February 08, 2010
Here are a few things that caught my eye the last few days.
Vikings Versus Pirates !!
The Danes have boarded a buccaneered ship freed it from Somali pirates. The Russians assisted with mop up as well.
Interestingly, the Danish warship involved was HDNS Absalon a vessel which has been of considerable interest to many naval enthusiasts. More on this incident here, here, here, and here.
The Obama administration is actually making some good moves with regard to nuclear power. However, Brian Wang reports that the US suffers from serious deficiencies in industrial capacity in that area.
Rand Simberg sees a lot to like in Obamas space policy. While I disagree with Simberg on his notion that there is no utility a heavy lift capability, I heartily agree that the emphasis on using commercial vehicles (like Falcon and Dragon), and focusing manned operations on techniques for orbital refueling and construction as well as asteroid missions is likely to be very beneficial in the long run. There is irony in this. The administration obviously believes in a top down big government model as the proper way to do most things. This space policy is so out of step with everything else they have proposed that it may actually be a gesture of contempt on their part. If alt-space is indeed contempt....then yay for contempt! More here.
Dr Zero has a long piece on Socialism and how to deal with it before we go the way of Europe and ultimately Argentina.
Good grief....even Keynes is spinning in his grave.
I disagree with the premise behind this kerfuffle. PC is a blight upon the land. There are quite few other reasons that the WH chief of staff should resign. He's a thug. More importantly, he is an incompetent thug. Much of the visible failures of this administration have been the result of poor staff work. That would be the chief of staffs job.
On the other hand I liked what I heard of the speech.
Not that it matters 'cause.....Oh noes...GAME OVER MAAAN!1! ... GAME OOOVER!
UPDATE: HI Mom!
A true jerk, brought to justice.
On the lighter side...
Colleen Doran has a new portfolio website up and her blog continues to be updated as well.
A lot of what people think they know about the internet is actually quite wrong. This enlightening video explains the structure of the system and points out the cause of potential capacity problems.
HT Meryl Yourish
HT Hot Air
Started His and Her Circumstances, Ikkitousen....progress...slow...brain hurts.
In the DVD que, Fate Stay Night, This Lovely Yet Beautiful World, Evangelion special edition.

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February 01, 2010

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September 21, 2009

Interestingly, this development was actually foreseen by members of the bitter, angry, shrewish, insecure, catty, coalition who sounded the alarm over a month ago. However, their response was epidemiologically suspect as it made BASICC came off as not just whiny but racist to boot...
BASICC might have been more effective had they quietly linked to this or this.
Babes come in all hues....as do shrews.
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September 13, 2009
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September 07, 2009
Cool!
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March 11, 2009
I immediately bit the bullet and subscribed.
It is worth every frigging penny.
Lowther is an aerospace engineer and has meticulously researched and obtained information on all manner of historical projects, both those that were built and those that weren't.
Mr. Lowther is also an accomplished draftsman and he provides superb artwork both by himself and people like Damon Moran to complement the existing schematics and his in depth analysis...

There is a lot of crap on the internet concerning projects that were never built...much of it utter bilge. Lowther's site is NOT one of those.
I cannot recommend this site highly enough. The prices are nominal and the information on various aerospace projects is amongst the most detailed available.
Anyway....plug.
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February 21, 2009
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January 23, 2009

CDR Salamander has fine overview as well as the after action report of the second battle of Savo Island where Washington sent the IJNS Kirishima to the bottom.
Go read the whole thing and add CDR Salamander to your link list.
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December 15, 2008

As most of you know, some asshat set fire to the Wasilla Church that includes amongst its members, Governor Palin. There is now a fundraiser to help.
The Anchoress has some interesting thoughts on the shoe incident.
Via Steven Den Beste comes this humorous translation fiasco.
The Carnival of Space has been taken over by those pesky antipodians.
Finally Colleen Doran posts a well researched and interesting piece on the evolution of Shojo Manga, a possible american connection and the awful story behind that story. Read the whole thing
.(Note in reference to her post, that the culture museum in Nagasaki has a large display of pre Tezuka Girls Manga some of which are seen here)
Update: Rand Simberg has posted a long and informative article from 2004 never before published in full, debunking several myths of spaceflight and proposing a productive way forward...I've added it to this previous post of mine which looks at some of the same issues but does so rather less well.
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December 10, 2008
Wonderduck has had a rough week, but he has discovered the joys of customer satisfaction.
Pete has begun watching Midori no Hibi (mentioned in passing here) and seems to be enjoying it.
Steve Den Beste is finicky...(who knew!)...nevertheless, he takes the time to explain why this might be a good time...as in the last time...to get several series.
Colleen Doran has a roundup of links, starting off with another reason not to date...but she also has advice for aspiring artists and many fans....
Copyright: There's a better way to learn the basics than making an enemy of an artist with more money than God.
Finally, many people are quick to point out that Anime is a perfectly respectable hobby.
Pixy Misa helpfully puts that myth to rest in a post that requires he put this 'explanation' in the associated comments.
Well, there's at least two others with plausible excuses - one wearing inflatable falsies, and one with a trout in her bra.(probably NSFW)
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December 04, 2008
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December 02, 2008
As some of you know, I work for UPS Despite the economic mess a combination of the collapse of DHL, orders placed before the collapse and consumer obliviousness, our workload is...well...Christmassy....

Teh Fred has comments on this phenomenon...
....so relax kids its all OK....unless Teh Fred is being sarcastic somehow.
On other serious matters, over at the Long War Journal, in the wake of the Mubai attacks this is NOT what we need to be hearing from the Pakistani military....especially in light of this.
Dennis Prager has thoughts on the targeting of the Chabad House, when it made little tactical sense to do so. Godwins law does not apply here.
Rodger Kimball reflects upon a story from the UK, that is while bloodless, no less disturbing in its own way.....
We can at least take comfort in the fact that it can't happen here.....oh wait...
On a more upbeat note, Next Big Future reports on -77 degree F superconductors. Not room temperature yet, but withing the reach of conventional HVAC tech!
It is often forgotten that Condi Rice is not just a diplomat, but also a classical pianist. Yesterday she got to combine those two skillsets in an unusual combo resulting in "win".
Will at Criminally Wierd brings us this bit of....ummm....
Colleen Doran gets all pervy on her blog...and somewhat surprisingly, she is not the only person today to manage to mention sex and Hitler in one post...
As soon as you are finished applying the eyebleach, I implore you to look at this tangentially related cautionary tale on the importance of checking over childrens homework....
I am now off to ride the package tsunami....Stay safe everyone!
Elf grrl is a cosplaying Konata...from Lucky Star which has been masterfully translated by Avatar
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November 14, 2008
Send him your best.
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October 31, 2008

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October 20, 2008
Curse you Steven you have ruined my night....
Warning!!...site is a Mandelbrot hyperlink set...which may be of limited usefulness as a warning....
...as it is a word I just made up.

.
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October 15, 2008
(Which icebreaker? You ask?..The one we don't have but need)
Information Dissemination was already one of the best stops on he internet for naval related matters. Now it is a group blog and has been bloging up a storm..... on fire support, worrying trends in procurement and affordability and the fact that congress has compounded that problem by mandating all major warships be nuclear....good grief.
Did you know the first US warship was named for an English King? Eagle One has a superb birthday post on the history of the US Navy, including information on the Continental Navies ships.
Murdoc has a Leggo HMS Hood.
Brian Wang has a big roundup of technology develoments from Japan.
Phil Bowmeister has infomation on the development of the internet..in 1934.
Colleen Doran has information on a disturbing CBLDF case that involves a fellow potentially going to prison for posession of hentai.
Jeff Lawson has thoughts on the fall anime season, as does Ubu and Don does as well, interspersed with various other thoughts.
Steven Den Beste is watching Aria...and running the math on the moons of Mars. The series has also got him thinking about concealed carry (!?)
At Ani Nouto, Pete's cynicism filters have somehow been bypassed.
On the political front, The Anchoress has a long and link heavy post on the troubling ACORN scandal.
ACE laments the existence of morons on the team. While Gay Patriot has an extensively linked post that puts our morons in perspective...
John C. Wright links to this shocking You Tube that proves that British Comedians KNEW about he subprime mess over a year ago!
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August 27, 2008
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July 07, 2008
Outside it was a gloriously sunny, if hot, day.
With that in mind Powerline reports that CNN may be broadcasting from the same pocket universe as the Weather Channel....More on Bud Day here....
Returning to Earth Actual, Jerry Pournelle has a thoughtful discussion on torture and coercion here and here.
The Anchoress has a stream of consciousness on the upcoming elections here and a rather more focused and quite thorough assessment of the recent actions of the All Feeling all Seeing God Head Sun King here.
Eric Scheie looks at some of the stupid anti-Obama conspiracy theories and develops....a conspiracy theory.
The Instapundit links to this post on the recent rescue of FARCs hostages andquotes this telling bit....
As we learn more about the Colombian military's daring hostage rescue last week, one detail stands out: In tricking FARC rebels into putting the hostages aboard a helicopter, undercover special forces simply told the comandantes that the aircraft was being loaned to them by a fictitious nongovernmental organization sympathetic to their cause called the International Humanitarian Mission.
It may have taken years for army intelligence to infiltrate the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, and it may have been tough to convincingly impersonate rebels. But what seems to have been a walk in the park was getting the FARC to believe that an NGO was providing resources to help it in the dirty work of ferrying captives to a new location.
As the cool kids say...."Indeed"
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May 31, 2008
I arrived at the trailer Tuesday with a truckload of stuff that included a borrowed weed wacker. One important thing on the to do list being trim the yard...which had been completely untended for a month.
That became the major thrust of the operation. Not only was the grass much higher than I had feared, the yard was full of logs, limbs, rocks...umm...boulders...a sink, beer cans, beer bottles, lengths of reebar, a toilet, bits of iron, various cuts of wood...mostly siding and plywood, a catchers mitt concrete slabs and plastic toys.
Oh, and my lawn mower didn't work despite hours of attempted resuscitation.
I did a little bit of work on the trees with a hack saw and left.
I used to have woods on 2 sides...now a landscaping business has moved into the former woods on one side...and some time in the last 2 weeks they cleared out those pesky trees....and presumably saved on disposal fees.
It rained Wednesday and Thursday.
Yesterday I arrived with a lawnmower, weedwacker, chainsaw, pruning shears and a crowbar.
The yard is now presentable.
As of when I'd left, the power had not been reconnected yet, that will come this weekend hopefully, but the water is on.
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April 26, 2008
Enough...
Now is time to show your support for Ben Stein by going out and purchasing a DVD of Rejected.
The film is brilliant.
It has even inspired snow sculptors....
more...
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I think he is right.
He also found another bit of wisdom which I discovered by the way of Chizumatic.....
more...
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April 20, 2008
Oh and Mr. Cavett, you were indeed aptly named.
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April 05, 2008

Stephen Hardesty is better known to bloggers as Buckethead (of the Ministry of Minor Perfidy).



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March 13, 2008
"Ooh..kinky...How many arms are you hiding under that dress?"

More at Photoshop Disasters.
via
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March 04, 2008
Update: Bumped to the Top
Update2: Bumpity Bump!
Exams are upon me and I've taken a long enough break so I'm back to work.
However, YOU need to go here and click on this...
Rachel is an online comic creator who is facing a hellacious problem. Her teeth are wrong...just wrong...They are growing together and on top of one another and major oral surgery is required. Rachel is a starving artist so hit her tip jar please.
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