1

(346 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Anthony was on console in Mission Control when it happened. He described the atmosphere afterwards as "awkward."

108% probably means that at full throttle, the engines produced more thrust than they were originally designed and calculated too. Like, on paper they expect they'll produce 100 m/s at full throttle, then in real life they end up producing 108 m/s, then you end up with 108% thrust. Similarly, the Space Shuttle engines produced 109% thrust at full throttle.

2

(27 replies, posted in Episodes)

They've recently fenced in Murphy Ranch much more than it used to be. I went with a group in October and everything was fairly accessible, but a friend and I went there just a month or so ago and it was much more locked down. We still got into one building (the one before the water tank), but the rest of it was inaccessible.

So now that Pedro Pascal has finished discharging his role, what do those who were initially upset by his casting think of his performance?

When you want to talk about Kerbal Space Program, call me.

5

(121 replies, posted in Episodes)

Uh, sure.

6

(121 replies, posted in Episodes)

Yes, but chronic depression can be precipitated by an acute cause. Sometimes something bad happens, people grieve, and they eventually move on. And sometimes they don't and end up in the downward spiral of chronic depression.

Doc Sub wrote:

Thinking back to some of that dialogue, I think maybe we're supposed to understand that she had depression, but that she got something of a handle on it. And then this enormous, violent tragedy happens up in space and it all comes flooding back.

Also a possibility, but I still think her "I drive" answer to the "what do you do?" question precludes it from being something that she had put behind her.

7

(121 replies, posted in Episodes)

Re: Gravity.

My reading is that she's supposed to be suffering chronic depression - the monologue about doing nothing but working and driving around aimlessly is the major indicator. I think the dialogue is also trying to imply that she wasn't a career astronaut - NASA came to her and trained her to fly because it was her technology, thus circumventing the story problem of how someone with depression has the gumption to become an astronaut in the first place. Of course, it doesn't really work that way, which is one of my beefs with the film, but that's what I think the movie was trying to do.

Eddie wrote:

Order of Phoenix: ?

Surely some kind of flame cooked poultry?

9

(346 replies, posted in Off Topic)

They won't, not for a long time. They don't need to and it would only make it more difficult to do what Elon made SpaceX for in the first place - moving to Mars.

10

(77 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Oh my sweet summer child.

11

(27 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I'm pretty sure Javier Bardem is intentionally doing a flamboyantly gay, Hispanic version of Elon Musk in Skyfall.

12

(27 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Credit goes to a SpaceX friend of mine.

Sung to tune of the monorail song from The Simpsons:

Molly wrote:

Elon: Well, sir, there’s nothing on Earth like a genuine,
bona fide,
electrified,
28-person Hyperloop!
What’d I say?
Media: Hyperloop!
Elon: What’s it called?
Internet: Hyperloop!
Elon: That’s right! Hyperloop!
All: Hyperloop… Hyperloop… Hyperloop…
Environmentalists: Seems like an awful lot of power…
Elon: Not for a trip that’s half an hour!
OSHA: What happens if the pressure drops?
Elon: There’s O2 masks and e-brake stops!
Farmers: But won’t it go right through my farm?
Elon: No, dear sirs, it does no harm!
Civil engineers: And what if there’s a huge earthquake?
Elon: Check out the pylons that we’ll make!
Taxpayers: That’s so much money down the drain…
Elon: Still better than that high-speed train!
I swear it’s Cali’s only choice
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
All: Hyperloop!
Elon: What’s it called?
All: Hyperloop!
Elon: Once again…
All: Hyperloop!
Media: So who will make this dream come true?
Elon: Not me. I’ve other stuff to do.
All: Hyperloop… Hyperloop… HYPERLOOOOOOOP!

13

(77 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I predict:

  Show
Jesse ultimately kills Walt.

14

(112 replies, posted in Episodes)

I didn't have this experience, but apparently it's common enough that the author puts a note at the beginning saying that many people consider it to take off after the fifth chapter or so.

I admit it can be heavy handed in its perspective at times, but once it gets going, it manages some really remarkable storytelling.

Dorkman wrote:

Are you really saying you think it's entirely likely there were NO capable actors who matched the character's described appearance more closely?

Almost. I am suggesting that out of everyone who auditioned for the role, he was the best fit for it, for any number of reasons, of which skin tone is only one. And that the showrunners, having to make many tradeoffs per day to make the best product possible, ultimately decided that he possessed some quality or essence of the character that was more important than his skin tone being slightly off. At the end of the day, producers and casting directors are constrained by the set of actors that walk through their door.

And this is accepting the premise that his skin tone is in fact too light, which I don't. The Dornish are proxies for Spanish and Mediterranean ethnicities and I think Chilean is related closely enough that it's not the best time to call in the Outrage Squad. And maybe not judging his skin tone from a photo where he's standing six inches from the flash might also be in order, hence the waiting to see him in costume and on set.

Allison wrote:

I am fairly sure that there are non-white talented people out there. But were they allowed to audition? Were they seriously considered?

I'm not saying this isn't a problem, I'm just saying that this maybe isn't the hill to die on.

Allison wrote:

Or maybe the casting call called only for white actors, like 70% of them do.

And also, not to get too sharp, but this is an accusation for which you have no evidence other than a statistic, which is weak evidence for any individual situation, especially for a show already as multiethnic as Game of Thrones.

Maybe they had to make a trade off between casting the best actor for the part and the best skin tone.

Maybe we should wait until we see him in costume and on set before getting outraged. Or, if we dare, actually wait until we see his performance.

17

(57 replies, posted in Off Topic)

I never claimed science as the reason I want to go. I want to go because it'd be cool.

You're also over simplifying the technological obstacles of previous eras of exploration. Yes, the technical challenges were simpler, but so were the solutions available to them. I bet, if there were even a way to begin to calculate it, that the gap between technological challenge and solution is smaller for prospective Martian colonists today than for previous eras of exploration.

18

(57 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Also:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Victoria_Crater,_Cape_Verde-Mars.jpg

http://olympus-mons.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/olympus.jpg.w560h420.jpg

But mostly to see this:

http://www.ftrradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Earth-from-Mars1.jpg

19

(57 replies, posted in Off Topic)

Even if this could happen safely, with very few health risks, who on this awesome planet EARTH would want to spend the rest of their lives on MARS?

Me.

20

(57 replies, posted in Off Topic)

These people are dumb. They're not going anywhere.

21

(469 replies, posted in Episodes)

I suggested "The Unprofessionals" which was liked, but not necessarily for the overall new show.

I'm doing some spring cleaning and trying to reduce the number of excess copies of Thanksgiving With the Kranzes I have from  approximately 30 to approximately 0. I have about 15 left.

If you want one, say so and I'll toss it in the post. First come, first serve.

23

(211 replies, posted in Off Topic)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2c/Space_soda_cans.JPG

"Carbonated beverage cans flown aboard STS-51-F, image taken at the National Air and Space Museum."

Breaking Bad is MacBeth, but better.

25

(84 replies, posted in Episodes)

Embry-Riddle likes to call itself (or claim other people call it) the Harvard of the Skies.

One of my professors jokes that Harvard calls itself the Embry-Riddle of the Ground.