Old Civilizations, Wonderful Things

Still true

It was a relief to see the astronauts make it safely through re-entry and successfully splash down in the Pacific last night. I read that Congress would not allocate funds for much new development for this mission, so much of the technology was 50 years old. But when lunar landings start again, with rovers and a planned permanent moon base, new technology will be contracted out to private firms.

The artist's rendition of a future moon base here reminds me of some of the torn-up landscape we passed this week from the probably-doomed high-speed rail project in California. Except that there was a lovely ranch house a few hundred feet away, over a small ridge.

Is California government, with Gavin Newsom and Eric Swalwell, a dying civilization?

If you gave away $126 billion to subsidize free flights between LA and San Francisco at current demand levels, you could fund roughly 150 to 200 years of travel before the money runs out. https://t.co/8ro72lJIfc
— Hans Mahncke (@HansMahncke) April 8, 2026

* * * * *

One wonderful thing that has happened in California recently is that Victor Davis Hanson is looking and sounding much better after his cancer surgery (with a complication). He is a tough guy. Some commentary from him below.

Old Civilizations, Wonderful Things

ABC quoting Trump on April 8:

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote on his social media platform.
At the same time, continuing a series of mixed messages, Trump said "maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen" now that the U.S. is dealing with "different, smarter, and less radicalized" leaders in Iran.

Ace on April 8:

Communist Dingbats Yesterday Until 7pm: Trump Is a Madman! He Will Nuke the World!
Communist Dingbats at 7:01pm: TACO! Trump Is a Huge Pussy Too Afraid to Do What Is Needed and LET THE NUCLEAR BIRDS FLY!!!!

An amazing collection of commentary on Trump's usual "chaos" step in his negotiation tactics. (Don't comment on old threads)

I noticed that the government of Iran (or whoever is sort of running things) did not believe that Trump was going to kill everyone in the country. They sent women and children out to become human shields for dual use facilities which Trump said he was going to bomb. In other words, THEY were willing to kill everyone to win.

But if you have to communicate with a reasonable sceptic, VDH may help, with By All Means, Let the War Crimes Trials Begin:

The Left and some on the Right went crazy over a recent Trump tweet.
He warned that if the Iranian regime did not cease blocking the international Strait of Hormuz, he would hit its dual military-civilian infrastructure. He promised that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again.”
His wording may have been sloppy, but Trump obviously meant that the murderous civilization/culture of radical Iranian theocratic Islam would cease to exist and wouldn’t come back once power plants and transportation systems crucial to the regime’s survival were cut off.
Why do we know that?
Because, unlike in most prior American wars, Trump has never targeted dual-use infrastructure—not in bombing ISIS, not in removing the Venezuelan thug Nicolás Maduro, not in the 2025 bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities, and not in the present war—with the exception of a key bridge central to the regime’s efforts to reposition missile assets to avoid air strikes.
Ever since Trump announced that “help is on the way” to the Iranian people, the entire aim of the five-week war has been to selectively target the regime’s command and control and military assets.

The goal was to diminish its threats abroad, while weakening and humiliating the mullahcracy at home—so that soon the Iranian people might at last be able to overthrow the odious theocracy.
Trump’s critics knew all that.
But they see political advantage in tagging Trump as a Strangelovian madman, no different from the Nazi criminals in the docket at Nuremberg.

A few less unhinged people argue that his rhetoric nevertheless comes across as unpresidential.
Perhaps.
But it may be no accident that his Gen. Curtis LeMay-like bluster might have pressured the Iranians to reopen negotiations.
On Monday, the Democrat Borg was declaring Trump a savage maniac.
By Tuesday, it was blasting him as a TACO (“Trump Always Chickens Out” for not carrying out what the day before they had dubbed a war crime.
The common denominator was an overarching, deranged hatred of the president, as his critics can never decide whether he is Adolf Hitler or Neville Chamberlain.
But since the Left has called for investigations of war crimes, by all means let them begin.
Obviously, Trump’s critics conveniently no longer buy the argument of “dual-use.” It posits that the juice powering an evil enemy is its roads, bridges, fuel, and electricity. To disable them supposedly shortens the war and the killing . .

Continue with this video. VDH looks better, doesn't he?

* * * * *

Weekend

The Week in Pictures: Peace-Fire Edition?

Among the many genius effects of Trump is that his crazy-man approach to dealing with our enemies only makes our enemies more insane and intransigent than before. I refer, of course, to the Democratic Party (and the mainstream media, but I repeat myself). It is a remarkable thing that Iran appears (at this writing—this could change before these pixels are dry) to be more reasonable than Democrats when it comes to Trump. I hope he keeps his laser-pointer fully-charged and holstered.

* * * * *

Music

Debussy plays Claire de Lune on piano roll. Heavy on the foot pedal, like my piano teacher told me he played it.

Listening to Claire de Lune in a deeper way (video short) https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Kfq-Vx6p2YA

Inspired by a poem

Inspired by Paul Verlaine's poem by the same name, below. Translated by William Faulkner:

Clair de Lune, by Paul Verlaine

Your soul is a lovely garden, and go
There masque and bergamasque charmingly,
Playing the lute and dancing and also
Sad beneath their disguising fanchise.

All are singing in a minor key
Of conqueror love and life opportune,
Yet seem to doubt their joyous revelry
As their song melts in the light of the moon.

In the calm moonlight, so lovely fair
That makes the birds dream in the slender trees,
While fountains dream among the statues there;
Slim fountains sob in silver ecstasies.

* * * * *

Hope you have something nice planned for this weekend.

This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.

Serving your mid-day open thread needs

* * * * *

Last week's thread, April 4, Holy Saturday and the world keeps turning

Updates: Do you have friends who persist in believing that the Apollo missions were all faked? Some references:

Grok explains Apollo 11 film and photos

Failure is not an option (book)

Insty, to the flat earth gang:

The story behind the New York Times’ 1903 claim that human flight was between one and ten million years away is even worse than it looks. Once you understand the backstory, you realize that the New York Times story is not really about flight at all but about how elites and credentialed “experts” mistake their own failures for the boundaries of possibility. The New York Times did not dismiss the possibility of powered flight at random. There was a very specific reason behind it. At the time, America’s most prominent scientific authority, Smithsonian Secretary Samuel Langley, had been showered with large amounts of taxpayer funding to build an aircraft, the Langley Aerodrome. Despite all the money, institutional backing, and elite prestige, Langley and his team could not get it to fly, culminating in a series of very public failures, the last on December 8, 1903. So when the New York Times declared that flight was millions of years away, what it was really saying was that if the most credentialed and well-funded “experts” cannot do it, then it cannot be done. A mere nine days later, the elites’ proclamation of impossibility lay in ruins. Two totally unknown bicycle mechanics from Ohio achieved the first powered flight using improvised parts, a few hundred dollars of their own money, and sheer persistence.

Buzz Aldrin book for kids
Shoot the Moon (book)
Moonshot Misdirection (Landing Lunacy Theorists)

All has not been sweetness and light at NASA. There have been whistleblowers claiming that the organization has been cavalier about risks to human life.

Comments are closed on last week's thread, so you won't ban yourself by trying to comment. But don't try it anyway.

Posted by: K.T. at 11:22 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Good morning KT

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:23 AM (Ia/+0)

2 I love that meme

Posted by: vmom deport deport deport at April 11, 2026 11:24 AM (LmPA0)

3 $126 Billion and nothing has much came for whats already been spent, what makes anyone think it won't be $252Billion in another couple years?

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:27 AM (Ia/+0)

4 The Trans-continental Railroad cost how much?

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 11, 2026 11:28 AM (JkO4W)

5
Morning!

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 11:28 AM (n7rxJ)

6 A relief to see the astronauts made. Ho boy.
I bit my tongue, mostly, not superstitious but didn't want to jinx it.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:29 AM (y79kU)

7 $126 Billion and nothing has much came for whats already been spent, what makes anyone think it won't be $252Billion in another couple years?
Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:27 AM

Many Bolshevik wallets have been fattened.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:30 AM (4NO2D)

8 Copilot says $60 million.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 11, 2026 11:31 AM (JkO4W)

9 The actual rendition of the moon base is in Musk's mind. Possibly meld NASA into Space Force and 'git out the way'.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:32 AM (y79kU)

10
I don't know if anyone watches 60 Minutes anymore, but I'm glad if they're exposing Newsom's Train to Nowhere.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 11:32 AM (n7rxJ)

11 The California "train to nowhere" fraud will be dwarfed in comparison to the health care and real estate fraud in that state.

Plus all the other kinds of fraud rampant in CA.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at April 11, 2026 11:33 AM (AkEZC)

12 The CPI inflation calculator says $60 million in 1869 is worth $1.45 billion in 2026.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 11, 2026 11:34 AM (JkO4W)

13 Trans-continental Railroad"

Wait a sec... "trans"?

I think there's a new campaign for the choo choo!

Posted by: man at April 11, 2026 11:34 AM (XuXeR)

14 Lawyers, Unions and their representatives, Green Socialists all made their life savings grow to high dividends

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:35 AM (Ia/+0)

15 High Speed Rail - see the Christmas picture of kitty with tinsel trailing out its butt. See the Train picture of Newsom with Benjamins trailing out his butt.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:36 AM (y79kU)

16 So the current price tag of CA's Bullet Train to Nowhere would have bought 86 Transcontinental Railroads, adjusting for inflation.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 11, 2026 11:36 AM (JkO4W)

17
I want to believe. But I also read that we're still woefully behind the Chinese on rare earths and processing of minerals like cobalt and lithium.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 11:38 AM (n7rxJ)

18 So the current price tag of CA's Bullet Train to Nowhere would have bought 86 Transcontinental Railroads, adjusting for inflation.
Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 11, 2026 11:36 AM

All the coolies were sent home after finishing the TCR and digging the Grand Canyon.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:38 AM (4NO2D)

19 I don't know, maybe I'm crazy, but when I look at how spaceX is doing things and how NASA is doing things its like watching the starship enterprise visiting a pre warp planet.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at April 11, 2026 11:39 AM (snZF9)

20 A better use of our money would be the Great Gulf/Baja Sealevel Dignity Kanal.

The labor would be mostly free.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:39 AM (4NO2D)

21 Zerohedge reports that 2 US destroyers went through the Strait unharmed.

Some 'chick' on CNN just said that Iran has regained the upper hand. I've seen this before in movies. Allah has given all the dead the ability to gather all their body parts and blood together to reform. All is lost.

Velshi led off his diatribes with Trump threatening to destroy a civilization. Panties in a bunch for something that happened 4 days ago.

I hope Vance brought earplugs for the negotiations. I imagine their will be a lot of shrieking.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 11:41 AM (Sco7b)

22 Shifty Schiff throws his BFF Swalwell under the bus.

Adam Schiff
@AdamSchiff
I have read the San Francisco Chronicle’s account and I am deeply distressed by its allegations. This woman was brave to come forward, and we should take her story seriously.
I am withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and believe that he should withdraw from the race.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Damn It Feels Good to Be a Trumpster! at April 11, 2026 11:42 AM (ndZc7)

23 Whoa shit. Barney Frank is on NewsMax and I have to say, his anti-virals are failing. That guy will not be here in 2027.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:42 AM (4NO2D)

24 Been thinking 2 canals straight through that Peninsula would solve this, or turnkng Iran into a parking lot.

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:43 AM (Ia/+0)

25 Seriously, I remember Frank looking normal just last year but now he looks like the Cryptkeeper. Gaunt and fleshless.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:45 AM (4NO2D)

26 >>>There have been whistleblowers claiming that the organization has been cavalier about risks to human life.
---

Blow me down, there was never a clue, one never suspected.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:45 AM (y79kU)

27 I must say my mid-day open thread have been met.

Posted by: Weasel at April 11, 2026 11:46 AM (qdktZ)

28 A leftist living in Portland, who grew up in Florida while his father was working for NASA, bewailed the fact that Space-X was doing so well, because he preferred the old system where NASA designed all the rockets.

The fact that NASA's rockets were designed by literal German Nazis escaped him.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2026 11:46 AM (n1OCj)

29 Barney Frank matters, why?

Posted by: I gotta ask at April 11, 2026 11:46 AM (2Ez/1)

30 Willowed, or at least should be prayer thread.
Is it wrong to pray that Rory McIlroy has a really bad day today?
Nothing against Rory, but I'd much rather spend two days watching competition than coronation.
Just getting to not watch the announcers trying to top each other about how wonderful it is would be a blessing.

Posted by: From about That Time at April 11, 2026 11:47 AM (sl73Y)

31 Did swalwell roofie his accuser? She states in both assaults she was black out drunk.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 11, 2026 11:47 AM (yAteE)

32 29 Barney Frank matters, why?
Posted by: I gotta ask at April 11, 2026 11:46 AM (2Ez/1)

Cautionary example.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 11:48 AM (Sco7b)

33
I am withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and believe that he should withdraw from the race.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks

===============

And you also want him to resign from Congress, right? RIGHT?

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 11:48 AM (n7rxJ)

34 24 Been thinking 2 canals straight through that Peninsula would solve this, or turnkng Iran into a parking lot.
Posted by: Skip
---

Clearcut Houthiland.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:48 AM (y79kU)

35 The fact that NASA's rockets were designed by literal German Nazis escaped him.

A read an account by a German who worked on the Saturn V project who noted that the Saturn V project was so big that they had to change the organizational structure that they had been using since Peenemünde.

Posted by: The ARC of History! at April 11, 2026 11:49 AM (n1OCj)

36 Barney Frank matters, why?
Posted by: I gotta ask at April 11, 2026 11:46 AM

Apparently someone cares because he's flapping his Reverend Kane toothhole on TV.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:50 AM (4NO2D)

37 That someone isn't me.

Posted by: I gotta ask at April 11, 2026 11:52 AM (2Ez/1)

38 Feel free to ignore my posts. Indeed, I encourage you to do so.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:52 AM (4NO2D)

39 Resign from Congress? The Congressional slush fund will.be paying his legal bills.

Posted by: Ben Had at April 11, 2026 11:52 AM (yAteE)

40 39 Resign from Congress? The Congressional slush fund will.be paying his legal bills.
Posted by: Ben Had at April 11, 2026 11:52 AM (yAteE)

It's CA... His replacement will be just as bad... Maybe worse....

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2026 11:54 AM (FtULh)

41 Watching Return of the King, there are physical reasons cavalry cant charge in 50 rank deep formatons

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:54 AM (Ia/+0)

42 FWP, I see that my MiL is paying AllState 2X what State Farm charges for nearly identical auto insurance. I swear, insurance companies prey on the aged and addled.

I am going to have to convince her to let me change her over.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:55 AM (4NO2D)

43 K.T. it is always a joy to read your posts, so glad to get here on time today. Thank the tax man.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:56 AM (y79kU)

44 she was black out drunk

That's racist

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little at April 11, 2026 11:57 AM (Kt19C)

45 Musk said that he could build an underground hyperloop between the two cities for something like 5% of that $126B

Posted by: banana Dream at April 11, 2026 11:58 AM (3uBP9)

46 Barney Frank is still alive??

Posted by: LinusVanPelt at April 11, 2026 11:58 AM (7dc2a)

47 42 FWP, I see that my MiL is paying AllState 2X what State Farm charges for nearly identical auto insurance. I swear, insurance companies prey on the aged and addled.

I am going to have to convince her to let me change her over.
Posted by: toby928(c)
----

May as well go with the cheapest, neither one is going to pay off.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:58 AM (y79kU)

48 2X for comp and collision which I can't imagine she actually needs for a 2011 Tuscan minivan. If I could convince her to switch to liability only, she would be paying SF a mere third of what she pays AllState.

All my vehicles are liability only since I buy them with cash. My four vehicles cost less per year to insure than her one van.

Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:59 AM (4NO2D)

49 Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 11:56 AM

Thanks. Taxman. Hate this season.

Posted by: KT at April 11, 2026 12:04 PM (7vIsy)

50 Noon News roundup just because

FoxNews and MS Now - Iran talks charade. One station will be covering Swalwell. Guess which one?

CNN - did Trump taco? It's nice that the intellectually challenged have a place to entertain 700,000 people. Mostly trapped in airports.

CBC - Liberals

By the way, smalldeadanimals has a story about a complaint filed. Trudeau was apparently watching kiddie stuff on his devices. RCMP knew because they monitor devices. Where is 'Nothing will happen' guy.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 12:05 PM (Sco7b)

51 >>>I swear, insurance companies prey on the aged and addled.
---

They'll prey on anyone who is not ready to take them to court and spread their malfeasance across all of social media.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 12:07 PM (y79kU)

52 Whoa shit. Barney Frank is on NewsMax and I have to say, his anti-virals are failing. That guy will not be here in 2027.
Posted by: toby928(c) at April 11, 2026 11:42 AM (4NO2D)

I remember when that one fella, Dick Armey?, called him Barney The Fag.

Posted by: Pray The Gay Away at April 11, 2026 12:09 PM (QCEpb)

53 In my experience, no matter who you are or what insurance company you are with you have to switch or at least threaten to every couple of years or your rates jump drastically. Loyalty means nothing to them. Must be frustrating for the agents though.

Posted by: I really haven't settled on a nic at April 11, 2026 12:12 PM (VjfKz)

54 Leftists who fail and get removed or voted out get repacled by more hard core Leftists

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 12:13 PM (Ia/+0)

55 Oh great. Now they're going to give free flights away between LA and SF.

Posted by: torabora at April 11, 2026 12:15 PM (KtOUo)

56 You know when the Marxists take over the President position we all will be paying that $126B in taxes, its not their money they are
giving away

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 12:15 PM (Ia/+0)

57 When you read this:

"Lori Glaze's full title is acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate."

You know bureaucracy is involved.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2026 12:16 PM (2WIwB)

58 This is the Thread before the Gardening Thread.

Serving your mid-day open thread needs

I've always liked these sentences...but I don't know why.

Posted by: SSBN 656 (G) at April 11, 2026 12:16 PM (dmDsy)

59 Eh heh ...he said pussy.

Posted by: Butthead at April 11, 2026 12:18 PM (KtOUo)

60 am withdrawing my endorsement immediately, and believe that he should withdraw from the race.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks
****
I read that as 'withdrawing from my face'.

Posted by: Fang Fang at April 11, 2026 12:21 PM (KtOUo)

61 Guess we're all watching The Masters....

Posted by: Denny Crane - I AM The Master. at April 11, 2026 12:23 PM (dmDsy)

62 His wording may have been sloppy, but Trump obviously meant that the murderous civilization/culture of radical Iranian theocratic Islam would cease to exist...

VDH is spot on. And let me add, to American and some Western nations ears, it sounded awkward. But to Iranian ears, and when spoken in Farsi, it rang very true to their cultural and social cores. They knew what Trump meant.
The democrats need to go back and read The Ugly American.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2026 12:23 PM (2WIwB)

63
The Trans-continental Railroad cost how much?
Posted by: Cicero

A billion Chinese John Henrys.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at April 11, 2026 12:24 PM (Cqx++)

64 Failure is not an option (book)

--

This is an excellent book. I highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject. I've told this story before, but after I read my hardback of this book, I mailed to what what I thought was Gene Kranz's address and asked him if he would autograph it. Not only did I get it back signed by him, he also included some patches and trinkets for Jr. Black, who was grade school age at the time.

Posted by: Lady in Black at April 11, 2026 12:29 PM (qBdHI)

65
*You know bureaucracy is involved.*

What makes you say that?

Posted by: The Deputy Chief Assistant Associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Missio at April 11, 2026 12:31 PM (2Ez/1)

66 There’s a guy on YouTube that mashes up classical composers, like Debussy and Chopin.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 11, 2026 12:33 PM (XV/Pl)

67 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YyvICzp6uY

go play golf

Posted by: Admiral Winchester at April 11, 2026 12:34 PM (jrgJz)

68 Claire de Lune has always been one of my favorite pieces. I was surprised to hear Debussy's version, and didn't like it anywhere near as much as the slower versions I normally listen to. LOVED the deep dive video.

Posted by: Miley, okravangelist at April 11, 2026 12:34 PM (w6EFb)

69 On the way back from my visit with the tax man looking for a traditional breakfast. Stopped at all the fast foods; Jack n the Box, Dairy Queen, McDonald's, and a couple of others.
Most didn't serve anything on a plate but either way they were so carb loaded to make a strong man dizzy.

Just outside my neighborhood is a Quickstop with a food bar. Never tried it, always avoid Quickstop food.
But, what the heck. It's Cuban food, with big high gloss menu in Spanish but I don't know any of the words because it's all Cuban food words, strange liquids offered, except coffee. The lady behind the counter does not speak English, or Spanglish, or TexMex.

I point and ask, what that is, her response, is Cuban. Not going into the part about the people in line behind me were also Cuban and had no idea what 'sunny side up' meant. (is this gringo a faggot?)

Anyway, I was served two eggs sunny side up, two strips of bacon and some interesting bread/toast at a very reasonable price. I'll be back.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 12:35 PM (y79kU)

70 Oh, do you serve tea instead of coffee?
Tea? grrrrrrr

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 12:35 PM (y79kU)

71 61 Guess we're all watching The Masters....
Posted by: Denny Crane - I AM The Master. at April 11, 2026 12:23 PM (dmDsy)

Perfect.

And some Canadian Curling Championships are being advertised soon. That'll be even more boring.

But THAT will get us ready for Fifa soccer.

The comatose state can just slowly encompass us...

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 12:36 PM (Sco7b)

72 "But, what the heck. It's Cuban food, with big high gloss menu in Spanish but I don't know any of the words because it's all Cuban food words, strange liquids offered, except coffee. The lady behind the counter does not speak English, or Spanglish, or TexMex."

*polite cough*

Posted by: Waffle House at April 11, 2026 12:37 PM (2Ez/1)

73 What makes you say that?
Posted by: The Deputy Chief Assistant Associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Missio at April 11, 2026 12:31 PM (2Ez/1)

Because the senior intern to the second secretary to the assistant to the acting associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate for the International.Space Exploration Committee told me that.

Posted by: Diogenes at April 11, 2026 12:39 PM (2WIwB)

74 Drink UP

A U.S. appeals court on Friday declared unconstitutional a nearly 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling, calling it an unnecessary ‌and improper means for Congress to exercise its power to tax.

The 5th ‌U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans ruled in favor of the nonprofit Hobby Distillers Association and four of its 1,300 members.

The ban was part of a law passed during Reconstruction in July 1868, in ‌part to thwart liquor tax ⁠evasion, and subjected violators to up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Posted by: r hennigantx at April 11, 2026 12:40 PM (/+uur)

75 (Don't comment on old threads)

I've long thought that it's a shame that there isn't someone in charge of the blog software who could change things so that instead of late-commenters being banned, comments would simply be closed on aged-out posts.
😏
🎶You may sa-ay I'm a dreamer…

Posted by: mindful webworker - #twoweeks no doubt at April 11, 2026 12:41 PM (C2uPD)

76 Moonshine. It's what's for breakfast!

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero43) at April 11, 2026 12:42 PM (+HNx/)

77 Perfect.

And some Canadian Curling Championships are being advertised soon. That'll be even more boring.

But THAT will get us ready for Fifa soccer.

The comatose state can just slowly encompass us...
Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 12:36 PM (Sco7b)

Oh, well, I apologize for my liking golf offends you!

Posted by: Denny Crane - You Know Damned Well I Am Not. at April 11, 2026 12:45 PM (dmDsy)

78 126 Billion for a choo choo train. You know most of that goes directly to fraud right?

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at April 11, 2026 12:52 PM (JJA/r)

79 "Two totally unknown bicycle mechanics from Ohio achieved the first powered flight using improvised parts, a few hundred dollars of their own money, and sheer persistence."

They did it with lots of painstaking research. They had to perfect their "glider" first. They went to Kitty Hawk because it had great wind.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2026 12:53 PM (dtajH)

80 Chick interviewing Hanson would be much more attractive if she shaved her mustache.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 12:54 PM (y79kU)

81 went to Kitty Hawk because it had great wind.

Yknow who else had wind?

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little at April 11, 2026 12:54 PM (Kt19C)

82 Been thinking 2 canals straight through that Peninsula would solve this, or turnkng Iran into a parking lot.
Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 11:43 AM (Ia/+0)

Meh. Sweep for mines, clear them all. Destroy all Iranian port facilities on or adjacent to the Strait, and let them know the Strait is off-limits to any Iranian vessel at all, rowboats and kayaks included.
Escort all ships transiting the Strait with destroyers equipped to deal with airborne threats, and charge the shipowners for the service. Make it clear to Iran that launch points of any airborne attacks on the Strait will be destroyed.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 11, 2026 12:55 PM (utfVc)

83 126 Billion for a choo choo train. You know most of that goes directly to fraud right?
Posted by: Lemmiwinks at April 11, 2026 12:52 PM (JJA/r)

Yes!

Posted by: Somali Rock Island Line at April 11, 2026 12:56 PM (QCEpb)

84 64 Failure is not an option (book) …

I had some hardo lay that line on me, back in the day.

This little pissant had an odd lot bond order that was only partially executed. He went off , and started screaming at the broker who took his order:
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION !!!

Dude, you weren’t going to the moon, relax … we’ll eat the commission on the 2nd trade.

Strange the things you remember …

Posted by: browndog at the gym at April 11, 2026 12:56 PM (issKm)

85
Could we at least have a remote for the Universe that executes the MUTE function competently?

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 12:58 PM (xG4kz)

86 This has always amazed me:

…This 10-second excerpt from the French folksong "Au Clair de la Lune" made before the American Civil War was nothing less than the world's earliest sound recording.

…recorded on a "phonautograph," a device that engraved sound waves onto a sheet of paper blackened by the smoke of an oil lamp.

…148 years would pass before scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory converted these scans into sound…

france24.com article
https://bit.ly/earliest-recording

The recording
https://youtu.be/ICVtdcIIsrc?t=148

Speed corrected (less clear, though)
https://youtu.be/ICVtdcIIsrc?t=194

Posted by: mindful webworker - smokey song at April 11, 2026 01:00 PM (C2uPD)

87 Oh, well, I apologize for my liking golf offends you!

Posted by: Denny Crane - You Know Damned Well I Am Not. at April 11, 2026 12:45 PM (dmDsy)

Oh, if you like golf great.
There's been a lot of snark.
Enjoy and I am sorry.

Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 01:02 PM (Sco7b)

88 Copperhead Democrats would be quivering blobs of Jell-O if they read the public missives of Bismarck.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2026 01:02 PM (J1liw)

89
Billion for a choo choo train. You know most of that goes directly to fraud right?
Posted by: Lemmiwinks at April 11, 2026 12:52 PM (JJA/r)

Yes!
Posted by: Somali Rock Island Line

Presently negotiating to have a Lerning Center car on each train, are we?

Good to know!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:02 PM (xG4kz)

90
Meh. Sweep for mines, clear them all. Destroy all Iranian port facilities on or adjacent to the Strait, and let them know the Strait is off-limits to any Iranian vessel at all, rowboats and kayaks included.
Escort all ships transiting the Strait with destroyers equipped to deal with airborne threats, and charge the shipowners for the service. Make it clear to Iran that launch points of any airborne attacks on the Strait will be destroyed.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 11, 2026 12:55 PM (utfVc)

Agreed.... I read the Iran "negotiators" threatened to shoot any American ships that go through and end negotiations... They were mad we sent some through today. No more talking more action... It's a farce anyway

Posted by: It's me donna at April 11, 2026 01:02 PM (bdGxt)

91 Could we at least have a remote for the Universe that executes the MUTE function competently?
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 12:58 PM (xG4kz)
----
It would be sort of wild to have a "universal remote" that not only changed the channel, but shifted you into a parallel world--without you noticing until something just a bit odd happened to you.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at April 11, 2026 01:03 PM (ESVrU)

92 Just a bit odd happen?

Giant blue apes?

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2026 01:05 PM (J1liw)

93 I should add, that if Iran wants to be dickish, and target third-party tankers, there is no reason at all for them to confine their hostilities to the Straits of Hormuz. They could just as easily launch missiles against vessels anywhere in the Persian Gulf, or the adjacent part of the Indian Ocean. Tankers tied up at docks, and taking on cargo at any of the Gulf ports would be sitting ducks for kamikaze minisubs.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 11, 2026 01:06 PM (utfVc)

94 Madman with machete shot dead by NYPD. Three in hospital.

Posted by: Anna Puma at April 11, 2026 01:07 PM (J1liw)

95 They did it with lots of painstaking research. They had to perfect their "glider" first. They went to Kitty Hawk because it had great wind.
Posted by: Ignoramus
-----------

They asked Henry Ford to build their engine but Henry was busy. Their bicycle mechanic said he could do it and he did. He stayed with them until he retired. The brothers gave him an $800 a year which was hansom money at the time. He lived past WWII and died in poverty.
After FDR and WWII $800 was nothing.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:07 PM (y79kU)

96 Oh, if you like golf great.
There's been a lot of snark.
Enjoy and I am sorry.
Posted by: Stateless - He ain't heavy, he's my dog. Old, but full of life. at April 11, 2026 01:02 PM (Sco7b)

Sal Goodman.

*smiley face*

Posted by: Denny Crane - He's A Professional Friend at April 11, 2026 01:07 PM (dmDsy)

97 I downloaded the Hanson link. It's dubbed in German I think.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:08 PM (y79kU)

98 >>There’s a guy on YouTube that mashes up classical composers, like Debussy and Chopin.

Debussy?

https://tinyurl.com/j24e5nn5

Posted by: Family Guy at April 11, 2026 01:08 PM (Y1sOo)

99 "A U.S. appeals court on Friday declared unconstitutional a nearly 158-year-old federal ban on home distilling, calling it an unnecessary ‌and improper means for Congress to exercise its power to tax."

Wait!! What?? There's such a thing in the books about, "An unnecessary ‌and improper means for Congress to exercise its power to tax."???

Posted by: davidt at April 11, 2026 01:12 PM (Q+gd/)

100
Anna Puma, Copperhead Democrats is the perfect name for all Democrats. It's a safe bet that over half of them will not make the historical connection, but their behavior is a nearly perfect match to the behavior of their 1860s namesakes.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:12 PM (xG4kz)

101 I noticed in the table of contents that the NASA whistleblower has specific ire for two people. “How Ronald Reagan **cked the space shuttle” and George HW Bush (who I despise as the creator of the deep state). His intro mentions his criticism of the human flight program.

I think it’s mostly self serving. I think he is a crab in a bucket.

I have PhD in risk assessment. I know NASA became super conservative after shuttle. Elon was severely criticized for dropping risk levels for his engineering and we now have Starship and Starlink and maybe the moon and Mars. Artemis was a big show and it’s over now. The future in space belongs to those who dare. Not to Lawrence H Kuznetz PhD, Author and whistleblower.

Posted by: DoctorMew at April 11, 2026 01:13 PM (XodLO)

102
Could we at least have a remote for the Universe that executes the MUTE function competently?
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot

==============

What I always wanted was an Undo button for real life.

Spilled coffee on my keyboard -- Undo.
Can't find something I set down 2 minutes ago -- press Undo until it's in my hand again.
Coyotes are roaming in the night and the cat just got out -- Undo.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 01:14 PM (n7rxJ)

103 "Their bicycle mechanic said he could do it and he did."

Cheap aluminum was necessary to make the engine. It had been prohibitely expensive before cheap electricity was available to extract it from plentiful bauxite.

The tip of the Washington Monument is five pounds of aluminum, once a rarity in its pure form.

Posted by: Ignoramus at April 11, 2026 01:14 PM (dtajH)

104
95 They did it with lots of painstaking research. They had to perfect their "glider" first. They went to Kitty Hawk because it had great wind.
Posted by: Ignoramus

'Tis a pity that they were not trying to perfect their flying machine today. Eric "Great Wind" Swallwell should become available shortly and would be of some assistance to them.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:16 PM (xG4kz)

105
B.O. gets reelected.
Undo.

Posted by: Let's think big at April 11, 2026 01:16 PM (2Ez/1)

106 Could we at least have a remote for the Universe that executes the MUTE function competently?
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot

==============

What I always wanted was an Undo button for real life.

Spilled coffee on my keyboard -- Undo.
Can't find something I set down 2 minutes ago -- press Undo until it's in my hand again.
Coyotes are roaming in the night and the cat just got out -- Undo.
Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 01:14 PM (n7rxJ)

Like, maybe, a "Remote Control"?

Posted by: Billy Madison, Wait, Adam Sandler. at April 11, 2026 01:17 PM (dmDsy)

107 If Claude were around today he would be playing a Rhodes with reverb or a B3. More probably both, one on either side with something modern in front of him.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:17 PM (y79kU)

108
Madman with machete shot dead by NYPD. Three in hospital.
Posted by: Anna Puma

By his description, I can discern that he was Amish.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:19 PM (xG4kz)

109
Like, maybe, a "Remote Control"?
Posted by: Billy Madison

=============

The Rewind button in particular.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 01:21 PM (n7rxJ)

110
B.O. gets reelected.
Undo.
Posted by: Let's think big

============

Heh! Yes, there would be an Enterprise version.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 01:21 PM (n7rxJ)

111 It was a mostly peaceful machete.

Posted by: Old media at April 11, 2026 01:22 PM (2Ez/1)

112 So $100B will have been stolen before the first train is in operation. Nice work if you can get it.

Posted by: Heroq at April 11, 2026 01:23 PM (z0fc5)

113
It is to laugh to hear that Swalwell asserted that he'd bed nothing but "10s", because he's a damn sight far away from being one himself.

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:23 PM (xG4kz)

114 Anastasio needs to go back an listen to that piano roll a few more times.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:24 PM (vl6og)

115
"The two responding officers had been flagged down by a witness to the attack, according to the commissioner. Both officers ran to the 4/5/6 platform, where they confronted the armed man and made multiple commands to drop the knife.

Tisch said the man ignored the officers' commands and advanced with the machete, prompting one officer to fire at the man. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital but did not survive his injuries."

Or, as Dennis Miller would say: Police suspect fair play.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at April 11, 2026 01:25 PM (2Ez/1)

116 Can I put a 20 on Jihadist?

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 01:28 PM (Ia/+0)

117 Wikipedia has a page on the motor used at Kitty Hawk. One primitive piece of work.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:28 PM (vl6og)

118 Clearly, Iran is saying "Please sir, may I have another."

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 11, 2026 01:29 PM (qFwJc)

119
"He was taken to Bellevue Hospital but did not survive his injuries."

And thus the world was deprived of the cultural enrichment and melodious sounds of the newly emerged "Machete Rapper".

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:31 PM (xG4kz)

120 You can buy kits for distilling spirits. For home consumption. I knew about the lawsuit.

Nice to them win.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 11, 2026 01:33 PM (qFwJc)

121 If the Iranians is starting WW3 so that Imam can crawl out of Hell there isn't much thst can be done to stop it.

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 01:34 PM (Ia/+0)

122 I just erased part of my gardening post. See you in a few minutes.

Posted by: KT at April 11, 2026 01:35 PM (7vIsy)

123 Wikipedia has a page on the motor used at Kitty Hawk. One primitive piece of work.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:28 PM (vl6og)

I looked it up. Pretty standard stuff for the era. High-tension magnetos, spark plugs, and proper carburetors were not exactly commonplace back in the day.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at April 11, 2026 01:35 PM (utfVc)

124
I just erased part of my gardening post. See you in a few minutes.
Posted by: KT

What are you varnishing? Do tell!

Posted by: Krebs v Carnot: Epic Battle of the Cycling Stars (TM) at April 11, 2026 01:37 PM (xG4kz)

125 But when lunar landings start again, with rovers and a planned permanent moon base, new technology will be contracted out to private firms.

The artist's rendition of a future moon base here reminds me of some of the torn-up landscape we passed this week from the probably-doomed high-speed rail project in California.

I certainly hope that no one considers messing around with the moon. Considering we know the moon affects things on the planet, such as tides. Who knows what else it affects. And if we mess with the moon, that could badly affect those things.

The 2002 movie "The Time Machine" comes to mind. When Guy Pearce travels to the future and the world is seemingly coming to an end and he's told it is because of the drilling on the moon and the moon breaking up because of it.

I know it's just a movie, but we do know the moon affects the tides on this planet. And I wouldn't put it past people to go all "Jurassic Park" and "not stop and think if we should" and start drilling on the moon and end up creating issues no one foresaw.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at April 11, 2026 01:39 PM (P5BPp)

126 78 126 Billion for a choo choo train. You know most of that goes directly to fraud right?
Posted by: Lemmiwinks at April 11, 2026 12:52 PM (JJA/r)

Even Mongo have a guy in Zurich

Posted by: Mongo at April 11, 2026 01:39 PM (w/O5Q)

127 Morning, all!

Quick check in from the Island of Misfit Toys, enjoying springtime showers, which looks like 1-2 feet of the white stuff for the Sierra. A pain to deal with now, to be sure, but a boon for the snow pack.

This high-speed train to nowhere BS reminds me of all the graft and corruption around The Big Dig (remember that?). But OK, just say the foolish project gets completed. Big whoop. You end up at your destination and you still don't have a decent last mile solution. You have to grab a taxi/Uber, or have someone fetch you at the station. That's fine for SF; public transportation here is pretty robust. But what about LA? The city is too big and spread out to make that work. That's the one hitch no one seems to care about.

Posted by: Effie Perrine at April 11, 2026 01:40 PM (b77PF)

128 This is an excellent book. I highly recommend to anyone interested in the subject. I've told this story before, but after I read my hardback of this book, I mailed to what what I thought was Gene Kranz's address and asked him if he would autograph it. Not only did I get it back signed by him, he also included some patches and trinkets for Jr. Black, who was grade school age at the time.
Posted by: Lady in Black
======
Might also want to pick up "A Man Called Flight" (Chris Kraft's autobiography) if you are interested in NASA. Chris lays out the specific steps he and others took to create the Manned Flight Space Center flying by the seat of their pants. Chris actually started at NASA's predecessor--NACA after WWII.

A lot of homage in the book to Robert Gilruth who was a legendary NASA division head and to some, not all, of the Mercury astronauts. Gilruth wrote one book which is out of print--1965-Making of an Astronaut and he died in 2000.

I think Chris has passed on now as well.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2026 01:42 PM (E4rtv)

129 I cannot imagine Vance and company NOT walking out of the "talks" in Islamabad, if the islamist terrorist assholes are demanding agreement on ANY of those ten points we've seen. The sit-down must not have formally started yet.

Posted by: M Gaga at April 11, 2026 01:43 PM (KiBMU)

130
I know it's just a movie, but we do know the moon affects the tides on this planet.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton

===============

We also know the moon is made of green cheese. Moon settlers could be tempted to eat it, which would reduce the mass of the moon and wreak all kinds of galactic havoc.

Posted by: Blonde Morticia at April 11, 2026 01:43 PM (n7rxJ)

131 113
It is to laugh to hear that Swalwell asserted that he'd bed nothing but "10s", because he's a damn sight far away from being one himself.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot:
======
The context caught on video was that he was demanding that a lobbyist provide him with 10's as a cost of doing business.

Worse than it appears in a snippet.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2026 01:44 PM (E4rtv)

132 Wouldn't have touched Fang Fang

Posted by: Skip at April 11, 2026 01:45 PM (Ia/+0)

133 High speed rail is the boondoggle that keeps on giving.

Who was the pinhead who came up with this idea and why are taxpayers dollars funding it?

When it's completed we could call it 'The Pony Express'.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 11, 2026 01:45 PM (Fbc0I)

134 I certainly hope that no one considers messing around with the moon. Considering we know the moon affects things on the planet, such as tides. Who knows what else it affects. And if we mess with the moon, that could badly affect those things.
Posted by: Clyde Shelton
======
Too late, Moon is slowly leaving Earth's orbit by centimeters every year (3.8 more or less). But the good news is it will take 50 billion years on estimate and the sun will envelop Earth and the Moon in 5-6 billion years making it a moot point.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2026 01:47 PM (E4rtv)

135 132 Wouldn't have touched Fang Fang
Posted by: Skip
========
She was probably a freak in bed and trained to be so.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2026 01:48 PM (E4rtv)

136 Wait!! What?? There's such a thing in the books about, "An unnecessary ‌and improper means for Congress to exercise its power to tax."???
Posted by: davidt at April 11, 2026 01:12 PM (Q+gd/)

Chief justice (spit) John Roberts hardest hit...

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 11, 2026 01:49 PM (nbLIj)

137 Colorado wants to build a train too
Pueblo or Colorado Springs to Ft Collins
Polis is not thru butt-f***ing the people just yet

Posted by: Don Black at April 11, 2026 01:53 PM (ZxPkt)

138 Equal parts risk adverse and fool hardy.
Sending that shuttle up after the seals were exposed to past parameter temps was wrong. And those who caused it suffered nothing.

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 01:54 PM (vl6og)

139 a freak in bed and trained to be so.

Weaned on cock.

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little at April 11, 2026 01:54 PM (Kt19C)

140 >Too late, Moon is slowly leaving Earth's orbit by centimeters every year
----

total eclipses of the sun will be a thing of the past

Posted by: Don Black at April 11, 2026 01:55 PM (ZxPkt)

141 133 High speed rail is the boondoggle that keeps on giving.

Who was the pinhead who came up with this idea and why are taxpayers dollars funding it?

When it's completed we could call it 'The Pony Express'.
Posted by: Rev. Wishbone

The same people that are obsessed with putting in rail systems in urban areas. Lots of developer and manufacturing/construction grift who kickback some of the money to politicians.

And later, a lot of the street level rail is quietly removed from service when they prove to be a traffic menace and under used.

Subway systems end up crumbling and becoming unsafe as druggies/criminals/insane spend their time terrorizing ordinary citizens until the ridership drops to the desperate folks that cannot afford to run a car or get rideshares/taxis.

Bus systems are the least preferred from the grifting system and again, ridership is mainly the economically desperate along with the criminals/druggies/insane.

We cannot have fine things in this world because of leftists worship chaos because it makes things so bad in society that their putrid revolutions take place.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2026 01:55 PM (E4rtv)

142 32 Wouldn't have touched Fang Fang
Posted by: Skip

Me either.

Posted by: Lindsey Graham, Closeted Homosexual at April 11, 2026 01:57 PM (onPc6)

143 A well kept secret is that California is about to get a high speed rail line to Las Vegas. Price tag: $21B. I doubt Governor Hair Gel will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony. They should have a card board cut out prominently displayed...or maybe a pinata..

http://tiny.cc/zrp1101

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 11, 2026 01:59 PM (nbLIj)

144 I looked it up. Pretty standard stuff for the era. High-tension magnetos, spark plugs, and proper carburetors were not exactly commonplace back in the day.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
--

Bet Henry kicked himself in the butt more than once for not building that motor.

On the ground
In the air
Ford motor is there
_FoMoCo

Posted by: Braenyard - some Absent Friends are more equal than others _ at April 11, 2026 02:00 PM (vl6og)

145 Hans Mahncke
@HansMahncke
If you gave away $126 billion to subsidize free flights between LA and San Francisco at current demand levels, you could fund roughly 150 to 200 years of travel before the money runs out.
=====

And deal with SFO and LAX??

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 11, 2026 02:01 PM (RIvkX)

146 I know it's just a movie, but we do know the moon affects the tides on this planet. And I wouldn't put it past people to go all "Jurassic Park" and "not stop and think if we should" and start drilling on the moon and end up creating issues no one foresaw.

Posted by: Clyde Shelton at April 11, 2026 01:39 PM (P5BPp)

I have the same thoughts with regards to AI.

Posted by: Chairborne!...Desk From Above! at April 11, 2026 02:04 PM (RQvuv)

147 Totally OT, but a question for fellow hockey fans: Was Jon Cooper always a whiny little bitch and I just never noticed until the Olympics, or is this a more recent thing?

Posted by: Wally at April 11, 2026 02:05 PM (zG4BR)

148 Morons! Be sure to ask the following of anyone demanding Eric Swalwell should end his gubernatorial campaign:

"So he should resign from Congress too right?"

Posted by: San Franpsycho at April 11, 2026 02:06 PM (RIvkX)

149 143 A well kept secret is that California is about to get a high speed rail line to Las Vegas. Price tag: $21B. I doubt Governor Hair Gel will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony. They should have a card board cut out prominently displayed...or maybe a pinata..

http://tiny.cc/zrp1101

Posted by: Joe Kidd

Easier to build track through desert but only about 1/3 or less of the actual funding has been secured. Again, the point of these exercises is not to actually create a train but to allow people with sticky fingers (politicians, construction, real estate developers, mfgs) to get all sorts of money out of the taxpayer and investor wallets.

Vegas itself has been steadily remaking itself into a premium and exclusive resort by pricing into the stratosphere. I don't think they want the grubby day tripper penny ante gamblers from LA.

If you apply Mel Brooks, 'The Producers' formula to public works nowadays, you realize the failure to actually do much of anything with gobs of money disappearing is the point.

Same reward to interest groups and politicians involved whether the project fails or not. So the grift is the aim, not success and the rubes have to pay for it.

Posted by: whig at April 11, 2026 02:07 PM (E4rtv)

150 Postscript to 143: The price tag and progress to the Las Vegas rail project is entirely due to it being privately funded and government participation was kept to the barest minimum..

Posted by: Joe Kidd at April 11, 2026 02:08 PM (nbLIj)

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