New numbers released today from the Congressional Budget Office estimate that the cost of Obamacare over the next decade will be $1.76 trillion, not $940 billion as predicted by the Democrats who passed it.
Finding out what’s in it: New numbers released today from the Congressional Budget Office estimate that the cost of Obamacare over the next decade will be $1.76 trillion, not $940 billion as predicted by the Democrats who passed it.
The only word I can think of that aptly describes the people who pushed this law on us is incompetence. That any rational person would consider voting for these people again boggles the mind.
Finding out what’s in it: New numbers released today from the Congressional Budget Office estimate that the cost of Obamacare over the next decade will be $1.76 trillion, not $940 billion as predicted by the Democrats who passed it.
The only word I can think of that aptly describes the people who pushed this law on us is incompetence. That any rational person would consider voting for these people again boggles the mind.
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
More video showing how easy it is to vote illegally, this time in Vermont.
More video showing how easy it is to vote illegally, this time in Vermont.
Unlike in the previous video in New Hampshire, this time the fake voters were able to get permission to vote using the names of both dead and living voters. And of course, no ID was requested. The video illustrates the absurdity of the situation by contrasting this situation with other examples where IDs are required.
More video showing how easy it is to vote illegally, this time in Vermont.
Unlike in the previous video in New Hampshire, this time the fake voters were able to get permission to vote using the names of both dead and living voters. And of course, no ID was requested. The video illustrates the absurdity of the situation by contrasting this situation with other examples where IDs are required.
The IRS decided last year that it can require licenses from tax preparers, even though no law gives the tax agency that power.
The law is such an inconvenient thing: The IRS under Obama decided last year that it can require licenses from tax preparers, even though no law gives the tax agency that power.
The law is such an inconvenient thing: The IRS under Obama decided last year that it can require licenses from tax preparers, even though no law gives the tax agency that power.
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.
Russia’s space agency has proposed a space exploration plan through 2030, including missions to the Moon and Mars.
Competition rules! Russia’s space agency has proposed a space exploration plan through 2030, including missions to the Moon and Mars, in an effort to catch up with the U.S.
Competition rules! Russia’s space agency has proposed a space exploration plan through 2030, including missions to the Moon and Mars, in an effort to catch up with the U.S.
JPL lawyers want media limits during ‘intelligent design’ trial
JPL lawyers want to limit media access and reporting during ‘intelligent design’ trial.
This suggests strongly to me that JPL did fire this guy because of his religious beliefs.
JPL lawyers want to limit media access and reporting during ‘intelligent design’ trial.
This suggests strongly to me that JPL did fire this guy because of his religious beliefs.
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
SpaceX gets another launch contract, this time to put up four satellites for an Asian/Central American communications partnership.
Good news for commercial space: SpaceX has gotten another launch contract, this time to put up four satellites for an Asian/Central American communications partnership.
Good news for commercial space: SpaceX has gotten another launch contract, this time to put up four satellites for an Asian/Central American communications partnership.
Research on ISS has found that prolonged spaceflight causes vision problems and might even damage the human eye.
Research on ISS has found that prolonged spaceflight causes vision problems and might even damage the human eye.
There had been hints of this discovery in an earlier report, but today’s paper is the first published science on the subject.
The results are not only important for finding out the medical challenges of weightlessness. They illustrate once again the need to do long extended flights on ISS. Without that research we are never going to be able to fly humans to other planets.
Research on ISS has found that prolonged spaceflight causes vision problems and might even damage the human eye.
There had been hints of this discovery in an earlier report, but today’s paper is the first published science on the subject.
The results are not only important for finding out the medical challenges of weightlessness. They illustrate once again the need to do long extended flights on ISS. Without that research we are never going to be able to fly humans to other planets.
Rockwell Retro Encabulator
The blistering hot exoplanet where it snows
The blistering hot exoplanet where it snows.
These results have led to a suggestion that [HD 189733b] could continually experience silicate snow. In the lower atmosphere of [the exoplanet], magnesium silicate sublimates, that is, it passes directly from a solid into a gas. But we know there are small silicate particulates in the upper atmosphere. Formation of these particulates requires that the temperature be lowered, and so must have been formed at a temperature inversion in the atmosphere. The generally windy conditions would help some of the tiny particulates grow into respectable snow crystals.
The blistering hot exoplanet where it snows.
These results have led to a suggestion that [HD 189733b] could continually experience silicate snow. In the lower atmosphere of [the exoplanet], magnesium silicate sublimates, that is, it passes directly from a solid into a gas. But we know there are small silicate particulates in the upper atmosphere. Formation of these particulates requires that the temperature be lowered, and so must have been formed at a temperature inversion in the atmosphere. The generally windy conditions would help some of the tiny particulates grow into respectable snow crystals.
Venus Express was blinded for four days after being hit by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun.
Venus Express was blinded for four days last week after being hit by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun.
Venus Express was blinded for four days last week after being hit by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun.
The Hush Rush syndrome
No longer is it good enough to disagree with conservatives. They must be fired from their jobs, separated from their advertisers, booted from the airwaves, buried under a prehistoric rock. The tactics attributed to Joe McCarthy tied to the polemical rigor associated with Jenny McCarthy.
No longer is it good enough to disagree with conservatives. They must be fired from their jobs, separated from their advertisers, booted from the airwaves, buried under a prehistoric rock. The tactics attributed to Joe McCarthy tied to the polemical rigor associated with Jenny McCarthy.
Lord Monckton tries to educate a college professor and his students.
Lord Monckton tries to educate a college professor and his students about the science of climate change.
This is why:
“We shall lose the West unless we can restore the use of reason to pre-eminence in our institutions of what was once learning. It was the age of reason that built the West and made it prosperous and free. The age of reason gave you your great Constitution of liberty. It is the power of reason, the second of the three great powers of the soul in Christian theology, that marks our species out from the rest of the visible creation, and makes us closest to the image and likeness of our Creator. I cannot stand by and let the forces of darkness drive us unprotesting into a new Dark Age.”
Lord Monckton tries to educate a college professor and his students about the science of climate change.
This is why:
“We shall lose the West unless we can restore the use of reason to pre-eminence in our institutions of what was once learning. It was the age of reason that built the West and made it prosperous and free. The age of reason gave you your great Constitution of liberty. It is the power of reason, the second of the three great powers of the soul in Christian theology, that marks our species out from the rest of the visible creation, and makes us closest to the image and likeness of our Creator. I cannot stand by and let the forces of darkness drive us unprotesting into a new Dark Age.”
Was a evangelical Christian fired from his job at JPL because of his religious beliefs? A court case beginning Monday might tell us.
Was an evangelical Christian fired from his job at JPL because of his religious beliefs? A court case beginning Monday might tell us.
Was an evangelical Christian fired from his job at JPL because of his religious beliefs? A court case beginning Monday might tell us.
Dextre has successfully completed its first round of operations in its satellite refueling demonstration.
The robot rules: Dextre has successfully completed its first round of operations in its satellite refueling demonstration on ISS.
The robot rules: Dextre has successfully completed its first round of operations in its satellite refueling demonstration on ISS.
An up and down Sun
Late last week NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center released its monthly update of the ongoing solar cycle sunspot activity, covering February 2012. Though I am slightly late in posting it, as I do every month, you can now see the full graph below the fold. I have also created a close-up of the graph’s relevant area, shown on the left, because it is hard to decipher what is happening on the full graph.
Since the Sun began it ramp up to solar maximum back in 2009, the pattern has been consistent, two steps forward, one step back. First there are several months in a row in which the number of sunspots show a steep rise, followed immediately by several months in which the sunspot numbers decline just as steeply, though by not as much. All told, since 2009 we have seen this pattern repeat four times.
February’s numbers have continued that pattern.
» Read more
On March 6, film director and deep water diver James Cameron grabbed the record for the deepest solo dive ever, 26791 feet or more than five miles.
On March 6, film director and deep water diver James Cameron grabbed the record for the deepest solo dive ever, 26791 feet or more than five miles.
Moreover, this dive was only practice for an even deeper dive to come.
On March 6, film director and deep water diver James Cameron grabbed the record for the deepest solo dive ever, 26791 feet or more than five miles.
Moreover, this dive was only practice for an even deeper dive to come.
Les Paul and Mary Ford – How high the Moon
An evening pause: From the late 1950s, Alastair Cooke introduces Les Paul and Mary Ford, who then demonstrate some advanced music technology (and some smokin’ music) that would only become commonplace in the coming decades.
“Hey, remember when NBC thought calling someone a ‘slut’ was hilarious?” With video.
Playing hardball
The director of Russia’s manned program told the press today that the Russians do not have that a signed contract with NASA to fly astronauts to ISS after 2015, despite NASA’s announcement that such an agreement exists.
If true, NASA’s management has committed a very serious error which will cost the U.S. a great deal of money in the coming years, especially if there are significant delays in getting the new commercial companies online to provide the U.S. an American capability for ferrying humans to orbit.
» Read more
The head of the Russian space agency has been hospitalized.
A Thank You From Japan
One year ago today Japan was hit with one of the most powerful earthquakes in recorded history, followed almost immediately by one of the most powerful tsunamis in recorded history. Since then, that nation and its people have done an incredible job recovering from that disaster, proving once again that there really is no limit to what humans can do.
The video below is their thank you to the rest of the world for the help and support brought to Japan by people everywhere. As they say, “Arigato.”
I say, bless you all for never giving up.
Cat walking upside down under the bed
Miss Fluke goes to Washington
The spaceship companies in Mohave are hiring
Want a job building spaceships? The spaceship companies in Mohave are hiring.
There are several hundred open positions in Mojave as companies such as the Spaceship Company, XCOR and Scaled Composites begin to ramp up operations. “It’s ironic that we’re having a recruitment problem in Mojave,” said Stu Witt, CEO and general manager of the Mojave Air and Space Port. He added that this is a good problem to have.
Want a job building spaceships? The spaceship companies in Mohave are hiring.
There are several hundred open positions in Mojave as companies such as the Spaceship Company, XCOR and Scaled Composites begin to ramp up operations. “It’s ironic that we’re having a recruitment problem in Mojave,” said Stu Witt, CEO and general manager of the Mojave Air and Space Port. He added that this is a good problem to have.
A new bill in Congress would clarify the rights of 1960s astronauts to the space-flown artifacts they took home after their flight.
A new bill in Congress would clarify the rights of 1960s astronauts to the space-flown artifacts they took home after their flight.
What I don’t like about this is that it is so specific, only protecting the rights of the astronauts from the 1960s. Why not extend these rights to all those who fly on NASA missions?
A new bill in Congress would clarify the rights of 1960s astronauts to the space-flown artifacts they took home after their flight.
What I don’t like about this is that it is so specific, only protecting the rights of the astronauts from the 1960s. Why not extend these rights to all those who fly on NASA missions?
Dominic Boudreault – The City Limits (music by Hans Zimmers)
A look at China’s rocket engine development program
“Western nations appear to have fallen out of love with free speech.”
“Western nations appear to have fallen out of love with free speech.”
Actually, it ain’t the west that has rejected free speech, but a large percentage of the modern intellectual community, often liberal, that has decided that speech is only free if it doesn’t offend anyone. Which of course means that, under that definition, there is no such thing.
“Western nations appear to have fallen out of love with free speech.”
Actually, it ain’t the west that has rejected free speech, but a large percentage of the modern intellectual community, often liberal, that has decided that speech is only free if it doesn’t offend anyone. Which of course means that, under that definition, there is no such thing.