Test flight #7

Yesterday was the seventh test flight of Starship and its booster Super Heavy rocket. A lot of modifications were tried (including a 25% increase in propellant volume and an additional 6.5' of length for "ship") with some success and some failure.

Super Heavy performed beautifully, the megazilla "chopsticks" catching it out of its free fall just as they did in flight test #5. A thrilling success.

Starship ("ship") didn't fare as well. There was a rapid unplanned disassembly (SpaceX term for explosion) over the Atlantic ocean, and a beautiful sky show as the debris streaked to earth.

There may be as many as 25 test flights of Starship this calendar year, all being opportunities to get every last thing right.

Same old

Follow-up to this post

Stiff opposition to dictator Victor Maduro's regime in Venezuela has died for the present. His power to overwhelm his challengers has landed him a victory, in spite of big protests and in spite of the opinion of global leaders that he stole last summer's election.

"Maduro was sworn in [1-12-25] as president of Venezuela for a third term, declaring victory in a stolen election. Though Venezuelans protested the fraud--thronging Caracas and other cities--the regime crushed the uprising and threw 2,000 opponents in jail. Venezuelans seem doomed to live under a regime that has brought them nothing but inflation, repression and despair."

Stop hiding

A widespread, public discussion about immigration is urgently needed across the United Kingdom and the West. Despite that vote (yesterday's post) against investigation in Parliament, grooming gang crimes should no longer be hidden (photo) in Britain.

Konstantin Kisin names a basic issue that should be talked about openly, civilly, honestly, without censorship and without fear of reprisal:

"Western countries won't stop suffering terrorist attack after terrorist attack until they let go of their most cherished belief: that all people are equal and that all cultures are the same."

A crime is a crime in Britain and everywhere, whether it's committed by natives of your country or by immigrants to your country. 

UK still hides it

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

All the evidence, all the stories, all the first-person testimony "shamed" the United Kingdom Parliament into considering a new, thorough investigation into the ongoing rape gang crimes. 

Are the crimes of these rape gangs being covered up?

So members of Parliament (MP's) voted on whether they should do an investigation of this outrage. They voted about 2 to 1 against it. In other words, the authorities decided not to investigate whether the authorities are covering up the crimes of rape gangs.

UK Prime Minister (photo) was too busy to be present for the vote, but he instructed the MP's of his party to vote against it.

Rape gangs 3

(cont'd from last Friday's post)

Yes, authorities knew about the rape gangs and chose to ignore them. Many acknowledge it.

For decades in the West in general, students have been taught that no society or culture is any better than any other (multicultularism) as I saw for myself in my son's history text book. In Britain, many don't dare to complain or even mention that the gangs are largely immigrants from Pakistan who prey on white, working-class girls. They, including police, are silenced and terrified of being called "racist."

All this is open now because a few outraged people are talking about it. Elon Musk has been posting evidence on X (former Twitter) to his enormous global audience:

 

Well-known psychologist Jordan Peterson is outspoken (48.00-49.30) in this interview. It's sickening, he says, to watch the UK ignore these crimes and then gaslight people who try to tell the truth.

Rape gangs 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post) 

Were the authorities in the dark about the scope of these gangs? No, they knew, and there have been a few prosecutions like the example in yesterday's post which is now 12 years old. Then why has it continued for many years? Because the crimes were ignored, the story buried.

"It's the biggest crime--and cover-up--in British history. . . Thousands of young girls, mostly children, were systematically groomed and raped by immigrant gangs across the UK over a period of decades. Police turned the girls away. Detectives were discouraged from investigating. Politicians and prosecutors did their best to sweep it under the rug. Journalists skipped the biggest story of their lives."

Different levels of fear motivated the silence according to Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Police feared that they might be called racist. Politicians could lose important votes from immigrant communities. Neighbors and journalists feared violence from Muslim men.

Two other factors are involved: multiculturalism and elite disdain for working class girls.

from The Free Press

To be continued

Rape gangs 1

A journalist spent six months investigating a crime in Britain for NBC : the "organized sexual exploitation of girls as young as 13." He called it a "grueling" experience which gave him nightmares: 

"Graphic accounts of rape and sexual abuse are not easy to put out of mind, especially not when the victims are barely pubescent."

Nine men were convicted of those crimes in 2012. This is old news. But the crimes continued and the number of victims kept multiplying, right up to the present. I've seen estimates that  hundreds of thousands of girls have been assaulted in perhaps fifty cities, some girls murdered.

How is it possible that thousands of these brutal crimes could continue over so many years in so many cities without authorities taking enough action to stop it? That question is suddenly convulsing British politics and capturing worldwide attention.

(cont'd tomorrow)

Freer FB

"Destroyed trust." Head of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, says that his former policies of content moderation and fact-checker censors have destroyed the public's trust. Maybe he was actually sincere last September when he seemed to regret the censorship that Facebook has practiced.

It sounds like the message that Jeff Bezos delivered to Washington Post. It could be a trend, a good one. Many Americans have had enough of media efforts to force their own views down our throats. As they both said, we don't trust them anymore.

Zuckerberg says that Facebook is going to adopt something like X's community notes to function in place of fact-checkers.

Skeptical people think he's just kissing up to the new administration. Whether he is or not, Facebook will be a freer platform . . and that's a good thing.

Canadian

An idea was floated in December: the nation of Canada should become the 51st state of the U.S.A. I thought it was a joke. Maybe it wasn't serious, but I was surprised to find out that the idea is far from new, and is supported today by some.

According to Canadian Kevin O'Leary (businessman, investor, and star of "Shark Tank"), about half of all Canadians are not laughing. They'd like to hear more.

Why might the idea be attractive? According to our president-elect, they'd pay far less in taxes, American goods would be tariff-free, and they'd have more security. That sounds pretty good to some Canadians, possibly the same ones who are real happy about the resignation of their left-wing prime minister.

Nouvel an 3

Follow-up to this post

New Year 2025 must have been fun and festive for many in France, but the annual car burning continued as well, for a national total of 874 cars (photo) destroyed. The government (interior ministry) still wants to point out that it could have been worse: for comparison, 2019 saw 1316 cars torched. 

Gendarmes, security personnel and firefighters (95,000) were mobilized for duty on New Year's Eve.

Another wet blanket may have toned down the festivity that night. Face masks have been made compulsory again, to combat another variant of Covid-19. People (779) were fined for not wearing one when they went out.

from The Business Standard

Robo taxi 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Complete, fully automated self-driving (Level 5) cars are still a remote dream. But Level 4 technology is now in use for "robo taxis." 

"A Level 4 self-driving car can handle everything - but only under certain conditions and in certain locations." Robo taxis can and do operate now under these restrictions, partly because a finite area can be mapped right down to the very small details.

General Motors acquired the startup Cruise in 2016 to pursue GM's position in this market, but they announced last month their intention to kill off the robo taxi idea.

Tesla (photo) is still very much pursuing the goal. It's called Cybercab: "affordable and fast individualized point-to-point transport" that they claim will also be safe and sustainable.

Waymo (yesterday's video) is the most successful so far, operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, with plans for Atlanta, Miami and Austin.

Robo taxi

Would you like to put your health and safety in the "hands" of a robotic car, a car with no human driver? Many are already doing that. "Robo taxis" are no longer just a cool theory. They are operating in a number of big cities. 

Two young millennial women recorded their experience renting and riding in a Waymo robo taxi for the first time in the video below for Kia-Hyundai. They called for the taxi on a phone app. 

It's not just a matter of telling the taxi where to go. Some features they discovered that helped or surprised them:

• real time ETA (expected time of arrival) of when the requested taxi would come 
•  an app button to unlock the doors when the taxi arrived
•  a digital display map of their location in both front and back seats
• an app button command option was available to "pull over"
• choice of music

Blessing 2025

Every year since 2020 I sing this blessing along with the recording of these Christians of various churches in the United Kingdom.

God's attitude toward us is that He is for us. A verse not quoted in this particular song but in sync with the revelation of God's good intentions is this one:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Old year 2024

On this last day of the year 2024, there are probably many lists of 2024's memorable events and they will differ wildly depending on whose point of view was used. Here are a few events from a list I like:

• Spectacular catching of a 250-ton rocket in free fall, the first ever
• A NYC subway rider defended the lives of his fellow passengers of multiple races, then those passengers told the court that he was a hero
• A pro-football player stood up publicly for family and faith, then stood strong against being cancelled and earned a new contract
• A female university volleyball team took a stand against biologically male players

What a year this has been.

from Stream

Nouvel an 2

Car burning, as the protest of angry and violent people, is an awful annual tradition (photo) in France on New Year's Eve. It declined about 10% last year because of the coming Olympics, so only 745 vehicle fires were reported by authorities. Hopefully some restraint will be exercised tomorrow.

I posted about the recurring event in January of 2018:

A French "tradition" of intentional car burning takes place every New Year's Eve. In just the Ile de France region of Paris this year there were 250 cars burned, plus 75 to the east in Strasbourg, and some in other cities.

It's bad, but it's been worse. NYT reported that 1067 cars were torched in France in 2013, and 940 in 2014.

New Year's weekend was also observed by assaults on police and firefighters. First to arrive at an apartment building fire in Saint-Denis, police went inside to rescue screaming children. Exiting the building with kids in their arms, they were stoned by "a bunch of young people."

New media 3

Follow-up to these posts here and here

 "2024 was arguably the year of the meteoric rise of the independent creator and the calamitous fall of the so-called legacy media." Jeff Bezos was just one of the many who noticed.

Independent writers can publish their own content on the Substack platform and earn their own following, even earning income if readers subscribe to it. Essentially, it's self-publishing so that they can move past the gatekeepers of old legacy media.

Bari Weiss was working for the New York Times but quit her job in 2020. She believed the NYT had abandoned important journalistic values by censoring ideas they didn't like. She and her wife, Nellie Bowles, started a newsletter on Substack that turned into a "new media company" which they call The Free Press.

In contrast to NPR (National Public Radio), they still try to search for the truth. They say "Free people deserve a Free Press."

Bari is the one who interviewed Tom Holland in yesterday's post.

 from Mind Matters

Changed 2

Atheists of today have been loud in their rejection (and here) of Christianity. I welcome the change of mind some of them have had (here, here). 

Historian, atheist, and author Tom Holland (Dominion) changed his mind a few years ago from disdain of Christianity to surprised admiration. Now it seems like he has gone a step further, from admiration to something like faith. His understanding grows and grows.

He explains to this Jewish-and-open-minded interviewer (photo) how powerfully the life and crucifixion of Jesus changed the world. He says that even woke American ideologues are drawing from Christian values, but "they have cut themselves off from the scripture." 

He even says that the doctrine of original sin is important. Without it, we may think we have the ability to be good on our own, that we're sinless. 

He goes to church sometimes. Things about Christianity are really making sense to him. As in the theme of yesterday's post ("Lux Venit"), he says "the idea of light in the darkness is very vivid for me." Praying he goes the rest of the way.

from The Free Press

Lux venit

 Built into us by the Creator is a longing to understand God and eternity, to believe there is really hope for humanity:

"By sword, by flame
In death solemn ages passed,
And voices young grow old & weary
Holding fast - hope for the dawning"

The Christian good news is that God sought out humanity by sending Jesus Christ, who brings light to us:

"Lux venit, Sursum corda." Arise, shine! For your light has come!

Those lyrics are from the song below. It's years old, but "Lux Venit" from this album by Michael W. Smith moves me every time I hear it. Enjoy.

The Shepherd

The first Christmas didn't have much to do with the way we celebrate this national holiday today. Over two thousand years ago, the good news of the birth of a "Savior who is Christ the Lord" was announced by angels to ordinary shepherds in the hills around Bethlehem.

No glamorous costumes were involved. The grand, angelic announcement took place in a gritty setting. 

A short film by the director of "The Chosen" realistically presents that gritty setting:

Changed

Is "A Christmas Carol" by Dickens one of your Christmas traditions? Watching the animated Disney version starring Jim Carrey is one of my favorites.

There are a number of different productions. But the foundational text is the same, a story written by Charles Dickens and published in 1843. 

Set in London during the Victorian age, the cranky main character is the self-centered Scrooge. He's persuaded late in life (by ghosts) to give up his selfishness for a joyful life of loving others. 

To get more out of it than ever before, you might want to take the short course Hillsdale College makes available:

Foreign aid 2

 (cont'd from yesterday's post)

Reports are coming that Millennium Challenge Corporation, an agency of the U.S. government, doesn't entirely "respect" the values of native peoples as much as they claim. 

MCC agreed last September to give Sierra Leone (image) $480 million so long as they comply with "rigorous standards for good governance, fighting corruption and respecting democratic rights." All these seem consistent with the agency's mission to reduce poverty.

 

But it's "common knowledge among nongovernmental organizations" in the country that MCC is now quietly threatening to withhold the money unless Sierra Leone . . loosens its abortion policy. What does abortion have to do with economic growth?

They deny it, of course, because that would go against its mission and stated "core values." But it would be consistent with the politics of the current administration. And it would be neo-colonialism.

from Life News

Foreign aid 1

A lot of nations in the world don't have the blessings we take for granted ("Blind to it") in America. Just one of them is the strength of our economy and its abundance of wealth. We'd like to see the whole world more prosperous, with every material need satisfied. 

So that's how "foreign aid" is justified and how Americans generally see it. 

Maybe you wonder how it works. Some of it goes through Millennium Challenge Corporation, which the U.S. congress initiated in 2004. Here's why it exists: "MCC’s mission is to reduce poverty through economic growth."

Their core values sound truly great: creativity, teamwork, high standards, measurement of outcomes, accountability, respect, and more. 

How much does this agency give away? Here's a list of 52 nations it has helped through what they call "compacts," five-year agreements about what the poorer nation will receive from us if they agree to certain requirements.

Some examples: Uganda $45 million, Peru $36 million, Nepal $500 million, Mongolia $350 million, Indonesia $600 million, Niger $443 million. 

(cont'd tomorrow)

Self-censors

A survey was taken of over six thousand faculty across 55 colleges and universities across the U.S. to see how they feel about expressing themselves in that environment.

You probably know that the vast majority of university professors are left-wing and donate to those political causes, so they must feel pretty secure to speak freely, right? Of course, non-leftist faculty may be afraid to speak their minds, but that's a very small number. 

So the number of those who fear speaking up must be small, right? On the contrary, many are afraid they will pay a price if they say what they believe (image).

Key findings in this survey by Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE): 

35% of faculty say they recently toned down their writing for fear of controversy 

27% of faculty feel unable to speak freely for fear of how students, administrators, or other faculty would respond

 23% of faculty worry about losing their jobs because someone misunderstands something they have said or done

NPR funding $

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

If National Public Radio is more concerned with its elitist goals than with reporting true information, is it right to fund it with taxpayer money? Do we want our own money going there when it's biased in favor of only about half the country?

NPR defended itself when it claimed that just a mere 1% of its funding comes from government. But that's inaccurate when you look at the money trail. This article illuminates the complexity of their government funding:

"NPR may receive little direct federal funding, but a good deal of its budget comprises federal funds that flow to it indirectly by federal law." If you're interested in the complicated details, go here to see how that works.

Personally, I don't want my taxes going to NPR. There's an inherent problem when my taxes go to a news source committed to a point of view I don't support.

from The Hill

What's important?

National Public Radio (NPR) proudly announced its new CEO last January. Katherine Maher is an experienced executive who has "tackled the issues around reliable and accessible information for all."

"Reliable" ? Well, not exactly . . not if you really need to know the reality about a situation. True information is not her goal in leading this news-gathering organization. She says:

"I think our reverence for the truth might have become a bit of a distraction that is preventing us from finding consensus and getting things done."

So her goal for NPR is to get everybody to agree, presumably with their point of view. She probably has nothing against true information . . but only if it helps them get more important things done.

Americans don't trust news media, as Jeff Bezos said. This helps explain why.

(cont'd tomorrow)

Robot dog

Boston Dynamics says that they: "Discover practical robotics solutions designed to tackle today's and tomorrow's toughest automation challenges"

They've created a robot dog, about 70 pounds and 3' high, named "Spot."

DEI effect 2

(cont'd from yesterday's post)

Yesterday's video made the point that construction projects are not the government's purview ("the range or limit of authority, competence"). Its DEI policies impede accomplishment, but that's just a small part of the damage DEI does in government or any organization.

What's the effect of the movement on people? Instead of preventing racial bias against people of color (POC), its supposed goal, it raises suspicion and interpersonal conflict. By that thinking, every person of the white race is guilty of racism and every POC is a victim.

It should be obvious that thinking that way is unhealthy for everyone. Now there's even a university study to show it. Its conclusion: "while purporting to combat bias, some anti-oppressive DEI narratives can engender a hostile attribution bias and heighten racial suspicion, prejudicial attitudes, authoritarian policing . . "

If you worry that DEI is too entrenched in the federal government to root out, here is a plan to do just that, proposed to the incoming administration by a credible source.

from Stream

DEI effect

When the federal government wanted to put a huge amount of money into high-speed internet access for all Americans, they first chose satellite-based Starlink to do it, but then as you know withdrew that decision. They chose instead to lay fiber optic cable.

But three years later, this video says "not a single project is underway." In spite of all that money pushed toward this goal, no one has been connected yet.

 

Why? "Government officials are obsessed with giving broadband to the right people. Any company that wants funds to build broadband has to hire certain people." Companies that could do the work are so bound with restrictions that they walk away from the opportunity.

Who are the "right people?" DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) policies will define that, and they're all over the government. Allowing government to pick the "right" people, "certain" people, is inherently dangerous. We shouldn't be doing that. And it's just one reason why the government is bad at building things (the point of the video).

(cont'd tomorrow)

Notre Dame

A magnificent icon of medieval Christianity which was consecrated in Paris over 800 years ago, Notre Dame Cathedral went up in flames in April of 2019. Two thirds of the roof burned, including its central wooden spire.

Today it is restored. Heads of state and celebrities came from all around the world to its grand re-opening last Saturday, and masses resumed on Sunday.

When I saw it in October of 2018, it was dark inside. Grime from the centuries and soot from the fire have been cleaned up. Now it seems filled with light, a return to its original character according to the French president. The man he appointed in charge of the project (costing about $737 million) expects it to last another 800 years. 

Craftsmen were found to restore arches and gargoyles. One of the carpenters said “I felt so much recognition to those who came before us, the architects and carpenters of the past. We rebuilt it, but they imagined it.”

Trans suit

In October of 2023, a surgeon decided not to publish the results of her own study on puberty blockers. The problem? It didn't support her gender transition therapies. The study found that blockers did not improve the mental health of children with gender distress.

Author J.K. Rowling, publicly opposed to transgenderism, tweeted about this surgeon's irrational decision to withhold the study's findings:

"We must not publish a study that says we're harming children because people who say we're harming children will use the study as evidence that we're harming children, which might make it difficult for us to continue harming children."

As it turns out, this surgeon is now being sued by a former patient of hers. The patient, a girl, was given puberty blockers at the age of 12, then received testosterone at the age of 13 and a double mastectomy at the age of 14. At the current age of 20, she now wants to de-transition.

Maybe this madness is starting to end.