I was reading an online account of the shuttle launch that took place this evening, and something amusing near the end of the article caught my eye. Even as a scientist, I found it rather endearing, in a rediculous sort of way.

- It seems that after decades of scientific endeavor, countless numbers of top engineering talent, the best hardware available from American industry, and untold billions of investment (yes I’m too lazy to google it right now), there is a very basic flaw in the nature of the onboard computers and software, described thusly:

“NASA officials were glad to get the shuttle off their ground since they wanted it back on Earth by the new year.

Shuttle computers are not designed to make the change from the 365th day of the old year to the first day of the new year while in flight. The space agency has figured out a solution for the New Year’s Day problem, but managers are reluctant to try it.”

- In other words, the shuttle onboard hardware has a sort of “Y2K” problem, except in this case it can’t operate past the end of even a single year. Too funny. Can you imagine the flight crew flying along blissfully, when suddenly the computer moniters all lit up with “Happy New Year….. you just ran out of luck dudes and dudesses…have a nice day”, and then they all shut down. Yikes!, or would that be Y2Ks!. Rut Roh

- Bang

Weird that they only give you one vote per day, regardless of category. Even the MLB was fairer than that!

- Bang

Now, what the heck is wrong? Your site meter says that you are averaging 1,139 hits a day (and 116 just today, at 8:26 on a Saturday morning), and you’ve only got 126 votes? Come on, guys! We can do better than this for Sis!

Get out there, and vote, every day! We can win this thing for our humble hostess!

- Bang

- Bang

She was a great patriot and uncompromising advocate of freedom during the Cold War years. And, by the way, she was also a Democrat until 1985. That was four years after President Reagan appointed her to the UN post and a year after she made her most famous speech, at the 1984 GOP convention. (Remember the days when you could actually trust a Democrat with foreign policy and national security?)

Back in 1984, she spoke about the “San Francisco Democrats” who “blame America first”. Unfortunately, not much has changed in 22 years since.

Rest in peace, and thanks for a lifetime of service to America.

Tell it straight Harry,
When you look at my hips hon,
Do you see Frisco?

(If you liked the poem, vote for ST. Vote for her anyway, even if you didn’t like it.)

- Bang

A heartful thanks to those of you who nominated OPFOR for “Best Military Blog” in this year’s Weblog Awards. As you’ll see from the finalists, breaking into this category was not easy. For those of you who’d like to send…