In Engineering, there is always a tradeoff between safety and simplicity. With more and more redundant systems, there is a greater risk of something failing and causing a catastrophic error.
NASA had an error that resulted in the loss of a US$278 million satellite, the Orbiting Carbon Observatory; designed to observe the flow and ebb of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.
It is unknown what NASA is planning on doing to replace the fallen device.
Both Cosmic Variance and The Gauge Connection has puzzled over This Abtruse Goose webcomic.
It is believed the first paragraph refers to The Matrix, while the last is from Ocean’s 11. I believe the second paragraph is a badly butchered Transformers quote.
Yahoo has said that some Republican governors have decided to shun their share of the stimulus package.
Pearson Cross, a political scientist at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, said fiscally conservative governors may be able to give themselves political cover by turning down small portions of the stimulus money, like health care dollars requiring a state match, that they might not fully use anyway.
As we all know, little things like healthcare aren’t important anyway. After all, who needs their heath?
According to The UK Telegraph esteemed actor Tom Hanks will be switching on the LHC once it is repaired next June or July.
I no longer have the link, but I read that the LHC will be running during the winter to maximise data runs. Due to high energy prices, the LHC usually shuts down for the winter.
