The Tankerov?

Now that Northrop/EADS has dropped out of the competition to replace the doddering KC-135, word comes that Russia's United Aircraft of Moscow (a consortium of  Sukhoi, Tupolev, Ilyushin, MiG) plans on submitting a bid based on the Ilyushin Il-96.  Maybe it's just me, but this sounds like a Very Bad Idea.  Not that there's any secret technology in the basic airframe and refueling systems, but it's the other systems that will be installed that are the concern.

Even if the Ruskies convert the aircraft to a two-engine configuration to better compete with the 767 and the A-330, it's still a too risky proposition to even entertain a bid from them.  My advice, "Just Say Nyet!"

This just in, EADS has asked for an extension of the bid deadline so they can go it alone, without Northrop.  My advice, don't extend it, the replacement for that 707-based airplane is too far overdue to wait any longer.  Of course, one of it's main duties is refueling the B-52, an even older airframe...

Fire In My Bones

I got this set of 3 CDs a few weeks who. It's subtitled Raw + Rare + Other-Worldly African-American Gospel [1944-2007].  It's some really good stuff,  if you like gospel, buy this set.

Yet more CB&C

At least I hope that's what is pushing through me.

Corned beef and cabbage

It's still rampaging its way through my system.  But it was tsty!

 

RIP Clair.

Not talkative this morn

Death in family yesterday.

The Apple iPad

The Mac Fanboy in me is slavering with desire to get the newest shiny thing from Cupertino.  I'm conflicted though.  It's new, it's big, it's shiny, and really, it's not all that expensive.  But it's also AT&T again, it doesn't handle Flash, and I already have an iPod Touch.

 

I'll probably wait a while, I'm seldom on the bleeding edge of technology.  I'll let the early adopters suss out the bugs and teething pains that every new device has.

 

But I still really, really want to be the first one on the block with one!

Winterish this morning

Just when it seemed that winter weather was over, it was below freezing this morning.  Roads were a bit slick, morons were driving around peering through scraped portholes on their windshields, still leafless trees glistening with frost and frost ferns on windshields of the cars along the side of the street.

Red Bull on the pole!

Go Sebastian!

Formula 1 is back

Looks like it's going to be an interesting season.  No refueling, tire changes in under 2 seconds, several freshman teams.  The added half mile of course in Bahrain looks really rough and (IMO) won't do anything for passing.  I may actually get up in the middle of the night to watch the first race live instead of recording it.

Theories

Einstein is famously quoted as having said, "If you can't explain your theory to an 8-year old,  you don't understand it."  That's close,  what he actually said was, "If you can't explain it simply,  you don't understand it well enough."  I haven't been able to find out when or where he said it,  but I like the second one better so it must be the correct one. 

I think that government should be required to apply that precept;  if something can't be explained simply, and make sense to a third-grade class, it can't be enacted. Think of how this would affect "health care" legislation.  And maybe if the SEC had been required to explain credit default swap derivatives I would still have a retirement account...

Nixtamalization

I've always thought that was a really cool word.  If you don't know,  it refers to the process of treating corn (or maize if you prefer) with an alkali to make it more nutritious, tastier and easier to grind.  One of the problems with using corn as a main food source w/o nixtamalization is that the vitamin B3 in it is not bioavailable.  This caused outbreaks of pellagra in populations that did not use it.  Corn as a main food source also lacks essential amino acids.   Nixtamal (the processed corn) combined with beans does supply all the amino acids needed.  

So, if you eat corn tortillas, tamales or hominy,  you are enjoying the benefits of this ancient process.  You can thank the Meso-Americans for your delicious food.  And you could combine the nixtamal with legumes and go vegetarian,  but that's another post.

Why this subject far a blog?

I've tried blogging before,  but really wasn't very successful at it.  It wasn't that I lacked thoughts that I wanted to get out of my brain; it was procrastination and lack of consistency.  Using this as a trigger for posting seems to be working.   I've previously become an ex-blogger within a couple of weeks; this time I've gone a full month!   Add the new smart phone into the equation and this effort reeks of success.

We'll see if I'm still posting 6 months from now...  Maybe by then someone will be reading my drivel!

I miss the Automatic Human Jukebox

When I lived in the San Francisco area,  one of the buskers I really enjoyed was the Automatic Human Jukebox.  The guy,  whose name I later learned was Grimes Poznikov,  sat in a painted cardboard box all day on or near Fisherman's Wharf.  I regularly saw him in front of Ghirardeli Square.   Tourists (or locals) would put money through a slot in the side of the box labelled with the song they wanted to hear.   Then a door on the front of the box would swing up,  usually accompanied by a slide whistle,  and a bearded face would emerge and play the tune, almost always on a trumpet.  The guy was GOOD!  I would spend hours hanging out down there and preferred to be near him,  mainly for the entertainment; I even dropped a few dollars in the box myself.   He appeared on more than one national TV show.

Sadly,  he was another who was destroyed by mental illness and alcohol.  There's a photo and better article than I could write at http://short.to/1h0w2 

Something I hadn't thought of

How did the wizarding world's (Harry Potter universe) economy work?  Here's one person's view here.

Should Obama have killed NASA?

Yes,  I know the agency still exists, but the proposed 2011 budget essentially guts manned space flight for the US.  He has cancelled the Constellation program (which Bush 43 had severely underfunded) and is underfunding the Ares program.  After the final flight of the Shuttle early next year the only access US astronauts will have to the ISS will be in rented seats on Russian spacecraft.  That's for at least 5 years.   The odds are very good that China, and maybe India, will leave low earth orbit before we do.

During the interval NASA is hoping that the commercial sector will develop cargo spacecraft to service the ISS.  I have friends who work a couple of these companies, and privately they are dubious about the chances for real success.

So,  let's all encourage our representatives to fully fund our heavy lift boosters and long-range manned spacecraft.   Look at it as high tech jobs stimulus.

Insert subject here

Work has eaten my brain,  I have nothing pithy available right now.

And, it might snow tonight

Man,  I enjoy winter but even *I* am ready for it to be over...

Brrrrr

Below freezing this morning,  car windows frosted,  roads OK though.  Sadly,  there is a lack of snow in the mountains this year.   Looks like some water districts are going to have some problems.  And Seattle City Light is looking at reduced generation capacity. 

And, Best Picture goes to

The Hurt Locker! Not that I've seen it; or for that matter, any of the nominees for Best Motion Picture. Matter of fact, I haven't been to a movie in a theater is well over a year and can't even remember the last time I went. I do want to see Avatar though, so maybe this weekend.

A product you need to buy

I have no affiliation with them, but it's available at
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It's tasty too!