Michael
@tralfagar.bsky.social
Build the mixed-use cube🏗️
Power it with spicy rocks⚛️
Be excellent to each other🧦
Taco trucks 🌮
Explore space🚀
Pay for it all by taxing dirt🔰
Power it with spicy rocks⚛️
Be excellent to each other🧦
Taco trucks 🌮
Explore space🚀
Pay for it all by taxing dirt🔰
In life, there is no god keeping score and noting your noble suffering. You're not going to get pity points from the universe. If you see two paths that lead to the same place, but one is more dangerous or has higher costs, by all means skip it and take the alternative.
November 27, 2025 at 7:52 AM
In life, there is no god keeping score and noting your noble suffering. You're not going to get pity points from the universe. If you see two paths that lead to the same place, but one is more dangerous or has higher costs, by all means skip it and take the alternative.
For example, I'm sure a Masters--or even PhD--in English or Philosophy degree is very difficult & competitive. However, the juice is not worth the squeeze; a bachelor's degree can match or even exceed the expected value over a career with a fraction of the time & effort.
November 27, 2025 at 7:50 AM
For example, I'm sure a Masters--or even PhD--in English or Philosophy degree is very difficult & competitive. However, the juice is not worth the squeeze; a bachelor's degree can match or even exceed the expected value over a career with a fraction of the time & effort.
Racial segregation was outlawed many years ago, and the zoning laws are still enforced so they can't possibly be racially motivated! They don't even mention race; it just happens to work out against people of color; that's just a confidence!
November 27, 2025 at 2:39 AM
Racial segregation was outlawed many years ago, and the zoning laws are still enforced so they can't possibly be racially motivated! They don't even mention race; it just happens to work out against people of color; that's just a confidence!
One of life's ironies is that the wealthier a city, the more desperate & impoverished the people. You could go to BFE and you won't see the level of poverty you will in SF.
November 26, 2025 at 9:58 AM
One of life's ironies is that the wealthier a city, the more desperate & impoverished the people. You could go to BFE and you won't see the level of poverty you will in SF.
They offer that in first class & premier airlines. If you want first class service, you have to pay first class prices.
Or is your point that flying is too accessible to the working class and should be reserved for the rich?
Or is your point that flying is too accessible to the working class and should be reserved for the rich?
November 26, 2025 at 8:39 AM
They offer that in first class & premier airlines. If you want first class service, you have to pay first class prices.
Or is your point that flying is too accessible to the working class and should be reserved for the rich?
Or is your point that flying is too accessible to the working class and should be reserved for the rich?
We're still the same as we were 50, 100, 200, or even 1000 years ago. The only difference is that now we have more distractions.
November 25, 2025 at 7:49 AM
We're still the same as we were 50, 100, 200, or even 1000 years ago. The only difference is that now we have more distractions.
>If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear
No thank you. I've seen too many of these well intentioned laws either do nothing to address the problem, or just make things worse. Latest is the porn ban to "protect the children".
No thank you. I've seen too many of these well intentioned laws either do nothing to address the problem, or just make things worse. Latest is the porn ban to "protect the children".
November 24, 2025 at 1:04 PM
>If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear
No thank you. I've seen too many of these well intentioned laws either do nothing to address the problem, or just make things worse. Latest is the porn ban to "protect the children".
No thank you. I've seen too many of these well intentioned laws either do nothing to address the problem, or just make things worse. Latest is the porn ban to "protect the children".
Because America has 350 million people and you only see a small, but vocal, minority
November 24, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Because America has 350 million people and you only see a small, but vocal, minority
Think less mega yacht and more 1800 sqft home. It's not Bezos and co squeezing the middle class. It's homeowners.
November 24, 2025 at 7:48 AM
Think less mega yacht and more 1800 sqft home. It's not Bezos and co squeezing the middle class. It's homeowners.
You and I both. Fucking racism has taken so much money out of our collective pockets due to market inefficiency.
November 24, 2025 at 7:44 AM
You and I both. Fucking racism has taken so much money out of our collective pockets due to market inefficiency.
What's your plan for the 70 million or so who voted Republican?
November 23, 2025 at 4:49 AM
What's your plan for the 70 million or so who voted Republican?
STS was a step backwards from Apollo in almost every way other than "Kill Apollo/Saturn-V and make Richard Nixon/Republicans look good" for doing so". We are in the current position *because* of Shuttle.
November 23, 2025 at 1:53 AM
STS was a step backwards from Apollo in almost every way other than "Kill Apollo/Saturn-V and make Richard Nixon/Republicans look good" for doing so". We are in the current position *because* of Shuttle.
Re:Feynman, you're right that it was a very successful publicity stunt that demonstrated the issue to a non-technical audience. However, it is a very surface-level analysis. Feynman--as gifted as he was--was very much the equivalent of "Bro Science" of today and not an engineer.
November 23, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Re:Feynman, you're right that it was a very successful publicity stunt that demonstrated the issue to a non-technical audience. However, it is a very surface-level analysis. Feynman--as gifted as he was--was very much the equivalent of "Bro Science" of today and not an engineer.
If you think that's emotional, you're reading more emotion than I'm writing.
The O-ring was the failure mode, but not the root cause. It was an issue inherent to the SRB design, which should have never been present in the first place. There's a good reason that Energia completely replaced them.
The O-ring was the failure mode, but not the root cause. It was an issue inherent to the SRB design, which should have never been present in the first place. There's a good reason that Energia completely replaced them.
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
If you think that's emotional, you're reading more emotion than I'm writing.
The O-ring was the failure mode, but not the root cause. It was an issue inherent to the SRB design, which should have never been present in the first place. There's a good reason that Energia completely replaced them.
The O-ring was the failure mode, but not the root cause. It was an issue inherent to the SRB design, which should have never been present in the first place. There's a good reason that Energia completely replaced them.
What's the alternative? Who else is working on it and what is their timeline?
November 23, 2025 at 12:42 AM
What's the alternative? Who else is working on it and what is their timeline?
Management didn't cause the heat tiles to fall off on ascent.
What you're talking about is launching Challenger, but that assumes the O-rings should have been part of the design in the first place. Solid rocket motors should never have been used on manned rockets in the first place.
What you're talking about is launching Challenger, but that assumes the O-rings should have been part of the design in the first place. Solid rocket motors should never have been used on manned rockets in the first place.
November 23, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Management didn't cause the heat tiles to fall off on ascent.
What you're talking about is launching Challenger, but that assumes the O-rings should have been part of the design in the first place. Solid rocket motors should never have been used on manned rockets in the first place.
What you're talking about is launching Challenger, but that assumes the O-rings should have been part of the design in the first place. Solid rocket motors should never have been used on manned rockets in the first place.
They're not getting Apollo's budget. Apollo cost about $260 billion in today's dollars. Starship is around $10 billion spent so far. Unless you're saying they should be getting even more money--in this case direct subsidies for R&D, not contracts--not sure what the point is
November 23, 2025 at 12:21 AM
They're not getting Apollo's budget. Apollo cost about $260 billion in today's dollars. Starship is around $10 billion spent so far. Unless you're saying they should be getting even more money--in this case direct subsidies for R&D, not contracts--not sure what the point is
Wouldn't be an issue if ticketing sites charged the actual market price in the first place...
November 22, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Wouldn't be an issue if ticketing sites charged the actual market price in the first place...
I mean yeah, that's what happens. Show me an appraisal handbook that says a house gets more valuable as there are more holes & bug carcasses in the walls. I'm my county's site, there is a clear trend that the structure's value goes to $0 over time.
It's the land values that grow.
It's the land values that grow.
November 22, 2025 at 11:46 PM
I mean yeah, that's what happens. Show me an appraisal handbook that says a house gets more valuable as there are more holes & bug carcasses in the walls. I'm my county's site, there is a clear trend that the structure's value goes to $0 over time.
It's the land values that grow.
It's the land values that grow.
I'd be right there with you. If it means I have to light $500k on fire to ensure that my daughter's generation does not get pushed out of the area, so be it.
November 18, 2025 at 1:56 AM
I'd be right there with you. If it means I have to light $500k on fire to ensure that my daughter's generation does not get pushed out of the area, so be it.
You'd be surprised how people wrap themselves into knots to blame Harris for what Trump does
November 17, 2025 at 6:14 PM
You'd be surprised how people wrap themselves into knots to blame Harris for what Trump does