I used to think that phrase from JFK's Inaugural Address was the height of patriotism but as I've gotten older I no longer agree. What part of liberty does doing things for the government entail? What part of capitalism?
If you think about it the "Ask Not" quote easily could be a slogan for the Chinese Communist Party. Almost fits like a glove.
Sounds like we're no longer 5-years away from being 5-years away from nuclear fusion. Potentially our grandchildren will live in a world of unlimited power.
It really works! I used the random word "broadband" and I got to "philosophy" in six clicks.
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Never confuse education with intelligence, you can have a PhD and still be an idiot." - Richard Feynman
"I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do." - Robert Heinlein
"How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature, which interests him in the fortunes of others, and render their happiness necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it, except the pleasure of seeing it." - Adam Smith
"Energy and persistence conquer all things." - Benjamin Franklin
Jeff Bridges: How do cigars jibe with, you know, the view that the body is a temple and all that stuff?
Bernie Glassman: The body is a temple, so you should offer it some incense.
"The Russian Embassy in Lisbon. Two neighbouring houses are projecting blue and yellow onto its facade. The ambassador is reportedly 'apoplectic.'" - Roger Hutchinson
SpaceX to launch AST SpaceMobile's first space-based cell towers. So much to unpack here. So many questions.
So SpaceX is currently engaged to have up to three launches of these giant space cellular antennas from AST SpaceMobile. On the surface it appears SpaceX is launching satellites for what seems to be a competing product for their Starlink service. AST SpaceMobile's goal is to directly connect "unmodified mobile phones to the internet through satellite[s] in orbit." Sounds like Starlink would be akin to your home broadband connection and AST SpaceMobile would be akin to your cellular internet.
AST's BlueBirds giant space antennas in theory would be able to "reach 700 million unconnected people." But the satellites will be in LEO (Low Earth Orbit) not synchronous orbit - so many satellites will be necessary for the service to be effective (like how Starlink plans to have 12,000 satellites in orbit). And why would those 700 million unconnected people have cell phones in the first place?
Call me skeptical.
How very true of almost all budget projections. Especially government ones!
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Wherever the ways of man are gentle, there is commerce, and wherever there is commerce, the ways of men are gentle." - Montesquieu
"We need more cowbell." - Christopher Walken
"Random violence makes the news precisely because it is so rare; routine acts of kindness does not make the news precisely because it is so commonplace." - Matt Ridley
"That's the reason they're called lessons, they lessen from day to day." - Lewis Carroll
Have a new miscellaneous thoughts and observations post up on Substack.
If I were still Catholic I'd give up asking you to subscribe, hit the Like button, and share with others for Lent. But since I'm no longer Catholic - please subscribe, hit the Like button, and share with others.
Interesting post giving an update on the war in Ukraine from Poland.
Some nuggets and observations; it's pointed out that "already over a million people from Ukraine fled to Poland, lesser numbers to Moldova and Romania, and surprisingly few into Russia." If this was truly a war of liberation as Putin claims - those refugees into Russia should have been much greater in number. In reality I wonder what sort of welcome any Ukrainian refugees will get in Russia especially as the sanctions really kick in.
Also echo the kudos to Poland for building an LNG facility to connect to a pipeline from Norway which will make Poland energy independent from Russia. That's something I think should be a requirement for all NATO countries moving forward.
Some quotes I hope may resonate with you.
"Doctors won't make you healthy. Nutritionists won't make you slim. Teachers won't make you smart. Gurus won't make you calm. Mentors won't make you rich. Trainers won't make you fit. Ultimately, you have to take responsibility. Save yourself." - Naval Ravikant
"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty." - Maya Angelou
"Political correctness is tyranny with manners."- Charlton Heston
"This is the only life you've got, so it's time to move beyond your conditioning. It's time to move beyond your fear or whatever else is holding you back from living fully because that's the way nature meant you to be." - Wim Hoff
So 18-years ago today I started this silly blog as a place to jot down my thoughts. Back then about half my posts were about sports (baseball in particular).
Sports has taken up less and less of my time and attention but old habits die hard and I'm still a fan of my Boston teams.
The photo to the left is of Dave Cowens who was one of my favorite players gowning up (along with Freddie Lynn). Felt it right to use his photo in this post.
Normally I don't mark or even notice when the anniversary comes around but it's not every day your blog turns old enough to vote.
Historian Niall Ferguson addresses seven questions on the War in Ukraine. "Does Russia grind out victory? Can sanctions stop that? Might Putin go nuclear? Is China for war or peace? The past offers clues, but no certain answers."
I find Niall Ferguson is usually worth a read. The above article is worth yours.
Food crisis grows as spiraling prices spark export bans.
"Ukraine announced on Wednesday it had banned a wide range of agricultural exports including barley, sugar and meat until the end of the year."
"Serbia announced Wednesday it will ban exports of wheat, corn, flour, and cooking oil as of Thursday to counter price increases while Hungary banned all grain exports last week."
The list of nations banning food exports so they can try to make sure there's enough for domestic consumption continues to grow. Vladimir Putin would argue that this shouldn't be called an outbreak of "famine" - let's call it "special hunger" instead.
