EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT BLACK MARKET MOON ROCKS: Our journey begins with an article about how Ireland lost its Moon rocks in a tragic fire. That article made me wonder who else got souvenir Moon rocks on the US taxpayers dollar, and what happened to them all. The short answer, pretty much every nation state got souvenir moon rocks and many of them have (predictably) gone missing, and there is a black market in them. It is clear from the article that these mineral specimens were souvenirs encased in lucite rather than samples that would achieve any scientific purpose.
DIRECTOR DAVID LYNCH HAS DIED: A lifetime of chainsmoking will do that to you. I will remember him most for Mulholland Drive.
TOTALITY OF CIRCUMSTANCES: The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit just dropped this turd of an opinion. Getting your daily nutpunch (or ovary tap) out of the way early.
APOKÁLYPSIS NOW: I’ve long said that one of the most damaging things Trump could do unilaterally to the deep state is to declassify as much as possible and show the country the long and shameful history of ass-covering, scumbaggery, and illegality. Over at Financial Times, Peter Thiel has this tittilating essay. South Africa confronted its apartheid history with a formal commission, but answering the questions above with piecemeal declassifications would befit both Trump’s chaotic style and our internet world, which processes and propagates short packets of information. The first Trump administration shied away from declassifications because it still believed in the rightwing deep state of an Oliver Stone movie. This belief has faded.
SKYNET COMING: A California-based defense technology company plans to build a 4,000-job facility in central Ohio to manufacture “autonomous weapons systems” for the U.S. and its allies, a development state officials say represents the largest single job creation project in state history.
O’KEEFE MEDIA GROUP, STILL DOING THE LORD’S WORK: If you watch the videos in this article, Mannina totally comes across as some bullshitter trying to make time with a chick by inflating his own importance. “The Tank,” whoa. But then comes this gem. Mannina’s role extended beyond advising military officials. He revealed his involvement with the National Security Leaders for America, a 501(c)(4) advocacy group. As a “ghostwriter,” he contributed to over 100 op-eds intended to sway public opinion against Trump’s potential re-election. “We tried to explain to the American people the national security consequences of another Trump presidency,” Mannina stated, highlighting the organization’s goal of influencing the electorate. Congress needs to start cranking out subpoenas for NSLA. Even if there is nothing that rises to the level of a crime, this sort of thing needs to be exposed.
CREDIT WHERE DUE: Although it pains me to have to praise this bloated, incompetent, and weaponized bureacracy, the FBI apparently did something right.
TOO LOCAL NEWS DEPARTMENT: Richmond water manager resigns after water system goes belly-up for days, also affecting nearby counties. Former director Bingham had no engineering background but was a keen proponent of DEI. Meanwhile, Henrico County hires outside firms to investigate and make recommendations on how to prevent the county from being affected by Richmond’s incompetence.
TWO BIG LAUNCHES TODAY: Today is, of course, a big space day, in a big space week of what promises to be a big space year. Early this morning Blue Origin did its first successful launch of its New Glenn rocket. As you read this I will be glued to the screen watching SpaceX perform another test launch of its Starship rocket. Both of these were uncrewed test launches but by the end of the year we could see crewed launches on both of these rockets. That would give the US three active orbit-capable crewed launch systems (more than everyone else, combined) with two others (Boeing Starliner, Lockheed-Martin Orion) in various stages of development.
TWO MOON PROBES LAUNCHED EARLIER THIS WEEK: Sharing the same ride to orbit earlier this week were two different Moon landers. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 carries a bunch of instruments, the most practical of which are the Electrodynamic Dust Shield, an attempt to zap moon dust off of things like solar panels, and the SCALPSS instrument to study how a spacecraft landing kicks up lunar dust. Dealing with Moon dust was a big thing for Apollo astronauts, and when Apollo 12 landed (STFU, Sloper) near the Surveyor 3 probe, the dust kicked up from the Apollo landing visibly damaged the Surveyor probe. Japanese company ispace is also on the way to the moon with their Hakuto-R Mission 2 which has a cute little micro-rover.
FUCK THE GREEN, IT’S FIFTY PERCENT BETTER: Here is a little piece of space news that has huge potential to accelerate space exploration. ASCENT […] promises a 50 percent increase in specific impulse density compared with hydrazine, plus easier ground handling. For those of you who aren’t space nerds, Hydrazine is some very nasty stuff which powers the little teeny microthrusters which rotate and position spacecraft, ie during docking maneuvers. These spritzy little thrusters are found on everything from satellites to space capsules.
Congress needs to start cranking out subpoenas for NSLA. Even if there is nothing that rises to the level of a crime, this sort of thing needs to be exposed.
I’ve seen some of those O’Keefe Media Group videos.
I suspect nothing else will happen.
I was just thinking about that the other day. OMG BOMBSHELL!!!11!!
And then crickets.
I don’t pay much attention to him anymore.
While I watch his videos, I have to wonder what is really going on with O’Keefe. His schtick is well known. Only once has anyone come close to doing the same to him (and that was a bit of a nothing burger). I wonder sometimes if he is getting played (i.e. fed information when he goes after the Feds) or is controlled opposition.
That’s an interesting thought. Throw someone to the wolves while all kinds of fuckery is happening elsewhere.
As a “ghostwriter,” he contributed to over 100 op-eds intended to sway public opinion against Trump’s potential re-election. “We tried to explain to the American people the national security consequences of another Trump presidency,” Mannina stated
Fail.
I’d say that at least it helped reveal the shoddy partisanship instead of “crusading security apparatus warrior!” that the IC really is to rest of the country… but then I remember all the discussions about how much of a bubble we’re in and that most of the country probably still thinks that. Le sigh.
No mention that Bob Uecker is a just a bit outside of life now.
Mr. Belvedere will be along shortly to buttle.
I’m a homo. That gives me a -2 to all my sportsball trivia rolls.
Even with all those tight ends on the field?
Better than all the wide receivers stretching out the game.
There’s a Uecker / Tonio “who had more passed balls” joke in there somewhere, but I’m way too classy to make it.
Even soccer?
Black market moon rocks sounds a bit loonie to me.
It’s an economic bubble that will hopefully soon burst. I hope to live to see a day where samples like the Nixon/Apollo souvenirs are sold in museum girt shops for a hundred bucks. Possibly as a byproduct of cleaning out the holds and cargo containers which return from the moon.
The short answer, pretty much every nation state got souvenir moon rocks and many of them have (predictably) gone missing, and there is a black market in them.
There’s a pretty good market for fake moon rocks as well. Just find a pebble-sized piece of gravel by the side of the road, encase it in lucite, make up some fake provenance, and viola — profit.
It’s staggeringly common, so if anyone tries to sell you a “moon rock,” take it with a grain of basalt.
Boo! Boo this man.
He’s smarter than the average bear, Tonio?
Moon rock collectors are some really gneiss folks, but not as magmanimous as the Glibs.
How big is your slate of rock puns?
It’s the schist, lemme tell ya (although I admit — talc is cheap).
If that joke was on anorthosite people might overlook it.
Oh, rille, TOK? Rille?
I don’t think that only TOK was thinking that. It is a pretty common sediment.
Between the mineral gags and the space stuff, we know what Tonio will be up to this evening.
If it’s so common, people might start taking it for granite.
Yet many will marble about it.
Surely there will be a lot of talc.
Sometimes you have to wonder if medical schools are next to the top law schools — because hey… if you’re going to have your brain removed to become a judge-bound Top Lawyer… might as well donate it to science!
Sounds like when Darkseid decides to go to Madrid instead of Metropolis for a change of pace…
Sorry (not sorry) but with that FBI article being published in The Verge, this needs to be todays musical choice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3v-z8iEN-Q
I can help but think anti-satellite systems and targeted electronic warfare would make using those in a peer level war problematic. Of course, a peer level war with nuclear powers is problematic to begin with — but you get where I’m going with this. “Oh well” says Anduril — “We still got paid!” more likely than not.
Peer level war? How about a “war” where the soldiers refused orders to fire? As they might if they are aiming at civilians, fellow citizens, etc.
A domestic use would presumably have the operators surrounded by large swathes of “the enemy”. Similar to “what would happen if the Army tried to use armored divisions against the US citizenry” my money would be on the snipers that would start to spring up against the troops themselves or their families. (Not that this should be at all read as “wanting it to happen” just saying that using a tech-heavy military against an armed citizenry in a civil war scenario has serious issues to deal with.)
And no — I don’t think “AI” as they try to call it these days is actually fully autonomous capable, so there are still going to be operators somewhere.
Doesn’t have to be AI. I worked on the comms between sensor and shooter, and TPTB required a man in that loop. You can guess where the weak link was.
“spritzy”FTW
spritzy is the new sploosh?
You can put a green costume on Florida Man, but he’ll still be Florida Man.
TAVARES, Fla. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office says a former deputy resigned after he crashed his patrol car while watching pornography on his phone.
According to the sheriff’s office, Tristan Macomber first told investigators that his brakes had locked up, which caused the crash. Later, they said, the truth came out.
To be fair, this could happen to anyone.
So the problem is that he was just dicking around while driving….
Way back in the day (late 90’s), a friend of mine who was down in Columbus worked at a car stereo shop. They had a customer come in who wanted a full surround sound system put in, a television display (visible from the driver’s seat), and DVD player.
He was back with a new vehicle a short time later, explaining that he totaled his last car getting into an accident while watching porn.
He was back with a new vehicle a short time later, explaining that he totaled his last car getting into an accident while watching porn.
At least he was honest.
Not many people know how to drive a stick these days.
It’s been a few years, but I think I still know my way around a stick!
Years? I thought you’d had the comfort of a gentleman caller over this past year, KK.
He won’t put out
So every cruise isn’t the Love Boat? (asking for a friend)
He won’t put out
A plumber who only works on the RV plumbing?
Wait… I’m apparently reading this an hour in the future?
Let’s do the Time Warp again……
Starship prop load!!
Booyah!
Set phrasers to stun!
Hopefully you’re not predicting Coca-Cola and sometimes war there, Tonio…
Wonderbra rhymed wunderbar is one of the most clever parts of the song.
Loved Mulholland Drive. RIP cancer man.
This one’s for you, Tonio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evl1YlXbtPE&ab_channel=Jo%C3%A3oVictorBatista
SPACE STEVE ONLY NEED ONE PROBE.
Great Lakes shipping captains get a little silly at the end of the season
https://ibb.co/JjcLc6M
https://ibb.co/5s136cM
https://ibb.co/5LCnB05
Fuck your comment moderations!
Great Lakes shipping captains get a little silly at the end of the season
https://ibb.co/JjcLc6M
https://ibb.co/5LCnB05
Well written takedown of the fact checking industry.
‘Fact Checkers’ Become Rent Seekers
At least Lynch lived long enough to see that gum he likes come back in style.
Which one was it?
The tank is frosty, the rocket is breathing.
A fun feed of the SpaceX launch. Nerds doing their own coverage.
I want to wedgie every one of these guys. They are awesome.
Have you ever seen them on camera? Every last one needs a good hair stylist, stat
space train!
No, but not surprised.
She looked a little cattywampus just off the tower
GO for catch!
Fuckin-a, man. Fuckin. A.
Issue with the main rocket
Sometimes I cant tell if we are doing euphemisms or not.
Step aside, Katie Britt. You are no longer America’s hottest Senator.
Don’t decide before the swimsuit competition.
Her
forefivehead is nearly as big as mine!Procedures were followed.
Sheriff defends deputies who detained and handcuffed 11-year-old girl after mistaking her for suspect
Avgeekery
https://x.com/flightradar24/status/1880016694950973682
My Dad suffered the consequences of heavy smoking. Died at 75, emphysema for a few years and couldn’t do much. Heart attack. Glad I quit 45-50 years ago.
There was another source of anxiety: Some of the “fact-checking partners,” Wired reports, “say they are now scrambling to figure out if they can survive the hole this leaves in their funding.” One anonymous editor from an unspecified organization, “who was not authorized to speak on the record,” told the magazine that the cutoff of Meta money “is going to eventually drain us out.”
Boo fucking hoo.
I’d love to know what other taps need to be turned off.
You made me find the Wired article. It’s awesome.
https://www.wired.com/story/metas-fact-checking-partners-blindsided/
“It’s unfortunate that this decision comes in the wake of extreme political pressure from a new administration and its supporters,” Angie Drobnic Holan, director of the International Fact-Checking Network, said in an emailed statement. “Fact-checkers have not been biased in their work—that attack line comes from those who feel they should be able to exaggerate and lie without rebuttal or contradiction.”
Do they believe themselves or are they just lying? Disclaimer – I will always entertain the possibility that I’m wrong and they truly are pure as the driven snow. But I only entertain that notion for a brief moment.
Censors by definition do not have noble intentions. Their job is to shut down opposing arguments because their own argument cannot be defended.
The launch tower catching the Starship booster is freaking incredible.
Although having them land
upright on a ship platform was pretty cool, too.
Absolutely insane.
https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1880024380576788927
Do you think they didn’t attempt the last one because Trump was nearby?
Something went wrong last time, and they’ve apparently fixed it.
That was incredible. Glad I got to see that live.
I’d love to watch one of those launches and catches in person.
OMG yes.
Even their wrecks are awesome:
https://x.com/adavenport354/status/1880026262254809115
Appropriate
Sounds like they lost contact with Stage 2.
Ground control to Major Tom, your circuit’s dead, there something wrong. Can you hear me Major Tom?
It turned into a crowd pleaser over the Turks & Caicos.
Dammit, Shpip!
We fact-check without regard to where on the political spectrum a false claim originates.
We gots both kinds of music. Country AND Western.
+1 International Fact-Checking Network code of principles
What could go wrong?
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2025-01-16/walgreens-fridge-fight-bodes-poorly-for-future-of-retail
https://archive.fo/7jeY9
Why would customers need to see what is in the frozen food section?
“Arsen thought it was very, very important to be able to walk up to the door and ask, ‘Where’s the Ben & Jerry’s?’” recalls a former product leader who, like many current and former employees, spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. “It was like, ‘Dude, I’m spending 20 hours a day just trying to get the software to work.’” (A Cooler Screens spokesperson says that priorities were set by the heads of product and technology, not Avakian, and that the process is supposed to be “creative, high pressure, but very rewarding.
What is wrong with the transparent panes we already have? Instant feedback, no code, no feature creep, inexpensive to maintain (comparatively)
Tech doors sound like a downgrade.
But how do you monetize that in perpetuity?
Sounds like a…
Broken Windows fallacy.
That’s the neat part – you don’t.
I’m underwhelmed by the Switch 2 teaser, and want to know if that Nintendo Direct date was in US or Euro formatting. Was it Feb 4 or April 2?
Is it this year or next? Either way I am in no rush.
2025.
It’s not so much that I want the console, I want what is speculated to be released for it.
Of course, being speculations, it may never exist.
Agreed. Honestly the software is what will drive me to buy a new one. I am quite happy with the software on Switch 1 right now. It would need to be fairly compelling.
You know who else Greear has pissed on?
United passenger gets $10K fine for urinating in seat mid-flight after mixing Xanax and alcohol
Rookie. You don’t mix Xanax with booze,
not without diapers.
Thanks for the tip, Klonipin it is then.
Ativan.