We need to learn quickly to keep up with the massive change around us so we don't get run over. We need to outrun change.
Orbital Sciences Corp. had a successful test of their privately designed, funded and built spaceship. Their lifting vehicle made it to orbit and the cargo pod successfully separated. See Private company succeeds in test launch of rocket that will carry cargo ship.
They are one of two companies that will be providing lift capability to NASA: Continue reading “2nd private company gets space cargo ship operating”
Who Has the Right to Mine an Asteroid gives an overview of the legal issues involved in getting minerals and water from asteroids. The discussion is from Professor Glenn Reynolds, of course.
What’s the payoff?
Here’s the possible yield from mining asteroids: Continue reading “Space frontier is open – legal analysis of mining asteroids and private round-trip supply runs”
As a CPA, I frequently get requests for names of other professionals who could assist with particular needs.
As a public service, I thought it would be helpful to publish a list of the firms I mention most often.
Attorneys:
Continue reading “Professional referrals”
Did you know that in the 1930s raisin producers had to give a portion of their harvest to the government with the feds deciding what portion of the crop every producer had to turn over and what price they would get?
Neither did I.
(Cross post from my other blog Freedom is Moral.)
Did you know that program is still in place today, 80 some odd years later?
Neither did I.
Did you know that in the 2002-2003 season
Continue reading “Economic destruction from the New Deal just keeps rolling on”
A deal has finally been reached. Form of the agreement is hard to figure out. Most articles don’t outline the details.
I finally found an article that gave a good explanation – Scratch one stupid idea at the Financial Times Alphaville blog. (free registration required)
Here is my very short summary:
The second largest bank (Laiki) will be liquidated. Continue reading “Deal reached to bail out Cyprus banks”
Time is running out. The deadline appears to be opening of business on Tuesday. That puts it sometime extremely early in the day Monday here in California.
One of the fascinating things I’ve learned about blogging is you have to write and lock your words in print (pixels?) not knowing how events will turn out. Know what? That’s part of what is making it so much fun.
Current plans being floated
3-22 – Wall Street Journal – Mali Militants Attack Airport
The Timbuktu airport was attacked with a suicide-bomber and follow-on infiltration attempt. Airstrikes drove off the attackers. Claimed losses are one Malian soldier killed, two wounded, and 15 attackers killed.
3-21 – Wall Street Journal – U.S. Sanctions Mali Terror Group
The U.S. State Department and Treasury Department officially sanctioned Ansar al-Dine as a terrorist group on Thursday.
3-22 – Africa is a Country – Welcome to Mali
Gregory Mann has a superb discussion of the goals of various parties. His description is that there are multiple wars underneath the visible battle with all the players having different goals. France, the Malian civilian government, the Malian military (which is not quite under the control of the civil government according to the article), the Tuarag people group (MNLA), and the mujahideen (AQIM and Ansar al-Dine) are each fighting a different war. France has one of several possible goals, none of which are in sight at the moment.
Great article, which also shows the complexity of the conflict there. Also shows how much I have to learn.
Legislation passed by the legislature in Cyprus places capital controls on currency. Full plans to rescue the banking sector are still on the drawing board.
The short description of the capital restrictions from the Wall Street Journal:
The proposals will allow authorities to restrict noncash transactions, freeze check cashing, limit withdrawals and even convert checking accounts into fixed-term deposits.
Thanks for checking out my blog.
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You could also click “Peak Oil” or “Peak Oil Vol 2” at the very top of the page to see compilations of my posts on peak oil.
Thanks to Mr. Oksol for the link!
Hope you enjoy the site.
3-4 – Wall Street Journal – U.S. Boosts War Role in Africa
The U.S. drone operations in Mali run from the base in Niger are actively feeding intel and targeting data to the French. The article says the Reaper drones provided info for about 60 airstrikes in the preceding week.
3-6 – Wall Street Journal – France to Start Drawing Down Troops in Mali
France with reduce troop levels starting early in April. They lost their fourth soldier in country.
There are 2,000 troops from Chad. Previous reports indicate many of them were trained by U.S. special forces.
…check out the wisdom of politicians and regulators evidenced before the last crisis.
Read The Housing Bubble and the Limits of Human Knowledge , by Alex Pollock.
The fallacy in play today is that the regulators who didn’t see our current financial crisis coming (or helped facilitate it) are now wise & bright enough that they will be able to detect any future crisis far enough in advance to prevent them. It’s quite obvious that is the operating concept driving laws and regulations for several years now.
Continue reading “While pondering the wisdom of those who can prevent the next financial crisis…”
….you might want to read this:
Libel in the Blogosphere: Some Preliminary Thoughts by Glenn Reynolds. It’s a free download. Only 14 pages long.
(Cross-posted from my other blog, Nonprofit Update.)
Although the paper was written in 2006, it is remarkably current.
Full disclosure time. Yes, I have a biased and vested interest in the idea of not suing bloggers. Take my comment with whatever size grain of salt you wish.
The biggest issue to consider is the pushback you may receive from the rest of the blogosphere if you even threaten a blogger.
A few minor points are that most bloggers don’t have enough of a deep pocket to make litigation worthwhile and you can probably get a near instantaneous correction with a polite request.
Back to the major issue.
3-1 – American Interest – A French Exit Strategy for Mali
Check out this summary of the mess the French find themselves in: Continue reading “Mali update – 3-3-13”
The space frontier is open.
Today a Dragon capsule from SpaceX arrived at the International Space Station delivering 1,300 pounds of supplies and experiments.
A glitch in a valve or pressure line delayed arrival while the engineers figured out a solution.
The capsule will remain docked with the space station for a month before bringing back a load of material to earth.
Space.com points out SpaceX Dragon Capsule Glitch (and Recovery) Shows Why Spaceflight Is Hard.
The article expands at length on the lede: Continue reading “Private resupply spaceship arrives at Space Station on resupply run #2”
I had been thinking of not posting anything this week on Mali. Then I realized the U.S. is tip-toeing into what looks more and more like an extended guerilla war.
2-22 – Wall Street Journal – Defenders Outgunned by Islamists in Desert
