Quick space links

A good summary of the recent news here (via),and Rand Simberg has a very good piece at Popsci explaining why it is a better policy (a lot of the moaning seems to be bemoaning the lack of a heavy lifter, which as Rand argues isn't necessary or particularly desirable. Seems to be they need to be reminded of Heinlein's 'Halfway to anywhere' line)

Sora no woto 6- holy f*ck!

I swear to god my jaw nearly hit the floor when Noel and Kureha gunned down a bunch of mobsters!














Initially I thought, who that's a hell of a swerve in direction, will the show now get darker and edgier?

Sadly no, was all a cunning ruse to scare off some real mobsters.














Though don't think Rio needed to act that much.
Other random thought- where the hell was Noel hiding that gun? Hammerspace?














Felicia makes an amazing mafia boss, I'm sure she could make you an offer you couldn't refuse (served with a nice cup of tea no doubt)

Overall though more of the same, though did like how the two plot elements (the run in with the mobsters and Kanata's day off) intersected like in the Simpsons episode Trilogy of Error.

Most interesting revelation this week was that the girls make extra income by bootlegging Calvados

F*ck yeah screw monopolies and tax laws!
At least the war hasn't caused production of crappy souvenir T-shirts to cease!

Final though- is Kanata copping an eyeful here? (liked how she'd also always wanted to touch Rios hair. The yuri is strong in this one)

Book pile update 19

Finished reading How to be Good on Friday, was quite enjoyable but ended a bit abruptly.

While was out on Friday bought 1848: Year of Revolution by Mike Rapport and White Heat by Dominic Sandbrook in the cheapy shop near work, plus the other week got Woken Furies by Richard Morgan in a closeout sale at a branch of Head.

Still on thepile:
Shootin' the Sh*t by Kevin Smith
Finest and Darkest Hours by Kevin Jefferys
Diaries-Into Politics by Alan Clarke
On Liberty by John Sturt Mills
The Theory and Practice of Communism by R. N. Carew
Hunt How to Live Forever or Die Trying by Bryan Appleyard
The Reconstruction of Warriors by E. R. Mayhew
Nudge by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein
The Lunar Men by Jenny Uglow
The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker
The Half Life of Stars by Louise Wener
Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
Churchill by Roy Jenkins
Islands by Dan Sleigh
The Bumper book of Government waste 2008 by Matthew Elliot and Lee Rotherham
The Virtues of Capitalism by Arthur Seldon
The Open Society and its Enemies vol 1 by Karl Popper
Letters from Iowa Jima by Kumiko Kakehashi
The Bomb in my Garden by Mahdi Obeidi
Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy by Joseph Schumpeter

Getting bigger again!

A quick link and a video

Finally science does something worthwhile, while this video is pure win;

(via)

Another weekend over

Started badly with a late train caused by a suicide attempt, which had no seats when it did turn up. Then when I got to work the job I had to do first thing was cancelled for various reasons

Went to a Japanese noodle bar for lunch and a Greek/Turkish place for dinner, then Sat went for an Indian after watching the rugby. Had my fill of eating out this week! Rest of the weekend was fairly quiet, and this week not got anything planned except going to the doctors at some point to get some booster shots for my travels, and a date on Wednesday...

UK reactions to new space policy

Hasn't been much comments that I've seen that get the whole commercial aspect of the new policy, have mainly been focusing on the cancelling of Constellation and (esp in the Telegraph) how it shows Obama'a lack of statesmanship.

I did see a good bit in the Economist tonight, though I was disappointed by this bit:

Much has been made of the fact that NASA will, as a consequence of Constellation’s cancellation, have to rely on private firms to send its astronauts to the international space station once the space shuttle is withdrawn. In many ways, though, this is the least interesting aspect of what is happening, (emphasis mine) for what Mr Obama proposed is actually a radical overhaul of the agency.

Bit depressing for a supposedly free market magazine not to be interested in what is essential the privatization of manned spaceflight, though not as depressing as the comments who seem to have never heard of NewSpace and only think of evil companies taking the taxpayer for a ride.

Thoughts on Daybreakers

Quite enjoyed the movie last night, despite there being a glut of Vampire stuff at the moment (bit unfortunate that the main characters name was Edward IMO!). The premise of a Vampire society was interesting , though I did find the idea that Chrysler would still be in business in 2019 more unbelievable than the vampires.

Other big problem I had was with the economy of this world- the vamps. deserved to die out for piss poor resource management IMO. Their attitude to their sole food source was to hunt them down in the wild and suck dry. Hint guys, making Humans isn't hard, teenagers manage to do it by accident all the time. I found it most implausible they didn't have a breeding programme going.

Also, was bit odd how they were putting so much effort into developing a blood substitute (ignoring for now that they waited 10 years until they really needed it), GM anyone? Given we've been making transgenic animals for 10 years or so, plus been working on cloning a similar amount of time I couldn't see why they hadn't been cranking out cloned or transgenic blood for ages, esp if they worlds R&D was working on it (let's face it, not much else for Pfizer and co to do now everyone is immortal and never gets sick)

Despite that, and the downer ending was an enjoyable enough films with a few blood-curdling gory moments. Recommended.

Mid week update

Busy couple of days, Tuesday was at the ASI for the Next Generation, catching up with some of the LPUK guys (speaking of which, one pointed out this awesome video to me:)

Yesterday went to the cinema to see Daybreakers (more on that later), while today was a bit crappy.

Started badly when the train was late and were no seats (again!), then was rushing round like a blue arsed fly all day trying to get too much done and topped it all by tearing a glove in the isolator was doing commissioning on.

Still, tonight have been taking it easy, catching up on this weeks shows and booked day trips for when am in Sydney area- when in London the other night got some details fro STA, but in the end booked directly online. Decided on a day in the Blue Mountains on the Wednesday and day in Hunter Valley on the Friday, worked out £37 for each. Just over 5 weeks to go now!

Tomorrow am out again after work for a leaving do, and Saturday will be going to watch Rugby in a pub in Gravesend (not going to ALCL this time)

Lacking motivation..

..to post much at the moment.

Still really tired tonight from the weekend, even though had plenty of sleep. Yesterday did a few bits and bobs round the house like putting up a curtain pole and some pictures, and had an early night.

Big news today though was the new US space policy, lots of details at Hobbyspace (more stuff on the main page) and reactions at Transterrestrial. If this plays out as proposed may actually get a decent programme, and a shocking decent decision by Obama.

On the anime front, bought Mahoromatic complete series on DVD this weekend (only £10 in HMV), so have been watching that. Of the new shows this season, have dropped Dance in the Vampire Bund, don't have anything to say on Sora no Woto so far, likewise Hanamaru Kindergarten and Baka test while Ladies V Butlers is too full on (though a yuri scene this week did perk up my eyebrows).

Tomorrow am out in London again at the ASI

Libertarian video links of the day

Via Instapundit, Reason's Nick Gillespie:

London Tokyo day and other wanderings

Another day consisting of epic amounts of walking round London.

First stop was the Queen Elizabeth 2 conference centre for Tokyo day in London. Was pretty much a tourist info event, with hotels and airlines queuing up to give you leaflets for their services. However were a few other bits of interest. There was an anime screening programme, but was all either really old or 'educational kids shows. (only thing recent was Tokyo Magnitude 8.0). At least there were a few cosplayers;






























































Next item of interest, a display of toys. Look who was in the cabinet;
















































Yep, Railgun's Mikoto and Kuroko! I don't think they were for sale though (no price tags on them). Were also demo's of paper folding, sushi making, and kendo

After this got the tube down to South Kensington to the V&A to see the forged art exhibit. Was quite interesting to see the lengths forgers go to. Does also raise interesting questions about the value of art, some of the works showed a high degree of skill and dedication, yet because were made by a guy in a shed in Bolton instead of by an ancient Egyptian is worthless.

Finally, after a brief wander round the east Asia galleries went next door to the Science museum to see my old friend Black Arrow R4.

Was also an exhibit on Dan Dare and post war Britain. Was vaguely amusing how nostalgic it was for the Butskellism era of stae-directed industry and the founding of the welfare state.

After I'd had enough of museums got the tube back to Leicester square and had a wander found the shops to Covent Garden before getting the train back to Gravesend then walking round to Mums.

Altogether probably did about 3 hours worth of walking today, got very sore feet now!

29 today

or 30-1 as I keep telling myself.

Despite having to go to work (for the first time in about 5 years) has been an OK day. Went out for lunch with the guys at work to Aji and for dinner with my Mum and brother this evening.

Got a few DVD's, a coat and nice bit of cash to spend in Australia. Speaking of which, last night went to the STA Victoria branch for the launch of their world traveller internship. It seems like a good opportunity, but sadly don't think will be able to get the time off work when for it. Plus am supposed to be in Hong Kong in June anyway. Really must decide which excursions will do, got a few ideas yesterday but need to do a bit more research.

As for the week ahead, am meeting up with the LA conference group Friday and Saturday want to go to the forgery exhibit on at the V&A, plus there's a Tokyo day at the QE2 conference centre want to go to as well.

Quick link 15

Had a really busy weekend and am out again tomorrow, but had to post this story of how much of an impact Lucky Star has had on Washimiya.

K-ON! 14: worst gig ever?

Seriously, for an extra episode called 'Live house' is it too much to ask for a whole song or two? All we got was about 30 seconds of fuwa fuwa time in the background while Sawako chatted to her old bandmate?

While were a few good moments had better be some good performances in the second series. Highlights this epsiode:

Yui delusions- wonder if the 'kira kira' is a reference to a certain game? That would be an awesome gig line up- what would Mugi make of Shikako? Outfits in the fantasy were great too, Mio looks a bit like Adam Ant gone wring. Would have been much better than the school uniforms (recon Kyoani were being lazy with character designs this ep, the manager woman was wearing the same outfit throughout)

Mio's cowering when meeting the other bands was also funny,

The other bands outfits were pretty interesting, annoying didn't get to see the two goth-loli girls perform (they'd better do the music festival the girls go to in the third year justice) Interesting names too, liked the sound of 'Cheeky Chicks' (homage to the Cheeky Girls?), while 'Death Bang Bang Chickens should be supporting DMC (best band for Afterschool tea time to play with IMO- L7, esp if they repeated their trick from Reading '92. Mio and Mugi's reactions to that would be priceless)

Yui's nosebleed makes this piece fanart I found ages ago seem very prophetic

Other great scene was Yui trying to decide where to stick her backstage pass (Must resist urge to make a joke about...)

Dame shame we didn't get Azu-nyan in a tiger bikini. S2 better have more fanservice, are you listening Kyoani?

Though did like how Azu0nyan was attempting to spoon Yui

Finally great scene was Azu-nyan wearing the tiger ears out to watch a sunrise, then going 'nyan' when was pointed out to her. No going back now, her fate is definitely to be working in a maid cafe in Akihabara.

So that's it then for S1, as already mentioned I want more music, more fan service for S2, and ideally the girls going pro and getting into hard drugs, sex and alcohol. By the end I want Yui to OD and Mio in rehab- that would really piss off the fanboys!

More seriously, as long as is cuteness, cake, Azu-nyan wearing cat ears, Mio cowering and Mugi's yuri goggles will be happy.