SpaceX Press release:
We are excited to announce that SpaceX has been approached to fly two private citizens on a trip around the moon late next year. They have already paid a significant deposit to do a moon mission. Like the Apollo astronauts before them, these individuals will travel into space carrying the hopes and dreams of all humankind, driven by the universal human spirit of exploration. We expect to conduct health and fitness tests, as well as begin initial training later this year. Other flight teams have also expressed strong interest and we expect more to follow. Additional information will be released about the flight teams, contingent upon their approval and confirmation of the health and fitness test results.
Most importantly, we would like to thank NASA, without whom this would not be possible. NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which provided most of the funding for Dragon 2 development, is a key enabler for this mission. In addition, this will make use of the Falcon Heavy rocket, which was developed with internal SpaceX funding. Falcon Heavy is due to launch its first test flight this summer and, once successful, will be the most powerful vehicle to reach orbit after the Saturn V moon rocket. At 5 million pounds of liftoff thrust, Falcon Heavy is two-thirds the thrust of Saturn V and more than double the thrust of the next largest launch vehicle currently flying.
Later this year, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, we will launch our Crew Dragon (Dragon Version 2) spacecraft to the International Space Station. This first demonstration mission will be in automatic mode, without people on board. A subsequent mission with crew is expected to fly in the second quarter of 2018. SpaceX is currently contracted to perform an average of four Dragon 2 missions to the ISS per year, three carrying cargo and one carrying crew. By also flying privately crewed missions, which NASA has encouraged, long-term costs to the government decline and more flight reliability history is gained, benefiting both government and private missions.
Once operational Crew Dragon missions are underway for NASA, SpaceX will launch the private mission on a journey to circumnavigate the moon and return to Earth. Lift-off will be from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Pad 39A near Cape Canaveral ‐ the same launch pad used by the Apollo program for its lunar missions. This presents an opportunity for humans to return to deep space for the first time in 45 years and they will travel faster and further into the Solar System than any before them.
Designed from the beginning to carry humans, the Dragon spacecraft already has a long flight heritage. These missions will build upon that heritage, extending it to deep space mission operations, an important milestone as we work towards our ultimate goal of transporting humans to Mars.
#11
Lightfoot’s problem lies in the two pieces of NASA equipment he wants to work with: a rocket that’s too expensive to fly and is years from completion—the Space Launch System; and a capsule that’s far from ready to carry humans—the Orion. Neither the SLS nor the Orion are able to land on the Moon. Let me repeat that. Once these pieces of super-expensive equipment reach the moon’s vicinity, they cannot land.
Who is able to land on the lunar surface? Elon Musk and Robert Bigelow. Musk’s rockets—the Falcon and the soon-to-be-launched Falcon Heavy—are built to take off and land. So far their landing capabilities have been used to ease them down on earth. But the same technology, with a few tweaks, gives them the ability to land payloads on the surface of the Moon. Including humans. What’s more, SpaceX’s upcoming seven-passenger Dragon 2 capsule has already demonstrated its ability to gentle itself down to earth’s surface. In other words, with a few modifications and equipment additions, Falcon rockets and Dragon capsules could be made Moon-ready.
#12
Nice place to visit with a beautiful view of planet earth but wouldn't want a permanent station. The tiniest meteor rock has no resistance to kick up a huge hole in things and they hit the moon frequently.
#4
No, generally speaking, you do not need to be licensed to 'own' a gun. Licensed to 'concealed carry' a weapon, yes. Some municipalities however, do require ownership licensing. All ownership of fully automatic weapons (machine guns), artillery pieces, sound suppressors, and explosives requires Federal and/or State licensing. Someone please correct me if I have misspoken.
#5
The guns are registered to their owner through the NICS system. Go with out saying to those who know but there may be some who have not purchased a gun.
#6
Colorado just passed this out of their committee and sent it to the house floor. More than likely it will die there as there are still to many demoncrats controlling the house, but good to see things like this being discussed.
Keep in mind, most states can deny ownership to any convicted felon (along with the vote). Given there were no prison systems in America in 1792, most felons hung. Dead men had no need of either (and Chicago was merely a trading outpost at the time).
#10
Before this law, anyone who wanted to carry their gun concealed had to apply for a license with a local police official who would decide if they were "suitable" for one. Detractors said this system was too subjective.
The above statement is abit misleading. Prior to this law NH was already a "shall issue" state as opposed to a "may issue" state. Meaning that if the applicant was in good stead with both federal and state guidelines officials have no choice but to issue a permit. By definition, that's the opposite of "subjective".
#12
Interesting the number of BLUE states passing these new concealed carry laws.
NH was solid red when I lived there. In the late 80's it started turning blue - first it was an influx of welfare refugees from Lawrence and an ever-expanding invasion of Massholes and retirees from other blue states (PA, NJ, etc) that turned the state purple.
#16
In Texas you need a CHL license to open carry a handgun. Rifles and shotguns do not need a license to open carry. On your property you decide if firearms are allowed.
#17
Some municipalities however, do require ownership licensing
Back when Kansas was working on our CCC, they passed a resolution affirming Kansas law presided over local firearm rules, that is the counties and municipalities could not make their own firearm rules.
We can also open carry handguns.
Guess what happened with our open carry, CCC, and no local restrictions?
Nothing. Dodge City did not revert to Wyatt Earpian violence. Wichita did not become Mogadishu-on-Arkansas. Kansas City did not blow up.
#18
In NH you now don't require a license to buy or carry, open or concealed, or in a vehicle. If you want to take advantage of reciprocity with other states, you would need a license, and the new term is five years.
Mogadishu’s Regional Court had summoned the International Committee of the Red Thingy Cross (ICRC) to answer a case of Hareasmment and wrongful dismissal as well unreasonable and unduly insensitive manner of abusing its representative in Mogadishu.
The court summoned Jordi Raich Curco, Head of ICRC Delegation to Somalia after staffer’s attorneys at Horn Legal Consulting Services filed legal case against the Geneva-based humanitarian institution. This is a damage of reputation to this Humanitarian organisation acted its Management to abuse its trusted position to be the management of the Somalia Delegation.
ICRC is accused of perpetrating wrongful employment termination following well-documented case of threats, abuse of power, Hareassments and mistreatment experienced, educated well know Head of their OFFICE in Mogadishu.
I can't tell if this is a wrongful dismissal tort, a claim of wrongful treatment of refugees, or an act of war...
In a letter of notice of legal action, Horn Legal Consulting Services argues that this unfair dismissal affected the health, dignity, security and safety of its representative without even given time, and therefore mentioning “blatant violation” of “basic employment principles, rights and responsibilities in the Somali law”.
Somalia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) presented to regional court an labour rights abuse case in which it specified that the Head of Office for ICRCA is grieved by threats and sacking from Daniel Gerard OMalley, deputy head of ICRC delegation to Somalia, has deliberately Harrassing the Head of its sub delegate for 8 Months. In line with Somalia’s labour code, MOLSA indicated that it called upon ICRC to come before the Ministry, but the humanitarian organisation refused to respect the call and therefore snubbed to come before the labour officials.
MOLSA asked Banadir regional to take appropriate action against International Committee of the Red Thingy Cross (ICRC) for breaching Somali laws, wrongfully dismissing head of its office in Mogadishu and putting in danger the life of its employee.
In a response letter addressed to MOLSA, ICRC termed Ministry’s intervention as “premature” and quoted article 3 of the Headquarters Agreement between the Federal Republic of Somalia and the International Committee of the Red Thingy Cross (ICRC), in which ICRC claimed immunity “from every form of legal and administrative process, except insofar as in any particular case the ICRC has expressly waived its immunity.
So there! Pbbbbh!
The said immunity has not been waived, for us to appear before you”. However the Ministry of Labour argued to review the said agreement that was not even passed by the parliament. Its this Head of Office has helped ICRC to obtain this agreement that now they are violating the right of the staff.
Nevertheless, attorneys representing staffer contended that there is an overt abuse of immunities and privileges accorded to international organisations like ICRC who exploit headquarter agreements as an excuse to evade justice after breaching national laws.
Its only Banadir Head of Office faced harassments, Hiraan Head of Office resigned such manners and also Baidoa Head of Office was forced to resign.
Banadir Regional Court is expected to conclude the hearing and deliver a judgement soon.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2017 00:00 ||
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[Daily Mail] American explorer George Kennan, from Ohio, collected hundreds of cartes de visites from across Russia. These fascinating portraits showcase the diversity of those living in the Russian Empire during 1870s and 1880s. The intriguing images, were captured by the American explorer George Kennan as he travelled around Siberia.
In 1864, he secured employment with the Russian–American Telegraph Company to survey a route for a proposed overland telegraph line through Siberia and across the Bering Strait.
During 1870, he returned to St. Petersburg and travelled to Dagestan, in the northern Caucasus region, which had been annexed by the Russian Empire only ten years previously. There he became the first American to explore its highlands, a remote Muslim region of herders, silversmiths, carpet-weavers and other craftsmen. He traveled onward through the northern Caucasus area, stopping in Samashki and Grozny, before returning once more to America in 1871.
In May 1885, Kennan began another voyage in Russia, this time across Siberia from Europe.
#2
Fascinating, chain mail was still in fashion.
I'm guessing the male jacket ornaments are more likely black powder paper roll rifle cartridges than cigars.
[ABC] North Korea executed five senior security officials with anti-aircraft guns because they made false reports that "enraged" leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea's spy agency said Monday.
The comments by the National Intelligence Service in a private briefing to lawmakers come as Malaysia investigates the poisoning death of Kim's estranged elder half brother, Kim Jong Nam. That investigation is still going on, but South Korea says it believes Kim Jong Un ordered the assassination, which took place Feb. 13 at Kuala Lumpur's airport.
The spy agency told lawmakers that five North Korean officials in the department of recently purged state security chief Kim Won Hong were executed by anti-aircraft guns because of the false reports to Kim, South Korean lawmaker Lee Cheol Woo said. It's not clear what false reports they allegedly made, and the NIS didn't say how it got its information.
South Korean spies have a spotty record when reporting about high-level events in authoritarian, cloistered North Korea.
North Korea fired Kim Won Hong in January, presumably over corruption, abuse of power and torture committed by his agency, Seoul said earlier this month. The fallen minister had been seen as close to Kim Jong Un. North Korea has not publicly said anything about Kim Won Hong or about the alleged executions in his department.
Lee also cited the NIS as saying that Kim Won Hong's dismissal was linked to those false reports, which "enraged" Kim Jong Un when they were discovered.
Since taking power in late 2011, Kim Jong Un has reportedly executed or purged a large number of high-level government officials in what rival Seoul has called a "reign of terror."
#5
The only way Hong was executed for his agency torturing people is that they weren't doing enough and it wasn't painful enough.
Someone is gonna get this guy...Fat Boy is obviously running scared right now lashing out at any rumor of disloyalty...Of course he knows that he might just be driving his opposition deeper in the dark and making it harder to find out the next time.
I think Fat Boy has about a year and then he's AA gun ready.
[ENGLISH.ALMANAR.LB] Autopsy results on Kim Jong-Nam suggest he was killed by "very serious paralysis" due to a lethal nerve agent, Malaysia’s health minister said Sunday, as the airport terminal where he was assassinated was given the all-clear.
The estranged half-brother of the North Korean leader would have died "in a very short period of time", Health Minister S. Subramaniam added.
Malaysia revealed Friday that the 45-year-old victim was killed with the VX nerve agent, which is so deadly it is listed by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction.
Police are holding two women suspected of staging the attack as well as a North Korean man.
They want to speak to seven other North Koreans including a senior embassy official, but four of the suspects fled Malaysia on the day of the murder.
The two women can be seen shoving something into Kim’s face in leaked CCTV airport footage of the February 13 attack. He later suffered a seizure and was dead before he reached hospital.
Nerve agents prevent the proper operation of an enzyme that acts as the body’s "off switch" for glands and muscles.
Without that switch, glands and muscles are constantly being stimulated, eventually tire and become unable to sustain breathing.
Subramaniam told news hounds the cause of death was now "more or less confirmed".
The scene of the killing, the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport, was swept by civil defense personnel in hazmat suits overnight before being declared safe.
Police sealed off large areas of the Terminal Two departures hall as a few curious onlookers watched.
"The police cordon was at three areas -- the scene of the attack, the bathroom where the two female suspects washed their hands and pathway leading to the airport clinic -- (and) has been taken down," a police front man said.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2017 00:00 ||
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#1
Post Superbowl LI Roman numeration I see VX and read a transliterated 5.
#3
From the description of the actions of the two women, it seems that these nerve agents might have been binary agents. Yup, serious paralysis like being permanently comatose or "tits up."
#6
On asking around, I am informed that the binary agents for VX are QL precursor and a generic sulfur containing compound. The person that applies the second agent to the mix has at most a couple of seconds to clear.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
02/27/2017 17:40 Comments ||
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The dose of poison given to North Korean ruler Kim Jong-un’s half-brother was so high it killed him “within 15 to 20 minutes”, Malaysia’s health minister has said. Kim Jong-nam died on 13 February at Kuala Lumpur airport from being poisoned with VX nerve agent, a banned chemical substance classified by the UN as a weapon of mass destruction.
Made by a government. What's the UN doing about it?
Subramaniam Sathasivam said on Sunday that the dose of VX given to Kim was so high it “would have affected everything”.
“VX only requires 10mg to be absorbed into the system to be lethal, so I presume that the amount of dose that went in is more than that,” he said at a news conference. “The doses were so high and it did it so fast and all over the body, so it would have affected his heart, it would have affected his lungs, it would have affected everything.”
Asked how long it took for Kim to die after he was attacked, Subramaniam said: “I would think it was about, from the time of onset, from the time of application, 15-20 minutes.”
Must have really wanted him dead...
Despite the poisoning, Malaysia has insisted the killing poses no remaining danger to the public and on Sunday declared its international airport a “safe zone” after completing a sweep of the terminal where Kim had been assaulted. The police forensic team, fire department and atomic energy licensing board swept the budget terminal of Kuala Lumpur International airport at 1 am on 26 February.
“We confirm, number one, there is no hazardous material found in KLIA2; number two, KLIA2 is free from any form of contamination of hazardous material and thirdly, KLIA2 is declared a safe zone,” Abdul Samah Mat, the police chief of Selangor state who is leading the investigation, told reporters at the airport.
Security camera footage released by Japanese broadcaster Fuji TV showed the moment two women assaulted Kim with a cloth authorities suspect was laced with the nerve agent. In later clips Kim is seen asking airport officials for medical help and rubbing his eyes and stumbling as he entered an airport clinic. Airport authorities said he complained of dizziness and died on the way to hospital.
Authorities have said there have been no anomalies in medical cases reported at the clinic since the incident. They also said medical staff at the clinic were in good health.
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2017 00:00 ||
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#1
As I remember from my CBR training, VX is a contact poison that doesn't require inhalation so a rag with the chemical rubbed on the skin is a viable way to administer the stuff to an enemy.
I still think they need to do some broad spectrum blood work on the ladies to see if they have any nerve agent antidotes in their system that would be the clincher for me. The women couldn't handle the stuff without some prophylaxis being administered a few minutes before attack.
#6
I'm gonna repeat myself here...
On asking around, I am informed that the binary agents for VX are QL precursor and a generic sulfur containing compound. The person that applies the second agent to the mix has at most a couple of seconds to clear.
Posted by: ed in texas ||
02/27/2017 17:43 Comments ||
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#7
Still the ladies had to have some protection as the off gassing when they shoved the stuff in Nam's face would have put them at some risk
Likely, SPoD. Though it does seem telling (and rather cynical) that non-Koreans were used.
After approving plans on Friday for informal talks in New York between a North Korean delegation and former American officials, the Trump administration reversed course hours later, withdrawing approval for the North Koreans’ visas, two people who were to take part in the planned talks said.
The schedule called for the two sides to meet in early March, and arrangements were underway for the six-member North Korean group, led by Choe Son-hui, who runs the American affairs bureau of the North’s Foreign Ministry, to travel to New York.
The organizer of the talks, the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, led by Donald S. Zagoria, was told by the State Department on Friday morning that the visas would be granted. But the decision was reversed in the afternoon when “someone overruled State,” said one person who planned to participate in the talks. Both of the people on the participants’ list spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the delicacy of the matter.
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: Steve White ||
02/27/2017 00:00 ||
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#1
I like it! Shorten their chairs when they come back, the walk out
[Daily Caller] More people died last in Spain than were born, so the government has appointed a ’sex tsar’ to encourage citizens to make babies.
The new sex tsar will draft a national strategy for the country to deal with the rapidly declining birthrate, UK newspaper The Independent reports. No thought given to importing Mexicans? I thought not.
Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy appointed Edelmira Barreira to deal with the demographics challenge.
The declining birthrate in Spain is one of the worst in Europe, and in 2015, the death rates surpassed birth rates for the first time ever. "We have provinces in Spain where for every baby born, more than two people die. And the ratio is moving closer to one to three," Alejandro Macarrón, a consultant, told The Guardian in 2015. How can 'big government' survive without a constituency ?
Spanish citizens between the ages of 18-49 had an average of 1.3 children according to an October 2016 report, which is below the 1.58 average for the whole European Union. The same study also said that within 15 years, single, non-married people could make up a fifth of the countries populations.
Some experts theorize that after working long hours and late nights day, people are simply too tired to get busy. The long hours "do not help with making a family," Rafael Puyol, professor of the IE Business School in Madrid, said. "Then a child arrives and it is even worse." The duel tax paying 'two earner' family has a downside? Who knew ?
Spain is hardly the first country to try and boost its population by encouraging lovemaking. A local politician in Sweden proposed last week that workers should get a paid hour off of work once a week to have sex. (RELATED: Swedish Town Floats Idea Of Paid Hour Off From Work To Have Sex)
#3
And it's the upbringing that's heavy investment - doesn't really works if women don't stay at home.
Not necessarily works if women stay at home - look at all the Muz.
#4
The socialist ponzi schemes of big government (Social Security, Obamacare and the like) depend upon an ever widening pool of payers or subscribers.
Politically motivated attacks on the traditional family, environmentally motivated population control, abortion, and birth control are all contributing factors. Islamist's who believe in NONE of the aforementioned measures, continue to reproduce and migrate to fill the population shortfalls.
Behold the suicide of cultures.
Anjem Choudary, right-hand man of exiled preacher Omar Bakri Mohammed, said: “It may be by pure conversion that Britain will become an Islamic state. We may never need to conquer it from the outside.” Many Muslims are having 10 or 12 children per family. The swollen Muslim population would be enough to conquer Britain from inside, they claim. He added: “We do not integrate into Christianity. We will ensure that one day you will integrate into the Sharia Islamic law.”
"We will conquer you through the bellies of our women."
~ anon
#6
Catalonia is the exception to the rule in Spain. You see more stollers and kiddos on the sidewalks of Barcelona than anywhere else in Western Europe. The main difference between Catalonia and the rest of Spain, the Catalonians hate the rest of Spain.
#10
Catalonia is the exception to the rule in Spain. You see more stollers and kiddos on the sidewalks of Barcelona than anywhere else in Western Europe. The main difference between Catalonia and the rest of Spain, the Catalonians hate the rest of Spain.
Posted by: brujotejano
Don't know anything about Catalonian fellas, but I worked with a Spanish Basque guy once. Fancy dresser, spoke English and 4 other languages. Hated communists. Interesting fella.
#15
I seem to remember reading about a fellow named Octavian who tried something similar back in the day. Bonuses for children, penalties for childless marriages, that sort of thing.
I don't think it worked.
Posted by: James ||
02/27/2017 20:12 Comments ||
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#16
The main difference between Catalonia and the rest of Spain, the Catalonians hate the rest of Spain.
Too bad. That's the only part of Spain I'm interested in breeding with!
[FoxNews] President Trump's nominee to be secretary of the Navy said Sunday that he was withdrawing from consideration for the post.
In a statement released by the Pentagon, Philip Bilden he determined that he would not be able to satisfy the Office of Government Ethics requirements without what he called "undue disruption and materially adverse divestment of my family's private financial interests."
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in a statement that he would make a recommendation to Trump for a nominee in the coming days.
"While I am disappointed, I understand and his respect his decision," Mattis said, "and know that he will continue to support our nation in other ways."
Rumors of Bilden's withdrawal had been widely reported in recent days, but were denied by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer. The Pentagon also issued a statement Feb. 19 saying that Bilden had assured Mattis he remained committed to serving as Navy secretary if confirmed by the Senate and that Mattis was confident Bilden was "the right leader" to rebuild the Navy and Marine Corps.
Bilden was an intelligence officer in the Army Reserve from 1986-1996. He relocated to Hong Kong to set up an Asian presence for HarbourVest Partners LLC, a global private equity management firm. Bilden recently retired from HarbourVest Partners after 25 years.
Bilden's withdrawal raises similar issues to that of Vincent Viola, Trump's nominee for Army secretary who stepped aside earlier this month.
Viola cited his inability to successfully navigate the confirmation process and Defense Department rules concerning family businesses.
A military veteran and former Airborne Ranger infantry officer, he was also the founder of several businesses, including the electronic trading firm Virtu Financial. He also owns the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers and is a past chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
#1
...I have long held that given the thoroughly whacked-out rules and regs currently in place, just about anything one does - if not strictly, by-the-book illegal, can certainly be spun that way. And I think that's what happened with Bilden and Viola: a court of law wouldn't have found them guilty of anything, but the Dem/Media kangaroo courts would have, and they just didn't feel like putting up with it.
Mike
Posted by: Mike Kozlowski ||
02/27/2017 5:07 Comments ||
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[DAWN] KARACHI: A suspect was rubbed out in an ’encounter’ in the early hours of Saturday in Sohrab Goth police limits, according to officials.
They said that the incident occurred during random spot checking of vehicles, when the police indicated to motorcyclists to stop for identification in Chutta Gabol Goth. However, ars longa, vita brevis... they opened fire on the police and attempted to flee. In an ensuing exchange of gunfire, one suspect was killed while his accomplice managed to escape, the officials said.
The dear departed was identified as Zar Jan, the police added.
They claimed to have seized one pistol and a cycle of violence without number plate from his custody.
Posted by: Fred ||
02/27/2017 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
[Daily Mail] American explorer George Kennan, from Ohio, collected hundreds of cartes de visites from across Russia. These fascinating portraits showcase the diversity of those living in the Russian Empire during 1870s and 1880s. The intriguing images, were captured by the American explorer George Kennan as he travelled around Siberia.
[ABC] North Korea executed five senior security officials with anti-aircraft guns because they made false reports that "enraged" leader Kim Jong Un, South Korea's spy agency said Monday.
North Korea
[DAWN] KARACHI: A suspect was 
