and radio frequencies.
Astronomers today celebrate the official turning-on of ALMA, the world’s largest telescope.
ALMA is an array of 66 dishes tuned to wavelengths in the millimeter to submillimeter range of the electromagnetic spectrum, between the infrared and radio frequencies.
China says it will by 2015 do a re-entry test of the spacecraft it will use to return a lunar sample from the Moon by 2020..
The competition heats up: China says it will by 2015 do a re-entry test of the spacecraft it will use to return a lunar sample from the Moon by 2020..
The competition heats up: China says it will by 2015 do a re-entry test of the spacecraft it will use to return a lunar sample from the Moon by 2020..
Physicians fight back against Obamacare.
Physicians fight back against Obamacare.
Dr. Ryan Neuhofel, 31, offers a rare glimpse at what it would be like to go to the doctor without massive government interference in health care. Dr. Neuhofel, based in the college town of Lawrence, Kansas, charges for his services according to an online price list that’s as straightforward as a restaurant menu. A drained abscess runs $30, a pap smear, $40, a 30-minute house call, $100. Strep cultures, glucose tolerance tests, and pregnancy tests are on the house. Neuhofel doesn’t accept insurance. He even barters on occasion with cash-strapped locals. One patient pays with fresh eggs and another with homemade cheese and goat’s milk. “Direct primary care,” which is the industry term for Neuhofel’s business model, does away with the bureaucratic hassle of insurance, which translates into much lower prices. “What people don’t realize is that most doctors employ an army of people for coding, billing, and gathering payment,” says Neuhofel. “That means you have to charge $200 to remove an ingrown toenail.” Neuhofel charges $50.
Neuhofel is not alone in this. The article describes other doctors who have done the same. As the bureaucratic mess from Obamacare expands and becomes increasingly impossible for anyone to handle, we are going to see this happen more and more.
Physicians fight back against Obamacare.
Dr. Ryan Neuhofel, 31, offers a rare glimpse at what it would be like to go to the doctor without massive government interference in health care. Dr. Neuhofel, based in the college town of Lawrence, Kansas, charges for his services according to an online price list that’s as straightforward as a restaurant menu. A drained abscess runs $30, a pap smear, $40, a 30-minute house call, $100. Strep cultures, glucose tolerance tests, and pregnancy tests are on the house. Neuhofel doesn’t accept insurance. He even barters on occasion with cash-strapped locals. One patient pays with fresh eggs and another with homemade cheese and goat’s milk. “Direct primary care,” which is the industry term for Neuhofel’s business model, does away with the bureaucratic hassle of insurance, which translates into much lower prices. “What people don’t realize is that most doctors employ an army of people for coding, billing, and gathering payment,” says Neuhofel. “That means you have to charge $200 to remove an ingrown toenail.” Neuhofel charges $50.
Neuhofel is not alone in this. The article describes other doctors who have done the same. As the bureaucratic mess from Obamacare expands and becomes increasingly impossible for anyone to handle, we are going to see this happen more and more.
NASA has clamped down on travel expenses, reducing it by 30 percent in the past year.
My heart bleeds: NASA has clamped down on travel expenses, reducing it by 30 percent in the past year.
I’ve been to too many science conferences where there was a whole slew of NASA engineers and scientists from all across the country, there because they were getting a free ride from the taxpayer. Often it was absolutely worthwhile for NASA engineers or scientists to be there. More often, it was a complete waste of money that could have been used elsewhere to better effect.
In related news: NASA’s inspector general has suggested the agency could save a lot more money by closing many of its almost 5,000 facilities nationwide.
Here too I’ve visited many NASA operations and found the work being done there redundant, completely unnecessary, or there was no real work being done at all. In the last case a lot of what I’ve seen is featherbedding, this time imposed by Congress to keep the money flowing to their constituents as pork. Unfortunately this last fact will probably make it very difficult to shut any of these facilities, as our representatives, from both parties, appear completely uninterested in serving the country. They’d rather act as union reps for these government employees.
My heart bleeds: NASA has clamped down on travel expenses, reducing it by 30 percent in the past year.
I’ve been to too many science conferences where there was a whole slew of NASA engineers and scientists from all across the country, there because they were getting a free ride from the taxpayer. Often it was absolutely worthwhile for NASA engineers or scientists to be there. More often, it was a complete waste of money that could have been used elsewhere to better effect.
In related news: NASA’s inspector general has suggested the agency could save a lot more money by closing many of its almost 5,000 facilities nationwide.
Here too I’ve visited many NASA operations and found the work being done there redundant, completely unnecessary, or there was no real work being done at all. In the last case a lot of what I’ve seen is featherbedding, this time imposed by Congress to keep the money flowing to their constituents as pork. Unfortunately this last fact will probably make it very difficult to shut any of these facilities, as our representatives, from both parties, appear completely uninterested in serving the country. They’d rather act as union reps for these government employees.
Computer simulations suggest that Pluto might have as many as ten undiscovered additional moons.
Computer simulations suggest that Pluto might have as many as ten undiscovered additional moons.
The planet already has five, so if this is true space is really crowded there, which might pose a problem for the New Horizons spacecraft that plans to fly past in 2015.
Computer simulations suggest that Pluto might have as many as ten undiscovered additional moons.
The planet already has five, so if this is true space is really crowded there, which might pose a problem for the New Horizons spacecraft that plans to fly past in 2015.
America – A horse with no name
Boeing is considering building a civilian version of the X-37B mini-shuttle.
The competition heats up: Boeing is considering building a civilian version of the X-37B mini-shuttle.
The competition heats up: Boeing is considering building a civilian version of the X-37B mini-shuttle.
Hoyer told employees at the Goddard Space Flight Center yesterday that sequester might force some layoffs there.
My heart bleeds: Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) told employees at the Goddard Space Flight Center yesterday that sequester might force some layoffs there.
So, who does Hoyer work for, the employees at Goddard or the taxpayer? He apparently thinks he is the union rep for government employees.
My heart bleeds: Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) told employees at the Goddard Space Flight Center yesterday that sequester might force some layoffs there.
So, who does Hoyer work for, the employees at Goddard or the taxpayer? He apparently thinks he is the union rep for government employees.
Teller fools us
Curiosity’s first drilling sample has found that the ancient watery conditions in Gale Crater were especially suitable for life.
Curiosity’s first drilling sample has found that the ancient watery conditions in Gale Crater were especially suitable for life.
Curiosity’s first drilling sample has found that the ancient watery conditions in Gale Crater were especially suitable for life.
New Obamacare regulations produce a stack of regulations seven feet high.
Finding out what’s in it: New Obamacare regulations produce a stack of regulations seven feet high.
And then there’s this: The burger chain Five Guys plans to raise the price of burgers and hot dogs in order to pay for Obamacare.
Finding out what’s in it: New Obamacare regulations produce a stack of regulations seven feet high.
And then there’s this: The burger chain Five Guys plans to raise the price of burgers and hot dogs in order to pay for Obamacare.
The budget battle at NASA
Two stories today highlight not only the budget problems at NASA, but also illustrate the apparent unwillingness of both Congress and Americans to face the terrible budget difficulties of the federal government. In both cases, the focus is instead on trying to fund NASA at levels comparable to 2012, before the Obama administration or sequestration had imposed any budget cuts on the agency.
It is as if we live in a fantasy world, where a $16 trillion dollar debt does not exist, and where money grows on trees and we can spend as much as we want on anything we want.
» Read more
Astronomers discover a trinary — of quasars.
Alon Goldstein – Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring
The radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant failure in Japan has turned out to be less of a problem than predicted.
The radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant failure in Japan has turned out to be less of a problem than predicted.
[O]utside the immediate area of Fukushima, this is hardly a problem at all. Although the crippled nuclear reactors themselves still pose a danger, no one, including personnel who worked in the buildings, died from radiation exposure. Most experts agree that future health risks from the released radiation, notably radioactive iodine-131 and cesiums-134 and – 137, are extremely small and likely to be undetectable. Even considering the upper boundary of estimated effects, there is unlikely to be any detectable increase in cancers in Japan, Asia or the world except close to the facility, according to a World Health Organization report. There will almost certainly be no increase in birth defects or genetic abnormalities from radiation.
Even in the most contaminated areas, any increase in cancer risk will be small. For example, a male exposed at age 1 has his lifetime cancer risk increase from 43 percent to 44 percent. Those exposed at 10 or 20 face even smaller increases in risk — similar to what comes from having a whole-body computer tomography scan or living for 12 to 25 years in Denver amid background radiation in the Rocky Mountains.
The entire article is worth reading, as it outlines in detail the less than deadly consequences of both Fukushima and Chernobyl. This is the kind of information we should use to rationally decide whether we want to build more nuclear power planets.
The radiation from the Fukushima nuclear power plant failure in Japan has turned out to be less of a problem than predicted.
[O]utside the immediate area of Fukushima, this is hardly a problem at all. Although the crippled nuclear reactors themselves still pose a danger, no one, including personnel who worked in the buildings, died from radiation exposure. Most experts agree that future health risks from the released radiation, notably radioactive iodine-131 and cesiums-134 and – 137, are extremely small and likely to be undetectable. Even considering the upper boundary of estimated effects, there is unlikely to be any detectable increase in cancers in Japan, Asia or the world except close to the facility, according to a World Health Organization report. There will almost certainly be no increase in birth defects or genetic abnormalities from radiation.
Even in the most contaminated areas, any increase in cancer risk will be small. For example, a male exposed at age 1 has his lifetime cancer risk increase from 43 percent to 44 percent. Those exposed at 10 or 20 face even smaller increases in risk — similar to what comes from having a whole-body computer tomography scan or living for 12 to 25 years in Denver amid background radiation in the Rocky Mountains.
The entire article is worth reading, as it outlines in detail the less than deadly consequences of both Fukushima and Chernobyl. This is the kind of information we should use to rationally decide whether we want to build more nuclear power planets.
WISE has uncovered a binary brown dwarf star system only 6.5 light years away
Data from WISE has uncovered a binary brown dwarf star system only 6.5 light years away, the closest found in almost a century and the third closest overall.
Data from WISE has uncovered a binary brown dwarf star system only 6.5 light years away, the closest found in almost a century and the third closest overall.
North Korea has pulled out of its U.N. armistice agreement.
According to conservatives sources in the House, the Republican leadership killed a measure to defund Obamacare.
According to conservatives sources in the House, it was the Republican leadership that killed a measure to defund Obamacare.
With friends like these, who needs enemies?
According to conservatives sources in the House, it was the Republican leadership that killed a measure to defund Obamacare.
With friends like these, who needs enemies?