Potpourri CXXIII

It's been a bit heckish this week, what with the water heater flood, car repairs, and bookcases needing replacement. However, on the plus side, the ever-fun Dr. OZMG sent a care package of chocolate and Cheez-Itz to start the weekend off on the right foot. (THANK YOU!!! <3) With my senses of equilibrium and humor restored, let's see what's lurking out there in Cyberland, shall we?

First up, from the folks at Science @ NASA, a video and brief explanation of a rocket destroying a "sun dog."

Here's a different perspective on why the space program isn't going anywhere anytime soon (Note: might require tinfoil hat to appreciate properly).

Speaking of OZMG, she also referred me to this NPR story re: science writing and communicating. Does she know me or what?

If you have the wild urge to read and buy one of the books reviewed on my site, I'd appreciate it. I got a "showing concern" email from Amazon.com noting that I haven't sold anything yet. Boo.

From Doc: a Palm Sunday poem by T. S. Eliot. Warning: serious brains/thinking required.

From the Washington Post, via my AIAA news feed, a story about the Airborne Laser successfully shooting down another target during a test run. We just might need this someday.

From The Onion: NASA scientists start planning approaching a girl.

And that's all he wrote. Have a good weekend, all!

I Didn't Realize I'd Dated Her...

Someone on Facebook posted an entertaining and slightly painful editorial from someone named Kimberly Pruitt at The Onion. I hadn't realized I dated this person, but the specific turns of phrase make me wonder.

Potpourri XXXV

You know there used to be this old-fashioned concept called "class." Class is a state of mind, more than anything else. It's the sort of attitude that says you're a person of standards, of some standing. It's the unspoken thing that tells you not to tell particular jokes in mixed company or not make a professional or political fight personal. Why? Because it's just the sort of thing that a gentleman or lady would not do. Never mind, we're a classless society now--in more ways than one--which is how a reporter can make a crack about hoping Rush Limbaugh's kidneys fail, and President Obama laughs! Really now, Mr. Obama. We expected better of you.

The Times of London has an interview with King Abdullah of Jordan. Among other bits of good news: he expects Israel to negotiate with all 57 states of the Arab League, and if there aren't negotiations, then there is going to be another Arab-Israeli next year. On the plus side, the Pope's visit is going well. Thank Heaven for small favors.

Also from the UK: The Daily Mail is reporting on the upcoming Shuttle mission as its "most dangerous" to Hubble.

Star Trek is looking at a $75 million weekend. Not a record-breaker, but it's been a long time since a Trek film made that kind of money on opening weekend. Another thought on why I liked the new movie: the lack of condescension. Some of the Next Generation movies suffered from that. Want an example? Here's Jean-Luc Picard talking to a 21st-century primitive about his (liberal) future superiority:

"No money? You mean you don't get paid?"
"Acquisition of wealth is no longer a driving force in our lives. We wish to better ourselves & the rest of humanity."

Barf. Anyhow, I hold with Malcolm Reynolds in Serenity:

"Sure as I know anything, I know this - they will try again. Maybe on another world, maybe on this very ground swept clean. A year from now, ten? They'll swing back to the belief that they can make people... better. And I do not hold to that."

The reason I like the cast and acting of the new Star Trek is that they're recognizably human. The "We're better in the future" attitude is gone. They're still people, and I can relate to them. Just sayin'.

Jerry Pournelle always has interesting things to say about politics, and his take on the departure of Arlen Specter from the Republican Party deserves consideration if conservatives hope for their party to gain a governing majority again.

Also from Pournelle...recommend reading: The Lays of Rome, including Horatius at the Gate. Once considered part of our normal education, 60-odd years ago.

Just off the wall, but funny: The Onion has a story on Touchstone Pictures threatening to make a sequel to Coyote Ugly if box office receipts don't improve. Memorable (bowlderized) quote: "We are dead serious, you a$$#oles," Zaiff said. "You're going to like what we tell you to like, end-of-f@#$ing-story. Now fill up those seats, or so help me God, it's Coyote Ugly II: Get Uglier."

Joanne Manaster is conducting an online poll on which celebrity she looks like. She is then going to up the ante by having a computer analyze her facial features and compare them with said celebrities and see if "the wisdom of crowds" actually matches reality. My vote still goes to Lynda Carter. We'll see what the computer says.

Jeff Foust has some good stuff "from the archives" on Norm Augustine, who is chairing President Obama's panel/review of the Constellation Program and has had numerous dealings with NASA before this.

A fellow space blogger, Douglas Mallette, has some good thoughts on extending Shuttle. One must, indeed, wonder what the future of America's human space flight program is to be. I'd like to think that Augustine and his panel would keep things moving on plan, but while I do have a dog in that fight (writing for Ares), it's not my place to tell the judge that a friend's dog is better than someone else's...or do I? Here's one of those situations where Dar's hopes for a collaborative Office of Technology Assessment might come in handy.

The War is Boring blog on the U.S. Navy's concerns about China's new "carrier-killer" missiles.

I suppose I should quit there. Monday is bound to be a busy news day, and I'll be under the radar, watching it all. Peace.

Potpourri XXI

Someday I'll write a real posting again--a book review, a long rant, something like that--but these shotgun-pellet postings seem to get the most mileage and require the least work. And, besides, it's Friday, and my brain is a little toasty after a long week.

The Onion has a couple of dillies out there today:

• NASA Embarks on Epic Delay
• Kim Jong-Il Announces Plan to Bring Moon to North Korea

And here are a couple of other space-related items:

• NASA Announces Future Shuttle Launches Will Be Sudden and Without Warning
• Mars Lander Staggers Into NASA Headquarters Drunk, Broke
• Astronomers Admit They Made Neptune Up
• NASA, NASCAR Merge
• NASA Announces Plan to Launch $700 Million Into Space

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On a completely different note, my friend and cowriter Darlene Cavalier the Science Cheerleader will be speaking to the Pittsburgh chapter of Mensa.

Restoring Science to its Rightful Place
by Darlene Cavalier
Darlene Cavalier, a former professional cheerleader, is a writer and senior adviser to Discover Magazine and founder of ScienceCheerleader.com. Cavalier uses innovative approaches to increase adult science literacy, grow the ranks of citizen scientists and create opportunities for the public to weigh in on matters of science policy. She will discuss and demonstrate the approaches and give Mensa members a sneak peak at plans for her next project: ScienceforCitizens.net.

Goooooo Dar!

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This item doesn't surprise my coworker Martin, who continues to lament the ongoing demise of traditional newspapers/media. Bottom line: we're more engaged in politics via the internet than ever before, but it's engagement based on bias (i.e., going to web sites that agree with our own political beliefs).

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Due to expected bad weather on Sunday, NASA's Student Launch Initiative and University Student Launch Initiative activities have all been condensed to Saturday. The student rocket launches will be at the Bragg Farms in Toney, Alabama. Directions below, if you're in the neighborhood of Huntsville:

Directions to Bragg Farms:

1. North on Research Park Blvd. to Pulaski Pike
2. Turn north on Pulaski Pike
3. Go 3.6 miles until Pulaski Pike veers to the left. Instead of following Pulaski Pike, go straight onto Patterson Lane. There will immediately be a sharp right turn.
4. After 0.7 miles, turn left on Murphy Hill Road, which is the road to the left.
5. Take Murphy Hill Road 1.8 miles to Grimwood Road.
6. Turn east on Grimwood Road.
7. Take Grimwood 0.9 miles to Bragg Farms. The farm will be on the southside of Grimwood Road and there should be signs showing where to turn into the farm.

I plan to be there at least part of the day and will have pictures to post tomorrow evening.

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The History Channel is doing a week of specials on what the Earth would be like "After People." I'm of two minds on this. The science fiction fan in me is curious, the conservative philosopher in me asks, "What motivates people to want to imagine things like this?"

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The Obama administration asked Georgetown University to cover up Christian symbols on the lectern and elsewhere during the President's recent speech there, presumably to avoid any sort of endorsement of the faith. This sort of thing is silly pandering to political correctness and non-Christians, and it shows (in my opinion) a bit of disrespect for the faith. Presidents and public officials speak at hotels, conference centers, and other public places, which often attach their logos to the lectern or on the walls. No one expects that the speaker is there as a spokesperson for Marriott or whatever. The workarounds will probably turn out to be more troublesome for Obama than if he had just given the speech and left the symbols alone.

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My friends at Media Fusion, the company that does most of the animation and graphic design work for the Ares Projects, also had a slight role in the Stephen Colbert brouhaha.

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This one was bizarre to me. There are some folks out there who have it in their heads to ban a font type, Comic Sans. Apparently because bad causes have used the font on their messages, it therefore follows that the font is tainted and must be banned. Like Obama's unnecessary covering of Christian symbols at a Christian college, this is just plain silliness.

Do I have anything else to say? Probably, but it's Friday, and I need a little downtime. Peace and happy thoughts, all.