Patrick Chiles's Blog, page 4
October 12, 2017
Army Wrong
If this inside story of the rot at West Point is accurate, the implications are truly frightening. There’s no good reason to not believe it, given the evidence: No institution is perfect. My alma mater certainly isn’t; many of us Old Corps alums are gravely concerned about declining standards among cadets. That’s the way it goes with each passing … 
October 10, 2017
The Measure of a Man
Originally posted on According To Hoyt:
As you guys know I’ve been reading about von Braun. Mostly I’ve been reading about Von Braun because I visited Huntsville for TVIW and got curious. Before that all I’d heard bout him, as a person, was, dropped in a conversation “I figure he was a true psychopath who…
As you guys know I’ve been reading about von Braun. Mostly I’ve been reading about Von Braun because I visited Huntsville for TVIW and got curious. Before that all I’d heard bout him, as a person, was, dropped in a conversation “I figure he was a true psychopath who…
October 3, 2017
Las Vegas Shooting
Originally posted on The Writer in Black:
I’m a little too angry to write much here. I’m not going to go into the shooting itself. For one thing, for the first 2-3 days you usually have more speculation and made-up nonsense than actual facts. Instead, I’m going to go into the responses of some people…
I’m a little too angry to write much here. I’m not going to go into the shooting itself. For one thing, for the first 2-3 days you usually have more speculation and made-up nonsense than actual facts. Instead, I’m going to go into the responses of some people…
October 1, 2017
To Stupidity…and Beyond!
I long ago came to accept the fact that any news from the aerospace world that makes it into the popular media is going to be laughably misunderstood and misrepresented. The meatgrinder of 24/7 “news” amplifies the problem as reporters rush to be first while receiving less and less editorial oversight. One site where I … 
Continue reading "To Stupidity…and Beyond!"
September 29, 2017
Just a Thought
Cribbed from Ace of Spades (and no doubt cribbed from somewhere else): An easily understood view of the Four Turnings hypothesis. A lot of historians turn up their noses at it but American history has, at least, clearly fit the pattern well. A useful perspective, if nothing else. Advertisements
The Wait Is Over (Again)
Overnight, Elon Musk finally presented the long-awaited update to his Mars plans from the IAC annual conference in Australia (thus the overnight thing). Last year’s big reveal was grandiose but left a lot of questions as to how they planned to pay for it. This year’s version looks more realistic considering the work they’ve already done, … 
Continue reading "The Wait Is Over (Again)"
September 5, 2017
Just Some Good Ol’ Boys
Every nerd’s favorite company, SpaceX, has been on a roll lately. They’re on track for a record year, including the debut of the eagerly anticipated Falcon Heavy. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan, and it’s likewise no secret that I’m not a big fan of unaccountable bureaucracies that treat our hard-earned taxes like … 
Continue reading "Just Some Good Ol’ Boys"
Perlan II Sets World Record
This project has been fascinating to watch. While the rest of us spent Labor Day weekend kicking back and grilling brats, these guys were riding the Andes’ mountain wave to 52,000 feet and a new world record. In a glider. Worth noting that the previous record holder is Perlan I, which now resides in Seattle’s superlative Museum of … 
Continue reading "Perlan II Sets World Record "
August 25, 2017
Pilot Freakout
I’ll take “Days That End in Y” for 500, Alex… This amusing little gem from the NY Post just popped up in my news feed: Pilot freaks out passengers with ‘horrific’ tornado warning. “He seemed angry,” said Pamela Kent, a Princeton resident who was traveling with her daughter Jessica. “He said, ‘We’re going to be … 
Continue reading "Pilot Freakout"
