tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post1544726628452521342..comments2024-03-28T07:58:16.979-07:00Comments on CONTRARY BRIN: Treason Against ConservatismDavid Brinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-91980217657625480422010-02-04T15:10:54.356-08:002010-02-04T15:10:54.356-08:00Next post...Next post...David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-25207691117963301992010-02-03T19:48:54.320-08:002010-02-03T19:48:54.320-08:00The first message we get back might be "STFU!...The first message we get back might be "STFU!, there's something really evil listening!".Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-951880883367312442010-02-03T17:08:11.819-08:002010-02-03T17:08:11.819-08:00There is a SETI related panel at AAAS meeting in ...There is a SETI related panel at AAAS meeting in San Diego, in a couple of weeks. http://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2010/webprogram/Session1723.htm<br /><br />Alas, I have no official affiliations to pay my admission. As a freelance writer with teens heading to college, I doubt I can afford to attend. Too bad. <br /><br />I have spent years lobbying the AAAS to hold a session on METI. They are the only venue where a truly eclectic mix of advanced minds might truly enlighten the issue.<br /><br />Pity.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-10305998440588966692010-02-03T13:51:42.583-08:002010-02-03T13:51:42.583-08:00Dr. Brin: Marshall does launch something... Statio...Dr. Brin: Marshall does launch something... Station payloads. On the Shuttle.<br /><br />Oh, you meant boosters? I'll give you that.<br /><br />-----<br /><br />As for internationalization: it should be possible but not necessary. Many of the problems with the ISS arose because international cooperation was mandatory; indeed, it was the reason the Station wasn't cancelled in the early nineties -- the shining symbol of the End Of The Cold War, the union of the Russian and American space programs. Except that, just as the attempted union of civilian and military spaceflight led to poor design choices for the Shuttle, the successful union of multiple countries' space programs led to poor design choices for the ISS. In particular, the high inclination orbit was chosen specifically because Russia, even after all these years, has yet to secure a low-latitude launch site for its rockets, when every other spacefacing nation understands the supreme importance to long-term exploration (not to mention the cost savings!)<br /><br />There are benefits to internationalization, too. We can afford to shut the Shuttle down because Russian Soyuz capsules can deliver crew, and European ATV and Russian Progress cargo ships can deliver supplies. We get more personnel, more equipment, and more experience by including others on the project. But all the world's space agencies learned painful lessons about the difficulty of harmonizing engineering across so many different teams in the course of the ISS project. While having common standards for interlocking systems is good, it behooves us to make things less crucially interdependent in future projects (like the Moonbase) than they are on the ISS -- so that the whole project is not held up by Russian manufacturing delays, or American launch problems, or European contract wrangling. <br /><br />cruplind: what happens to projects when its bureaucracy becomes entrenched.Catfish N. Codnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-68027826295061693992010-02-03T13:50:15.873-08:002010-02-03T13:50:15.873-08:00Rob, Tim, you better listen to Uncle Buzz. Ares wa...Rob, Tim, you better listen to Uncle Buzz. Ares was another slow-motion disaster of the sort that NASA planners, Boeing, and Lockheed are very good at. For the last thirty years, the Shuttle and Station were to be protected at all costs, so any 'next-gen' projects were used to do risky tech development -- but the most important task was to make sure the ship as a whole failed before it became a threat to Shuttle/Station and their entrenched workforces and congressional votes.<br /><br />This is not a recipe for maintaining competency in systems engineering. And thus NASA can't do it anymore. <br /><br />-----<br /><br />We don't need to use the Saturn V as a base for the next heavy lifter, nor should we. First off, we don't have the complete designs and tech-specs for all components of the Saturn V; a lot of it was built with now-discontinued parts or custom-built stuff. Furthermore, we don't *want* to; the Saturn V was built with the limits of '60's tech... and tech has come a long way, baby.<br /><br />For example: the Instrument Unit, the Saturn V computer, was the best MIT could put together in '67. Your phone is smarter... and thanks to GPS, it knows more about where it is than the IU did.<br /><br />The *concepts* of the Saturn V, though, are well worth learning from. For instance, the first stage (the Saturn I) didn't use overengineering, fancy-schmancy hydrogen fuel. It used cheap, simple kerosene. Why? Because brute force was more important than efficiency for that first stage. It made engineering the pipes and the F-1 first stage engines a lot simpler, too; they didn't need all the extra leak protection that hydrogen (the smallest gas particle) requires.<br /><br />Lesson: don't do what is cool (PR-wise or engineering-wise); don't do what is politically expedient or makes contractors happy; do what is brutally practical. If that means buying from Ace Hardware rather than Thoikol, so be it.<br /><br />We have plenty of good engineering lying around between the Saturn engines, the US cargo rockets (the Atlas and Titan and Delta and Pegasus and Falcon programs), the Space Shuttle components, the X Prize competitors, and the cancelled, designed-to-fail tech demonstrators we've wasted money on in the Shuttle era. Between all that, I *know* a far better heavy-lift rocket can be designed... if we actually free people to design the best rocket possible.<br /><br />reali: what the Ares project ignored, minus a cup of tea.Catfish N. Codnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-8345213869241235552010-02-03T06:13:28.588-08:002010-02-03T06:13:28.588-08:00Buzz Aldrin had interesting comments on boosters h...Buzz Aldrin had interesting comments on boosters here:<br /><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/buzz-aldrin/why-we-need-better-rocket_b_351335.html" rel="nofollow">Better Boosters</a>Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-68620630121242657382010-02-03T05:39:37.567-08:002010-02-03T05:39:37.567-08:00Rather, "Saturn X"?Rather, "Saturn <i>X</i>"?Dwight Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14389833479219422837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32243745808207042272010-02-03T05:26:50.457-08:002010-02-03T05:26:50.457-08:00Ian, it wouldn't be inexpensive to restart a p...Ian, it wouldn't be inexpensive to restart a program that long dead, but a large, new booster that made use of the same engines, with updated avionics and designed with missions we want to fly now would be possible. We should even call it "Saturn VI".<br /><br />"flesm", if an english speaker makes this sound, they're in distress.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-23217986062810435442010-02-03T03:57:31.507-08:002010-02-03T03:57:31.507-08:00So why not just go back to the Saturn 1B or Saturn...So why not just go back to the Saturn 1B or Saturn V?<br /><br />They're proven human-rated design with a decent track record.<br /><br />Just make minimal changes to incorporate improved materials and sensors.<br /><br />The Saturns were replaced by the shuttle which was supposed to deliver cheaper launches. I know the shuttle never achieved its targets, I don't know if it was substantially cheaper than the Saturn missiles.Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07666385933765478081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-77042938076172909972010-02-02T22:24:28.522-08:002010-02-02T22:24:28.522-08:00Something else interesting
Free speechforpeople....Something else interesting <br /> <a href="http://www.freespeechforpeople.org/" rel="nofollow">Free speechforpeople.org</a><br />Looks like something to be scrutinized by folks who don't think of Randy Newman first when they hear the words "Political science".Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-27728589820591680862010-02-02T22:03:39.421-08:002010-02-02T22:03:39.421-08:00Concerning the shuttle, Jerry Pournelle posted a l...Concerning the shuttle, Jerry Pournelle posted a letter (After the Columbia disaster.) that claimed the configuration of the shuttle was dictated by missions the air force needed it to fly. In hindsight, the decision to use thermal tiles on a vehicle with an external cryogenic fuel tank seems strange, also the apparent lack of concern over ease of maintenance in a reusable vehicle.Tim H.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-86631761295970555032010-02-02T20:04:41.918-08:002010-02-02T20:04:41.918-08:00I have seen comments about the 'death-march of...I have seen comments about the 'death-march of human space exploration' put about by certain senators but the overall response appears positive.<br /><br />Check out the Planetary Society's response, above.<br /><br />bachesti: a card game for musiciansTony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-87543553683040465152010-02-02T19:46:58.021-08:002010-02-02T19:46:58.021-08:00Would you be willing to put together a posting spe...Would you be willing to put together a posting specifically addressing the NASA/budget issue?<br /><br />I'd be particularly glad to see your perspective on probable implications and consequences, because I'm beginning to suspect that your POV may be somewhat more optimistic than some of the prevailing opinion already in play. And if it isn't, it would still be a constructive one.Dwight Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14389833479219422837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-31388391350595213562010-02-02T19:14:17.782-08:002010-02-02T19:14:17.782-08:00Off topic (although sort of topical in terms of sp...Off topic (although sort of topical in terms of space exploration and head banging. Plus it's a cool shot)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.planetary.org/blog/article/00002330/" title="alternate title- Obama meets the Republican Caucus" rel="nofollow">When Worlds Collide</a>!<br /><br />egograi: The confused state of mind that results from insisting you're right all the time.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-68583594189958619202010-02-02T12:27:25.185-08:002010-02-02T12:27:25.185-08:00All of the major cable new outfits began carrying ...All of the major cable new outfits began carrying live feeds of President Obama's meeting with the Republican Caucus in Baltimore. A fascinating and frank exchange that allowed him to confront dozens of pat, party-line narratives.<br /><br />An interesting thing thereupon happened. CNN and MSNBC and CSPAN all continued the live feed, throughout. Guess which cable-"news" -- after seeing the way things were going -- rushed to cut the feed, switching to spin commentary, instead, to keep the narratives alive.<br /><br /><br />"calling instead for private industry to do the footwork and develop their own systems instead of continuing a project that, while over budget, has been showing good progress and seems quite viable for ferrying our astronauts to the International Space Station."<br /><br /><br />Um... Not? These programs were all being run out of Marshall Spaceflight center. I'll concede you have a point... if you can show me a single project they have taken to actual completion, since they foisted the horrific space shuttle on us?<br /><br />MArshall spends billions on paper studies and never ever ever launches a thing. Ever.<br /><br />Fool me once, shame on you. And to anyone who believe in fairytales from Marshall SFC... shame on you too.<br /><br />Too bad about Wikileaks. If there were any billionaires who REALLY wanted to save the world, they would fund my "Henchman's Prize" and save the world.David Brinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14465315130418506525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-39331433758074703542010-02-02T12:21:01.666-08:002010-02-02T12:21:01.666-08:00cross-reference:
http://www.ginandtacos.com/2010/...cross-reference:<br /><br />http://www.ginandtacos.com/2010/02/02/an-open-letter-to-tim-pawlenty/comment-page-1/#comment-21795Hank Robertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521410755553979665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-481279688280633502010-02-01T21:13:59.619-08:002010-02-01T21:13:59.619-08:00...'begorize': to censor by denying fundin......'begorize': to censor by denying funding.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-32055305194032151342010-02-01T20:56:58.043-08:002010-02-01T20:56:58.043-08:00Wikileaks is temporarily shutting down due to lack...<a href="http://wikileaks.org/" rel="nofollow">Wikileaks</a> is temporarily shutting down due to lack of fundsTony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-6871908326999979092010-02-01T16:50:50.804-08:002010-02-01T16:50:50.804-08:00Quickipedia: an open source web-based reference wo...Quickipedia: an open source web-based reference work devoted to casual sex.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-68294441287792408022010-02-01T16:04:51.873-08:002010-02-01T16:04:51.873-08:00The Planetary Society's preliminary opinion of...The Planetary Society's preliminary opinion of Obama's proposals can be read <a href="http://www.planetary.org/about/press/releases/2010/0201_Planetary_Society_Welcomes_New_NASA.html" rel="nofollow">here</a><br /><br />merspi: an elusive odor only reported in spacesuits.Tony Fiskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14578160528746657971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-14044671221400146692010-02-01T14:14:54.284-08:002010-02-01T14:14:54.284-08:00"I just think it should be modified a bit; ra..."I just think it should be modified a bit; rather than a U.S. initiative to return to the Moon and create a base, we should continue the international effort started with the ISS, and have an international effort to send a multinational team to the Moon and work on perfecting the technologies needed to send an international manned mission to Mars."<br /><br />From an interview with NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver:<br /><br />"We all believe that the seventh time we land on the moon will be with our international partners, in a different way, with new technologies," she said, referring to the 6 Apollo landings between 1969 and 1972.<br /><br /><br />http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18456-nasa-nixes-moon-plan-leaving-options-wide-open.html<br /><br />I agree entirely with this and just wish Australia would put more more into space research.<br /><br />Just don't let the Russians fuck it up like the ISS.Ian Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07666385933765478081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-80037179584577143062010-02-01T09:02:39.254-08:002010-02-01T09:02:39.254-08:00So. Obama has put out his new budget and as antici...So. Obama has put out his new budget and as anticipated, he's axed Bush's call to return to the Moon and establish a base. He's also axed NASA's Ares and Orion system, calling instead for private industry to do the footwork and develop their own systems instead of continuing a project that, while over budget, has been showing good progress and seems quite viable for ferrying our astronauts to the International Space Station.<br /><br />Needless to say, I think this is a massive mistake. I think there is a good reason to return to the Moon, and also to continue the Ares rocket program. I just think it should be <i>modified</i> a bit; rather than a U.S. initiative to return to the Moon and create a base, we should continue the international effort started with the ISS, and have an <i>international</i> effort to send a multinational team to the Moon and work on perfecting the technologies needed to send an international manned mission to Mars.<br /><br />Note that I'm emphasizing the "international" aspect of this. If each of the spacefaring (and nations interested in joining this group of nations) each chipped in part of the cost, no one nation would have to do all the work. In addition, subcontracting to private contractors (and on an international level!) would be possible, which would increase the viability of the private aerospace industry.<br /><br />This is one fight I suspect Obama is going to lose. There are too many interests among too many Senators to just axe Ares. The question is this: is Obama <i>planning</i> on this, to unite Republicans and Democrats to work together to save NASA and the Ares program? And will he offer to allow Ares to continue (and perhaps the Moon program) in exchange for promises to enact his own agenda, perhaps with climate legislation or regulatory reform of the financial industries?<br /><br />Rob H.<br /><br />rendapp: what Apple does to apps it doesn't likeAcacia H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07678539067303911329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-65144447602177133592010-02-01T09:01:53.828-08:002010-02-01T09:01:53.828-08:00Tacitus, the Australian media follow the internal ...Tacitus, the Australian media follow the internal workings of ther Murdoch dynasty like the old Kremlinologists. ("Rupert says he rang Lachlan first after his operation so clearly Lachlan will inherit the kingdom.")<br /><br />But offhand I can't find anything about the debt position of the Murdoch family private companies.<br /><br />The Murdoch family interests are Byzantine in themselves. <br /><br />Murdoch owns some shares in his own right. Other parcels are owned by his sisters and his mother (if she's still kicking). Rupert is the trustee for some of those shares but some are controlled by his nieces and nephews. <br /><br />Rupert has passed some small share parcels to his children directly but a much larger chunk is in a family trust which at one point at least was actually controlled by his ex-wife Anna, who also got a parcel of shares in the divorce settlement.<br /><br />I think she eventually passed control of the family trust to one of her sons.<br /><br />It's starting to look like King Lear.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-10978416847553071792010-02-01T08:13:34.699-08:002010-02-01T08:13:34.699-08:00Ian
Oh. In that context your point makes sense. B...Ian<br />Oh. In that context your point makes sense. But truth (7%) is generally better than BS.<br />If Murdoch is actually in hock to the Saudis for lots more, that would be very, very relevant information. Oh, where are the investigative reporters of old?<br /><br />Otherwise the Oil money vs Pharma money comparison holds up fairly well.<br />Each industry has extracted large amounts of cash from our economy and spends it to their benefit. Each has shady business practices. Each produces products that are neither inherently good nor bad. The gasoline powering a generator in Hati...the Oxycontin being abused in rural America.<br />Each is founded on a business model that must discourage alternatives (fuels, medicines).<br />I guess Big Pharma has not gotten us into foreign wars, but as I see it, they are part of the health care problem, which remains one of our biggest domestic/cultural issues.<br /><br />Just trying to stimulate some thought and discussion.<br /><br />Tacitus2Tacitus2noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8587336.post-36393906245652150442010-02-01T06:51:44.113-08:002010-02-01T06:51:44.113-08:00Tacitus, if I understand David's point he isn&...Tacitus, if I understand David's point he isn't jumping up and down saying "look Fox is secretly controlled by the Saudis" he's saying "If you find yourself arguing with a "conservative" who blindly believes everything Fox says and refuses to look at the evidence that they're wrong, lean over and whisper "Did you know Fox is secretly owned by the Saudis?"<br /><br />Because if you can't move people by reason and evidence you might as well exploit their prejudices because that's what the pther side is doing.<br /><br />If on the other hand you were referring to the actual Fox/Saudi links, I'm just saying the Saudies may have more influence than their 7% Newscorp holding suggests because Murdoch reportedly owes them a ton of moeny.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01739671401151990700noreply@blogger.com