Centauri's Thoughts

40 years ago today, man set foot on another world. Even though it was only a quarter million miles away (compared to say, the asteroid belt or Mars) it was the furthest we had gone and under the most severe conditions at the time.

I was in grade school at that time, and the way things were going, I thought sure we'd ALL have the opportunity to live and work in space if we chose to. Well, that certainly didn't happen. Those who get to work in space these days are few indeed.

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do out there, but I know I wanted to be involved. I studied as many things about the sciences as I could, and especially anything that could be useful for space. This started with chemistry, physics, electronics, and progressed later into the math involved for calculating orbits and masses, and finally the jump into astronomy. about that time the web took off and I was in heaven (In my own way). I could study ALL of these subjects as much as I wanted (and I did).

Sadly, we are still no closer for the “the common man” to go live and work in space, and by the time it DOES happen, I'll be too old!

We are exploring some robotically, and through space telescopes we are seeing even more, but our human presence in space is a mere 250 miles away.

I'd love to know that we have colonies in space and on other worlds, and have even had a hand (mentally) at designing such structures, although I haven't yet posted that.

I can only hope we do better in the NEXT 40 years!

Given last weeks satellite collision, the issue of space junk will be getting more attention.

This is a subject I've pondered for well over ten years. Given the relative velocities of the objects involved, we cannot just fly up to things and “grab” them, but perhaps we dont need to.

My idea is this: a large blob of aerogel (perhaps 100 meters or so), positioned where the debris can impact into it, plus an attachment of a motor to position it a little in its orbital altitude.

Once it has captured enough debris, the question becomes what to do with it next.

Since aerogel is a very good insulator, it wont burn up on re-entry, but given its density, perhaps it doesnt need to. It might lose all its forward velocity and fall harmlessly to earth at perhaps 35 – 65 MPH (15.6 – 29.1 m/s). That depends on how much its overall density has increased because of trapped debris.

The other option is to push it up and out to the “parking orbit” where many dead satellites get sent, but from low earth orbit, this would require much more fuel than a de-orbit.

Remember too, that this idea can be used for more than one capturing blob, and in more than one orbit/altitude to speed up the cleanup process.

Hmmmm, we now learn that Saudi Arabia has a re-education program for extremists, to teach them not to kill and murder.

Since the 2003 bombings in Riyadh that killed dozens there have been no major attacks in the kingdom, they point out.

Libya is using a similar philosophy of religious re-education, moving away from brutal treatment of militants in jails, and Pakistan is also looking at it.

The program focuses on religious re-education for young men, all in their late teens to early 30s, captured while engaged in terrorist activities.

Of the 218 people who have taken part, only nine have since been rearrested after trying to rejoin al Qaeda, Saudi officials told CNN.

My question is: why are we only hearing about this now, especially in light of learning that some previously released Gtmo detainess are back fighting against us again.

Reference on CNN.COM

After all this time, finally, people are starting to get it. Hamas is NOT helping the Gaza strip, they are using the people for human shields, like the cowardly animals they are.

I'm surprised that its finally hitting the MSM, but it is, perhaps because some Palestinians themselves are finally talking.

Even Arab countries are split on the issue.

I have been a long-time reader of "Iraq the Model" and after reading todays post, felt it was definitely worth sharing with all!

The Security Council resolution 1859 states, among other things, that Iraq is no longer a threat to its neighbors, region, or the world. The United States has succeeded in transforming a bellicose, autocratic state into a friendly one that is making steady progress towards becoming a self-sustaining democracy — the international community is finally coming to recognize this transformation.

and...

The headlines for those cynics do not go beyond the throw of a shoe, whereas my headlines look into the future and speak of a new Iraq. My headlines speak of agreements with our friends in American industries who will help us have 24 hours of electricity and equip a strong army dedicated to serving and protecting the Iraqi nation. This is a future where Iraq’s billions are used in transparent contracts to build the country and improve economic ties with our true allies and friends, not in shady deals for building palaces, supporting terrorists, and procuring tools of aggression.

See all of it here.

Today is the official first day of winter, and in astronomical terms, the shortest day of year (but certainly not the coldest, that takes another month or so).

Its also one of the Pagan celebration times called yule.

Four years from now, it will also coincide with the end of the Mayan calendar, although that calendar is cyclical, and will restart another long cycle the next day.

Some think it means the end of the world. We'll see.

67 years ago, and this momentous event is almost forgotten, if you look at the web today. In fact, you have to search to find any news about the day that drew the USA into world war II.

We should never forget our wars, in order to not take war lightly in the present or future.

A few google links:
Georgia veterans share lesson of Pearl Harbor
For Utah vets, Pearl Harbor memories still vivid
Madison County veteran remembers Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor vets: 'Never forget'
NATION: 67 years later, Pearl Harbor remembered

Across Southern California, the 5.4 earthquake rattled furry nerves and ruffled feathers--literally.

"My birds felt it first," reported one reader. "They were all fluffy and upset a few seconds before it happened."

In Chino Hills, the epicenter of the quake, Alissa Sissung's 10-year-old daughter, Delaney, was spending the day at a horse camp not far from her home. Just before the ground began to quiver, her daughter watched the horses and dogs stir nervously, Sissung told Times reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske.

Another reader emailed: "I was feeding my horse when all of a sudden, he took off running. Seconds later is when the earthquake hit."

And word filtered in to us from Garden Grove about a greyhound at a rescue shelter that rarely gets up, but who suddenly stood up and looked around, to the surprise of the humans there. Then the earthquake hit.

ITs interesting to note that this few seconds of time the animals sensed is just about EXACTLY the difference between the arrival times of the P and S waves of an earthquake, but perhaps its only a coincidence.

The whole article is here.

Its been a while since Los Angeles had an earthquake they could feel. This one was felt; from San Diego to north of Bakersfield.

A 5.4 at 11:42am, 7.6 miles deep. A wake-up call, perhaps. They say its not enough to relieve pressure for the "Big One" though.

I'd rather see many in the 4-6 range, than a few in the 8 range.

Its getting to feel just like this: NOZZLE RAGE: ATTACK OF THE PUMP