8.03.2024

Beginning to look like rush hour up there

There are 2,000-plus dead rockets in orbit—here’s a rare view of one

In February, a Japanese company named Astroscale sent a small satellite into low-Earth orbit on top of a Rocket Lab launcher. A couple of months later, Astroscale's ADRAS-J (Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan) spacecraft completed its pursuit of a Japanese rocket stuck in orbit for more than 15 years.

Never has a word…

Opinion | The good, the bad and the ugly of Donald Trump’s appearance with NABJ

The whole event was surreal. It started more than 75 minutes late. Some reported that was because Trump’s team didn’t want the event fact-checked in real time. Others, including Trump, said it was because of audio issues.

…better described an entire year than "surreal." 

Last night…

 …I was watching an ancient (in Internet Time) TV show; it was a popular show in the early 2010's.

One of the characters used the word, "emoticon."

We all know what that means. Right?

Of course it's not.

 It's just, you know, August.

Migrant homeless encampment cleared; city officials deny it’s because of DNC

“What we’ve found here is worse than in Venezuela, because we came here with hope for a better life and had to deal with the disappointment of not even getting close.”

8.02.2024

A New York State of Mind

How Much Apartment Space Does $1,500 Get You in 200 U.S. Cities?

Renter life in popular big cities offering thrilling entertainment, tech jobs and brilliant arts and culture comes with a price tag — often accompanied by limited apartment space. Take Manhattan, for example. The borough tops the list of places where $1,500 gets you the least rental space, offering a mere 228 square feet.

Brilliant arts and culture also comes with, one imagines, Billy Joel. [AUDIO]

Also, since New York is the city that never sleeps, you won't need to squeeze in a bed.


 

Surprise!

Children of freed sleeper agents learned they were Russians on the flight, Kremlin says

Among those released were the so-called "illegal" sleeper agents - the Dultsevs, a husband and wife convicted a court in Slovenia of pretending to be Argentinians in order to spy, who were flown back to Russia with their two children.
"This is how the 'illegals' work. They make such sacrifices out of dedication to their work," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

No comment from the sacrifices themselves.

[Reported by Reuters.]

8.01.2024

Which part?

Your next O’Hare flight could be (partly) powered by leftover grease

Purchase of the fuel was touted as a win by Gov J.B. Pritzker at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. The governor, who is in contention to be a potential running mate in Vice President Kamala Harris’s bid for president, presented a unified front with state political leaders and United Airlines President Brett Hart as the two highlighted the collaboration of business and politics to pass a state tax credit for sustainable jet fuel that they said made the purchase possible.

 

Say cheese

Top Italy Gymnast Giorgia Villa Has Amazing Endorsement Deal With Parmesan Cheese

"The combination of ParmigianoReggiano and the world of sport is indissoluble in terms of authenticity, quality and energetic value, both in sporting activity and in correct nutrition."

7.30.2024

They're keeping a close eye on it…

Here’s what to know about Seine River water quality during the Paris Olympics


as you can see.

Whoa! Hold on!

A Senate Bill Would Radically Improve Voting Machine Security

While previous testing simply verified whether machines contained particular defensive measures—such as antivirus software and data encryption—penetration testing will simulate real-world attacks meant to find and exploit the machines’ weaknesses, potentially yielding new information about serious software flaws.
No…wait…I'm not saying voting machines aren't absolutely entirely secure now.

Only…if voting machine security needs radical improving

Yikes!

7.29.2024

I'm waiting for BBQ ribs

France flaunts its baguettes with scratch-and-sniff stamps

"You just have to rub the stamp here like this with your nails," said postal worker Clarisse Briend. "You can smell the bread, the baguette."

 Although some take exception.

"Our yeast is gentle," said Jeanne Barrere, manager of the Leonie Bakery near Paris's Champs-Elysees boulevard. "This smells more like vanilla."


7.28.2024

Mysteries of history

Trump and Vance team up to campaign in Minnesota, a state that hasn’t backed the GOP in 52 years


And the GOP candidate they backed in 1972 was Richard Nixon.

Richard. Nixon.

In Minnesota's defense, 48 other states also voted for Nixon that year. The single state that held out for his opponent, Democrat George McGovern, was Massachusetts.

I, of course, living in Illinois at the time, campaigned for McGovern — another in a long, long line of losing Democrats I've supported over the years.

Just mentioning.