Cap'n Bob & the Damsel

Death of a Comet


Did you ever see a comet plunge into the sun? Not likely unless you have seen images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Watch as the comet strikes the heliosphere and causes a solar explosion.

Image: Courtesy NASA and SOHO

Spaceweather.com says:

Yesterday, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) caught a comet plunging toward the sun. It went in–but not out again. The sungrazing comet disintegrated like an ice cube in an oven.

In the animation, the white circle represents the outline of the sun. The dark circle is a shield in the optics to block the solar image so background activity and objects may be seen. Above and to the left is the planet Venus which just passed above and in front of the Sun. In a wider field of view image, the planet Mars can also be seen along with labels explaining the image.

05 Nov 2006 by Aerospace Astronomy Rocket Science

Buttermilk Skies

This is the time of year that our usual coastal fog is replaced by upper clouds. When I was a kid, our family called this “buttermilk” skies. I snapped this picture a couple of days ago during my noontime walk.

04 Nov 2006 by California Environment Photography

Understanding the Democratic Machine

Locked in an endless möbius loop, the gears of the Democratic machine grind on forever. All rhetoric, all the time, with no viable ideas. They do have ideas, however . . .

Redeploy troops from Iraq to Okinawa? End vital terrorist surveillance? Raise taxes? Call the military in Iraq stupid? Accuse the military of terrorizing civilians and committing atrocities? Amnesty for illegals? Block domestic oil production? Socialize medicine? Add new entitlement programs? Disarm the military? Disarm citizens? Stop global warming? Block Social Security reform? Let the UN and EU decide US trade policy? Let the UN and EU decide US defense policy? Block picture ID to prevent voter fraud? Stop fencing the border? Approve same-sex marriage? Approve all abortions? Reduce criminal penalties? Block profiling of potential terrorists? Allow illegal aliens driver’s licenses? Apologize to our enemies and blame America first?

This incomplete list of questionable ‘ideas’ comes directly from Democrats — you can’t make this shit up. And the list of outrageous ‘ideas’ grows daily. I sincerely hope that as Americans, you will go to the polls next Tuesday and vote – especially now that you understand the Democratic Machine.

03 Nov 2006 by Congress Degenerates Whacko Politics

NASA Goes to IRAQ

When I first read the NASA article Sci-fi Life Support, I missed the textbox at the bottom. When I went back to post about the system, I found out that this built-for-space wastewater reclamation system is currently in use in provinces of Northern Iraq.

The article itself describes a spaceborne system designed to recover up to 93 percent of water from exhaled air and urine. Such a system will be needed for long manned space missions and in remote outposts such as Lunar or Martian bases.

Here’s the story about the Earthbound version:

ECLSS in Iraq — Since April 2006, an Earth-bound application of a portion of the ECLSS water recovery system is being trucked from one rural village to another in northern Iraq to filter particulates and contaminants out of dirty groundwater or well water to provide residents with clean drinking water. That portable system—about half the size of a refrigerator including all its pumps and computer controls—purifies water at a good clip of 4 gallons a minute, for a cost of only about two cents a gallon.

Image: ECLSS Hardware (courtesy NASA)

Technical details of ECLSS appear in “Status of the Regenerative ECLSS Water Recovery and Oxygen Generation Systems” by Robert M. Bagdigian, Dale Cloud, and John Bedard (Paper 2006-01-2057) and in NASA Facts “International Space Station Environmental Control and Life Support System” (Pub 8-40399, May 2005).

ECLSS fact sheet

The Vision for Space Exploration

03 Nov 2006 by Aerospace Islamic Terrorism

New Name for Democrats

Why not change the name of the Democratic Party to the Benedict Arnold Party? Seems fitting enough, considering John Kerry’s recent remarks, and the on-going politicization of the Global War on Terror by Democrats. They have continually failed to support security for America, the war in Iraq and our Troops, in particular.

Left: John Kerry, still unfit for command.

As for Kerry’s “apology,” he manages to weasel his way into blaming stupid Americans for not understanding his nuanced sense of humor. Moreover, the cowardly Kerry did not appear personally to deliver the apology, but probably directed one of his minions to type something for his website.

We understood what you meant, Senator. We know you have falsely accused our soldiers of “terrorizing” innocent Iraqis. We sincerely hope that next Tuesday America holds your party accountable for their continued defeatist and traitorous behavior. You are the prototype of the party of Benedict Arnold, indeed.

02 Nov 2006 by Congress Degenerates Islamic Terrorism Whacko Politics

Halloween 2006

Halloween Greetings

Once again, the leaves are falling and the pumpkins in the patch are ripe. It’s the time that all restless spirits set forth in their annual ritual of calling on the living – and demanding treats.

Halloween is known and loved today as a time to wear costumes, go door to door asking for candy, and watch monster movies. But the holiday’s origins go back centuries to the enactment of All Saints’ Day, a Christian holiday. Along the way, it has also picked up traditions from Samhain, a Celtic festival celebrating the start of winter.

We’re looking forward to the visitations of all the little goblins and spirits at our door tonight. We plan on posting some spooky pictures here tomorrow.

31 Oct 2006 by Culture

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