Scott Maxwell
@marsroverdriver.bsky.social
On a small red light in the night sky lives hundreds of kg of thinking metal. I used to tell it what to do.
"Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?" -- from Huckleberry Finn
I think the clearest sign this place is going to succeed is that it’s achieved a critical mass of assholes, idiots, and oafs.
July 5, 2023 at 12:29 AM
"Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?" -- from Huckleberry Finn
Reposted by Scott Maxwell
Tomorrow is the final launch of the Ariane 5 rocket. It's a bittersweet moment for the European space industry.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/07/europes-venerable-ariane-5-rocket-faces-a-bittersweet-ending-on-tuesday/
https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/07/europes-venerable-ariane-5-rocket-faces-a-bittersweet-ending-on-tuesday/
Europe’s venerable Ariane 5 rocket faces a bittersweet ending on Tuesday
After nearly three decades, the Ariane 5 rocket reaches the end of the line.
arstechnica.com
July 4, 2023 at 1:02 AM
Tomorrow is the final launch of the Ariane 5 rocket. It's a bittersweet moment for the European space industry.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/07/europes-venerable-ariane-5-rocket-faces-a-bittersweet-ending-on-tuesday/
https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/07/europes-venerable-ariane-5-rocket-faces-a-bittersweet-ending-on-tuesday/
Reposted by Scott Maxwell
"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read." James Baldwin
July 2, 2023 at 11:31 PM
"You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read." James Baldwin
I hope not! Because that would suck. :-( https://bigthink.com/hard-science/accidentally-killed-life-mars/
We might have accidentally killed the only life we ever found on Mars nearly 50 years ago
In one experiment, the Viking landers added water to Martian soil samples. That might have been a very bad idea.
bigthink.com
June 28, 2023 at 6:38 AM
I hope not! Because that would suck. :-( https://bigthink.com/hard-science/accidentally-killed-life-mars/
Reposted by Scott Maxwell
Right wing masculinity influencers were deeply invested in the idea that Russia’s supposedly invincible army would triumph because it was more “manly” and then they were fought to a stalemate by a jewish comedian and have now collapsed into infighting with the mercenary army of a nazi hot dog vendor
June 24, 2023 at 4:19 PM
Right wing masculinity influencers were deeply invested in the idea that Russia’s supposedly invincible army would triumph because it was more “manly” and then they were fought to a stalemate by a jewish comedian and have now collapsed into infighting with the mercenary army of a nazi hot dog vendor
I'm sorry, but you all have to quit now: this is the greatest skeet of all time.
June 24, 2023 at 9:24 PM
I'm sorry, but you all have to quit now: this is the greatest skeet of all time.
This is about as close to speaking ill of the dead as I would be comfortable getting, but yes, this.
There’s being ignorant of risk, there’s being bad at weighing or evaluating risk, and then there’s an attitude that treats consciousness of risk with contempt and engages in performative casualness about it. OceanGate seems to be in that last category.
June 23, 2023 at 12:18 AM
This is about as close to speaking ill of the dead as I would be comfortable getting, but yes, this.
If Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg fight, who wins? We all do. We all do.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65981876
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65981876
Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg agree to hold cage fight
Earlier this month, Meta showed staff plans for a text-based social network designed to compete with Twitter.
www.bbc.com
June 22, 2023 at 11:16 PM
If Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg fight, who wins? We all do. We all do.
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65981876
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65981876
Reposted by Scott Maxwell
captain ahab: *typing* I hope this email finds ye, whale
June 12, 2023 at 11:00 PM
captain ahab: *typing* I hope this email finds ye, whale
The same voices, in every age, complain about any change no matter how sensible. It was right to ignore them then & it's right to ignore them now.
https://boingboing.net/2023/06/14/watch-people-in-the-1980s-resisting-laws-against-drinking-and-driving-pretty-soon-its-gonna-be-a-communist-country.html
https://boingboing.net/2023/06/14/watch-people-in-the-1980s-resisting-laws-against-drinking-and-driving-pretty-soon-its-gonna-be-a-communist-country.html
Watch people in the 1980s resisting laws against drinking and driving: "Pretty soon, it's gonna be a...
In this local news segment from the 1980s, citizens voice their dissatisfaction with new laws restricting their freedom to drink alcohol while driving. One gentleman in a blue gimme cap, weary afte…
boingboing.net
June 14, 2023 at 9:30 PM
The same voices, in every age, complain about any change no matter how sensible. It was right to ignore them then & it's right to ignore them now.
https://boingboing.net/2023/06/14/watch-people-in-the-1980s-resisting-laws-against-drinking-and-driving-pretty-soon-its-gonna-be-a-communist-country.html
https://boingboing.net/2023/06/14/watch-people-in-the-1980s-resisting-laws-against-drinking-and-driving-pretty-soon-its-gonna-be-a-communist-country.html
It's been fascinating to see, the last few decades of space exploration, how much water's been found in the seemingly unlikeliest places. Mars, the moon, asteroids -- and now, Enceladus.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/megaplume-of-water-vapor-erupting-on-enceladus-caught-by-webb-telescope/
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/megaplume-of-water-vapor-erupting-on-enceladus-caught-by-webb-telescope/
Megaplume of water vapor erupting on Enceladus caught by Webb Telescope
Enceladus' rapid orbit and large geysers spread water widely near Saturn.
arstechnica.com
June 14, 2023 at 5:37 AM
It's been fascinating to see, the last few decades of space exploration, how much water's been found in the seemingly unlikeliest places. Mars, the moon, asteroids -- and now, Enceladus.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/megaplume-of-water-vapor-erupting-on-enceladus-caught-by-webb-telescope/
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/06/megaplume-of-water-vapor-erupting-on-enceladus-caught-by-webb-telescope/
Rover's Tango Delta Nominal.
June 10, 2023 at 1:01 AM
Rover's Tango Delta Nominal.
I want to put *humans* on Mars's moons. But if we can't do that, a sample return mission is the next best thing.
https://www.universetoday.com/161829/sls-could-launch-a-sample-return-mission-to-phobos-and-deimos/
https://www.universetoday.com/161829/sls-could-launch-a-sample-return-mission-to-phobos-and-deimos/
SLS Could Launch a Sample Return Mission to Phobos and Deimos
NASA’s next colossal rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), recently had its first successful flight back in November after years of development. Much of that development was done by aerospace contr...
www.universetoday.com
June 8, 2023 at 2:55 PM
I want to put *humans* on Mars's moons. But if we can't do that, a sample return mission is the next best thing.
https://www.universetoday.com/161829/sls-could-launch-a-sample-return-mission-to-phobos-and-deimos/
https://www.universetoday.com/161829/sls-could-launch-a-sample-return-mission-to-phobos-and-deimos/
The Chinese Communist Party gets very upset if you share this picture of a spectacularly brave man from 35 years ago today. So definitely do not do that.
June 5, 2023 at 3:43 PM
The Chinese Communist Party gets very upset if you share this picture of a spectacularly brave man from 35 years ago today. So definitely do not do that.
Rewriting fairy tales to suit changing notions of morality isn't new; we've been doing it at least since the stories were first written down, centuries ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/04/contemporary-values-no-place-in-fairytales-you-must-be-living-in-a-fantasy-world
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/04/contemporary-values-no-place-in-fairytales-you-must-be-living-in-a-fantasy-world
Fairytales have always reflected the morals of the age. It’s not a sin to rewrite them | Martha Gi...
Nothing is being destroyed in adding diversity and sexual equality to old stories
www.theguardian.com
June 5, 2023 at 4:24 AM
Rewriting fairy tales to suit changing notions of morality isn't new; we've been doing it at least since the stories were first written down, centuries ago.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/04/contemporary-values-no-place-in-fairytales-you-must-be-living-in-a-fantasy-world
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/04/contemporary-values-no-place-in-fairytales-you-must-be-living-in-a-fantasy-world
Reposted by Scott Maxwell
Just what I needed today since Jack Dorsey just backed whack job RFK Jr for President. I have up close and personal experience with RFK Jr having served on a Board with him. He’s a narcissist, seriously wrong about almost everything AND he doesn’t believe any rules apply to him. Sound familiar?
“It’s no wonder former president Barack Obama tweeted recently: ‘If you need a reminder that elections have consequences, check out what’s happening in Minnesota.’”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/04/democratic-party-minnesota-legislature-progressives/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/06/04/democratic-party-minnesota-legislature-progressives/
June 5, 2023 at 1:27 AM
Just what I needed today since Jack Dorsey just backed whack job RFK Jr for President. I have up close and personal experience with RFK Jr having served on a Board with him. He’s a narcissist, seriously wrong about almost everything AND he doesn’t believe any rules apply to him. Sound familiar?
Well, so fuck this @jack guy, too, I guess.
June 5, 2023 at 3:45 AM
Well, so fuck this @jack guy, too, I guess.
Reposted by Scott Maxwell
Another childhood star lost to drugs...
June 4, 2023 at 4:31 PM
Another childhood star lost to drugs...
If you want your name to go as far as it might ever go, perhaps to be recovered and read someday by explorers whose grandparents are not yet born -- then you could do worse than to send it to Europa. Which you can do here: https://europa.nasa.gov/message-in-a-bottle/sign-on/
Sign On | Message in a Bottle – NASA's Europa Clipper
europa.nasa.gov
June 3, 2023 at 3:34 AM
If you want your name to go as far as it might ever go, perhaps to be recovered and read someday by explorers whose grandparents are not yet born -- then you could do worse than to send it to Europa. Which you can do here: https://europa.nasa.gov/message-in-a-bottle/sign-on/
This handsome guy has been with us a year today. Thanks for making our house a home in the way only a good cat can, MewMew. <3
May 29, 2023 at 6:00 AM
This handsome guy has been with us a year today. Thanks for making our house a home in the way only a good cat can, MewMew. <3
One of my favorite mission concepts puts astronauts on Phobos and/or Deimos, exploring the moons in person while joysticking robots on Mars below. This lays the foundation for such missions.
https://www.universetoday.com/161522/an-astronaut-will-be-controlling-several-robots-on-earth-from-space/
https://www.universetoday.com/161522/an-astronaut-will-be-controlling-several-robots-on-earth-from-space/
An Astronaut Will Be Controlling Several Robots on Earth… from Space
The European Space Agency has been hosting a series of robotic teleoperation experiments where an astronaut abroad the ISS controls a robot back on the ground. We’ve previously reported on some of their successes. Now it’s time for the next round of experiments, with one individual astronaut on the ISS controlling four separate robots to … Continue reading "An Astronaut Will Be Controlling Several Robots on Earth… from Space"
www.universetoday.com
May 28, 2023 at 10:29 PM
One of my favorite mission concepts puts astronauts on Phobos and/or Deimos, exploring the moons in person while joysticking robots on Mars below. This lays the foundation for such missions.
https://www.universetoday.com/161522/an-astronaut-will-be-controlling-several-robots-on-earth-from-space/
https://www.universetoday.com/161522/an-astronaut-will-be-controlling-several-robots-on-earth-from-space/
Naturally, the new LEGO Perseverance Mars rover kit comes with a little Ingenuity helicopter. They don't miss a trick, those folks! https://www.theverge.com/23733997/lego-mars-rover-perseverance-price-release-date
Lego’s Mars Rover Perseverance has 360-degree steering and a swinging arm
Augmented reality app, too.
www.theverge.com
May 23, 2023 at 2:52 PM
Naturally, the new LEGO Perseverance Mars rover kit comes with a little Ingenuity helicopter. They don't miss a trick, those folks! https://www.theverge.com/23733997/lego-mars-rover-perseverance-price-release-date
As usual, The Onion gets right what even The New York Times gets wrong.
https://www.theonion.com/trans-teen-hatches-nefarious-plot-to-undergo-years-of-m-1850433563
https://www.theonion.com/trans-teen-hatches-nefarious-plot-to-undergo-years-of-m-1850433563
Trans Teen Hatches Nefarious Plot To Undergo Years Of Medical Treatments And Counseling To Win At Swimming
STOCKTON, CA—Cackling as the steps of the dastardly plan crystallized in her mind, local trans teen Brie Chandler told reporters Tuesday that she had hatched a nefarious plot to undergo years of medical treatments and counseling to win at swimming. “It’s oh, so simple: several years of sweet-talking medical…
www.theonion.com
May 16, 2023 at 9:25 PM
As usual, The Onion gets right what even The New York Times gets wrong.
https://www.theonion.com/trans-teen-hatches-nefarious-plot-to-undergo-years-of-m-1850433563
https://www.theonion.com/trans-teen-hatches-nefarious-plot-to-undergo-years-of-m-1850433563
May 16, 2023 at 3:43 AM