Caption photo: Comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas near Saguaro National Park. Arizona shortly after sunset. Comets meant fireworks in the heavens and disaster on Earth. The ancients were stricken with dread when they saw a comet in the sky. Today, they’re only bad news if they hit you or if you’re a druid, and there aren’t many of them running around these days.
Bullet Points:
** The average payout for a pension in America post-retirement is eight years.
** A discussion of evolution.
** Bananas do not grow on trees. There is no wood in them. They’re giant herbs. The banana is the plant’s berry.
** Have any of the geniuses considered that maybe their trucks are overpriced?
** Will it be the biggest product of any kind in history? Tip your waiter….???
** Wall Street Journal: “Researchers are progressing toward vaccines that train healthy people’s immune systems to eliminate signs of cancer before it develops. Vaccines are in early trials for people with inherited genetic mutations that put them at a greater risk.
“Other shots are designed to destroy precancerous lesions to stop full-blown disease. “It’s the future of cancer prevention,” says Dr. Ajay Bansal, a gastroenterologist at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. He is testing three vaccines for people with Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that carries up to an 80% risk of developing colorectal cancer, often before age 50.”
Do you trust the anti-cancer vax?
** Kamala Harris was campaigning about her work history. She’s never held a straight job other than whore. She claimed to have turned hamburgers at McDonalds, and they checked, but she never did. NO COMPANY in America would hire her to do — anything. She’s dumber than a bag of hammers. Her big campaign push to women is this: If you elect me, I’ll make certain you can kill your baby.
** LSP messaged me that Anglican Bishop Jack Leo Iker SSC (August 31, 1949 – October 5, 2024), diocese of Fort Worth from 1995 to 2019, passed away. He was an excellent friend to LSP. (RIP) – I’ve been encouraging LSP to strike for the Bishop’s job. He’d get a ring that I might be expected to kiss, but other than that, he’d be a good one. LSP is vacationing in England, rubbing shoulders with the right people, so you never know what might come of it.
It’s not Woke
Yesterday, October 14th
On that day in history, in AD 1066, King Harold II (Godwinson), the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England, died at the Battle of Hastings, near the present-day town of Battle in Sussex, England.
In my opinion, King Harold does not get the recognition he deserves. This man faced two invasions within weeks: one led by William Duke of Normandy and another by Harald Hardrada, King of Norway. When news reached the king that Hardrada had landed on the east coast, he marched north and defeated the Norwegian army at Stamford Bridge, near York, on 25 September. Upon hearing that the Normans had landed on the south coast, he quickly marched his army over 200 miles, covering approximately 25 miles daily, to meet the threat. Harold came close to victory at Hastings in a hard-fought battle that lasted all day. Unfortunately for the English, the Normans were victorious, and Harold was killed in the fight.
The circumstances surrounding Harold’s death and burial are disputed. The 11th-century Bayeux Tapestry (pictured) depicts Harold’s death with the words “Hic Harold Rex Interfectus Est” (“Here King Harold is killed”), but it is not known for certain which figure under the writing depicts Harold. One soldier has an arrow in his eye, which is believed to have been added to the Tapestry at a later date, and another is falling to the ground under the charge of a Norman knight. Horizontal stitch holes extend from the face of the falling figure, which suggests that an arrow might have appeared in his eye. It has been removed sometime in the past, but besides the stitch-holes, there is no evidence to support the existence of an arrow in the eye of the falling figure. Some historians have argued that the two figures depict Harold, and the Tapestry depicts a sequence of events, but both figures are dressed differently. Thus, unless the figures have been altered, it is unlikely that both depict Harold, and it is more likely that he is the second figure falling to the ground.
It is possible that an arrow killed Harold, but what is known with more certainty is that he was cut down and his dead body mutilated.
The king’s burial place is not known for certain. According to William of Poitiers (c. AD 1020–1090):
“The two brothers of the King were found near him, and Harold himself, stripped of all badges of honor, could not be identified by his face but only by certain marks on his body. His corpse was brought into the Duke’s camp, and William gave it for burial to William, surnamed Malet, and not to Harold’s mother, who offered for the body of her beloved son its weight in gold. The Duke thought it improper to receive money for such merchandise, and equally, he considered it wrong that Harold should be buried as his mother wished since so many men lay unburied because of his avarice. They said in jest that the seashore should bury him who had guarded the coast with such insensate zeal.”
It is possible that Harold was buried in the Holy Trinity Church in Bosham, in Sussex, a place we know he was familiar with, as it is recorded on the Bayeux Tapestry that he visited the church in 1064. In the 1950s, a grave under the church floor was discovered, and the injuries to the male skeleton found there were consistent with the Carmen. This contemporary Norman account claims the victorious Normans cut off the king’s head, his right leg, and half of his left leg. The church is also located very close to the sea, consistent with the account of William of Poitiers. Still, it is impossible to know if the skeleton is Harold’s, and further examination of the grave has been refused.
King Harold died fighting alongside his men in a brutal last stand at the battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066—a man worthy of remembrance.
BUFFs
This was common in the early ’80s when I did some training at Camp Lejeune, NC. Marines and SEALs would periodically be taken in by the sight of low-flying B-52s skimming over the surf at Onslow Beach. We all thought the Air Force was playing a game of “Let’s go wake up the Squids and Jarheads,” but in reality, the Buffs from Seymour/Johnson AFB were doing anti-SAM exercises with the Hawk missile batteries at MCAS Cherry Point.
The Sea Dragon Concept
The Sea Dragon was a 1962 conceptualized design study for a two-stage sea-launched orbital super heavy-lift launch vehicle. Robert Truax led the project while working at Aerojet. He created several designs to launch the rocket by floating it in the ocean. Although there was some interest at NASA and Todd Shipyards, the project was not implemented.
Sea Dragon would have been the largest rocket ever built, with dimensions of 150 m (490 ft) long and 23 m (75 ft) in diameter. As of 2024, among rockets that have been fully conceived but not built, it is by far the largest ever and, in terms of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO), equaled only by the Interplanetary Transport System concept (the predecessor to SpaceX Starship) in the latter’s expendable configuration with both designed for 550 tons.
Fuel
[Explained]: Why did SpaceX choose RP-1 and liquid oxygen as propellants for the Merlin engines, and what advantages do these provide?
SpaceX’s decision to use RP-1 (a refined form of kerosene) and liquid oxygen (LOX) as propellants for its Merlin engines is rooted in a combination of performance, reliability, and strategic advantages that align with the company’s ambitious goals. The RP-1 and LOX combination delivers impressive performance metrics, with the Merlin 1D engine achieving a specific impulse (Isp) of approximately 288 seconds at sea level and up to 311 seconds in a vacuum. This efficiency is crucial for maximizing payload capacity, allowing SpaceX to launch heavier satellites and perform complex missions at a lower cost.
The stability of RP-1 compared to cryogenic fuels, such as liquid hydrogen, plays a vital role in operational safety and efficiency. RP-1’s handling properties reduce risks during ground operations and minimize the need for elaborate cryogenic infrastructure, streamlining the launch process. Additionally, its higher density means rockets can carry more fuel within the same volume, enhancing overall mission capability.
Cost-effectiveness is another significant factor. RP-1 is derived from readily available petroleum resources, which helps keep fuel prices lower and supports SpaceX’s commitment to reducing the cost of access to space. This economic advantage is crucial in a competitive landscape, where affordability can make or break commercial contracts.
Furthermore, the long-standing history of RP-1 and LOX in rocketry, demonstrated by their successful use in vehicles like the Saturn I, provides a wealth of empirical data that informs design and operational decisions. This heritage instills confidence in reliability as SpaceX seeks to push the boundaries of space exploration.
The Merlin engines also feature a high thrust-to-weight ratio, with the Merlin 1D producing around 845 kN (190,000 lbf) of thrust at sea level. This powerful thrust allows rapid acceleration during liftoff, a critical requirement for crewed missions and heavy payload launches. Ultimately, the choice of RP-1 and LOX enhances the performance and cost-effectiveness of SpaceX’s launch systems and positions the company at the forefront of the commercial space industry, enabling a new era of exploration and innovation.
Identify the Aircraft
1
2
It kept the Russians awake at night for years…
3
Not a DeHaviland Aircraft
4
Identify the Feature Film
A
B
C
Hint: 117
D
Parting Shots
End
A is Gunga Din loosely based on Rudyard Kipling poem.
Yes, loosely based.
Speaking of loosely based:
—
You may talk o’ Marx, and “need”
Or the “crime of selfish greed”
If you think that Man is equivalent to Ant
But if you value freedom
You surely will not heed ‘im
And kick ‘is bloomin’ dupes when they rant.
Now in econ’s dismal clime
Where I used to spend my time
[…] and so forth
(1) Curtiss XF14C
(2) Valkyrie
*
IDK the other 2, although I really ought to know #4.
*
– Kle.
Ah, right. #4 is the Ha-137
*
No idea on #3
*
– Kle.
Good!
Identify the Aircraft:
1. Curtiss XF14C
2. North American XB-70 Valkyrie
3. Vickers Type 432
4. Hamburger Flugzeugbau Ha 137
Identify the Feature Film:
A. Gunga Din
B. Cleopatra (1934)
C. Halo
D. Interstellar
Exactly so.
I would gladly pay you Tuesday, for a Hamburger Flugzeugbau Ha 137 today.
~groan~
I’ll only worry about a comet if it’s Lucifer’s Hammer.
Yes, well the book, but the NAME is enough to catch the next SpaceX to Mars.
Hot fudge sundae which falls on Tuesday next week.
Evolution- A lot of science there…I prefer Lee Strobel’s “The Case For A Creator”…reviews “the science” in detail showing life on Earth was intelligently designed. But hey, those who prefer to believe Darwin that we all came out of some good pond…free to do so. (I am of the “intelligent design WITH evolving/adapting species” camp…heck, with good nutrition we’re generally taller than our 1800’s counterparts).
***
Trucks- Ram 2500 avg. price $89K…beyond insane…it’s a friggin’ pickup. Wonder how much of that is government regulatory interference? Those boys get involved and prices go up exponentially.
***
Comet (taking one out)- If it’s God’s will…won’t see or hear it coming, over with in an instant…better than lingering in some hospital bed.
***
Intersteller…stretches the brain but very intriguing. Great cast.
*’goo pond’ (autocorrect…altho might have been a ‘good’ pond but wasn’t there so how could anyone know)
If you don’t have evolution to lean on, Who do you turn to to explain origins?
.
Have any of the geniuses considered that maybe their trucks are overpriced?
Stellantis just closed their Warren plant where they were making the budget Ram with the large engine.
God and His Bible.
X1
Why doesn’t Dodge get a clue and produce a bare bones truck. No fancy crap. Just a solid truck with a heater/AC and a radio. Basic gauges, no computers sort of like an original powerwagon with some updates. It should sell in the $30s somewhere. Make it safe but basic. Trump/Musk would have to cut the government regs.
Exactly! But that would be demand driving product…can’t have that now can we.
Ps. Heard a blip yesterday while streaming AM870 (CA), they mentioned Kairos Power of Alameda and their SMR’s. Immediately thought of you.
If we’re talking about the same Kairos, I was looking to buy shares; very, very interesting!
Couldn’t.
Privately held.
Why doesn’t Ford and GM do the same thing? They couldn’t build enough to keep up with the demand thats why.
Regulations: fleet fuel mileage requirements. Gotta sa e the climate so lefties can remain in charge. Plus marketing believes their own b.s.
Govt wouldn’t allow it – specially sans electronics. I have a mid-70s PU in good shape and low original miles. I can dump $30k into it (I haven’t needed to) and have a better, more trustworthy vehicle than what I can buy for twice the price. It isn’t a rolling living room though.
IIRC, the MiG-25 Foxbat was the Russian response the the XB-70.
Forgot to add– thanks for the report on LSP. I noticed his blog has been quiet for some days. I agree that he would make an excellent Bishop, although if it means moving to the DFW metro-sprawl, I think he would be torn.
I don’t think that he wants to leave Hill Country.
Cancer “vaccine”… I really wish we hadn’t started calling things by the wrong names.
*
– Kle.
I’ve often wondered whether or not cancer, in the general sense, is caused by a virus that will interfere with one of the genes during cell replication.
If so, it might be possible, if not likely, to create a “vaccine* that might deter a virus from creating these problems.
There are definitely times you can do that, like with the HPV.
It didn’t sound like that;s what they were talking about, though.
*
– Kle.
SpaceX’s super-heavy-lift Starship uses Raptor engines in its Super Heavy booster and in the Starship second stage. Raptor is a family of rocket engines developed and manufactured by SpaceX. It is the third rocket engine in history designed with a full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) fuel cycle, and the first such engine to power a vehicle in flight. The engine is powered by cryogenic liquid methane and liquid oxygen, a mixture known as methalox.
The Raptor 1 looks messy because it has a butt-load of sensors and things. Raptor 2 is about halfway between Rap1 and Rap3, getting rid of most of the sensors needed for a test engine and some of the ‘plumbing’ and such. Raptor 3 basically is almost 3D printed, 3D machined or cast, with most of the needed pipes and such either cast or manufactured into the actual metal of the motor, which is why it looks ‘naked’ or unfinished, especially compared to Raptor 1.
–
Interesting thing about Raptor 3 is that when NASA was looking at a shuttle-system replacement, they looked at the mighty F1 engine that was used on Saturn V’s first stage. Background: Once the original F1 was designed, an upgraded F1A engine was designed and would have gone into production that added about 20% improvement in performance. So when NASA went looking for F1 engine info, they had the original prints and designs, but since each F1 was basically handmade and futzed with until the engine worked, there were no real actual blueprints available for an actual working F1 engine. Engineers tracked down every existing flight-rated F1 engine and pieces parts, and 3D scanned everything. Then entered all the scans into CAD programs and took an engine of hundreds of thousands of parts and welds and worked it down to 40 lost-foam casted/fully 3D manufactured parts. Price to make? about half a million or less per engine, easily manufactured in large quantities, engine was lighter and stronger than the original F1 and would have performance better than the F1A.
–
So how does this tie into the Raptor 3? SpaceX took the Rap1, whittled it down to only essential parts to make the Raptor 2, and then took that engine and redesigned it into less parts/less weight and came out with the Raptor 3.
–
The F1B not being used is one of the many reasons I truly hate NASA’s manned program these days. Instead of using a dense RP1 fueled F1B at a cost of half a mill per, NASA went with the H2/O2 Space Shuttle Main Engines (just overly reengineered J2 engines from Saturn) that run about $65 million per.
What are the three streaks in the top of the comet photo? Meteors? Contrails?
—
Miss Poland: I’m pleasantly surprised by the lack of visible tattoos, much less that they are all slender and white. Where’s the Sacred Representation? (Never mind that Poles are white people, so that is actual representation.) But don’t worry, I’m sure that as Poland falls deeper into the gravity well (The Suck) of the “West” (25 years in NATO!) it will become increasingly degenerate. Also, they all look smiley and happy in that photo, but can you imagine the concentrated rivalry and hatred seething just below the surface?
—
Speaking of culture wars and The Suck: Rejoice! Did you all hear that Hawkeye (the Marvel Comics character) is now a “non-binary, two spirit” Lakota? How insensitive. Sure, let’s make the archer an Indian because that’s totally not a stereotype. What’s next, a Chinese character who runs a hand laundry? (It’s fun to find offense where none was intended. Some people make fine academic and public speaking careers out of it. Very fine and lucrative indeed.)
—
Harold (vs Harald, how confusing) missed yesterday: Well, I missed Otoya Yamaguchi Day (October 12th). At age 17 Yamaguchi stabbed politician Inejirō Asanuma while the latter was speaking live on TV. Shortly after the stabbing, Asanuma died of massive internal injuries and exsanguniation. Asanuma was a pro-PRC socialist at the time of his death. Although a left winger, Asanuma was a strong supporter of Japan’s adventurism (a polite circumlocution for Japan’s wars of conquest and many, many atrocities) throughout Asia in the 1930s and 40s. Check out the photo of Asanuma on Wiki. It is difficult to imagine a more punchable face. He has that look. Now, I am not advocating murdering people with shortswords. I am not even advocating killing socialists (c.f. Rafal Gan-Ganowicz on the taking of human life) with shortswords. But, Sic Semper Assholis.
—
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inejir%C5%8D_Asanuma#/media/File:Inejiro_Asanuma_Salvaged_(cropped).jpg
I missed Dead Che Day also (October 9th).
:-(
I was going to post a photo of his carcass but was distracted by other stuff. Now I regret it.
What are the three streaks in the top of the comet photo? Meteors? Contrails?
*
Yes, contrails.
**
can you imagine the concentrated rivalry and hatred seething just below the surface?
*
My youngest girl did pageants – and girls do it to compete with other women, not to show off for men. It’s interesting how women feel about other women, leaving many men clueless. True, as men age, we get a clue, but not when we’re twenty.
**
What’s next, a Chinese character who runs a hand laundry?
*
I think that it would be fun to have an East Indian (red dot) running a 7/11 and making slurpies on the day shift, but a superhero at night where he fights in a Bollywood dreamscape.
**
Harold (vs Harald, how confusing)
*
There were clearly too many of them.
It’s sort of like Highlander, where there can be only one Harold/Harald at the end of the military slaughter. Imagine that you fight it out to be the last one, and Bill (the conqueror) takes the crown.
>how women feel about other women
The following is of course subject to all the limitations and faults of gross generalizations, but here goes:
—
Men sometimes display overt rivalry, and often talk shit about each other, to the other guy’s face. But jealousy (of the sabotage kind) regarding romantic relationships is relatively rare. It’s more along the lines of “lucky bastard” or “good for him”. Now where the contention is over the same woman, it’s different, but the normal guy is more likely to walk away, sever ties altogether with both of them, rather than hang around pretending to be happy while engaging in bitchy backstabbing.
—
Women generally are all friendly to each other, but talk shit behind each other’s backs. And it’s not uncommon to sabotage a “friend’s” romantic relationship, not even because they want the guy, but because of the “crabs in a bucket” thing. And if the contention actually IS over the same guy, then it’s Katy bar the door.
—
Also, men can hate each other, yet generally are capable of working together effectively despite mutual loathing. This is not so much the case with women. This is not only my observation, but female friends tell me this. These are women doing much the same stuff I do, incidentally. (The other truth is that women are often the worst mentors to other women. )
—
BUT! A large number of young(er) men these days have all the “negative female qualities” (but not the positive ones), the so-called “soy” phenotype. I have been fortunate to not have to deal with many of these (other than when getting a coffee or something). But I suspect the smiley-faced backstabbing is more common among these types. Any thoughts or experiences, anyone?
It’s easy to know the difference.
–
Harold had a mustache. Harald had a beard.
Harold died at Hastings, in South England. Harald died at Stamford Bridge, in North England.
Harold was Anglo/Saxon/Dane. Harald was Norse.
Harold fought William. Harald fought Harold.
–
It’s not hard. Geez.
Hah! See? There’s my point about talking shit to your face. Thank you!
—
Rivendell, Hall of Fire, after Bilbo recites his Song of Ëarendil:
“It is not easy for us to tell the difference between two mortals,” said Lindir.
“If you can’t distinguish between a Harald and a Harold, your judgment is poorer than I imagined,” replied Bilbo.
“Maybe. To sheep other sheep no doubt appear different,’ laughed Lindir. ‘Or to shepherds. But Northmen have not been our study. We have other business.”
Dead Che Day was a tradition at Weaponsman.
RIP :-(
RIP Kevin O’Brien that is. Screw Che.
Mike…Heinz 57 ancestry but most days more Polish than German or Scots-Irish or Czech or Hungarian or English…I’m about ready to move to Poland if the woman are actual woman and without fakery on the edifice and likely make a mean pierogi with some grilled kielbasa on the side.
I had always thought that a comet was just a dirty snowball with chunks of whatever on the surface being sublimated by the heat of the Sun and flying off on a parallel course to reflect the rays of the Sun as well.
Some say that Pluto (1/3 water/ice) is a really big comet partly because of its composition but also because of its eccentric orbit that is reminiscent of a comet.
their trucks are overpriced
That is partially the problem. The Chrysler joke back in the day was, “The quality comes out before the name goes on”. Stellantis has amped up the problem. They use the cheapest parts they can find in all the brands they own. As an example, some 2004 and, now, 2005 Rams sales are on hold due to faulty clock springs. The clock spring is in the steering column behind the steering wheel and controls electric functions (turn signals, high/low beams, etc). An owner might be able to swallow the high price but the truck better work.
Stellantis quality can be seen in another area. The Michigan State Patrol has been MOPAR exclusive for years. Now they are forcing Stellantis to buy back all their 2005 Dodge Durango patrol vehicles because of reliability issues.
A new player may enter the light truck market, Caterpillar. A reliable truck, affordably priced, should be a winner. Another possibility. Toyota builds a F-350 sized long bed truck.
WSF, my only deep dive into that pool was when we were using undercover vehicles that were rental roll-overs from Enterprise. Certain brands were reviled because they’d break on day-two and you’d be back at Enterprise getting a new ride. The Chryslers didn’t last and neither did the Saabs. I blew up three BRAND NEW Saab 9-5s (V-8 nice cars, lasted maybe a week each from 0 miles to about 1000) in a row. I loved them right up until they puked. There’s a longer story than that overall, but I’ll leave it there.
The only way I can see of getting a decently priced truck is getting the government out of the truck building/make the world safe for all drunks business
X2
Another step is eliminating most of the middle management positions. Add having all new engineers and management hires spend 90 days at a dealership. Have one of the engineers get their hands dirty working with the techs trying to fix problems. Maybe then a starter replacement wouldn’t require removing the intake manifold.
The single car big shot that impressed me was Peter Butterfield, a Ford executive that became President of Kia America before Kia was acquired by Hyundai. He knew the business from the ground up and made a point of spending time at dealerships and going belly to belly with car buyers.
Buy used pre 2003 preferable older.
It’s good to have at least one ride that doesn’t have a baked-in tracker.
Saw the trials if the new minivans back in the 80s and the test drivers would gun it and then hit the brakes and set the van on its nose. They were having a blast!
Paul M – either Poland or Iceland where the women are non-competitively beautiful and can cook!
Heh…but true.
Having a traditional woman as your companion is not optional to me.
Great pic of the comet! We had cloud cover…sigh
Regarding pickups, well, if the USA would pull its collective arse out of its head and allow ‘unsafe’ vehicles on the road, we could have cheap, affordable and dependable vehicles again.
–
Like, the whole KEI line from Japan. Small little cars, trucks and vans that are perfect for city and country vehicles. A pickup that can hold a bunch of stuff, with all three sides of the bed being able to fold down. A 4 person car that fits in the same space as 2/3rds of a standard ‘compact car’ but carries the same amount of stuff. A 6 person mini-van that also is small. All powered by basically motorcycle engines. Not designed for US Interstate highway speeds, but for backroads and city travel, just perfect. And cheap. Basic only, hand cranked windows, no super-computer control, no massive screen for a dash board. No airbags. Simple vehicle. I’d buy one.