Russia’s plans in space for 2011
The bright outlook in 2011 for Russia’s space industry.
The bright outlook in 2011 for Russia’s space industry.
The bright outlook in 2011 for Russia’s space industry.
Not so good news: Nelson suggests NASA might not get a third shuttle flight.
Good news: NASA decides to do more to strengthen the shuttle’s external tank.
The next time someone begins ranting about how the money from “big oil” is used to attack the science of global warming, tell them to take a look at this post, which outlines in detail the more than $2 billion that the U.S. government plans to spend on climate change research in 2011 alone (too much of which is unfortunately used by partisans like James Hansen to try to prove the Earth is warming).
The battle begins: The House Budget Chairman, Paul Ryan, says that all spending bills will be written to exclude all funds for ObamaCare.
As I say, expect the squealing to be loud.
More progress: Two House bills have been introduced to eliminate funding for NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Stand by for loud squealing.
Progress! The House today approved rules for debating the repeal of ObamaCare, with a vote expected on January 12. Note that some Democrats voted in favor of this bill, indicating that it has some bipartisan support.
Has the TSA gone from touching your junk to stealing it?
TSA: Living on borrowed time? Key quote:
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spends hundreds of millions of dollars a year. At TSA headquarters alone, there are 3,526 staff whose average salary tops $106,000. And while the TSA has gotten very good at groping airline passengers and undressing them with full body scans, the organization has yet to prevent a single terrorist attack. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation released last spring revealed that at least 17 known terrorists have been able to pass through TSA security totally unhindered. [emphasis mine]
A nation choking on endless laws. I like the subtitle for this article as well: “The rising dictatorship of the bureaucrats.”
A depressing but honest unemployment update.
Progress? The NPR manager who fired Juan Williams has resigned. In addition, NPR’s CEO has been denied her 2010 bonus because of “concern over her role in the termination process.” And what does Juan Williams think of this?
“It’s good news for NPR if they can get someone who is the keeper of the flame of liberal orthodoxy out of NPR. . . , She had an executioner’s knife for anybody who didn’t abide by her way of thinking. . . . And I think she represented a very ingrown, incestuous culture in that institution that’s not open to not only different ways of thinking, but angry at the fact that I would even talk or be on Fox.”
A woman in a wheelchair — whom the TSA had previously interrogated for an hour then denied her entry when she arrived at the airport in a bikini — was later refused entrance when she arrived fully clothed because of an “unusual contour” around her buttocks. Key quote:
Banovac offered to strip for the agents to prove that she’s not hiding anything. However, since TSA agents aren’t allowed to fully undress a passenger, they had no choice but to deny her access to her flight.
Does one get the feeling that the TSA agents are out to get this woman because she makes them look like fools?
Republicans kill House global warming committee.
Our government at work: City contractor mistakenly demolishes Pittsburgh man’s home.
Another whitewash? The University of Virginia is resisting releasing a variety of climate documents being requested under the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Key quote:
In response to a previous FOIA request, U.Va. denied these records existed. However, during Cuccinelli’s pre-investigation under the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act (“FATA”), a 2007 law passed unanimously by Virginia’s legislature, which clearly covers the work of taxpayer-funded academics, U.Va. stunningly dropped this stance.
More please! New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has actually shut down a government agency.
Keith Cowing: Reorganization at NASA: More smoke and mirrors.
Another government-operated business that is losing money: Arianespace is requesting financial aid from the member nations of the European Space Agency to avoid a loss in 2010. This despite the fact that “the current request comes at a time when Arianespace might be expected to be in prime financial health.”
Repeal the damn bill! Obamacare ends the construction of 45 doctor-owned hospitals.
A clear danger to free speech.
Note that though I agree entirely with this New York Times op-ed, it is almost humorous how this partisan liberal newspaper only notices these threats to freedom when Republicans are in power.
Progress! The Republican bill to repeal ObamaCare is now online [pdf]. It’s only two pages long, and is bluntly titled “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act.”
According to Wikileaks cables, the United States and Germany plan to develop a secret constellation of spy satellites. Though Germany denies the story, their denial is somewhat puzzling:
German Aerospace Center spokesman Andreas Schuetz said that such a project for a high-resolution optical satellite has been in discussion for the past two years under the name HIROS. “HIROS is neither a spy satellite, nor a secret project,” Schuetz said. He insisted that the project was to be used only for government purposes, “for example crisis management during natural catastrophes and for scientific uses.”
He refused to give any further details, saying the plan was still in the project stage and could not be discussed.
Want to know what airports are using the new backscatter body scanners, and thus avoid them? TSA Status has the answer.
Good news, if we can believe them: The Republican leadership in Congress vows to cut spending and roll back ObamaCare.
The new colonial movement: China to explore Mars with Russia this year.
A Charlottesville man was arrested for protesting airport security searches. Key quote, written on his chest and abdomen:
“Amendment 4: The right of the people to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated.”
I wonder if liberal Washington Post blogger Ezra Klein needs someone to explain what this quote means.
Laws matter: The federal appeals court in Washington, DC, today blocked EPA’s takeover of Texas carbon-emmission regulation.