All posts by Rand Simberg

Humor, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Satire, Weird

The Interview

10 Comments

A replay:

[Update a few minutes later]

Kamala’s Black Knight interview was just a flesh wound.

[Update a while later]

More X takes.

[Update late morning]

What the transcript tells us about the interview.

My only complaint about Bret’s performance is that he didn’t follow up on her statements that “I will follow the law,” with “but would you try to change the law to conform with your stated positions?”

[Update a few minutes later]

It was a train wreck.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Who will the Dems replace Kamala with?

Too late.

War Commentary

Your Feel-Good Story Of The Day

3 Comments

Oops. The IDF accidentally killed Sinwar.

This wouldn’t have happened if they’d followed Kamala’s dictate to not go into Rafah, because she “studied the maps.”

[Update a while later]

[Late-morning update]

History, Media Criticism, Political Commentary

But Other Than That

14 Comments

…everything was on the up and up!

Business, History, Space, Technology and Society

IFT-5 Takes

14 Comments
Business, Space, Technology and Society

IFT-5 Tomorrow? (Updated)

38 Comments

I just got this press release from SpaceX.

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, October 13 for the fifth integrated flight test of Starship from Starbase in Cameron County, Texas. The 30-minute test window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT.

Residents of Cameron County and those in the nearby area may hear loud noises resulting from the flight test.

At the time of launch, the rocket’s 33 Raptor engines may be audible while firing upon ignition and as the vehicle launches toward space. About eight to ten minutes after liftoff, the Super Heavy booster may attempt, if strict conditions are met, a return to launch site and tower catch on the pad at Starbase. Residents of Cameron County and those in the nearby area may hear one or more sonic booms during the return to launch site.

A sonic boom is a brief, thunder-like noise a person on the ground hears when an aircraft or other vehicle in the area flies faster than the speed of sound. The sonic boom does not present a health risk and what people experience will depend on weather and other conditions.

SpaceX’s live webcast will go live approximately 30 minutes before liftoff at spacex.com/launches. Live updates will also be available on X @SpaceX.

0700 CDT is 0500 PDT, so I’ll have to get up early.

[Sunday-morning update]

Well, that was pretty amazing. I’d call that a successful catch of the booster, albeit a little fiery. I’m assuming that wasn’t supposed to happen, but they’ll sort it out for the next flight.

Similarly, the explosion of the ship after the water landing probably wouldn’t have happened if it had landed upright on land, so that’s not necessarily an issue. I would think the next goal is to land it intact so they can inspect it to further improve the TPS.

[Update a few minutes later]

If they successfully test the doors on the next flight, this means that the vehicle could be operational for Starlink delivery very soon. I wonder why they didn’t do that test this time?

Business, Economics, Education, Health, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Social Commentary, War Commentary

The “National Security Leaders For America”

6 Comments

…are Democrats. And they should be ashamed of themselves for the deception. But they’re Democrats, so they have no shame.

[Afternoon update]

33 reasons why former Democrat Bill Ackman is voting for Trump: