More than thirty thousand people have been ordered to flee the growing wildfire in Colorado.
Stockton, California, has filed for bankruptcy, making it the largest bankruptcy of any U.S. city in history.
We’ve only just begun: Stockton, California, has filed for bankruptcy, making it the largest bankruptcy of any U.S. city in history.
We’ve only just begun: Stockton, California, has filed for bankruptcy, making it the largest bankruptcy of any U.S. city in history.
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
China has spent $6 billion since 1992 on its manned space program.
A German court has declared the practice of Judaism a crime.
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 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.
Enya – Only Time
Boeing has successfully tested the thruster it plans to use on its CST-100 crew/cargo capsule.
The competition heats up: Boeing has successfully tested the maneuvering thruster it plans to use on its CST-100 crew/cargo capsule.
The competition heats up: Boeing has successfully tested the maneuvering thruster it plans to use on its CST-100 crew/cargo capsule.
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
Astronomers watch as the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way begins to eat a giant gas cloud.
Astronomers watch as the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way begins to eat a giant gas cloud.
The real fireworks will occur next year, when the cloud passes only 25 billion miles from the black hole.
Astronomers watch as the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way begins to eat a giant gas cloud.
The real fireworks will occur next year, when the cloud passes only 25 billion miles from the black hole.
A TSA agent in Florida spilled the cremated remains of a man’s grandfather on the floor after illegally opening the jar to finger the ashes.
A TSA agent in Florida spilled the cremated remains of a man’s grandfather on the floor after illegally opening the jar to finger the ashes.
[John] Gross says about a quarter to a third of the contents spilled on the floor, leaving him frantically trying to gather up as much as he could while anxious passengers waited behind him. “She didn’t apologize. She started laughing. I was on my hands and knees picking up bone fragments. I couldn’t pick up all, everything that was lost. I mean, there was a long line behind me.” [emphasis mine]
Freedom dies, one security checkpoint at a time.
A TSA agent in Florida spilled the cremated remains of a man’s grandfather on the floor after illegally opening the jar to finger the ashes.
[John] Gross says about a quarter to a third of the contents spilled on the floor, leaving him frantically trying to gather up as much as he could while anxious passengers waited behind him. “She didn’t apologize. She started laughing. I was on my hands and knees picking up bone fragments. I couldn’t pick up all, everything that was lost. I mean, there was a long line behind me.” [emphasis mine]
Freedom dies, one security checkpoint at a time.
The full story about last night’s swatting of a blogger critical of leftwing activist and convicted terrorist Brett Kimberlin.
Leftwing civility: The full story about last night’s swatting of a blogger critical of leftwing activist and convicted terrorist Brett Kimberlin.
Leftwing civility: The full story about last night’s swatting of a blogger critical of leftwing activist and convicted terrorist Brett Kimberlin.
The Stoning of Christians — in Michigan
Even though Dearborn, Michigan lost a $100,000 court suit for falsely arresting and denying Christians their freedom of religion during the annual Dearborn Arab Festival, it appears the police in Dearborn have not learned their lesson. Not only do they do nothing to prevent the throwing by Muslim children of rocks, bottles, garbage, eggs, and concrete at a group of Christians who are merely standing on the sidewalk holding signs, the police eventually force the Christians to leave. As one man tells the police, “You’re rewarding riotous behavior. You’re teaching that crowd that if they riot, they’re rewarded by that rioting by kicking out the people they don’t want.”
Watch the video below the fold. It is very important to note again that these Christians were doing nothing but standing there with their signs on a public street. The response of the Muslim crowd is hardly in accordance with American principles of tolerance, and reveals a savagery and hate that is horrifying. And the willingness of the police to allow the violence is despicable.
» Read more
Using WhiteKnightTwo to launch cargo and an update on revisions to SpaceShipTwo’s design.
More details on both SpaceX’s Merlin engine test yesterday as well as Orbital Sciences’ test firing of its Antares AJ-26 rocket engine on Monday.
More details on both SpaceX’s Merlin engine test yesterday as well as Orbital Sciences’ test firing of its Antares AJ-26 rocket engine on Monday.
More details on both SpaceX’s Merlin engine test yesterday as well as Orbital Sciences’ test firing of its Antares AJ-26 rocket engine on Monday.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved — as believed by natives. With video.
It appears the Easter Island statues did walk the eleven miles from the quarry where they were carved — as believed by natives. With video.
Drive recklessly.
Shortly after the peace order against him was partially stayed — restoring his right to criticize leftwing activist and convicted bomber Brett Kimberlin — blogger Aaron Walker and his family were SWAT-ted, whereby a crank call triggered a SWAT team attack on his home.
Leftwing civility: Shortly after the peace order against him was stayed — restoring his right to criticize leftwing activist and convicted bomber Brett Kimberlin — blogger Aaron Walker and his family were SWAT-ted, whereby a crank call triggered a SWAT team attack on his home.
Leftwing civility: Shortly after the peace order against him was stayed — restoring his right to criticize leftwing activist and convicted bomber Brett Kimberlin — blogger Aaron Walker and his family were SWAT-ted, whereby a crank call triggered a SWAT team attack on his home.
SpaceX has successfully tested an upgraded version of its Merlin rocket engine.
More fraud in the social psychology field: A psychologist at Erasmus University in Rotterdam has resigned, with two of his papers now retracted.
More fraud in the social psychology field: A psychologist at Erasmus University in Rotterdam has resigned for faking data, with two of his papers now retracted.
[Dirk] Smeesters conceded to employing the so-called “blue-dot technique,” in which subjects who have apparently not read study instructions carefully are identified and excluded from analysis if it helps bolster the outcome. According to the report, Smeesters said this type of massaging was nothing out of the ordinary. He “repeatedly indicates that the culture in his field and his department is such that he does not feel personally responsible, and is convinced that in the area of marketing and (to a lesser extent) social psychology, many consciously leave out data to reach significance without saying so.”
But the university panel goes on to say that it can’t determine whether the numbers Smeesters says he massaged existed at all. He could not supply raw data for the three problematic experiments; they had been stored on a computer at his home that had crashed in September 2011 and whose data his brother-in-law had assured him were irretrievable. In addition, the “paper-and-pencil data” had also been lost when Smeesters moved house. The panel says it cannot establish Smeesters committed fraud, but says he is responsible for the loss of the raw data and their massaging.
That Smeesters considers it perfectly okay to manipulate data to strengthen his conclusions tells us how little he knows about science. That he considers this “common in his field” suggests that we should probably not pay much attention to almost anything published in the field of social psychology, especially considering last year’s scandal.
More fraud in the social psychology field: A psychologist at Erasmus University in Rotterdam has resigned for faking data, with two of his papers now retracted.
[Dirk] Smeesters conceded to employing the so-called “blue-dot technique,” in which subjects who have apparently not read study instructions carefully are identified and excluded from analysis if it helps bolster the outcome. According to the report, Smeesters said this type of massaging was nothing out of the ordinary. He “repeatedly indicates that the culture in his field and his department is such that he does not feel personally responsible, and is convinced that in the area of marketing and (to a lesser extent) social psychology, many consciously leave out data to reach significance without saying so.”
But the university panel goes on to say that it can’t determine whether the numbers Smeesters says he massaged existed at all. He could not supply raw data for the three problematic experiments; they had been stored on a computer at his home that had crashed in September 2011 and whose data his brother-in-law had assured him were irretrievable. In addition, the “paper-and-pencil data” had also been lost when Smeesters moved house. The panel says it cannot establish Smeesters committed fraud, but says he is responsible for the loss of the raw data and their massaging.
That Smeesters considers it perfectly okay to manipulate data to strengthen his conclusions tells us how little he knows about science. That he considers this “common in his field” suggests that we should probably not pay much attention to almost anything published in the field of social psychology, especially considering last year’s scandal.
Obamacare: 0-98
As the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Obama’s centerpiece legislation, it’s worth reviewing the American public’s response to it across the 27 months since Obama signed it into law. Over that span, from March 2010 through a poll released this morning, Rasmussen has conducted 98 polls of likely voters. All 98 times, support for repeal has outpaced opposition to repeal. Across 98 contests, Obamacare has gone 0 and 98.
What amazes me is how completely oblivious the Democratic Party has been to these polls. Despite the public’s clear and passionate opposition to this law the Democrats have continued to act as if they believe the law will win them votes.
As the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s ruling on President Obama’s centerpiece legislation, it’s worth reviewing the American public’s response to it across the 27 months since Obama signed it into law. Over that span, from March 2010 through a poll released this morning, Rasmussen has conducted 98 polls of likely voters. All 98 times, support for repeal has outpaced opposition to repeal. Across 98 contests, Obamacare has gone 0 and 98.
What amazes me is how completely oblivious the Democratic Party has been to these polls. Despite the public’s clear and passionate opposition to this law the Democrats have continued to act as if they believe the law will win them votes.
NBC has once again been caught deceptively editing videtape material, and this time it might be used by Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers to get him a mistrial.
And they call this journalism? NBC has once again been caught deceptively editing videtape material, and this time it might be used by Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers to get him a mistrial.
And they call this journalism? NBC has once again been caught deceptively editing videtape material, and this time it might be used by Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers to get him a mistrial.
Because a TSA agent failed to notice his metal detector was unplugged, hundreds of passengers at JFK Airport in New York had to go back and be rescreened, including those already on two planes on the runway, causing hours of delays.
Doesn’t this make you feel safer? Because a TSA agent failed to notice his metal detector was unplugged, hundreds of passengers at JFK Airport in New York had to go back and be rescreened, including those already on two planes on the runway, causing hours of delays.
Doesn’t this make you feel safer? Because a TSA agent failed to notice his metal detector was unplugged, hundreds of passengers at JFK Airport in New York had to go back and be rescreened, including those already on two planes on the runway, causing hours of delays.
Not only will the North Carolina high school teacher who thought it is a crime to criticize the president and threatened students for doing so keep her job, the student who exposed her ignorance is being harassed by the school.
Public schools at their best: Not only will the North Carolina high school teacher who thought it is a crime to criticize the president and threatened students for doing so keep her job, the student who exposed her ignorance is being harassed by the school.
Public schools at their best: Not only will the North Carolina high school teacher who thought it is a crime to criticize the president and threatened students for doing so keep her job, the student who exposed her ignorance is being harassed by the school.
A Dallas cop arrests a motorcyclist on a false made-up charge in order to confiscate his helmet camera.
A Dallas cop arrests a motorcyclist on a false made-up charge in order to confiscate his helmet camera. Video below the fold. The action starts at 2:45 and the arrest occurs at 6:30.
The sheriff’s department has begun an internal investigation. What investigation is needed? One look at this video should settle everything: This cop should be fired. As noted by a former Dallas prosecutor,
“Well, I think in this particular case, you did need a warrant to get that piece of evidence,” Toby Shook, a former Dallas prosecutor, told the station. He added later, “The Constitution wins out over frustration every time.”
A Dallas cop arrests a motorcyclist on a false made-up charge in order to confiscate his helmet camera. Video below the fold. The action starts at 2:45 and the arrest occurs at 6:30.
The sheriff’s department has begun an internal investigation. What investigation is needed? One look at this video should settle everything: This cop should be fired. As noted by a former Dallas prosecutor,
“Well, I think in this particular case, you did need a warrant to get that piece of evidence,” Toby Shook, a former Dallas prosecutor, told the station. He added later, “The Constitution wins out over frustration every time.”
A human-powered helicopter was successfully flown for 50 seconds on June 21, setting a new world record.
A human-powered helicopter was successfully flown for 50 seconds on June 21, setting a new world record. Video below the fold.
This effort is an attempt to win the $250,000 AHS Sikorsky Prize, which requires a human-powered helicopter to fly for one minute at a height of three meters. The prize was first announced in 1980, and has remained unclaimed for the past 32 years.
» Read more
A human-powered helicopter was successfully flown for 50 seconds on June 21, setting a new world record. Video below the fold.
This effort is an attempt to win the $250,000 AHS Sikorsky Prize, which requires a human-powered helicopter to fly for one minute at a height of three meters. The prize was first announced in 1980, and has remained unclaimed for the past 32 years.
» Read more
The second phase of NASA’s robotic refueling demo on ISS has successfully proven that a robot can remove a satellite fuel cap not designed for refueling.
The second phase of NASA’s robotic refueling demo on ISS has successfully proven that a robot can remove a satellite fuel cap not designed for refueling.
The fuel cap design is a duplicate of that used by several climate research satellites presently in orbit. These satellites were not designed to be refueled, but if they could be refueled, their usefulness in orbit could be doubled, even tripled. This test is intended to demonstrate that a robot could refuel them.
The last phase of this robotic demo will take place in August, when the robots will attempt to pump a simulated fuel into the demo satellite.
The second phase of NASA’s robotic refueling demo on ISS has successfully proven that a robot can remove a satellite fuel cap not designed for refueling.
The fuel cap design is a duplicate of that used by several climate research satellites presently in orbit. These satellites were not designed to be refueled, but if they could be refueled, their usefulness in orbit could be doubled, even tripled. This test is intended to demonstrate that a robot could refuel them.
The last phase of this robotic demo will take place in August, when the robots will attempt to pump a simulated fuel into the demo satellite.
China’s astronauts successfully undocked, backed away from their space station, and then completed a manual docking early today.
China’s astronauts successfully undocked, backed away from their space station, and then completed a manual docking early today.
China’s astronauts successfully undocked, backed away from their space station, and then completed a manual docking early today.
What the hell is Matt 2012?
An evening pause: More information about this video here. They note that “The dancers in Syria are blurred for their safety.”
A three man crew took a Chinese submersible to a depth of 22,800 feet in the Mariana Trench earlier this week, the record for that nation.
China isn’t only going up: A three man crew took a Chinese submersible to a depth of 22,800 feet in the Mariana Trench earlier this week, the record for that nation.
China isn’t only going up: A three man crew took a Chinese submersible to a depth of 22,800 feet in the Mariana Trench earlier this week, the record for that nation.
What if Walmart sold 2,500 guns illegally, walked them into Mexico, and hid the documentation from Congress?
An interesting question: What if Walmart sold 2,500 guns illegally, walked them into Mexico, and hid the documentation from Congress?
An interesting question: What if Walmart sold 2,500 guns illegally, walked them into Mexico, and hid the documentation from Congress?
THE BANGLES- MANIC MONDAY
Charting the relative economic strength of the world’s most powerful countries over the past 2000 years.
Charting the relative economic strength of the world’s most powerful countries over the past 2000 years.
The article cites 1800 and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution as a key moment in this history. I would also note that 1800 is about the time that freedom and Adam Smith’s ideas of economic liberty took hold in both North American and Europe.
Charting the relative economic strength of the world’s most powerful countries over the past 2000 years.
The article cites 1800 and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution as a key moment in this history. I would also note that 1800 is about the time that freedom and Adam Smith’s ideas of economic liberty took hold in both North American and Europe.