Much like last week, I find myself on Wednesday, still behind, and wishing the week was over already.
- I’m watching the ANSARI X PRIZE webcast as I post this. Good luck, guys. Launch time is 8:30 Central time, and the webcast is bogging down. Time to switch to the NASA channel, which is carrying it live. Update: the weather is windy, and the launch has been delayed. No word on how long yet. As of 8:38, Melville has boarded, and they’re about to push out White Knight and SS1. As of 8:44, launch is estimated for 9 Central. I’ll update here as things progress. They rolled out at 9, and (9:06) have taxied out to do their pre-flight checks. White Knight rolls out at 9:10, airborne at 9:11. It’ll be about an hour while they climb to altitude to let SS1 go. Release at 10:10! Oh damn. SS1 started to roll (I don’t think that was planned), and cut out the engine at 10:11. Still coasting up, though. 338,000 feet! They made it! (unofficially) 10:16, the wings are down and locked, and he’s inbound. Just a landing left, and then another launch next Monday. 10:34
Mike Melvill is back home.
He shut the engine down 11 seconds early, so they didn’t get top altitude, but still made it with room to spare. - Jim Davies spends Ten Minutes With C-SPAN, and learns about “delayed notification” of search warrants and how the government thinks this is compatible with the 4th amendment. [endwar]
- Claire Wolfe & Aaron Zelman call The FairTax: A Trojan Horse for America, pointing out that the supposed 23% tax would really be a 30% sales tax. And it gets worse from there. I don’t mind the idea of abolishing the IRS, but the alternative they’re offering sounds even worse. [claire]
- This article on The Orwellian US takes a look at three proposals: The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, which would mean psychological screening of everyone, a proposal to monitor homeschooling more closely, and then the biggie: the American Community Survey, a 24-page questionnaire full of nosy questions that you have to answer or pay a $100 fine for each one you don’t answer. Ugh. [claire]
- Claire is Contemplating carlessness, and lists a number of reasons both for and against having a truck. If only you could get one without so much government coming along. [claire]
- Cool! The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy adventure game is online. Flash-based. Just like the original. [jr]