Potpourri XXXIII

Another wild weather day in Huntsville: severe thunderstorm, flash flood, and tornado warnings. Spent some time in my "designated protective area" and everything. Best calm down by doing a little writing.

Here's a perennial chestnut: "Warp drive is possible!" Okay, fine. Send me the data when you've nailed that down, buddy.

Tip o' the fedora to Twila for this one: Some more useful data from the American Society for Engineering Education.

The Justice Department is unlikely to recommend prosecutions against the lawyers who gave legal advice to the government on interrogations of captured al-Qaeda terrorists. Translation: They did nothing illegal. However, that won't prevent them from suggesting that these same lawyers should have their professional lives and reputations ruined by being sanctioned or disbarred by their state bar associations. This is a chilling message to any lawyer asked to give advice to the feds. Bottom line, if you're asked: "Just say no."

Tip o' the fedora to Martin for this: an FAA report on the economic impact of the space industry.

The Department of Homeland Security is trying to backpedal for defining peaceable conservatives like Your Humble Narrator as dangers to the state.

A refreshing take on foreign aid spending by New Zealand's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The inactive Sun might indicate an oncoming ice age.

The mafia is being investigated for ownership in wind farms in Italy.

The UK is keeping annoying talk radio jock Michael Savage out of their country. Now mind you, I'd have different reasons for keeping away from the guy, but clamping down on him for his legal expressions of free thought is a bad one.

The economy might be showing signs of recovery...before most of the economic stimulus bill has been passed or spent. So now I must ask: was the stimulus really necessary? And the fact remains that even if the economy DOES recover, we will all now be stuck with Obama's increased spending and nationalization of the banks and the auto industry. As Rahm Emanuel has been fond of saying, "Never let a crisis go to waste."