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Friday, January 27, 2012

Newt for the Moon!

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has just promised a large group of Space-Coast Republicans that if he is elected President, by 2020 we will have frequent manned flights to Mars and a permanent colony of 13,000 individuals on the moon, which will become our 51st state!

WOOOT!!!!!!

How could such a visionary possibly not get elected? Can anyone name ONE GOOD REASON why this man cannot be elected president, so that we can get a colony on the moon?

Oh, right. Two-thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-six good reasons.
Or, just four little words.

No. War. For. Monica.


Oh well.

Who needs a stupid old moon base, anyway.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Major Solar Storm

The largest solar storm since 2005 is anticipated to hit earth around 1400UTC (6am pst)tomorrow. Anticipate minor loss of radio and GPS on the sunlight side of the planet, and if the weather holds some really awesome auroras on the night side, possibly continuing into tomorrow evening.


Full details are here:

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Costa Concordia

I've been away from the computer for a bit, one of the perils of gainful maritime employment. The biggest maritime news this weekend is the grounding of the m/v Costa Concordia off Isola del Giglio.


The investigation is just beginning. I don't know what caused this disaster. And neither does anyone else, other than the master of the vessel and the mate and helmsman who were on watch. That includes the media, and that includes the spokespeople for the company, who seem pretty willing to throw their officers under the proverbial bus.

My best guess is that an over-reliance on electronics and an under-reliance on traditional navigation will ultimately be found to have played a significant role. But that is only a guess. When the various investigations have been completed and their findings published, I'll probably weigh in on that. But not before.

The photograph above and the chart immediately below are as much real information as I have at this point. I will try to find and download navigational charts of the area tomorrow and will post them here if I am successful. Beyond that, at this point, everything else is speculation.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Happy 2012!


May the new year bring peace, happiness, and the end of the current Mayan Long Count.