Shapiro disagrees pretty strongly against the whole Trumpist nationalism stuff. He has pretty moderate immigration positions, and doesn’t buy the protectionist economic policies that Trump ran on.

It ended up being just a protest, but they were trying to prevent him from speaking. Ben Shapiro can be a rude asshole, but that doesn’t make him intolerant.

Between electric motors and all the traction control Tesla’s use, I don’t think “wrecking the drivetrain” is really an issue.

I’ve seen skilled trackhoe operators (we don’t call them excavators in the South) walk their way along with mats in muddy creek beds that would swallow a truck whole. They’re handy if you know what you’re doing.

I’ve never really tried to rent any heavy equipment personally. Always been through a company. In any case, they had no idea what they were doing.

Of all the heavy equipment they could have rented, they went with a backhoe. The worst thing they could have used. A dozer with a winch or trackhoe with a timber mat would be ideal, even a decently sized tractor would work.

Most Americans respect Russian engineering, but not Russian manufacturing or quality control.

Roscosmos is not what it used to be.

This was a big issue with MIR. You have to be very careful about cleaning and what you introduce when you station can never come home for a good cleaning. I know the US/ESA/JAX crew members don’t usually eat with the Russians anymore. I think they eat in Node 1 (Unity). Maybe that’s why.

I doubt SRBs will ever be used for crewed flight again. Too many inherent dangers and much worse for the environment than any conventional liquid fuels.

Bingo. SpaceX will be safer, cheaper, and more politically stable.

The school buses are there to prevent crazy people from driving trucks or car bombs into it. I think it’s standard when parked in a civilian airport, but usually with box trucks or dump trucks, not school buses.

The 10 year sunset was required by procedural rules. Tax cuts are almost always renewed. Obama renewed the Bush tax cuts twice.

Have you seen the most recent Tax Policy Center reports? Most people’s taxes will go down. Only 5% will see an increase.

Rewatch that Rogue One scene. Only one ship crashes into the Star Destroyer, and it hasn’t even started to jump yet.

Second stage is kind of a big deal (that engine is not cheap). But I would argue that disposable fairings/nose cones don’t really make much difference, especially small ones like the one used on the Dragon.

Wait...y’all have high speed internet? Who knew!

While this is a major milestone, and the 20th time SpaceX has landed a booster, it is not entirely reused.

The Grumman Goose was originally designed so Wall Street bankers could commute from Long Island to the Financial District. Taking off from your own dock would eliminate a lot of the issues with taxiing/tower clearance.

My dad had to do this once at a Cadillac dealership. Dealer parked an optioned-out display model in front of the fire hydrant. Couldn’t go back in to get the keys so they busted out the windows.