NASA's PR Problem

Pooooooooor NASA.  Story here.

"NASA is trying as hard as it can to keep the focus of the next two shuttle flights on the missions, and their important science and engineering goals."

As opposed to say...Muslim Outreach. 

I'm sure that was the case when we had the Teacher In Space program or the Geriatric US Senator Who Used To Be An Astronaut program too. 

NASA's real complaint is that they're not getting enough PR from the whole Giffords thing.  Sorry, since Giffords got shot, gas prices have gone through the roof, a 9.0 earthquake and following tsunami have hit Japan, Hussein is attacking Gaddhafhfii, and the sky is falling and we're all apparently going to die of radiation poisoning.  Makes me want to sing that wussy-assed song Russians by Sting! 

Well, maybe not. 

But we may have lost interest in Giffords. 

Red Dawn

Just finished watching this movie for the first time in ~20 years.  Lady Zane had seen only parts of it. 

One scene with Jennifer Grey brought out the best in Lady Zane.  I thought I'd share with you. 

If you've seen Dirty Dancing, you'll get the subheading.  If not, you'll just need to see this clip containing one of the cheesiest movie quotes of all time from the late Patrick Swayze who has at least 2 of the top 5 cheesiest movie quotes of all time. 

Music

Todd Rundgren and Utopia
Heavy Metal Kids - Live
1975



It's like a normal Times Square day on 42nd Street
I feel like trashing some windows and crunching some feet
I watch society crumble and I just laugh (hee hee)
They soon will see what it's like to be the other half

But I'm trying
Said I'm trying to forget
And it ain't happened yet

I musta woke up this morning with a bug up my ass
I think I'll just haul off and belt the next jerk that I pass
My old man says I'm just a stoned little punk
But he keeps himself a pistol and he's always drunk

I know
Something's gonna give
Pretty soon
I know it
Something's gonna give
I wanna live

I wanna mess thing whole world around
Go on and poison all the water, use up all the air
Blow your stupid heads off, see if I could care
Put me down but don't blame me for what you did
'Cause inside everyone is a heavy metal kid

I was a sweet little kid once
Now I'm a full grown crank
And when I die I'll probably come back as a Sherman tank
I know that I could make this world so peaceful and calm
If I could only get my hands on a hydrogen bomb

Kill Teams

What an odd term. Isn't the entire army supposed to be one great big kill team?

The press is taking their time reporting this story. Not sure why either. Damage to the image of the US Military? Check. Helps to enrage Islam? Check. Helps to undermine US mission in Afghanistan? Check.
I wonder how long it will be until this gets blamed on Bush.

The mother of Jeremy Morlock-one of the accused soldiers, had this to say:

"I think the government is just playing these guys as scapegoats. The leaders dropped the ball. Who was watching over all this?" Audrey Morlock said.

On the one hand, Morlock is an adult and will have to answer for his own actions. On the other, the mom has a point. Who exactly is in charge?

Der Spiegel indicates that they have access to some 4000 photos. Assuming that they all represent murders (to be distinguished from combat deaths), this hints at an issue much bigger than a couple of "kill teams" who have left the reservation. How could it go on for so long and not be noticed?

One commenter on this episode had this to say:

There's not alot I can say here. All I can say is that if I was in a war zone and the enemy looked like the friendly's and you have to wait to get shot before you can identify them- I'd have a hard time too.

This doesn't seem like a war with soldiers. It seems like we're asking them to be security guards at a homicidal mini-mall. We need to get our troops out of there. There is no point to this. If you can't discern enemy from friendly, then nuke them and be done with it.

To paraphrase: Our troops in Afghanistan are security guards at a homicidal mini-mall where you can't tell friend from foe.  I don't think the commenter is slamming our troops, but the situation they've been put into. 

If this kind of behavior can take place in an organized, disciplined army, what kind of behavior can happen in an unorganized, undisciplined army? Now bring this home and think CW2, polygonal battlespace, and tribes.

Think fast.

Obama’s Press Conference 3-18-11

I listened to Pres__ent Obama's press conference on Friday before his escape to Rio. I noticed a number of parallels or near parallels. 

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. I want to take this opportunity to update the American people about the situation in Libya. Over the last several weeks, the world has watched events unfold in Libya with hope and alarm. Last month, protesters took to the streets across the country to demand their universal rights, and a government that is accountable to them and responsive to their aspirations. But they were met with an iron fist.

Alvie D. Zane: Just like America under Obama. Just like the Tea Party-or anyone else who just wants their liberty and property to be respected huh? 

Within days, whole parts of the country declared their independence from a brutal regime, and members of the government serving in Libya and abroad chose to align themselves with the forces of change. Moammar Qaddafi clearly lost the confidence of his own people and the legitimacy to lead.

So how would this go if you "had clearly lost the legitimacy to lead"? That is, if you were illegitimately in charge? Just hypothetically speaking…

Instead of respecting the rights of his own people, Qaddafi chose the path of brutal suppression. Innocent civilians were beaten, imprisoned, and in some cases killed. Peaceful protests were forcefully put down. Hospitals were attacked and patients disappeared. A campaign of intimidation and repression began.

Civilians beaten…Check. Imprisoned…check. Killed…standing by on this one. Peaceful Protests forcefully put down…G20 conferences, SSEIU thugnuts showing up to "townhall meetings". Check. Hospitals attacked…I'll take Obamacare for $300, Alex! Check. A campaign of intimidation and repression…Check. Just like America under Obama.

In the face of this injustice, the United States and the international community moved swiftly. Sanctions were put in place by the United States and our allies and partners. The U.N. Security Council imposed further sanctions, an arms embargo, and the specter of international accountability for Qaddafi and those around him. Humanitarian assistance was positioned on Libya's borders, and those displaced by the violence received our help. Ample warning was given that Qaddafi needed to stop his campaign of repression, or be held accountable. The Arab League and the European Union joined us in calling for an end to violence.

Once again, Qaddafi chose to ignore the will of his people and the international community. Instead, he launched a military campaign against his own people. And there should be no doubt about his intentions, because he himself has made them clear.

There should be no doubt about your intentions towards America because you have made them clear. "DHS/I&A assesses that the combination of environmental factors that echo the 1990s, including heightened interest in legislation for tighter firearms restrictions and returning military veterans, as well as several new trends, including an uncertain economy and a perceived rising influence of other countries, may be invigorating rightwing extremist activity, specifically the white supremacist and militia movements. To the extent that these factors persist, rightwing extremism is likely to grow in strength." – From Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment

For decades, he has demonstrated a willingness to use brute force through his sponsorship of terrorism against the American people as well as others, and through the killings that he has carried out within his own borders. And just yesterday, speaking of the city of Benghazi — a city of roughly 700,000 people — he threatened, and I quote: "We will have no mercy and no pity" — no mercy on his own citizens.

By comparison, Pres__ent Obama, you have sponsored terrorism against the American people.  You threatened, and I quote: "If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun.", and I want to know "whose ass to kick."

(Later on he says this:)

Now, once more, Moammar Qaddafi has a choice. The resolution that passed lays out very clear conditions that must be met. The United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Arab states agree that a cease-fire must be implemented immediately. That means all attacks against civilians must stop.

Attacks on civilians to stop? That would be great. Why don't you lead by example?
________________

There seem to be a number of parallels between Qadaffy and Moamar Obama. Thank God that widespread, armed, open conflict hasn't happened here yet. Not to worry though. If it does, I'm just sure that the UN will enforce no-fly zones and multilateral action to restrain the government from ignoring the will of the people and going on a murderous killing spree.

You Can Stop Worrying About A Radiation Disaster In Japan

A well written piece by someone who actually knows what he's talking about. 

You Can Stop Worrying About A Radiation Disaster In Japan -- Here's Why

Also Denninger has some thoughts on this.

With these two in mind, I have another question.  Why does the media persist in hoping for another Chernobyl?  Another crisis not to be wasted? 

Meltdown!, Chernobyl!, Fallout!

Meltdown!
BBC story here is a pretty good one.

The only thing I disagree with is the emphasis on acid in the term boric acid.  Simply put, it's boron in water. 

Boric acid just absorbs neutrons.  It doesn't remove heat.  By the way, some more trivia.  In Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), the water is borated and the concentration can vary.  In Boiling Water Reactors (BWR), standby liquid injection is a last line of defense to try and stop the fission reaction by injecting our old friend, 20 Mule Team.

I said yesterday that pumping seawater was the best news I'd heard.  I didn't explain that in depth and frankly didn't have time. 

1) If you can inject seawater, it means you have power and an operable system to do so. 

2) A system that takes suction from the sea is probably a low pressure system like <300 psig.  That's still a lot of energy bottled up, but it's a lot less than 1000 psig.  Put another way, if the pressure was 1000 psig, they would not be able to inject seawater-the pump and system could not deliver it at that pressure. 

Are they in meltdown?  I think so.  But all meltdowns are not created equal. 

Chernobyl!

Three Mile Island had a somewhat controlled partial core meltdown.  A great moment by moment account of the event is here.  Chernobyl on the other hand experienced a very rapid change in reactor power-a prompt critical event. 

My opinion is that the Japanese reactors won't have a prompt critical Chernobyl type event.  They will be more like Three Mile Island.  A little mushrooming at the top of the core, some radioactive gas vented, and a ruined nuclear plant.  But hopefully, the damage will be contained as per the original design. 

Fallout!

Let's get this out of the way, all nuclear reactors have plutonium in them.  It is a fission product of the nuclear reaction using uranium as the fuel.  Using the MOX fuel means more plutonium content.  You can get radiation poisoning from uranium, same as you can from plutonium.  Like the difference between a 30-06 and .308 round at point blank range.  To-may-to, to-mah-to. 

If a nuclear bomb goes off at ground level, you'll have a ton of fallout.  A nuclear plant exploding?  Not as much. 

If a nuclear bomb goes off, it will cast fallout into the stratosphere.  A nuclear plant exploding?  Not as high. 

I'm oversimplifying.  Others know better than I do and can give you more details.  I don't think we'll see an enormous amount of trouble from this particular event in the US.  (What trouble the government and others decide to make of it is another matter entirely.)

A wise man prepares though.  What if it happens here? 

I recommend to start with the folks at ki4u.com.  This was my first introduction to doom and I bought The Package from them.  The products have changed a little, but the price hasn't.   

One of the best resources in the kit is actually free.  Dr. Cresson Kearny wrote a book called Nuclear War Survival Skills.  You can download the pdf here or read it online here.  I have this book and it is a great resource that dispels some myths that generations of Americans have been taught about nuclear war, fallout, and survivability.  In short, it gave me confidence.  If you don't have a copy, get one.  Today.   

US experts fear 'Chernobyl-like' crisis

Story here.

"'The situation has become desperate enough that they apparently don't have the capability to deliver fresh water or plain water to cool the reactor and stabilize it, and now, in an act of desperation, are having to resort to diverting and using sea water,' said Robert Alvarez, who works on nuclear disarmament at the Institute for Policy Studies.

'I would describe this measure as a 'Hail Mary' pass,' added Alvarez, using American football slang for a final effort to win the game as time expires."

I would describe it as the best news I've heard related to nuclear power in Japan since the earthquake. 

Later in the story, they claim that the plants are in uncharted territory.  I'm not so sure about that. 

Plants generally have severe accident guidelines or (SAGs) for this.  Injecting raw cooling water into the vessel is indeed the last shot that you have.  But if they still have the ability to pump sea water into the vessel, then I say this is the best news I've heard yet. 

I am assuming of course that all reactors made it to a safe shutdown condition, all rods in, and began removing heat and lowering pressure in the vessel. 

If they can address temperature successfully, then they'll solve the pressure problem.  Pumping sea water into the vessel will likely ruin the plant, but keep it under control. 

In the spirit of "Watch The Other Hand", let me give you a potential latent problem that isn't grabbing headlines at the moment; The spent fuel pool.

Spent nuclear fuel continues to decay in heat and radioactivity and remains under 20+ feet of water for a long time.  That pool is open to atmosphere and would boil on its own unless there was cooling provided.  I wonder how well those cooling systems are holding up?  I will almost promise you that there is more fuel in the pools with less shielding and more opportunity for release than the fuel in the reactor.  

Got Diesels?

Story here.

Japanese authorities on Saturday were racing to find ways to deliver new backup generators or batteries to a nuclear power reactor whose cooling facilities were crippled by a loss of power caused by the deadly earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on Friday afternoon.

Loss of Offsite Power is a design basis accident for just about every nuclear plant. 

You must have power to achieve and maintain safe shutdown.  In their case, they have probably lost the connection to the grid which means it's all up to the emergency diesels.  However, if the tsunami has made your diesels inoperable, then all you have left are the batteries. 

Multiplying the badness of the situation is the number of nuclear plants in Japan that are in the same boat right now having little to no connection to the grid, no emergency diesels, batteries draining, all of them needing generators, and many of them perhaps surrounded by roads that are impassable.  Rather than having one plant with trouble, you have a systemic problem with several in trouble. 

Maybe Hillary could have the Air Force send over some electricity? 

Godzilla is a baby teddy bear next to this.

President of China?

President of China? The Weekly Standard

“Mr. Obama has told people that it would be so much easier to be the president of China. As one official put it, ‘No one is scrutinizing Hu Jintao’s words in Tahrir Square.’”

Snark1:
I personally could not agree with Obama more on this.  It has to be a breeze being President where you can send out the tanks to squash people who disagree with you and then force the relatives of the deceased to come clean the tank treads. 

Snark2:
I encourage him to move his ass to China and run for President there.  The tank man was hoping for change too. 

Snark3:
On the other hand, Chairman Hu "Hu are you" Jintao might get real upset about a debtor trying to upstage him. 

Snark4:
In a totally different vein of thought, Hu could simply call in the USA's debt and declare himself President of China and the US.  How to say..."Yes we can" in Mandarin? 

Serious:
What a pathetic, whiny, miserable, worthless, spineless, dickless, little bastard Obama is.  It's soooooo hard being me because people can still criticize me. 

America, it's time to floor it where the criticism, parody, satire, and mocking of Obama is concerned.

Japan 8.9 quake. Radiation 1000x, US provides Coolant...!?

Story at BBC

I earlier saw a headline where Hillary claimed the US military provided coolant to a nuclear plant. 

What The Hillary!?

Uh...the coolant is something that we call, "water".  They've got plenty of it.  This might be the dumbest thing I've ever heard. 
____

My guess on the radiation is that the 1000x is being used for fear factor.  In a class at work this morning, we were discussing this earthquake and what things we might want to know. 

My first observation was that I would be interested to know how their pipe hangers, anchors, snubbers, and supports performed.  Especially those for safety related equipment required to achieve and maintain cold shutdown. 

I pray that their piping is mostly intact and can supply enough flow through the core to continue heat removal.  It's not enough to put all the rods in.  That only stops the reaction.  If you don't remove the heat and maintain water level over the fuel, you're majorly screwed. 

I pray this for two reasons.  First for those who work and live near their nuclear plants.  In decades gone by, the US could have offered help in a flash.  With Pres__ent HusseinO though, he may just throw another party and eat a little more Kobe beef. 

Second for our sakes. 

Do any of you remember the BP Horizons disaster last summer?  How about the Kingston Ash-a-lanche of 2008?  How about Three Mile Island?  The common denominator here is that a bad accident led to a whole lot of post accident regulatory badness for each of the industries affected.

• How's that whole moratorium on offshore drilling going?  
• Does anyone have a clue of how bad it will be if the EPA declares Coal Combustion Byproducts to be a hazardous waste?  (even though in 2001, the same EPA-after years of study said that it is not hazardous) 
• Do you remember why no new nuclear construction was ordered after Three Mile Island? 

Rest assured that there are hundreds of people in high positions in our government who will "never let a crisis go to waste."  They will unleash a new wave of strangling regulation upon the nuclear industry-as well as doing a partial birth abortion of the nuclear renaissance.  The first of the new Construction and Operation Licenses is expected to be awarded in the fall of 2011.

This is major badness. 

To Those Who Say "We Must Move On"

Some food for thought here at the Market Ticker. 

I want to highlight the following poignant story.....

Meanwhile, Houston community activist Quanell X rolled into town on Thursday evening and held a rally questioning the ongoing investigation that has resulted in 18 black men and boys in Cleveland being charged with sexually assaulting the 11-year-old Hispanic girl.
....

While calling for the black community to conduct a prayer vigil with Hispanic residents, he said Hispanics 'have a right to be angry with black men who ravaged a young girl ... but the first house you need to stop at is her Mama and Daddy's house!' The audience cheered and hollered amen.

Really?

18 'men' sexually assault an 11 year old and we need to stop at the 11 year old's parents home first?

Rule of law eh? No, this is the rule of the jungle. And now the KKK has shown up to add its 2 cents - the victim is apparently Hispanic, the alleged perpetrators black.

Oh, and of the alleged perpetrators?

The victim reported that one of her attackers threatened that she would be beaten unless she disrobed, police said. Those arrested so far range from a middle schooler to a 27-year-old. They include two starters on the high school basketball team, the 21-year-old son of a school board member and several who have criminal records."

You may remember Quannell X and the New Black Panther Party from a previous post here.  My guess is that if they try a stunt like this in a Hispanic community, they will look fondly back upon the day when they were only shouted down and run out of the neighborhood by Joe Horn supporters (also known as "Americans") in 2007. 

Read the rest and keep your CW2 cube handy as Denninger explores the law of unintended consequences.

Is it time yet?

A great idea given to me by a great friend. 


Modern America

The next coin might be THE coin that sends it over the edge. 


or not. 

Watch The Other Hand

Where is all the attention at the moment?

Libya?  Madison, Wisconsin?  Charlie Sheen?

Sheen, from Jimmy Neutron.  Mighty Disciple of Ultra Lord!

Gunwalker?  Sure, whistleblowers are going public, private citizens are being charged for aiding in the walking of guns (of course, no federales yet charged), many are finally-months later covering the story broken by Mike and David.  It seems that the dam has broken wide open.  Which means that the waters will now run wherever they will and nothing will stop them. 

But I can't help but wonder....what is the other hand doing? 

From WRSA (last November), a thought that is still current and worth revisiting.

Watch The Other Hand



Dade Cops Waiting To Get Crime Fighting Drone Airborne

Story here.

"MIAMI (CBS4) – Miami-Dade’s newest crime fighting tool is a literal ‘eye in the sky’.

The Micro Air Vehicle, or MAV for short, is a small radio controlled drone aircraft equipped with a portable camera system. Miami-Dade Sgt. Andrew Cohen said drone will be used to gather real time information in situations which may be too dangerous for officers.

"If an SRT (Special Response Team) has to go into an area they don’t know what’s there, we don’t know what is in the backyard,” said Cohen, “They want to know if there are dogs in the backyard, if there is a shed, things that could be a threat to us.”
The MAV is used by the military to scan dangerous areas before troops are sent in. Miami-Dade police used a $50 thousand grant to buy one, but not everyone is happy with the purchase."

“If this thing is deployed, it’s only going to be used in situations where we already have an ongoing police scene,” said Cohen.

Okay, everybody got that?  This Micro Aerial Vehicle is being used by the popo to scan "dangerous areas" (i.e. everywhere on American soil outside of the Police Compound) before they send troops into your backyard.  But not to worry because it's only going to be used in situations where there's an "ongoing police scene (i.e. everywhere on American soil). 

Project Pornwalker

In the spirit of Project Gunwalker, I thought it only appropriate that this should be called Project Pornwalker. 

Story here.

MARCH 9--In an aggressive bid to entice prospective “sex tourists,” the Department of Homeland Security last year launched an undercover web site that purported to arrange trips from the U.S. to Canada, where clients could engage in sexual activity with minors, The Smoking Gun has learned.

And you thought all that groping at the airport would never pay off.  Why just look, DHS has used the experience gained in The Molocaust to set up a website to entrap people looking for sex with minors in other countries.  

To draw visitors--and potential targets--to the site, DHS agents early last year began seeding a wide variety of sketchy web sites with mentions of (and links to) “Precious Treasure Holiday Company.”

Ignoring the hideous choice of words, did you notice that DHS agents were planting links on other sites.  Hmmm, what other sites?  I presume that there wasn't enough objectionable on these other sites to actually take action.  Say, how did DHS agents know where to go plant these links?  I'm sorry, "seed" these links? 

Gaddafi blows up Libya's oil

Story here.

"Gaddafi's scorched earth: Libya's skies turn black as desperate dictator blows up oil pipes and turns his tanks on civilians"

In a great moment of, "I'll show me", Moaunmaar QGquahdfaffi has bombed his own oil facilities.  In a Saddam Hussein kind of way, this is interesting. 

Remember, never let a crisis go to waste implies that you don't want to resolve a crisis too soon.  Don't look for any help from Pres__ent Obama anytime soon. 

$7/gallon gas, here we come! 

You're Spookin' The Cattle

10 seconds of sanity.  Offered without comment.  No comments accepted. 

Virus

Viruses suck. 

Mister Roboto is infected at the moment and will be getting an exorcism this weekend.  The Cliffs will be on hold until the tech is returned to normal.

Thanks,

WRSA: Con-Con Con, Encore

Western Rifle Shooters Association: Con-Con Con, Encore

The gullible and the Evil are beginning to pound the drums once again for a new Constitutional Convention.

Very, very bad idea.

Do you really think this idea is arising spontaneously?

Read it all. 

Also read this from Codrea, "Don't let the teajackers take over."

For me it comes down to this:

Would you trust the people of our current government to tamper with the Constitution? 

How many of those in government are worthy to tie the founders shoelaces?  How could anyone reasonably expect lesser men to produce a better product than the founders did?