Tuesday, July 25, 2006
(Editor's/Writer's note: this was supposed to have been posted long long ago. We're saying screw it, and posting it anyway.)
Song of the day:
I swear to you
I will always be there for you
there's nothin' I won't do
I promise you
all my life I will live for you
we will make it through
Forever
we will be
Together
you and me
Oh n' when I hold ya
nothin' can compare
With all of my heart
ya know I'll always be right there
NASA's plan for Moon, Mars
NASA is currently working on a return to the moon. If you remember, we've been there before, but got bored with it, thinking we had learned all we could about it. But now that we have bigger aspirations of going to Mars, all of a sudden we need the Moon yet again. Thankfully, it's not the type of moon to make a scene about it.
The Space shuttles were already being considered old technology for space travel, and NASA was looking for the next way to get to space before the most recent shuttle disaster. It simply hastened the need for replacement technology. So what ended up being the likely replacement? A command module attached that attaches to a lander, exactly the same design as the Apollo flights. It's akin to replacing a fleet of 747's with re-designed prop-propelled planes.
But here's the thing. Save for the Apollo 13 scare, the Apollo program worked. And worked very well. All of our Astronauts came back. In this rendition, it looks like the lander is launched seperately and put into an orbit that the command module meets up with after its own launch. If something goes wrong with the lander launch, there isn't any need to make a command module launch. And not only that, but it is a system we are familiar with. Or at least fairly familiar with. There isn't any need to go with a drastically different approach when we already know what works.
What is an interesting idea is how they will go forward with building a semi-permament station on the moon. I would think they could send some of the equipment ahead of time, and then presumably get the lander to touch down close to the construction site, so that the astronaut engineers/laborers can just saunter over, slap a blanket over a wire, and call it home!
Once the station is supposedly built, will they be asked to dig? I am picturing a teflon building full of oxygen protecting a prison gang digging ditches. On the moon. It'd be enough to get me to steal a car or two. "Sentance? A month of hard labor on the lunar plantation 4G."
So you're already asking why they would be digging. I don't know. Maybe it was generous contributions from the Corleone family in exchange for some waste disposal. Maybe the station needs a cozy bar/den/gameroom. 1/3 gravity would have some interesting affects on a pool or air hockey table.
But it will be interesting to see how it comes together. If it ever does, that is. I am still skeptical that it will get the funding it needs to make it work. The goal is to get there by 2020, but 14 years is a long time to maintain support within a Senate/House of Representatives that is always in flux, to say nothing of whether or not the Presidential administrations of the future will stand behind it. I'm hopeful, and yet the International Space Station was supposed to have 7 people in it full time. It currently has 2 or 3, because of budget cuts. The track record doesn't bode well for what is in store or what is needed for this venture.
This day in history:
On July 26, 1856, 150 years ago, playwright George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin, Ireland. But he's doing good work for CNN now.
In 1775, Benjamin Franklin became Postmaster-General. Were he around in 1995, he coulda been Benjamin Franklin, Grandmaster G!
In 1788, New York became the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
Nothing of note happened for the next 167 years on this day.
In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. (Clement Attlee became the new prime minister.)
In 1952, Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron, died in Buenos Aires at age 33. The same day, King Farouk I of Egypt abdicated in the wake of a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser. Four years later to the day (1956), Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. And on THAT same day, the Italian liner Andrea Doria sank off New England, some 11 hours after colliding with the Swedish liner Stockholm; at least 51 people died.
In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy, Fla.
Today's Birthdays:
Rock star Mick Jagger is 63.
Actress Helen Mirren is 61.
Rock musician Roger Taylor (Queen) is 57.
Actress Susan George is 56.
Actor Kevin Spacey is 47.
Rock singer Gary Cherone is 45.
Actress Sandra Bullock is 42.
Actor Jeremy Piven is 41.
Actress Kate Beckinsale is 33.
Superman Returns Review *with spoilers!*
If you don't want to know, just page down quickly until the next bold type.
To understand this movie, you must first understand the directors intent is to build off of the success of the first two Superman movies with Christopher Reeve, and (correctly, mind you) completely ignore the third and forth that were made only for the purpose of contractual obligation. And don't bother to tell me anything different, because I cant bring myself to believe anything beyond that, or to the thought that there was malicious intent to actually commit those to film. Beyond the one scene in the junk yard where Clark Kent and Superman seperate to fight each other, there wasn't anything redeemable about either one. Some of you will point to my own lingering childhood fear of the robot scene from that same movie as my main reason to discount it. Well, who the hell told you about that?
I remember seeing Superman III with my mom back when I was a wee little lad. I spend near the entire robot scene cowering in the corner of my chair, with the small snippets of the film still caught and seared into my long term memory when I was brave enough to peek. I hated and still hate that part of the film.
The film re-connects with its roots of the first film in wonderful fashion. It refers and reminds you every now and then that it isn't starting over. Rather, it is continuing on the legacy that Christopher Reeve created with the first set. The world has been without a Superman for 5 years. Scientists had thought they had found his homeworld, and he felt the need to see for himself if there was anyone left to save, or any sign of survivors. He returns to find that he truly is the last Son of Krypton.
Much of the world is understandably jubilant at his return, though those he cared for most Lois Lane specifically, are more upset at his leaving so abruptly in the first place. While gone, she found a new man, and had a child with him. To make things even more awkward, she wrote a Pulitzer prize article talking about how the world didn't need Superman. ( I am sure there is a comment here about high strung women thinking that their thoungts, needs, and wants are what the world needs and wants. )
Oh, and Lex Luthor is back! Kevin Spacey brings some real zest to the role. You can tell he really relishes the portrayal of this character. Lex gets out of prison on a bit of a technicality, finds his way into some money, and into Superman's side. As in "pain in the".
Song of the day:
I swear to you
I will always be there for you
there's nothin' I won't do
I promise you
all my life I will live for you
we will make it through
Forever
we will be
Together
you and me
Oh n' when I hold ya
nothin' can compare
With all of my heart
ya know I'll always be right there
NASA's plan for Moon, Mars
NASA is currently working on a return to the moon. If you remember, we've been there before, but got bored with it, thinking we had learned all we could about it. But now that we have bigger aspirations of going to Mars, all of a sudden we need the Moon yet again. Thankfully, it's not the type of moon to make a scene about it.
The Space shuttles were already being considered old technology for space travel, and NASA was looking for the next way to get to space before the most recent shuttle disaster. It simply hastened the need for replacement technology. So what ended up being the likely replacement? A command module attached that attaches to a lander, exactly the same design as the Apollo flights. It's akin to replacing a fleet of 747's with re-designed prop-propelled planes.
But here's the thing. Save for the Apollo 13 scare, the Apollo program worked. And worked very well. All of our Astronauts came back. In this rendition, it looks like the lander is launched seperately and put into an orbit that the command module meets up with after its own launch. If something goes wrong with the lander launch, there isn't any need to make a command module launch. And not only that, but it is a system we are familiar with. Or at least fairly familiar with. There isn't any need to go with a drastically different approach when we already know what works.
What is an interesting idea is how they will go forward with building a semi-permament station on the moon. I would think they could send some of the equipment ahead of time, and then presumably get the lander to touch down close to the construction site, so that the astronaut engineers/laborers can just saunter over, slap a blanket over a wire, and call it home!
Once the station is supposedly built, will they be asked to dig? I am picturing a teflon building full of oxygen protecting a prison gang digging ditches. On the moon. It'd be enough to get me to steal a car or two. "Sentance? A month of hard labor on the lunar plantation 4G."
So you're already asking why they would be digging. I don't know. Maybe it was generous contributions from the Corleone family in exchange for some waste disposal. Maybe the station needs a cozy bar/den/gameroom. 1/3 gravity would have some interesting affects on a pool or air hockey table.
But it will be interesting to see how it comes together. If it ever does, that is. I am still skeptical that it will get the funding it needs to make it work. The goal is to get there by 2020, but 14 years is a long time to maintain support within a Senate/House of Representatives that is always in flux, to say nothing of whether or not the Presidential administrations of the future will stand behind it. I'm hopeful, and yet the International Space Station was supposed to have 7 people in it full time. It currently has 2 or 3, because of budget cuts. The track record doesn't bode well for what is in store or what is needed for this venture.
This day in history:
On July 26, 1856, 150 years ago, playwright George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin, Ireland. But he's doing good work for CNN now.
In 1775, Benjamin Franklin became Postmaster-General. Were he around in 1995, he coulda been Benjamin Franklin, Grandmaster G!
In 1788, New York became the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.
Nothing of note happened for the next 167 years on this day.
In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. (Clement Attlee became the new prime minister.)
In 1952, Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron, died in Buenos Aires at age 33. The same day, King Farouk I of Egypt abdicated in the wake of a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser. Four years later to the day (1956), Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. And on THAT same day, the Italian liner Andrea Doria sank off New England, some 11 hours after colliding with the Swedish liner Stockholm; at least 51 people died.
In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy, Fla.
Today's Birthdays:
Rock star Mick Jagger is 63.
Actress Helen Mirren is 61.
Rock musician Roger Taylor (Queen) is 57.
Actress Susan George is 56.
Actor Kevin Spacey is 47.
Rock singer Gary Cherone is 45.
Actress Sandra Bullock is 42.
Actor Jeremy Piven is 41.
Actress Kate Beckinsale is 33.
Superman Returns Review *with spoilers!*
If you don't want to know, just page down quickly until the next bold type.
To understand this movie, you must first understand the directors intent is to build off of the success of the first two Superman movies with Christopher Reeve, and (correctly, mind you) completely ignore the third and forth that were made only for the purpose of contractual obligation. And don't bother to tell me anything different, because I cant bring myself to believe anything beyond that, or to the thought that there was malicious intent to actually commit those to film. Beyond the one scene in the junk yard where Clark Kent and Superman seperate to fight each other, there wasn't anything redeemable about either one. Some of you will point to my own lingering childhood fear of the robot scene from that same movie as my main reason to discount it. Well, who the hell told you about that?
I remember seeing Superman III with my mom back when I was a wee little lad. I spend near the entire robot scene cowering in the corner of my chair, with the small snippets of the film still caught and seared into my long term memory when I was brave enough to peek. I hated and still hate that part of the film.
The film re-connects with its roots of the first film in wonderful fashion. It refers and reminds you every now and then that it isn't starting over. Rather, it is continuing on the legacy that Christopher Reeve created with the first set. The world has been without a Superman for 5 years. Scientists had thought they had found his homeworld, and he felt the need to see for himself if there was anyone left to save, or any sign of survivors. He returns to find that he truly is the last Son of Krypton.
Much of the world is understandably jubilant at his return, though those he cared for most Lois Lane specifically, are more upset at his leaving so abruptly in the first place. While gone, she found a new man, and had a child with him. To make things even more awkward, she wrote a Pulitzer prize article talking about how the world didn't need Superman. ( I am sure there is a comment here about high strung women thinking that their thoungts, needs, and wants are what the world needs and wants. )
Oh, and Lex Luthor is back! Kevin Spacey brings some real zest to the role. You can tell he really relishes the portrayal of this character. Lex gets out of prison on a bit of a technicality, finds his way into some money, and into Superman's side. As in "pain in the".
Monday, July 10, 2006
Part I
Dan Hartung gripped the bottle of putrid brown booze with whatever strength was left in his disfigured right hand. The glass container slipped a bit, slick with the mud and grime covering the rest of his beaten frame. He found loving support from the paper label callously glued on, proclaiming it the best liquor found west of Kansas, though there wasn't any way for him to know...He hadn't known the affects of booze but once or twice in the past 30 years. Save for his wedding so long ago...He ended the thought there before it could be carried any further. He wasn't about to think about her if he could help it.
He took another tug on the bottle, kissing the strange elixer that seemed to have no temperature until it passed his chops, igniting itself for a slow burn down to his rotund belly. The warmth he felt inside was for fighting off the chill he felt on the outside, while he stared out the bar door watching the avalanche of rain wash away the traces of footsteps and animal prints that were part of the main town stream.
Street! Street. It was a street. Dan forced himself to blink a bit, shake his head, and fight for consciousness. Though, given enough time he thought, it could carve its own canal, and the Blackfoot tribe could row right into town whenever they pleased. Another swallow washed a warm cascade of temporary relief to him, and for that moment, he didn't feel the cold of the rain outside nipping at him, or his mud and water soaked clothes pressing on him. Just the inner coating of liquid firewater, and the warmth of his own life draining from his side, caking his canvas pants and leaving a stain beneath his chair. His life pooled beneath him, just as it had left a trail leading out of this desolate saloon. His hip screamed out with shattered ripping pain, though he wouldn't give it voice. The bullet was still lodged in there he was sure; he could almost feel it growing nasty pin like teeth and grotesque clawed legs to rend at his guts whenever he had moved. The damage done, all that was left to do was die. Another gulp of his coarse sauce washed across his palette, to rain down on his insides.
Time to a dying man is a very precious commodity, and yet he spent the luxury to remind himself how he had arrived at a table to himself, with a bottle of undetermined contents in front of him, staring out through the doorway he came through, watching the heavens empty out on the town of Stanton Arch. He watched as the trail of life he bled upon that road and the walkway leading up to the saloon were washed clean of any trace of his living. The world was in a hurry to forget him, he figured.
Three hundred strained breaths earlier, he had crawled through that same doorway. He had been crawling since his horse collapsed outside town. He had dragged his frame through the streets one handful of dirt and gravel at a time, pulling his body over every little pebble and jagged shard of God's earth between the exit of town and the Broken Down Saloon. More than enough of those bits of granite, sulphur, or volcanic glass were eager to tear into his gaping wound...sticking to the crimson honey pouring out of him, marking where the bullet plunged into his hip. The twenty or so people still left in town weren't anywhere to be seen to help him, and they weren't likely to anyway. He could still see the mud he had scraped across the worn wooden planks that made up the walkway. His bottle was half empty now...when he started it was three-quarters full. Almost like it was draining as fast as he was.
Dan Hartung gripped the bottle of putrid brown booze with whatever strength was left in his disfigured right hand. The glass container slipped a bit, slick with the mud and grime covering the rest of his beaten frame. He found loving support from the paper label callously glued on, proclaiming it the best liquor found west of Kansas, though there wasn't any way for him to know...He hadn't known the affects of booze but once or twice in the past 30 years. Save for his wedding so long ago...He ended the thought there before it could be carried any further. He wasn't about to think about her if he could help it.
He took another tug on the bottle, kissing the strange elixer that seemed to have no temperature until it passed his chops, igniting itself for a slow burn down to his rotund belly. The warmth he felt inside was for fighting off the chill he felt on the outside, while he stared out the bar door watching the avalanche of rain wash away the traces of footsteps and animal prints that were part of the main town stream.
Street! Street. It was a street. Dan forced himself to blink a bit, shake his head, and fight for consciousness. Though, given enough time he thought, it could carve its own canal, and the Blackfoot tribe could row right into town whenever they pleased. Another swallow washed a warm cascade of temporary relief to him, and for that moment, he didn't feel the cold of the rain outside nipping at him, or his mud and water soaked clothes pressing on him. Just the inner coating of liquid firewater, and the warmth of his own life draining from his side, caking his canvas pants and leaving a stain beneath his chair. His life pooled beneath him, just as it had left a trail leading out of this desolate saloon. His hip screamed out with shattered ripping pain, though he wouldn't give it voice. The bullet was still lodged in there he was sure; he could almost feel it growing nasty pin like teeth and grotesque clawed legs to rend at his guts whenever he had moved. The damage done, all that was left to do was die. Another gulp of his coarse sauce washed across his palette, to rain down on his insides.
Time to a dying man is a very precious commodity, and yet he spent the luxury to remind himself how he had arrived at a table to himself, with a bottle of undetermined contents in front of him, staring out through the doorway he came through, watching the heavens empty out on the town of Stanton Arch. He watched as the trail of life he bled upon that road and the walkway leading up to the saloon were washed clean of any trace of his living. The world was in a hurry to forget him, he figured.
Three hundred strained breaths earlier, he had crawled through that same doorway. He had been crawling since his horse collapsed outside town. He had dragged his frame through the streets one handful of dirt and gravel at a time, pulling his body over every little pebble and jagged shard of God's earth between the exit of town and the Broken Down Saloon. More than enough of those bits of granite, sulphur, or volcanic glass were eager to tear into his gaping wound...sticking to the crimson honey pouring out of him, marking where the bullet plunged into his hip. The twenty or so people still left in town weren't anywhere to be seen to help him, and they weren't likely to anyway. He could still see the mud he had scraped across the worn wooden planks that made up the walkway. His bottle was half empty now...when he started it was three-quarters full. Almost like it was draining as fast as he was.
