Clancy's latest book is out, in hardback. As a long time Tom Clancy fan, I splurged on the $28.95 hardback. It isn't as good as the previous Clancy thrillers. It's set in the "future" after Clancy's last book "Tail of the Tiger". It has a dozen protagonists and villains and the narration jumps from one to another every couple of pages. There is a "co author" and the book reads like Clancy did the outline and the co author did all the writing. Sort of like the "Op Center" books.
Proof reading must have been done by Word for Windows. It allowed "site" to pass where "sight" should have been used, "Y-turn" for "U-turn", and other oddities.
Wait for the paperback, or wait for your library to get it.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Tax Freeze has the votes in the Senate
The great tax deal of 2010 seems to be moving forward. This is the "no income tax hikes for anyone, 35% estate tax" deal that has enraged the left. There was plenty of talk about how holding taxes steady would cost $zillion in tax revenue. But to be real about it, a tax hike during Great Depression 2.0 will make the depression deeper. Holding taxes steady might make the economy perk up. And the estate tax (death tax) is a killer of small business. When the small business owner dies, the small business is required to cough up incredible amounts of cash, which it does not have. So the business is liquidated to pay the estate tax.
What has not been discussed on TV is the pork attached to the bill. Ethanol tax credits, money for windmills, and extension of 50 strange tax loopholes. Essentially Obama got many of his pet spending projects, in return to agreeing to not hike taxes on anyone. I can only hope that the cost of Obama's earmarks isn't too bad. I have never seen anyone in the news business, not even Fox, comment on the cost of Obama's goodies.
What has not been discussed on TV is the pork attached to the bill. Ethanol tax credits, money for windmills, and extension of 50 strange tax loopholes. Essentially Obama got many of his pet spending projects, in return to agreeing to not hike taxes on anyone. I can only hope that the cost of Obama's earmarks isn't too bad. I have never seen anyone in the news business, not even Fox, comment on the cost of Obama's goodies.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Aviation Week tribute to the Space Shuttle
No discussion of the Shuttle program is complete without mentioning the two horrible accidents, and the loss of all on board. Aviation Week feels that both accidents were caused by NASA corporate culture, a culture of "press on regardless" controlled by inexperienced and poorly educated suits.
The first accident to Challenger, where the solid rocket boosters leaked flame onto the external hydrogen tank, causing an explosion 73 seconds after liftoff, was clearly a management failure. Morton Thiokol, the maker of the solid rocket boosters, called the cape the night before the launch and expressed concerns about the low temperature. The Thiokol engineers feared that the silicone gaskets that sealed the solid booster joints would stiffen in the cold and fail to seal against combustion pressure. The Thiokol engineers had it exactly right, that's what happened and the leak of white hot flame from the booster exploded the shuttle and killed the entire crew.
NASA management, rather than postponing the launch, demanded Thiokol put their fears in writing. When the Thiokol suits demurred, NASA pressed on with the launch.
This was incredible to me. In USAF, had we received a telephone call from our engine maker expressing concern about the J75's powering our fighters, we would have believed them. We knew those engines had problems, we were used to company tech reps making light of deficiencies. Should Pratt & Whitney have volunteered information about problems, all hands, from crew chief up to wing commander would have taken it VERY seriously.
NASA management seems to be all political appointees, paper pushers with no practical experience. That can be a killer.
The first accident to Challenger, where the solid rocket boosters leaked flame onto the external hydrogen tank, causing an explosion 73 seconds after liftoff, was clearly a management failure. Morton Thiokol, the maker of the solid rocket boosters, called the cape the night before the launch and expressed concerns about the low temperature. The Thiokol engineers feared that the silicone gaskets that sealed the solid booster joints would stiffen in the cold and fail to seal against combustion pressure. The Thiokol engineers had it exactly right, that's what happened and the leak of white hot flame from the booster exploded the shuttle and killed the entire crew.
NASA management, rather than postponing the launch, demanded Thiokol put their fears in writing. When the Thiokol suits demurred, NASA pressed on with the launch.
This was incredible to me. In USAF, had we received a telephone call from our engine maker expressing concern about the J75's powering our fighters, we would have believed them. We knew those engines had problems, we were used to company tech reps making light of deficiencies. Should Pratt & Whitney have volunteered information about problems, all hands, from crew chief up to wing commander would have taken it VERY seriously.
NASA management seems to be all political appointees, paper pushers with no practical experience. That can be a killer.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
RGGI rides again.
According to this, money raised by the RGGI tax on electricity, which was supposed to go for virtuous greenie things, is being diverted to paying the bills.
New Hampshire's budget is opaque, but last year there was $50 million budgeted for "Greenhouse Gas Abatement". Whether it actually got spent or not is unknown, at least to me. That's a lot of money. That's 10% of this coming year's budget deficit ($600 million estimated).
The "Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative", a joint deal involving the New England states and New York, was going to tax electric companies and earmark the revenue for "Greenhouse Gas Abatement" what ever that might mean. Which is one of the reasons we pay the highest electric bills in the nation. We get hit with 20 cents per kilowatt hour which adds up to $100 a month just to keep the lights on in a small house.
We would do better to drop the RGGI tax, drop the "Greenhouse Gas Abatement" and recover the New Hampshire Advantage.
New Hampshire's budget is opaque, but last year there was $50 million budgeted for "Greenhouse Gas Abatement". Whether it actually got spent or not is unknown, at least to me. That's a lot of money. That's 10% of this coming year's budget deficit ($600 million estimated).
The "Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative", a joint deal involving the New England states and New York, was going to tax electric companies and earmark the revenue for "Greenhouse Gas Abatement" what ever that might mean. Which is one of the reasons we pay the highest electric bills in the nation. We get hit with 20 cents per kilowatt hour which adds up to $100 a month just to keep the lights on in a small house.
We would do better to drop the RGGI tax, drop the "Greenhouse Gas Abatement" and recover the New Hampshire Advantage.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
English Muffins toast in 6 minutes, used to take 7
Trivia moment. I like my English muffins buttered and then toasted under the broiler. They come out crispier that way, than running them thru the toaster.
Several years experience showed that the muffins came out golden brown if I set the kitchen timer to exactly 7 minutes.
Last couple of days, golden brown has become dark brown with blackened edges. I've backed off to 6 minutes on the kitchen timer to recover the golden brown.
Same oven, same timer, same kitchen, same broiler. Could it be that PSNH has jacked up the voltage coming into the house? I never measured my line voltage so I'd never know if I measured it now. Line voltage anywhere between 110 and 130 is legitimate these days, and stuff that cares about line voltage has electronic regulation built into the product.
Plain old electric ranges don't care. They do run a little hotter if the line voltage is higher, but except for toasting muffins, it doesn't matter.
Several years experience showed that the muffins came out golden brown if I set the kitchen timer to exactly 7 minutes.
Last couple of days, golden brown has become dark brown with blackened edges. I've backed off to 6 minutes on the kitchen timer to recover the golden brown.
Same oven, same timer, same kitchen, same broiler. Could it be that PSNH has jacked up the voltage coming into the house? I never measured my line voltage so I'd never know if I measured it now. Line voltage anywhere between 110 and 130 is legitimate these days, and stuff that cares about line voltage has electronic regulation built into the product.
Plain old electric ranges don't care. They do run a little hotter if the line voltage is higher, but except for toasting muffins, it doesn't matter.
Nanny state gets into the real nanny business
"They" want to pass a federal law to require "safer" child car seats. "Safer" means rearward facing car seats are mandatory for children up to age FIVE. Speaking as a veteran parent, kids are gonna hate that one. Kids don't mind riding in car seats much, 'cause the seat boosts them up so they can see out the windows. Rear facing seats would retrict the kid's view to the back seat upholstery.
While "they" were at it, "they" want to require infants travel in car seats on airlines. Which would require parents to buy a ticket for infants. Right now, infants under two can travel for free sitting in a parent's lap. Many parents, including yours truly, decide that enduring transcontinental squirming is worth the savings.
While "they" were at it, "they" want to require infants travel in car seats on airlines. Which would require parents to buy a ticket for infants. Right now, infants under two can travel for free sitting in a parent's lap. Many parents, including yours truly, decide that enduring transcontinental squirming is worth the savings.
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