First Looks category archive

In the early days of the US Space Program, Wallops Island, about 50 miles north of Pine View Farm, was a major testing site.

We used to go out back to watch the rockets go up during night launches.

It’s coming back to life:

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility will hold a groundbreaking today on a launch facility that will test a new rocket designed to service the International Space Station once the shuttle retires.

This is a recent launch:

Live charitably.

Drinking Liberally Center City at Triumph Brewing Company in, natch, Center City Philadelphia, 2nd and Chestnut, Tuesday at 6 p. m.

I’m threatening to be there this week.

The Canadian Scam is alive and well in Delaware.

I heard a radio show about this several months ago; someone calls up an old folk and pretends to be a grandchild in trouble needing money sent to an address in Canada.

If you’re my age or older, read the details here and be forewarned.

I admit it. I just wanted to use that subject line.

Read the story about India’s Tata Motors, Jaguar, and Range Rover here.

Toxic Avenger II is a hoot.

The FDIC is mopping up:

Community Bank of West Georgia, Villa Rica, Ga., ain’t no more.

Nor is Neighborhood Community Bank, Newnan, Ga.

But wait! There’s more! It’s Billy DisMaying!

MetroPacific Bank Irvine, Calif.
Horizon Bank, Pine City, Minn.

Addendum, with the morning coffee:

Mirae Bank, Los Angeles, Calif.

Robert Reich explains what you can do.

Via Joe.

First Son made Captain, 82nd Airborne, United States Army.

I’m staying out of that fuss, other than to point and laugh at the wingnut warmongers, because I don’t know what’s going on over there and, frankly, I think no one else on this side of the Atlantic does either.

But for some good information that’s not in the media or Blogosphere spotlight, check out Poli Blog by political scientist Steven L. Taylor.

I’m not linking to a specific story, just to the front page. It’s a good place to start.

I nominate this as the anthem of the odious Southern Strategy of the Republican Party:

Tuesday, Triumph Brewing Company, 2nd and Chestnut, Philadelphia, Pa, 6 p.

I won’t be there. I’ll be saying good-bye to First Son who’s soon off for his third tour in a war zone.

From El Reg:

The council of Brooksville, Florida, has clamped down on malodorous city employees sporting Spandex halter tops and exotic piercings while further prejudicing the town’s “public image” by turning up for work without underwear.

Which city department will inspect for violations? Fire? Parks and Recreation? Public Works?

From Jamie Sanderson via Facebook.

The surf was nice.

From the UKofGBandNI Daily Mail via the Huffington Post: The formula used to calculate dinosaur size was flawed:

But a mathematical mistake involving logarithms meant that the dinosaur estimates were much too high, according to Dr Packard’s team.

Other dinosaurs were also brought down to size by the new calculations. They included Styracosaurus, reduced by 21% from 4,200 kilograms to 3,300kg, and Diplodocus, which shed 27% of its weight and fell from 5,500kg to 4,000kg.

As for me, at one time I could do logarithms, but I don’t think I ever actually understood them.

Travel day. Going south for the weekend.

Without additional comment:

Police say a man with an Uzi submachine gun has robbed five West Philadelphia businesses this week

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In honor of the odious Southern Strategy and the Republican Party: