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
Please save Sticky the kitten
Union-Controlled National Labor Relations Board approves union violence in union election
This is beyond belief: The National Labor Relations Board (its members appointed by the Obama administration) has approved the use of physical threats and abuse by unions in union elections.
This is beyond belief: The National Labor Relations Board (its members appointed by the Obama administration) has approved the use of physical threats and abuse by unions in union elections.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. I keep the website clean from pop-ups and annoying demands. Instead, I depend entirely on my readers to support me. Though this means I am sacrificing some income, it also means that I remain entirely independent from outside pressure. By depending solely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, no one can threaten me with censorship. You don't like what I write, you can simply go elsewhere.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are five ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
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5. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
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You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above. And if you buy the books through the ebookit links, I get a larger cut and I get it sooner.
Skeeter Davis — The End Of The World, recorded 1965
Russians raise the ticket price on a Soyuz again, from $56 to $63 million per ride
Those private companies better get cracking! The Russians have raised their ticket price again, from $56 to $63 million per astronaut ride on a Soyuz.
Those private companies better get cracking! The Russians have raised their ticket price again, from $56 to $63 million per astronaut ride on a Soyuz.
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.
“Our worst crisis since World War Two”
How the White House Bullies the Press
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
First results from the Hayabusa asteroid samples
First results from the Hayabusa asteroid samples.
A preliminary analysis of asteroid samples returned last year by Japan’s Hayabusa probe show evidence the dust grains have a similar composition to stony meteorites that commonly fall to Earth. . . . The initial research also shows the samples inspected so far contain no organic molecules. Scientists also say the analysis confirms the rocks at Itokawa were formed 4.6 billion years ago at the dawn of the solar system.
First results from the Hayabusa asteroid samples.
A preliminary analysis of asteroid samples returned last year by Japan’s Hayabusa probe show evidence the dust grains have a similar composition to stony meteorites that commonly fall to Earth. . . . The initial research also shows the samples inspected so far contain no organic molecules. Scientists also say the analysis confirms the rocks at Itokawa were formed 4.6 billion years ago at the dawn of the solar system.
Space Shuttle Worker Dies in Fall at Launch Pad
Russia Delays Launch of Soyuz Capsule to Space Station
Problems going up and going down: Not only are there issues with the Soyuz capsule that is scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, a problem in the communications system of the next Soyuz capsule has caused the Russians to delay its launch by at least one week.
Problems going up and going down: Not only are there issues with the Soyuz capsule that is scheduled to return to Earth on Wednesday, a problem in the communications system of the next Soyuz capsule has caused the Russians to delay its launch by at least one week.
SpaceX inks deal to launch SES satellite
More competition! SpaceX has inked a deal to launch its first geosynchronous communications satellite.
More competition! SpaceX has inked a deal to launch its first geosynchronous communications satellite.
Soyuz TMA-M ballistic return possible
The newest budget continuing resolution and the funding of Obamacare
The newest budget continuing resolution and the continuing funding of Obamacare. Key quote:
But Speaker John Boehner, interviewed by The Washington Times, couldn’t even coherently explain why House leaders didn’t remove Obamacare spending just as they did with the 123 other programs.
The newest budget continuing resolution and the continuing funding of Obamacare. Key quote:
But Speaker John Boehner, interviewed by The Washington Times, couldn’t even coherently explain why House leaders didn’t remove Obamacare spending just as they did with the 123 other programs.
A detailed explanation of what has happened at the Fukushima nuclear power plant
Check out this detailed engineering explanation of what has happened, is happening, and will happen at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Key quote:
The point is that the nuclear fuel has now been cooled down. Because the chain reaction has been stopped a long time ago, there is only very little residual heat being produced now. The large amount of cooling water that has been used is sufficient to take up that heat. Because it is a lot of water, the core does not produce sufficient heat any more to produce any significant pressure. Also, boric acid has been added to the seawater. Boric acid is “liquid control rod”. Whatever decay is still going on, the Boron will capture the neutrons and further speed up the cooling down of the core.
Check out this detailed engineering explanation of what has happened, is happening, and will happen at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Key quote:
The point is that the nuclear fuel has now been cooled down. Because the chain reaction has been stopped a long time ago, there is only very little residual heat being produced now. The large amount of cooling water that has been used is sufficient to take up that heat. Because it is a lot of water, the core does not produce sufficient heat any more to produce any significant pressure. Also, boric acid has been added to the seawater. Boric acid is “liquid control rod”. Whatever decay is still going on, the Boron will capture the neutrons and further speed up the cooling down of the core.
Richard Feynman: “Take the world from another point of view”
An evening pause: Part one of a four part documentary about Richard Feynman.
“To know when you know and when you don’t know, and what is it you know, and what is it you don’t know.”
ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC and NPR Ignore Death Threats to Wisconsin Republicans
And they call themselves journalists? ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC and NPR all ignore the death threats made to Wisconsin Republicans.
And they call themselves journalists? ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC and NPR all ignore the death threats made to Wisconsin Republicans.
Sergei Korolev: the rocket genius behind Yuri Gagarin
Is water flowing on Mars?
Protest to reinstate Pluto as a planet
Second nuclear meltdown likely under way in Japan, official says
TSA to retest airport body scanners for radiation
Does this make you feel safer? The TSA is going to retest the radiation levels of all its airport body scanners after maintenance records on some showed levels 10 times higher than expected. Also this:
The TSA is responsible for the safety of its own X-ray devices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said it does not routinely inspect airport X-ray machines because they are not considered medical devices. The TSA’s airport scanners are exempt from state radiation inspections because they belong to a federal agency.
Does this make you feel safer? The TSA is going to retest the radiation levels of all its airport body scanners after maintenance records on some showed levels 10 times higher than expected. Also this:
The TSA is responsible for the safety of its own X-ray devices. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said it does not routinely inspect airport X-ray machines because they are not considered medical devices. The TSA’s airport scanners are exempt from state radiation inspections because they belong to a federal agency.
3 year old Jonathan conducting to the 4th movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony
David Horowitz Takes on Muslim Students at Brooklyn College
So who are the real hate-mongers here? David Horowitz speaks at Brooklyn College while under heavy security. To me, the key quote is this:
Mr. Horowitz began by ruefully observing, “When I went to college you didn’t need all of this security on campus, but things have changed and that’s the reason we now need checkpoints on campuses. Checkpoints are essential to defend against terrorists and Jew haters.” Adding that he has been verbally and physically assaulted on campuses around the country for his forthright views, he said, “Our campuses are controlled by liberal fascists and it is a movement to suppress the free speech rights of conservatives.”
So who are the real hate-mongers here? David Horowitz speaks at Brooklyn College while under heavy security. To me, the key quote is this:
Mr. Horowitz began by ruefully observing, “When I went to college you didn’t need all of this security on campus, but things have changed and that’s the reason we now need checkpoints on campuses. Checkpoints are essential to defend against terrorists and Jew haters.” Adding that he has been verbally and physically assaulted on campuses around the country for his forthright views, he said, “Our campuses are controlled by liberal fascists and it is a movement to suppress the free speech rights of conservatives.”
Nuclear Meltdown at Quake-Damaged Japanese Plant
This ain’t good: A nuclear meltdown appears to have occurred at the quake-damaged Japanese power plant.
This ain’t good: A nuclear meltdown appears to have occurred at the quake-damaged Japanese power plant.
Random variations are still too large for climate models
The uncertainty of science: a paper published today in Geophysical Research Letters has concluded that the the long term random variations of the climate, sometimes lasting as long as three or four decades, are large enough to hide any actual changes to the climate. In the quote from the abstract below, the term “random walk” is jargon for a long term random fluctuation having nothing to do with climate change.
This result indicates that the shorter records may not totally capture the random variability of climate relevant on the time scale of civilizations, for which the random walk length is likely to be about 30 years. For this random walk length, the observed standard deviations of maximum temperature and minimum temperature yield respective expected maximum excursions on land of 1.4 and 2.3°C and over the ocean of 0.5 and 0.7°C, which are substantial fractions of the global warming signal.
In other words, it might simply be too soon to be making predictions about the climate, based upon the presently available data.
The uncertainty of science: a paper published today in Geophysical Research Letters has concluded that the the long term random variations of the climate, sometimes lasting as long as three or four decades, are large enough to hide any actual changes to the climate. In the quote from the abstract below, the term “random walk” is jargon for a long term random fluctuation having nothing to do with climate change.
This result indicates that the shorter records may not totally capture the random variability of climate relevant on the time scale of civilizations, for which the random walk length is likely to be about 30 years. For this random walk length, the observed standard deviations of maximum temperature and minimum temperature yield respective expected maximum excursions on land of 1.4 and 2.3°C and over the ocean of 0.5 and 0.7°C, which are substantial fractions of the global warming signal.
In other words, it might simply be too soon to be making predictions about the climate, based upon the presently available data.
Quake moved Japan coast 8 feet; shifted Earth’s axis
Japan to fill leaking nuke reactor with sea water
Earthquake update
Japan’s Third Disaster
Japanese quake disrupts space station operations
The 8.9 earthquake has shut down the Japanese space station mission control center, forcing NASA to take over monitoring Japanese ISS modules.
The 8.9 earthquake has shut down the Japanese space station mission control center, forcing NASA to take over monitoring Japanese ISS modules.
Fixing the Webb telescope
NASA has concluded that it will cost an additional $30 million to fix the degradation problem on the James Webb Space Telescope’s scientific instruments.
NASA has concluded that it will cost an additional $30 million to fix the degradation problem on the James Webb Space Telescope’s scientific instruments.