Thursday, May 15, 2025

I can't believe I'm saying this...but...

I have to agree with Senator Thillis on this one.  Someone will need to be held accountable, come Groundhog Day next year.

Its interesting to see him wiggle around and talk about how he thinks (knows?) its a bad idea, but is willing to give Trump the benefit of the doubt.  

And his comment that the president and vice president would never be held accountable speaks volumes.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Air Force one.

It's 100% absurd that T-rump wants to accept the gift of a jet from a foreign country. I guess he got a tour of it and said it was luxurious and thinks it would be great for his ego or some such nonsense. 

Nevermind that this violates several specific federal laws, and of course goes right into emoluments, which is noted in the constitution.  There's the problem of the procurement process and Congress having to approve a plane. And of course he will be beholden to Qatar should he accept such "a gift"… they can literally ask for anything and he'll be obligated to give it to them.

The GOP, the attorney general, the mouth breathers who enable him, they all come up with excuses for why this is okay.  Any rational person can see how they have to tie themselves into knots to get there. 

But to me, the funniest part of all of this is that this is a conveyance for the president, whether it's him or anyone.  The secret service, the air force, and certain groups have to make it appropriately safe and ensure that it has the necessary equipment, defensive capabilities, crew space, passenger space (for staff and selected others), and avionics to fly as a part of the air force. 

And that means that once the plane is received, it can't simply be painted and put into service.  Nope, it has to be taken to an airbase, be stripped down, and refitted with everything that's needed.

By one estimate I've seen, this process could take anywhere from. 3-5 years, and the interior would look nothing like he's raved about.  And it would cost around a billion dollars to make it happen; and yes purchasing a new aircraft and having certain specific things built in would be cheaper. 

So in the end, he may not even get a chance to fly in it…

But people are stupid and believe what they want to believe. 

Photographs of atoms

Some researchers at MIT came up with a means to capture images of atoms with detail we've never seen. You can see how bosons bunch up while fermions stay apart, illustrating how the electrons and positive/negative attraction works.

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/mit-physicists-snap-the-first-images-of-atoms-in-their-free-range-states/


Two types of atoms, bosons on the left exhibit bunching while the fermions on the right display anti-bunching – Credit: Sampson Wilcox / MIT

NYC business owner erects 50-foot steel fence on his property — cutting off the sidewalk and 10 parking spots

#ThatsSoNY

This is so stupid it's comical. Why can't more stories be like *this* rather than always about the orange man and his cult and their stupidity. 

This guy is a nuisance, but it doesn't appear to be politically motivated. Just saying. 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nyc-business-owner-erects-50-110900263.html

ESPN's new streaming app could replace cable for some but may end up costing them more

There's some greed in here…

ESPN is launching a direct-to-consumer service of their networks, including all live sports they offer for the low, low price of $30 per month.

Which is quite the change from their original business model (still in effect, to this day, with cable) at about $4 per month, per subscriber. 

Now I know costs have gone up.  And I know that the promise of $4 from every cable tv consumer was a move to ensure they had operating capital, and they will have a smaller base….but wow $30 a month seems like a huuuuge increase. 

https://www.npr.org/2025/05/13/nx-s1-5396864/espn-streaming-app-cost

Monday, May 12, 2025

Walt Disney comes to life ... as an audio animatronic

Last year, the Walt Disney company announced at their fan expo that they were working on creating an animatronic version of the man, the myth, the legend, to give fans a first hand glimpse of what the man was actually like.

We didn't hear much for a while after, but now, we're getting additional details. "He" (is it right to use a pronoun here?) will be featured in a new show called "Walt Disney - a Magical Life" at Disneyland, beginning in July.

The LA Times article below pretty much covers the hype and reality of what this actually means.  I called him man, myth, legend in an earlier sentence.  He's achieved a larger than life "hero status." But... he was still a human and as I understand it, never wanted to be placed on a pedestal.  So striking the balance on a show will be quite the undertaking.

Disney's new theme park

The official press release reads:

The Walt Disney Company and Miral, Abu Dhabi's leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, announced an agreement to create a landmark Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The waterfront resort will be located on Yas Island, a world-class destination for entertainment and leisure, connecting travelers from the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe, and beyond. This seventh Disney theme park resort will combine Disney's iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi's vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture.

Which is certainly intriguing.  I didn't have a new theme park in the middle east on my bingo card.  Still, I'm intrigued by their growth and think its a good thing in the long run.

But as several market analysts warn: don't get too excited about Disney stock just yet, as it will take several years for the park to be built.