Friday, January 27, 2017

“Alternative Facts”? Really?

There are those who drink deeply from the fountain of knowledge and truth.  They do real good in this world.  Here are only two among a great many: 






And then there are those who only rinse and spit.  There are many of those.  But here are two who have been in the news a lot of late:


"Greatest electoral college win since Reagan" and "Last night in Sweden".   Bullshit.

"Terror attack in Bowling Green Kentucky."  Bullshit

Update 2-20-17:  You can add Sean Spicer (echoes all of the above and more) and Reince Priebus ("nobody talked to any Russians") to this list,  at least.

Related articles on this site,  for those interested:

8-4-16….Evaluation of Choices for 2016
7-29-16…..Stuff You Normally Do Not Think About
6-5-16…….Trump?  NO!!
4-24-16….Better Choices in November
12-21-15..Facts Must Trump Politics
8-12-16…Election 2016 As A Turning Point



Update 1-28-17:

The above article is powerful,  just as it is.  But I thought I would add this to it,  because of the good and knowledgeable character of its source.

This following item has recently gone viral as a prediction that is coming true.  It is a quote from Carl Sagan,  from his 1995 book “The Demon-Haunted World:  Science As A Candle In The Dark”:

“Science is more than a body of knowledge; it is a way of thinking. I have a foreboding of an America in my children’s or grandchildren’s time—when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the key manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.”

It would appear that Dr. Sagan was quite accurate with this prediction.  The politicians of both parties have led us to this downfall,  by letting America essentially turn into a low-wage service economy with degraded education of the public.  They did it just to please the rich interests that bought their jobs for them,  which is bribery,  pure and simple,  just not technically illegal. 


As a result,  too many believe “fake news”,  just as he said.   Those same folks insist on remaining stupid because of their ideological belief systems (that defy real facts),  even though it is still possible to become smarter.  Which is why we now have a new administration bringing more chaos than anything beneficial.

Update 2-16-17:

Trump and Conway are rapidly becoming publicly-proven liars.  So is Sean Spicer.  A whole parade from that campaign will be shown to be liars.  Hurray for the media fact-checking these liars.  Keep grubbing,  you'll uncover more egregious things than just lies,  I predict.  

Update 6-14-18:

Sean Spicer apparently got tired of excusing and lying-for Trump,  and left.  He was followed by Sarah Huckabee Sanders.  Now,  apparently,  she is also tired of excusing and lying-for Trump.  She is leaving,  reportedly by some time in December.  Conway is still there,  but we rarely see her on TV anymore.  

Apparently,  there is a real ennui associated with being a public paid liar.  Makes you wonder who they can induce to be their next paid public liar.  The job might not be so bad,  if Trump was not so fact-free in what he says.  I'm surprised there are no 3rd degree burns on his legs from burning pants.  99+% of what he says is a lie.


Saturday, January 14, 2017

Congrats to Spacex

Congratulations to Spacex on a successful return to flight and launch from Vandenburg AFB of the first 10 of the new Iridium satellite constellation.  The corrections to the problem experienced last September worked fine.  Launch was on-time into a window only 1 second long. 

The first stage successfully turned around,  re-entered,  and landed on the drone ship just off Vandenburg.  Video from the first stage was maintained all the way through touchdown.  It was spectacular. 

The second stage successfully placed itself and the payload into the transfer orbit.  After reaching the right point about 40 minutes later,  the second stage relighted briefly and finalized the orbit.  All 10 satellites were successfully released in sequence as planned. 

Well done,  Spacex!


Upcoming things to watch for this year:  more satellite launches,  more cargo deliveries to the International Space Station,  and the first flight of the new Falcon-Heavy rocket.  

Update 2-20-17:  Successful launch of Falcon-9/cargo Dragon to ISS as CRS-10 from historic pad 39A,  and successful return of first stage to landing at Canaveral.