August 31st, 2011
I got this from a friend; unfortunately, I believe it to be true. In a way, it’s very funny.
A recent paper authored by a NASA-affiliated scientist and 2 profs from Penn Univ explores the possibilities of first contact with an alien race. Among the scenarios the trio imagines is that aliens might launch a pre-emptive strike to stop us from committing the galactic sin of global warming, “which therefore changes the spectral signature of Earth” (i.e., affects other planets). And, the likely reason we haven’t been contacted by the aliens is that we’re not sufficiently “progressive,” and they want us to reach a “societal benchmark such as sustainable development or international unity” before contact. Aside from the pre-emptive strike over global warming, they write that “an advanced society capable of interstellar travel may be less likely to turn to humans as a source of food or labor because they should have already solved these problems through some combination of machine labor, artificial synthesis, and conservation.” Well that’s a relief.
On the other hand, NY Times economist Paul Krugman theorizes that a looming alien attack would stimulate the economy. “If we discovered that, you know, space aliens were planning to attack and we needed a massive buildup to counter the space alien threat and really inflation and budget deficits took secondary place to that, this slump would be over in 18 months,” he said. That would be useful, he added, “in order to get some fiscal stimulus.” Krugman once won a Nobel Prize for economics. We suspect, however, that he was abducted by aliens soon thereafter, and that the “Paul Krugman” now writing loony columns and making bizarre TV appearances is actually an alien mole.
You know, no one considered that this intelligent life out there is waiting for us to produce more carbon dioxide, as that could be the real source of life out there. They may find Al Gore the funniest joker in the universe and don’t destroy us because they need the laughs. What a world we live in. Will our military soon be developing an “anti-space invader” specialty? Stay tuned.
Tags: Al Gore, aliens, attack, carbon dioxide, fiscal stimulus, global warming, NASA, Paul Krugman, Penn U
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August 30th, 2011
On 30 Aug 1780 Benedict Arnold, a general in the Continental Army, agreed to surrender his command to the British and join them. As a result, his name is sometimes used in lieu of the word “traitor.”
When the Revolutionary War broke out he joined the army and distinguished himself through acts of bravery. Promoted to general he proved himself at the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 and in his delaying tactics at the Battle of Valcour Island, and the Battle of Ridgefield, CT, operations in relief of the siege of Fort Stanwix, and, especially, during the pivotal battles of Saratoga in 1777—at Saratoga he suffered leg injuries that ended his combat career for a while.
Despite his successes, he was passed over for promotion by the Continental Congress while other officers claimed credit for some of his accomplishments. Frustrated and bitter, Arnold decided to change sides in 1779, and opened secret negotiations with the British. In July 1780, he sought and obtained command of West Point in order to surrender it to the British. Arnold’s scheme was exposed when British Major John André was captured carrying papers revealing the plot. Upon learning of André’s capture, Arnold fled to a British ship.
Arnold was then commissioned a brigadier general by the British and commanded for them until the war was lost. Then he fled to England and started a business with his two sons. He died 10 years later, a poor man.
When Arnold was leading British forces against his former compatriots, among his prisoners was a certain witty officer, who, in answer to Arnold’s question, “What will the Americans do with me if they catch me?” replied, “They will cut off the leg which was wounded when you were fighting so gloriously for the cause of liberty, and bury it with the honors of war, and hang the rest of your body on a gibbet.” In fact there is a monument at the Saratota Battle Sites that has no name displayed; it is but a boot and is called the “Boot Monument.” It honors Arnold’s bravery there—the leg was considered loyal—so the story goes.
Tags: Boot Monument, British army, Continental Army, Continental Congress, John Andre, revolutionary war, Saratoga
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August 28th, 2011
8/28/2011
Episode 193
Topics
News and Comment by the Col: Our Navy and Political Correctness
101st Airborne Division Valor; CWO Ryan Nieberg
LTjg Derck VanderMolen: Navy Chaplains
Drop: Another Phony Hero; Prof Keith St Clair: Point/Counterpoint; Last Thoughts: Rally for Israel
Listen to this episode:
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August 26th, 2011
Just read this in the Marine Corps Times: Audible farting is banned for some Marines downrange because it offends the Afghans. Now, there are things in the Afghan culture that don’t seem normal to Americans and it’s a challenge to spend seven months working in someone else’s back yard. Still, the Marines downrange are doing a pretty good job at trying to do the right thing around the Afghans. You know, they’re not supposed to cuss because it could be misunderstood (that one goes out the window a lot). And they stay away from talking about politics, religion or girls because those topics could escalate into major disagreements (on the other hand, they can’t communicate anyway because of the language barrier).
But farting? That’s practically a sport. Ok, it’s not soccer, but a good contest could open the door for cross-cultural exchanges, jokes and other gallows humor. So, for all Marines getting ready to go downwind, I mean downrange, be forewarned — you may have to hold it in… at least until you get back to your hooch where you can loudly crop dust your friends.
Tags: Afghanistan, downrange, downwind, farting, Marine Corps Times, Marines
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August 24th, 2011
An unmanned Russian supply ship headed for the International Space Station didn’t make it into orbit Wednesday; its pieces fell in Siberia with a huge explosion. Roscosmos, Russia’s space agency, didn’t say if the supply ship was lost—duh. On the other hand, pieces of the craft were reported falling in an area 900 mi northeast of the launch site.
It seems that this region has experienced lots of Russian rocket fragments for decades and has experienced chemical pollution and other health hazards. Unburned propellant in the third stage, and a ton of hypergolic propellant in the cargo ship, would make quite an explosion, either on impact or after being ignited high in the air.
The ship was carrying 2.5 tons of supplies, including oxygen, food and fuel. Since the ending of our space shuttle program this summer, these wonderfully dependable Russian spaceships are a main supply link to the space station. Fortunately, none of these supplies were in shortage on the Space Station.
There are six astronauts on the International Space Station, orbiting 220 mi above the Earth, Russians Andrei Borisenko, Alexander Samokuyayev and Sergei Volkov, Americans Michael Fossum and Ronald Garan, and Satoshi Furukawa of Japan.
Once, and if, our nation gets its run-away finances fully under control, the US should start its on space program again. We are dependent on the hostile and unreliable Russians for all movement into and out of space now—which means we have zero control. I hope we can begin again someday.
Tags: crash, International Space Station, Japan, resupply ship, Roscosmos, Russia, Space Station, supplies, US
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