http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/weekinreview/15baker.html
Really, New York Times? Really?
Mar 152010
Feb 202010
NASA plans more outreach to Muslim countries
WASHINGTON – NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden said Tuesday that President Barack Obama has asked him to “find ways to reach out to dominantly Muslim countries” as the White House pushes the space agency to become a tool of international diplomacy.
“In addition to the nations that most of you usually hear about when you think about the International Space Station, we now have expanded our efforts to reach out to non-traditional partners,” said Bolden, speaking to a lecture hall of young engineering students.
Here, let me say that again:
White House pushes the space agency to become a tool of international diplomacy.
Gah. What’s this jackholes legacy going to be? An absolutely enormous, gigantic government, and a space program that is no longer a tool for advancing America’s interests, but instead a feel-good bit of uselessness hidden somewhere in the budget.
But hey, at least we’re going to help the Muslim countries with their space programs, so that’s a good thing, right?
Feb 102010
The DoD does, and seems to want to see the US retain some of that capability.
DOD Studying Rocket Motor Sustainment
The Pentagon is participating in an interagency integrated team convened to explore how best to sustain the rocket motor industrial base — a mandate made all the more urgent given NASA’s planned cancellation of the Constellation program, according to Brett Lambert, the Defense Dept.’s industrial policy director.
Each of NASA’s Ares V launchers would have required six RS-68 engines, which are common to the U.S. Air Force’s Delta IV Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV). Already, Air Force officials are seeing an uptick in the per-unit price of each EELV because procurement has slowed to keep pace with delayed satellite programs.
This trend is only getting worse with the NASA decision, according to Gary Payton, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space. “We share an industrial base with NASA — on solids, liquids, range infrastructure and a workforce. So, with the cancellation of the Constellation program… we have got a lot of work to do with NASA to figure out how to maintain a minimum industrial base on liquid rocket engines and solid rocket motors,” Payton told reporters Feb. 4 during a luncheon roundtable.
The end of Constellation/Ares sees the end of ATK-Thiokol as a going concern. Say waht you will about ATK (and I can say rather a lot, little of it complementary), but it’s not like the US is stacked to the rafters with companies that can build large, ICBM-sized solid rocket motors. United Tech/CSD folded half a decade ago. ATK may fold within a year (for all intents, anyway… it’ll probably retain some smaller contracts, and play rocket-hobby-shop).
On the liquid rocket front, things are a bit more confusing. With the dropoff in need for Delta IV’s, far fewer RS-68’sa re being built. With the end of the Shuttle, SSME’s day will be done. On the other hand, the SpaceX Merlin will, hopefully, continue to loft the Falcon rockets, and Xcor will hopefully continue to crank out reliable small rocket engines for the commercial market.
The commercial spacecraft and propulsion industries are America’s great hope. And Obama’s proposed budget theoretically helps cater to them. But for entepreneurs to thrive ina market commanded by Marxists… I dunno. I got a bad feeling about this, Chewie…
Feb 072010
Bad journalism is not restricted to American journalism. Gentlemen, behold!
British astronaut Nicholas Patrick prepares for Nasa space launch
Final preparations are under way to launch British astronaut Nicholas Patrick and five colleagues to the International Space Station, on one of the last Nasa shuttle missions.
… Nasa‘s long-haul exploration goals…
… the Nasa workforce …
… the head of Nasa …
… subsequent direction for Nasa …
… The head of Nasa …
What. The. Hell. Is… “Nasa?” Is it perhaps something like “NASA?” If so, Nasa is to NASA what the Raf is to the RAF.
Bah.
Anyway, the best part of the article:
One sign posted by workers at an entrance to Kennedy Space Centre yesterday accused Mr Obama of betraying a campaign promise to preserve America’s space programme. “Obama lied. Nasa died,” it said.
Feb 072010
Snerk.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hFv1KDPbvngI1hk4Y8UFGhAJkDpg
Indonesian authorities said Monday they are considering a petition to tear down a statue of US President Barack Obama as a boy, only a month after the bronze was unveiled in Jakarta.
…
“Barack Obama has yet to make a significant contribution to the Indonesian nation. We could say Obama only ate and s (expletive) in Menteng. He spent his subsequent days living as an American,” the web page says.
Oh, if only that was all he’s done in the US, too…
Seems that a year or so ago there was not a corner of this world where you couldn’t find somebody with an irrational devotion to a man who had accomplished precisely squat in his life. And now that a year has passed and this man has failed to come through on the worshippers own expectations, the disappointment is turning into anger. Few people more angry than the disappointed cultist.
Feb 042010
A zombie apocalypse has been pretty much inevitable ever since the Atomic Age began. Well, it’s not only upon us, but as it turns out, we have zombies within our own military, apparently working on our side! President Obama today let slip this fact, as heard HERE.
What’s interesting, but should not be surprising, is that the “corpse-man” that Obama refers to is of Haitian decent.
Jan 272010
Rumors are reports are that the State of the Union speech, along with the forthcoming budget, will cut all funding not only for the Ares I launcher, but also the Ares V and the whole Constellation/Orion CEV program. With the end of the Shuttle program this year, that leaves the US with no way to send humans into space… likely for a decade or longer (Ares I began half a decade ago, and was about half a decade from first manend flight). With luck, the commercial sector (SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Xcor, etc.) will be able to take over. But the commerical human-launch sector is based pretty much wholly on the hope of space tourism. And space tourism is probably a pretty flighty sort of industry. And what will happen to space tourism if the US government withdraws entirely from space? Will the interest among America’s investors to go to space increase, or decrease? Damned if I know.
Jan 242010
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0a7B2Y71ji7IX?q=obama+Graham+falls+church
FALLS CHURCH, VA – JANUARY 19: U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the ‘Race To The Top’ program at the Graham Road Elementary School January 19, 2010 in Falls Church, Virginia. The President is announcing his request for an additional $1.35 billion in 2011 for the program that was created as part of the economic stimulus bill signed into law last year. He is joined by Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
Yeesh.
You know, you’d think that after this many “teleprompter jokes,” 0bama would take the damned hint and try to get rid of the things… especially when speaking to a bunch of children. Instead… there they are, big as life and twice as ridiculous. But why are they there? Is it dogged determination? Or is he truly dependant upon them to give even the simplest message?
Me, I’d be a stumble-mouthed fool if I tried to give a speech from memory before a large enough crowd. But then I’m not a politician. Politicians are *supposed* to be smooth, well-practiced at lying directly to our faces. But Obama, despite his campaign gloss, seems to be incompetant even at that. Perhaps 0bama, or at least his handlers, realize that it’s better to use the teleprompters and be thought a fool, than to not use them and remove all doubt.
Jan 222010
Happy Days star Scott Baio gets Twitter death threats after Michelle Obama ‘joke’
Happy Days actor Scott Baio has contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after being subjected to ‘death threats’ on Twitter.
The 48-year-old actor received a barrage of negative criticism when he posted an unflattering photo of America’s First Lady Michelle Obama with the tagline ‘Wow – he (Barack Obama) wakes up to this every morning.’
The Sensitive, Tolerant and Diverse community of O-bots responded thusly:
Dec 272009
Notice that immediately after the attempted airliner bombing from two days back, Obama actually came out and *called* it terrorism. He, or his minions, also called for the new passenger restrictions designed to increase airliner passenger misery with no recognizable increase in safety. So, howsabout this: Obama is using this as a way to crush the airlines as a prelude for government takeover. Drive them into financial distress by both increasing fear and making flying such a misery that people simply don’t fly. Then nationalize them. After all… you never want a serious crisis to go to waste.