David Burbach 🇺🇸🌹

But I do know what you mean. Talking to some very earnest but naive Boomer academics a while ago, it was clear they simply could not imagine that anyone in modern America would have any knowledge of nazi iconography.

His own posts from 10 years ago show he knew exactly what it was! I'd definitely give slack to a military kid who just got one, but we know in his own words he did! And damn unlikely in context of where/when he didn't find out right quick.

What does this even mean? There's already a market price. If that's not yielding enough for DOD, then... offer more $$$? Do you need "AI" for that? What am I missing? (see @uticaeric.bsky.social for more)

He understood the tattoo years ago, that's indisputable from his prior online posts about it long before running

No, not quite, not in the sense of "here's a website fill it out if you want" which is totally bogus. THis is like cold calling phones except doing it online or via sms. Legit method though big variance in how well executed. Still, given the margin I'd be stunned if Platner ahead isn't 'real'.

Another Florida bird (no idea what it is)

man Bernie's "he couldn't help getting a Nazi tatoo the military broke his brain like they do to all soldiers" comment steamed me

"helpless" in a closely divided Senate (which it will be even if D control)? Ask Manchin or Sinema or Fetterman about that.

That said, I'm recent decades OR has trended more educated, higher income, more urban, less natural resource dependent, more diverse relative to ME.

Partly I'm used to thinking of ME and my native state of OR having a lot of electoral similarities -- historically true -- and with those red flags Platner wouldn't have a chance in a contemporary OR Dem primary.

Poll out today shows Platner up 2:1 over Mills in Maine among D primary voters and Id love it if someone could explain this to me

Snow arch is kinda cool

Some tautaun activity observed

That's an 8ft tall fence. Our heat pump to the right

Good morning from the ice planet Hoth

So if the only engagement im likely to get is being snitch tagged to sean parnell, it doesn't feel like there's much point. But while my ego doesn't like "no one notices me there" sadly there is a lot of professionally relevant news and discourse.

At the same time the maga milbligger crowd is getting more aggressive about going after disloyal pme faculty. One prolific X poaster who is now an acreddited Pentagon press corps member has a personal vendetta against me specifically.

Ditto, even replying to non Nazis on professional topics. As a test this weekend I tried posting engagement bait of some cute cat pics, my recent rocket launch trip, and our ridiculous snow fall. Nada. One or two likes. Feels like a shadowban.

Remembering a bit of warm from Florida recently (Merritt Island NWR)

I'm all for it!

It solves the problem of MOAR STUFF IN SPACE, which is apparently important, for some reason

Good news! Elon's million satellites busy generating AI-girlfriend 👀s will be just as visible from Afghanistan or Antarctica as they are from Arlington!

So, I admit to being a bit jaded at my age, and view "this time it's real!" claims with a grain of salt. There's a lot of motivated reasoning, probably sincere but rationalizing to yourself is the first step! Maybe this time it IS real, but "we need a killer space app" is a red flag, not a feature

On the "terrestrial better cheaper", I routinely see solar power satellite studies that assume today's solar cell and battery specs even as they talk about solar satellites 10 - 15 years from now, after big R&D money. Let alone ruling out breakthroughs in fusion, etc.

There's a long history of the space advocacy community glomming on to what appears to be the killer app that this time, finally, will be real. And so far they generally don't pan out, often it turns out terrestrial applications get better and cheaper even faster

Sure, but there are many many sincere advocates who aren't just long on space and short on liquidity

Of course, many advocates don't see it that way. Space is the point, because it's space (at the scary extreme was my state's L-5 society prez back in the 80s who said he'd burn down every last tree on Earth if that gave us a 'spacefaring civiliation' somehow)

It makes sense to try to find uses if you've literally invested in space, your career is as rocket builder, etc. But from a societal standpoint, again, who cares? If something is profitable and practical in space, great. But doing it * IN SPACE * is neutral, not a good in itself

Thread captures a reason my first instinct is skpeticism: many space advocates are so desperate for a 'space killer app', be it solar power satellites, missile defense, zero-g mfg, or now, data centers.

It's a backwards question. If space makes sense, great, if not, who cares?