We respond…
Wow. Another bad re-entry event for Elon. Wow.
Oops.
— JP Mann (@ThreeDayCondor) January 17, 2025
Someone on X-itter just posted something akin to this, regarding a Mars Musk date:
…and, the rocket’s red glare
Elon’s new craft bursting in mid-air….
gave proof through the night that SpaceX is
still not very close to getting there….
Derp. Space is… hard, man.
नमस्ते
In addition to the Blue Origin heavy rocket reaching orbit, we’ve been thrilled about this private robotic lunar mission’s successes. [We need more competitors to Elon Muskian efforts.]
So it is, that the BlueGhost is now making a leisurely stroll out toward — and beyond — the Moon. Then it will begin a series of tightening loops, ultimately setting down around March 2, 2025. Here’s the latest update:
…Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully powered on as it continues its way to the Moon, carrying NASA science demonstrations as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. [Updated: Flight controllers for Blue Ghost Mission 1 said Wednesday that the company’s spacecraft continues to meet mission milestones including acquisition of signal, and maintaining communications through its Mission Operations Center in Cedar Park, Texas. The camera above the deck of the lander was powered up, and shot a great image, confirming the health of the X-band antenna and NASA’s Lunar Environment heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) payload….]
Blue Ghost is expected to land on the lunar surface on Sunday, March 2 and, throughout its mission, NASA’s scientific instruments aim to test and demonstrate lunar subsurface drilling technology, regolith sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation methods. The data captured could also benefit humans on Earth by providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact Earth….
Now you know. Quite the busy news day — on world, and off it. Smile.
नमस्ते
A letter just entered explains all the preposterous shenanigans of this morning, in Manhattan.
Rudy has settled this contempt matter, with the plaintiffs. He is certainly turning over all the rings, and all watches except his granddad’s less economically valuable one. He says he’s keeping his property — but that MUST mean either the RNC, or some deep-pocketed donor… is going to pay a good portion of the $148 million — in cash, to the plaintiffs, shortly.
The πs had Hizzoner absolutely on the ropes.
Here’s the letter in full, just docketed.
. . .Plaintiffs Ruby Freeman and Wandrea’ Moss, Defendant Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Intervenor Andrew Giuliani (collectively, the “Parties”) respectfully submit this letter-motion to inform the Court that Plaintiffs and Defendant have executed a settlement agreement (“Agreement”) that, once certain conditions are met, would fully resolve all issues currently scheduled for trial, including the claims of Intervenor Andrew H. Giuliani, and would result in the conclusion of all litigation currently pending between and among the Parties.
Accordingly, the Parties respectfully request that the Court adjourn the trial scheduled for January 21, 2025, and the continued contempt hearing currently scheduled for January 29, 2025, to dates on or after February 25, 2025, to permit the Parties to fully implement the Agreement. The Parties will promptly notify the Court upon full satisfaction of the terms of the Agreement. Plaintiffs have not previously sought any requests for adjournment of the trial date. Defendant has made one such request, No. 24-cv-6563, ECF No. 91, which the Court denied orally during a hearing on November 26, 2024 and memorialized in a subsequent written order, No. 24-cv-6563, ECF No. 104. Other than the appearances described above, no other appearances are currently scheduled….
Wild times. But now you know. Onward.
नमस्ते
I do understand. These countries cannot economically withstand a perhaps six month “no travel” order. The mining and tourism industries will suffer… and suffer immensely. And no such order has issued from any other nation, thus far.
But it seems a less than credible proposition — that these local public health ministers would refute lab tests independently conducted by the WHO. What interest might WHO have in lying here? None. So (while we will report it, for a complete record) do take this with a truckload of salt. The latest, from the Beeb:
…Tanzania has dismissed a World Health Organisation (WHO) report of a suspected new outbreak of the Ebola-like Marburg virus in the north-west of the country. On Tuesday, the global health agency said a total of nine suspected cases were reported over the last five days in the Kagera region, including eight deaths.
But in a statement, Tanzania’s Health Minister Jenista Mhagama said after samples were analysed, all suspected cases were found negative for Marburg virus. She said that the country had strengthened its surveillance systems and disease monitoring….
Again, I do well-understand the fear factor, and the crippling economic impact a multi-district outbreak of lethal Marburg will have on the already struggling nation. But — as ever — for the sake of future traveling parties, and to avoid perhaps thousands more hosts / patients / fatalities (and the safety of that nation’s people), we must tell the truth. Onward.
नमस्ते
This is simply… crazy.
InnerCityPress reports on X-itter (from inside Foley Square!) that Rudy is MIA. Only the junior associate from Cammarata’s firm is in court. Hizzoner was to be the first witness at trial on the Florida condo, the DiMaggio jersey and of course the World Series rings.
InnerCityPress reports on X-itter (from inside Foley Square!) that Rudy is MIA. Only the junior associate from Cammarata’s firm is in court. Hizzoner was to be the first witness at trial on the Florida condo, the DiMaggio jersey and of course the World Series rings.
Update No. 3 — The Rudy Giuliani trial, which never began amid his no-show, has been “adjourned” until 1 pm – then something on the record (about his absence, four hours by then?) – watch this feed.
Update of 11:27 am – nothing was put on that record at 11 am – now Judge has summoned those lawyers present back into his chambers or robing room. Waiting for them to emerge. Rudy still not here.
[Updated @ 10:54 am] Rudy Update: We’re told to expect Judge Liman at 11 am to take the bench and put something on the record (about Giuliani’s absence, two hours by then) –
watch this feed….….[Earlier] innercitypress 20 minutes ago:
Update: Rudy Giuliani still a no-show at 10:06 am. At Rudy’s / defense table, only an associate of Rudy’s lawyer Cammarata. Cammarata has not been seen yet this morning: now 1 hour late and counting….
[U 2X — SNARK, Matthew is] working on the lyrics now : )
Song 1: https://x.com/innercitypress/status/1875701822457049570
They wanna take his rings
For saying nasty things
USB ports
Memorabilia of sport
America’s Mayor
in his Palm Beach Lair
Plaintiffs wanna take a look
& so, a book https://amazon.com/dp/B0DS54RXXX
Hilarious! Stay tuned; we will update if he does show up, or loses by a default from the capable USDC Judge Liman, in Manhattan. Out — grinning….
नमस्ते
This is… precious.
Even the deluded Hinderaker has foresworn any objective argument that these are “good” (let alone “the best”!) candidates for their respective roles — nor could he.
This is an “Island of Misfit Toys”, exclusively — after Tangerine 1.0 torched every single competent hire.
The sad fact is… even among the hard right GOP… almost no one with any smarts or savvy… would have signed on, for the 2.0 version.
So honestly — all John tells us… is that they will be pure MAGA loyalists. Until Tangerine turns on them — for largely imaginary offenses.
It’s going to be a stultifying two to three or so years.
By then, there will be none of these people left in their roles.
Hilarious. Out.
To be clear, food manufacturers will have until early 2027 to sell off stock containing erythrosine (more commonly known as Red No. 3), and source alternate supplies of red food coloring agents.
And lest anyone get too terribly alarmed, the level of Red No. 3 in foodstuffs is only a very tiny fraction of what was once in cosmetics (parts per 500,000, compared to parts per 10,000 in old cosmetics) — which were banned in 1990, under the so-called Delaney Clause. I would like to believe that we will continue to see aggressive reviews like this one as to our food supplies, but my concern is that Tangerine 2.0 may well work to undo even these modest changes.
Still, it is true that the concentration of dye in most people’s diets would be, over a life-time, less than 1/100,000th of what old cosmetics delivered in just about a ten year span of daily use. [And the substance was shown to cause cancer only in rats that ate it as over 5% of their diet — in a pure form. Not in humans, ever.]
Even so, I just hope all the current FDA Commissioners resolve to keep their seats until 2.0’s clock runs out — whenever that may be — even if it is all the way to 2028. Here’s the latest, from PBS:
…The agency said it was taking the action as a “matter of law” because some studies have found that the dye caused cancer in lab rats. Officials cited a statute known as the Delaney Clause, which requires FDA to ban any additive found to cause cancer in people or animals.
The dye is known as erythrosine, FD&C Red No. 3 or Red 3. The ban removes it from the list of approved color additives in foods, dietary supplements and oral medicines, such as cough syrups. More than three decades ago, the FDA declined to authorize use of Red 3 in cosmetics and externally applied drugs because a study showed it caused cancer when eaten by rats. Food manufacturers will have until January 2027 to remove the dye from their products, while makers of ingested drugs have until January 2028 to do the same….
Now you know. Onward to another Rudy grilling tomorrow! Smile.
नमस्ते
This is hard news. Less than a month after Rwanda was able to arrest its own late 2024 outbreak of Marburg — a very lethal remote cousin of Ebola… we now see a geographically-dispersed pattern of at least eight Marburg deaths, in a remote mountainous part of Tanzania.
The fact that this outbreak crosses distinct geographies, makes it of particularly grave concern: there are probably more than two index cases, and it would seem more than one of them has… traveled — endangering multiple communities. [Sadly, we should expect the death toll will rise for a few weeks, at least.] Here’s the latest, from The [UK] Guardian:
…A suspected outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Tanzania has killed eight people and poses a high risk to the country and its neighbours, global health leaders have said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said nine suspected cases of the Ebola-like virus had been reported as of 11 January, in two districts of the Kagera region in the north of the country, including the eight deaths.
While the global risk from the outbreak is considered low, officials said the risk in Tanzania and the region was considered high….
In a statement, the WHO said: “The reporting of suspected MVD cases from two districts suggests geographic spread. The delayed detection and isolation of cases, coupled with ongoing contact tracing, indicates lack of full information of the current outbreak. More cases are expected to be identified.”
It also emphasised the high death rate of 89%, and the fact that healthcare workers are among suspected cases, potentially indicating spread within health facilities.
Kagera borders Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, with significant cross-border movement of people, and the WHO said there was “the potential for spread into neighbouring countries….”
I wish it were better news… but there you have it. Another role for an experimental vaccine — and a monoclonal antibody therapeutic. Prevention would plainly be the better medicine, but we must meet the virus where and when it finds a host. Onward.
नमस्ते
There will be portions of Mr. Giuliani’s (and son’s) IRS Form 1040 Schedules made public documents, in the able USDC Judge Liman’s Manhattan courtroom, tomorrow. Woot!
The cogent Judge just denied Rudy’s motion to seal the pre-trial order exhibits. The people have a right to see the evidence in this case — it is plainly a matter of substantial public and political concern. He is trying to duck paying a $148 million libel verdict, related to his dangerous lies about the 2020 election outcome in Georgia.
And the fact that he filed no tax return listing the supposed “gifts” — for the 20218 tax year (the year they claim the gifts were fianlized), and his son didn’t, either. . . can only be understood to mean that (if the gifts really happened), (i) they both lied to the IRS and didn’t pay taxes on the rings, or (ii) they made the whole thing up in under-oath documents and testimony (see page 19 here) in a federal court. . . to (iii) achieve a “fraudulent conveyance” — against judgment creditors, under NY law, at some point — in 2024.
In open court, the lawyers for the election workers will also show the bankruptcy papers Rudy filed last year, listing the rings (one of which is imaged at upper right) as “his own property”. These plainly untrue statements, along with the ones related to the Florida condo and that Lauren Bacall blue Mercedes… mean he is going to lose — and be hit with perhaps another $2 million in legal fees, expended by the other side in running his lies to ground. Damn.
It must be said: even though Tangerine 2.0 two nights ago, got his Truth Social followers to donate more money toRudy’s legal defense coffers… almost all of that ought to be paid to Willkie, Farr for Ms. Moss — and the plaintiffs. Judge Liman should “so order” it.
Ever onward, into the sub-zero windchill sunshine here… be excellent to one another!
नमस्ते
Updated: As of January 14, 2025, NASA has offered much more interstellar “spacey-science” (and many more graphics, and animations, below!) — on what is going on here — after much more data analysis, and imagery transmission, from JWST. Do go read it all — but what a cool pattern it forms, across a few light-years. Almost like a spider’s web — on a vast scale. End, update.
[Originally published 10.15.2022] Back in early September, we mentioned what we thought might be an enduring open question: what physics might be at work to create the strange, sort of rectangular wavelets, at right spinning off of Wolf-Rayet 140 (near Gaia).
It turns out that the mystery was solved in under a month, with the power of our new [name redacted] space telescope, out at L2.
Having a new, and very powerful tool… makes all the difference. It turns out that two stars (one very large, and massive; the other very small and now dying) are revolving tightly around each other, at about once every eight years, and as they draw closest in each orbital cycle the stellar winds compress into each other, creating something not unlike a set of rings, in a tree’s cross-section. Do watch the YouTube explainer at bottom, as the compression force creates a regular series of more opaque (carbon dust) bands, and those propagate out at a regular interval / steady speed, over time. So each ring represents about eight years’ time, on Earth.
It remains unclear, to me, at least — why the wave pattern isn’t more circular / elliptical… but instead seems to most-nearly resemble a “rectangular boxed” shape. I guess that is for future study / observations. It also turns out (via the video, at one minute and twenty seconds!) that because the duo’s orbits are so highly-elliptical, each of the close approaches causes a flattened curve to be propagated outward, in bands of carbon filled dust… thus explaining why it looks flat on two sides. Wild!
Here’s the latest, from this past week:
…A new image shows at least 17 dust rings created by a rare type of star and its companion locked in a celestial dance….
A new image from NASA’s [Redacted] Space Telescope reveals a remarkable cosmic sight: at least 17 concentric dust rings emanating from a pair of stars. Located just over 5,000 light-years from Earth, the duo is collectively known as Wolf-Rayet 140.
Each ring was created when the two stars came close together and their stellar winds (streams of gas they blow into space) met, compressing the gas and forming dust. The stars’ orbits bring them together about once every eight years; like the growth of rings of a tree’s trunk, the dust loops mark the passage of time.“We’re looking at over a century of dust production from this system,” said Ryan Lau, an astronomer at NSF’s NOIRLab and lead author of a new study about the system, published today in the journal Nature Astronomy. “The image also illustrates just how sensitive this telescope is. Before, we were only able to see two dust rings, using ground-based telescopes. Now we see at least 17 of them….”
This truly is a phenomenal time to be alive, and able to witness the progress of all scientific endeavors — but especially interstellar space science:
नमस्ते
