Insert your own damned outrages.
Archives for December 2007
Friday, April 13, 2036
So, there’s a 1 in 45,000 chance that we’re going to get hit by the Apophis asteroid in 2036.
Apophis would pass through a “gravitational keyhole”, a precise region in space no more than about 400 meters across, that would set up a future impact on April 13, 2036. This possibility kept the asteroid at Level 1 on the Torino impact hazard scale until August 2006. It broke the record for the highest level on the Torino Scale, being, for only a short time, a level 4, before it was lowered.
I believe that’s an election year. Probably just Republican fear tactics. We’re also possibly going to be screwed by gamma ray bursts. And then there’s that whole “sun becomes 30x bigger and a thousand times brighter” thing that will turn us into briquettes. I’m in an apocalyptic mood tonight. We’re all doomed anyway. Who cares you who vote for…
Bruce Willis will probably be dead.
In all seriousness though, Apophis is going to pass by Earth in 2029 – so close that you will be able to see it with the naked eye. No binoclars or telescope required. I think about this stuff all the time. Again, seriously, who do you think would be the presidential candidate that would consider these scenarios and do something about them? I get that no candidate has that level of scientific knowledge, but is there anyone out there who would say, “Yeah, NASA (or whomever). Here’s a few billion bucks to work with. Figure out a way to destroy an asteroid or deflect a gamma ray burst.” Personally, I don’t think any candidate, D or R, even cares about this crap. I think it is very real, and very much worth considering as an issue.
He Must Have a Book To Sell
I am about 20 minutes into the Bourne Ultimatum, and it occurred to me- at what point in the movie do the Bush dead-enders wonder whether Jason Bourne has a book to sell?
Consider this an open thread, and since the debate was on before I thought it was, fill me in on the lowlights.
Waterboarding- Just like Swimming
GWEN IFILL: Do you think that waterboarding, as I described it, constitutes torture?
SEN. KIT BOND: There are different ways of doing it. It’s like swimming, freestyle, backstroke. The waterboarding could be used almost to define some of the techniques that our trainees are put through, but that’s beside the point. It’s not being used.
Family vacations at the beach must have totally sucked for the Bond children. I bet they cried in the car the whole way there.
Must See TV
The Republican debate just became must see TV:
There is one additional Republican presidential candidate who will be on the stage here at the GOP Des Moines Register/Iowa Public Television debate this afternoon: Alan Keyes.
This will be the first major debate this cycle featuring the former presidential candidate and ambassador, who most recently faced off against Barack Obama in the 2004 Illinois Senate race (even though he actually hails from Maryland). Keyes did participate in the Tavis Smiley-moderated GOP debate in September, which the top Republican candidates skipped.
This is going to be TEH AWESOME. The guy who lost to Obama by 80% or something (and started the whole Crazification Factor) is now going to make the entire GOP field look stupid. I can barely contain my excitement.
Alan Keyes To The Rescue!
I will go out on a limb and predict that this won’t help.
***Update***
In all fairness, John send me this link by IM. Then I scooped him. Bwahahahaha.
Open Thread
Yeesh.
***Update***
For your amusement, the best Huckabee campaign ad that doesn’t star Chuck Norris.