Why Lugar lost
“The closest thing on Earth to interplanetary exploration.”
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
SpaceShipTwo to resume flight tests in June after a nine month hiatus.
SpaceShipTwo to resume flight tests in June after a nine month hiatus.
The long pause in flight tests, as well as the apparent delays in flying the ship with its rocket engine, suggest that there have been engineering issues with the ship and engine that Scaled Composites hasn’t revealed. Hopefully the resumption of testing is an indication that these issues have been overcome.
SpaceShipTwo to resume flight tests in June after a nine month hiatus.
The long pause in flight tests, as well as the apparent delays in flying the ship with its rocket engine, suggest that there have been engineering issues with the ship and engine that Scaled Composites hasn’t revealed. Hopefully the resumption of testing is an indication that these issues have been overcome.
Almost sixty years after it was reported missing, a World War II RAF fighter, which crash-landed in a remote part of the Egyptian desert in 1942, has been discovered almost intact.
Almost seventy years after it was reported missing, a World War II RAF fighter, which crash-landed in a remote part of the Egyptian desert in 1942, has been discovered almost intact.
Almost seventy years after it was reported missing, a World War II RAF fighter, which crash-landed in a remote part of the Egyptian desert in 1942, has been discovered almost intact.
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.
Obama’s Justice Department last week requested the right to access the location information in all cellphones, without a warrant.
What could go wrong? Obama’s Justice Department last week requested the right to access the location information in all cellphones, without a warrant.
What could go wrong? Obama’s Justice Department last week requested the right to access the location information in all cellphones, without a warrant.
The Democrats and the President publicly target a private citizen, merely for supporting Romney.
Building that enemies list: The Democrats and the President publicly target private citizens, merely for supporting Romney.
Three weeks ago, an Obama campaign website, “Keeping GOP Honest,” took the extraordinary step of publicly naming and assailing eight private citizens backing Mr. Romney. Titled “Behind the curtain: a brief history of Romney’s donors,” the post accused the eight of being “wealthy individuals with less-than-reputable records.”
One of those eight, CEO Frank VanderSloot of Melaleuca Inc., was described by the Obama campaign
as being “litigious, combative and a bitter foe of the gay rights movement.” About a week after that post, a man named Michael Wolf contacted the Bonneville County Courthouse in Idaho Falls in search of court records regarding Mr. VanderSloot. Specifically, Mr. Wolf wanted all the documents dealing with Mr. VanderSloot’s divorces, as well as a case involving a dispute with a former Melaleuca employee.
And it appears that Michael Wolf has ties to the Democratic Party and the Obama campaign.
Ah, civility! (as defined by Obama and the left.)
Building that enemies list: The Democrats and the President publicly target private citizens, merely for supporting Romney.
Three weeks ago, an Obama campaign website, “Keeping GOP Honest,” took the extraordinary step of publicly naming and assailing eight private citizens backing Mr. Romney. Titled “Behind the curtain: a brief history of Romney’s donors,” the post accused the eight of being “wealthy individuals with less-than-reputable records.”
One of those eight, CEO Frank VanderSloot of Melaleuca Inc., was described by the Obama campaign
as being “litigious, combative and a bitter foe of the gay rights movement.” About a week after that post, a man named Michael Wolf contacted the Bonneville County Courthouse in Idaho Falls in search of court records regarding Mr. VanderSloot. Specifically, Mr. Wolf wanted all the documents dealing with Mr. VanderSloot’s divorces, as well as a case involving a dispute with a former Melaleuca employee.
And it appears that Michael Wolf has ties to the Democratic Party and the Obama campaign.
Ah, civility! (as defined by Obama and the left.)
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
Muslims are exempt from Obamacare’s insurance mandate.
Finding out what’s in it: Muslims are exempt from Obamacare’s insurance mandate.
ObamaCare uses the Social Security language of the Internal Revenue Code to determine who is eligible for “religious conscience” objection to the insurance mandate. Specifically, the law provides exemptions for adherents of “recognized religious sects” that are “conscientiously opposed” to accepting benefits from any insurance, public or private.
As a consequence of this provision, Muslims may claim a religious exemption that is denied Christians and Jews. Since Islam believes insurance is haraam (forbidden) and likens insurance to gambling, the religion is excluded from requirements, mandates, or penalties set forth in the bill. Others who fall into this category are the Amish, American Indians, and Christian Scientists. Although the U.S. Constitution grants all Americans equal protection of the law, some Americans are more equal than others.
Not only must this catastrophe of a law be repealed, we voters have got to remove as many as possible of the incompetent elected officials who wrote and voted for it.
Finding out what’s in it: Muslims are exempt from Obamacare’s insurance mandate.
ObamaCare uses the Social Security language of the Internal Revenue Code to determine who is eligible for “religious conscience” objection to the insurance mandate. Specifically, the law provides exemptions for adherents of “recognized religious sects” that are “conscientiously opposed” to accepting benefits from any insurance, public or private.
As a consequence of this provision, Muslims may claim a religious exemption that is denied Christians and Jews. Since Islam believes insurance is haraam (forbidden) and likens insurance to gambling, the religion is excluded from requirements, mandates, or penalties set forth in the bill. Others who fall into this category are the Amish, American Indians, and Christian Scientists. Although the U.S. Constitution grants all Americans equal protection of the law, some Americans are more equal than others.
Not only must this catastrophe of a law be repealed, we voters have got to remove as many as possible of the incompetent elected officials who wrote and voted for it.
Virgil Thomson – Finale, The River
From the Dawn science team: The battered failed planet Vesta.
From the Dawn science team: The battered failed planet Vesta.
The results confirm Vesta as the source of a specific family of asteroids, but more interestingly also identify the actual impact that peeled these asteroids from Vesta’s surface.
Read the whole thing, Dawn has found a lot of interesting stuff.
From the Dawn science team: The battered failed planet Vesta.
The results confirm Vesta as the source of a specific family of asteroids, but more interestingly also identify the actual impact that peeled these asteroids from Vesta’s surface.
Read the whole thing, Dawn has found a lot of interesting stuff.
“How I learned not to deny climate change.”
“How I learned not to deny climate change.”
An excellent summary of the real debates in the climate field, as well as who is actually denying reality.
“How I learned not to deny climate change.”
An excellent summary of the real debates in the climate field, as well as who is actually denying reality.
Twenty-two awesome pictures from history.
Massachusetts’ House yesterday overturned the ban on bake sales imposed by its Department of Public Health.
How nice of them: Massachusetts’ House yesterday overturned the ban on bake sales imposed by its Department of Public Health.
How nice of them: Massachusetts’ House yesterday overturned the ban on bake sales imposed by its Department of Public Health.
Bigelow and SpaceX announced today that they are teaming up to offer manned flights to space.
The competition heats up: Bigelow and SpaceX announced today that they are teaming up to offer manned flights to space.
The competition heats up: Bigelow and SpaceX announced today that they are teaming up to offer manned flights to space.
Republican space socialism update.
Republican space socialism update.
Simberg summarizes well the foolishness coming from Congress when it comes to budgeting NASA and commercial space.
Republican space socialism update.
Simberg summarizes well the foolishness coming from Congress when it comes to budgeting NASA and commercial space.
Sierra Nevada outlines its test flight plans for Dream Chaser, its reusable manned mini-shuttle.
The competition heats up: Sierra Nevada outlines its test flight plans for Dream Chaser, its reusable manned mini-shuttle.
The competition heats up: Sierra Nevada outlines its test flight plans for Dream Chaser, its reusable manned mini-shuttle.
A star not even as hot as Venus.
The ten scariest DMV horror stories.
The ten scariest DMV horror stories.
Just remember: the Democrats and President Obama have given the management of everyone’s healthcare to this kind of bureaucracy.
The ten scariest DMV horror stories.
Just remember: the Democrats and President Obama have given the management of everyone’s healthcare to this kind of bureaucracy.
The first solar eclipse to cross the continental United States in two decades will occur on May 20.
Set your calendar: The first solar eclipse to cross the continental United States in two decades will occur on May 20.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and sun, but the lunar disk does not completely block out the sun and instead leaves a “ring of fire” visible around the moon at the point of maximum eclipse. Most anyone west of the Mississippi will see a partial eclipse, but the real treat will be for those located in the 200-mile wide path of the eclipse which will trek east from the California / Oregon border through Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and finally set below the horizon in west Texas.
Remember, you will need good eye protection if you choose to look.
Set your calendar: The first solar eclipse to cross the continental United States in two decades will occur on May 20.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and sun, but the lunar disk does not completely block out the sun and instead leaves a “ring of fire” visible around the moon at the point of maximum eclipse. Most anyone west of the Mississippi will see a partial eclipse, but the real treat will be for those located in the 200-mile wide path of the eclipse which will trek east from the California / Oregon border through Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and finally set below the horizon in west Texas.
Remember, you will need good eye protection if you choose to look.
A University of Arizona law student has won a trip into space in the Seattle Space Needle’s “Space Race,” beating out 50,000 other contestants.
A University of Arizona law student has won a trip into space in the Seattle Space Needle’s “Space Race,” beating out 50,000 other contestants.
A University of Arizona law student has won a trip into space in the Seattle Space Needle’s “Space Race,” beating out 50,000 other contestants.
Winter on Mars has finally ended, and Opportunity is on the move again.
ATK today announced that it is building its own manned capsule for its Liberty solid rocket.
The competition continues to heat up: ATK today announced that it is building its own manned capsule for its Liberty launch system.
The capsule’s first two flights are scheduled in 2014, both abort tests, followed in 2015 by an orbital flight and, finally, a crewed orbital flight. The spacecraft is designed for ten flights each, and ATK plans to build a minimum of four capsules. All flights will be launched by the Liberty launcher, and ATK is not actively exploring adapting the capsule for other [launch vehicles].
Liberty is based on the upgraded shuttle solid rocket boosters that were developed for the Ares rocket, now cancelled.
The competition continues to heat up: ATK today announced that it is building its own manned capsule for its Liberty launch system.
The capsule’s first two flights are scheduled in 2014, both abort tests, followed in 2015 by an orbital flight and, finally, a crewed orbital flight. The spacecraft is designed for ten flights each, and ATK plans to build a minimum of four capsules. All flights will be launched by the Liberty launcher, and ATK is not actively exploring adapting the capsule for other [launch vehicles].
Liberty is based on the upgraded shuttle solid rocket boosters that were developed for the Ares rocket, now cancelled.
Chopin’s Etude in Gb Major
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found that some dunes on Mars move and change as much as those on Earth.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found that some dunes on Mars move and change as much as those on Earth.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found that some dunes on Mars move and change as much as those on Earth.
Israel’s new coalition government: Why this new political deal happened and how it will change Israel.
Israel’s new coalition government: Why this new political deal happened and how it will change Israel.
Israel’s new coalition government: Why this new political deal happened and how it will change Israel.
The Chronicle of Higher Education has fired a blogger merely for criticizing black studies programs.
The sad state of academic freedom: The Chronicle of Higher Education has fired a blogger merely for criticizing black studies programs.
What is worse is the number of the Chronicle’s readers who could not tolerate reading this point of view, and demanded the blogger’s writing be squelched.
Update: The blogger has responded.
The sad state of academic freedom: The Chronicle of Higher Education has fired a blogger merely for criticizing black studies programs.
What is worse is the number of the Chronicle’s readers who could not tolerate reading this point of view, and demanded the blogger’s writing be squelched.
Update: The blogger has responded.
A bad day for Obama and the Democrats.
A bad day for Obama and the Democrats.
As I’ve said repeatedly, the 2010 elections were not a fluke, but a trend. The public intends to fire this President and those in Congress — from both parties — who have put the U.S. on verge of bankruptcy.
A bad day for Obama and the Democrats.
As I’ve said repeatedly, the 2010 elections were not a fluke, but a trend. The public intends to fire this President and those in Congress — from both parties — who have put the U.S. on verge of bankruptcy.
An Indian tribe has sued and three researchers have countersued over possession of two 10,000-year-old skeletons unearthed during construction in San Diego.
Fighting over bones: An Indian tribe has sued and three researchers have counter-sued over possession of two 10,000-year-old skeletons unearthed during construction in San Diego.
Not surprisingly, the problem here stems from a poorly written federal law amended by a bureaucratic rule in 2010 that gives any Indian tribe control over any ancient human bones found in the U.S., even if those bones come from a human that lived long before the tribe even existed.
Fighting over bones: An Indian tribe has sued and three researchers have counter-sued over possession of two 10,000-year-old skeletons unearthed during construction in San Diego.
Not surprisingly, the problem here stems from a poorly written federal law amended by a bureaucratic rule in 2010 that gives any Indian tribe control over any ancient human bones found in the U.S., even if those bones come from a human that lived long before the tribe even existed.
A Japanese astronomy professor has been found murdered in Chile.
Photos of East Berlin, taken in 1990 and today.
Photos of East Berlin, taken in 1990 and today.
What is interesting to me is how delapidated East Berlin was in 1990 after forty years of communist dictatorship, and how completely those same spots have become revitalized by freedom and capitalism.
Photos of East Berlin, taken in 1990 and today.
What is interesting to me is how delapidated East Berlin was in 1990 after forty years of communist dictatorship, and how completely those same spots have become revitalized by freedom and capitalism.
A trend, not a fluke: Indiana Republicans dump Senator Richard Lugar for a tea party favorite.
A trend, not a fluke: Indiana Republicans have dumped incumbent Senator Richard Lugar for a tea party favorite.
In related news, a prison inmate has gotten the highest percentage of votes, 40 percent, of any candidate in any previous state primary against Barack Obama.
Washington politicians had better stop ignoring the fiscal concerns of the tea party. The federal budget has got to be brought under control.
A trend, not a fluke: Indiana Republicans have dumped incumbent Senator Richard Lugar for a tea party favorite.
In related news, a prison inmate has gotten the highest percentage of votes, 40 percent, of any candidate in any previous state primary against Barack Obama.
Washington politicians had better stop ignoring the fiscal concerns of the tea party. The federal budget has got to be brought under control.