This would be an absolute disaster for the United States. Whether or not it is Constitutional is another question but thats the way the Democrats operate. Do something insane and buy time until SCOTUS says you can't do that. LINK: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/pardon-undocumented-immigrants/ Here is my NEW Twitter handle: @PinballPrep Pinball Preparedness PO Box 93 Sharps Chapel, TN 37866 pinballpreparedness@mail2world.com

A spacecraft that can provide the propulsion necessary to reach other planets while also being reproducible, relatively light, and inexpensive would be a great boon to larger missions in the inner solar system. Micocosm, Inc., based in Hawthorne, California, proposed just such a system via a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. Its Hummingbird spacecraft would have provided a platform to visit nearby planets and asteroids and a payload to do some basic scouting of them. Large space missions are expensive, so using a much less expensive spacecraft to collect preliminary data on the mission target could potentially help save money on the larger mission’s final design. That is the role that Hummingbird would play. It is designed essentially as a propulsion system, with slots for radiation-hardened CubeSat components as well as a larger exchangeable payload, such as a telescope. The key component of the Hummingbird is its propulsion system. It uses a rocket engine that runs on hydrazine fuel. More importantly, it holds a lot of that fuel. A fully assembled system is expected to weigh 25 kg “Dry”—meaning without propellant installed—whereas a fully fueled “Wet” system would weigh an estimated 80 kg.  Travelling to a Lagrange Point is one of the things Hummingbird could do – Fraser explains why this points in space are important. That would give Hummingbird plenty of “oomph” – enough to bring its orbital speed up to an estimated 3.5 km/s delta-V, which is required for getting to hard-to-reach objects like some near-Earth asteroids. However, it could also reach other, larger places, like Mars or even Venus, the various Lagrange points, or even Mars’ moons. When it got there, the prototype of Hummingbird described in a paper presented back in 2013 would take images of its target world using an Exelis telescope. The manufacturer of this telescope has since been bought by Harris Systems, which was then rolled into L3Harris Technologies, the owner of Aerojet Rocketdyne. However, the authors stress that the payload itself was interchangeable and could be tailored to the mission that it was meant to scout. The Hummingbird bus was also the fuel tank, and it had additional slots for CubeSat components. These components could be used for further data collection or data analysis. However, the paper doesn’t necessarily mention how Hummingbird would handle standard CubeSat operations, like attitude control or communications back to a ground station. A CubeSat has already made its way to Mars – as described in the JPL video.Credit – NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory YouTube Channel Those could likely have been worked out in future iterations. Additionally, the final design was published before the dramatically reduced cost of getting to orbit, which is now available – the authors don’t even mention a “Falcon” as a potential launch service. A lot has changed in the space industry in the last 11 years. Still, the idea behind Hummingbird, an inexpensive, adaptable platform for preliminary scouting missions to interesting places in the inner solar system, has yet to see its day in the Sun – the project did not appear to receive a Phase II SBIR grant, which could have continued its development. But maybe, someday, it or a similar system will see the light of interplanetary space. Learn More:C. Taylor et al – Hummingbird: Versatile Interplanetary Mission ArchitectureUT – What Happened to those CubeSats that were Launched with Artemis I?UT – A CubeSat Mission to Phobos Could Map Staging Bases for a Mars LandingUT – We Could SCATTER CubeSats Around Uranus To Track How It Changes Lead Image:Computer-generated mockup of the Hummingbird spacecraftCredit – C. Taylor et al. The post A Cheap Satellite with Large Fuel Tank Could Scout For Interplanetary Missions appeared first on Universe Today.

Lots of things out in the Universe can cause a supernova, from the gravitational collapse of a massive star, to the collision of white dwarfs. But most of the supernovae we observe are in other galaxies, too distant for us to see the details of the process. So, instead, we categorize supernovae by observed characteristics such as the light curves of how they brighten and fade and the types of elements identified in their spectra. While this gives us some idea of the underlying cause, there are still things we don’t entirely understand. This is particularly true for one particular kind of supernova known as Type Ia. You have likely heard of Type Ia supernovae because they are central to our understanding of cosmology. They have an important characteristic of having a uniform maximum brightness. This means we can observe their apparent brightness, compare it to their actual brightness, and calculate their distance. For this reason, they are often referred to as standard candles, and they were the first way we learned that the Universe is not just expanding; it’s accelerating under the influence of dark energy. From the spectra of these supernovae, we can see that the initial brightness is powered by the radioactive decay of nickel-56, while much of the later brightness comes from the decay of cobalt-56. We also see the presence of ionized silicon near peak brightness, which no other type of supernova has. This tells us that Type Ia supernova are not caused by the core collapse of a star, but rather some kind of thermal runaway effect. Single progenitor of a Type Ia Supernova. Credit: NASA, ESA and A. Feild (STScI) The most popular model for Type Ia supernovae is that they are caused by the collapse of a white dwarf. When a white dwarf is part of a close binary with an aging red giant, the white dwarf can capture some of the companion’s outer layer. Over time, the white dwarf captures enough mass that it crosses the Chandresekhar limit, which triggers the supernova. Since the Chandrasekhar limit is always at 1.4 solar masses, this would explain why Type Ia supernovae always have the same maximum brightness. But as we’ve observed ever more supernovae, we’ve learned that Type Ia supernovae don’t always have the same maximum brightness. There are some that are particularly brighter, with weaker silicon lines in their spectra and stronger iron lines. There are some that are much dimmer than usual, with strong titanium absorption lines. This doesn’t prevent their use as standard candles since we can identify them by the spectra and adjust our brightness calculations accordingly, but it does suggest that the single progenitor model is incomplete. Illustration of colliding white dwarf stars. Credit: European Southern Observatory One possibility is that some Type Ia supernovae are caused by white dwarf collisions. Given the calculated number of binary white dwarf systems, collisions can’t account for all supernovae of this type, but stellar collisions are known to occur, and they wouldn’t be bound by the Chandresekhar limit, thus allowing for supernovae that are brighter or dimmer than usual. It’s also possible that some Type Ia supernovae are caused by accretion from a close companion, but the resulting supernova doesn’t destroy the white dwarf, which could explain the dimmer subtypes of these supernovae. Right now, there are lots of possibilities, and we simply don’t have enough data to pinpoint causes. But the good news is that with new observatories and sky surveys such as Rubin Observatory coming online soon, we will gather a wealth of observational data, particularly from supernovae that occur within our own galaxy. This will provide us with the information we need to finally solve this longstanding astronomical problem. Reference: Ruiter, Ashley J., and Ivo R. Seitenzahl. “Type Ia supernova progenitors: a contemporary view of a long-standing puzzle.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.01766 (2024). The post Do We Really Know What Becomes a Type Ia Supernova? appeared first on Universe Today.

They played their debut show in October. Continue reading…

Hitting the road. J.R. Carroll is taking advantage of Zach Bryan's break from touring. If you are unfamiliar with J.R. Carroll, you might have seen him alongside his good friend Zach Bryan on stage. While Carroll is a stellar addition to ZB's band, his solo work is also noteworthy. And if you haven't checked that out, there is no better time to fire up his debut record, Dark Cloud. Last week, the Oklahoma native released his debut album, which was a long time coming for his fans. Four and a half years after the release of his first single, the wait finally ended, and boy, was the wait worth it. J.R. Carroll dropped a masterpiece of a record. Before Carroll released the collection of ten songs to his fans, he shared a lengthy thank you letter to everyone who has supported him throughout his journey thus far. While many paragraphs thanked his peers and those who helped make Dark Cloud come to life, the last paragraph thanked his listeners, showing Carroll's gratitude for his fans. "Last, but certainly not least, thank you to everyone who has listened and supported and come out to shows over the past few years. I’ve been blessed enough to not have to rush to follow every trend, or chase every viral moment, and that’s in large part due to every single one of you who was patient enough to stick around while I tried to get better and make something that was worth hearing. I hope very much that y’all enjoy listening to this record as much as my friends and I enjoyed making it for you. Thank you thank you thank you a million times over." https://www.instagram.com/p/DDNrpmIvdyG/ J.R. Carroll is thanking his fans even more, bringing the songs they love from Dark Cloud to the stage. Today, Carroll announced his 2025 headlining tour, the Hometown Hero Tour. Named after the lead single from this project, the Hometown Hero Tour is hitting quite a few towns starting in March of 2025. Touring through May, Carroll's ten-stop tour compliments the ten-track record. While Carroll will be the headlining act each night, he's bringing along Gabriella Rose. Rose has gained viral attention on TikTok for her sensational single "Doublewide." And while there is a very high chance you've heard that track from her, Rose's catalog is filled with gritty twangers inspired by being brought up in the church. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDXRIM-xcn1/ These two are the real deal with the music they are putting out; seeing them both in one night is one helluva bill. If Carroll stops at a city near you, run... don't walk to get tickets. He is just as good live as he is on his studio recordings. While you're here, fire up one of my favorites from Dark Cloud. "Never Knew Your Name" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kJZxPNjuNw Hometown Hero Tour Dates: 3/27/25- The Woodlands, TX - Dosey Doe 3/28/25- Fort Worth, TX- Tulips 3/29/25- Oklahoma City, OK- Beer City Music Hall 4/3/25- St. Louis, MO- Old Rock House 4/4/25- Chicago, IL- Carol's Pub 4/5/25- Indianapolis- IN- HI-FI Indy 4/30/25- Nashville, TN- Exit In 5/1/25- Decatur, GA- Eddie's Attic 5/2/2025- Lexington, KY- The Burl 5/3/25- Knoxville, TN- Open Chord Music

As country music consumers, we always like to think that significant traumas, breakups, great loves, or losses inspired songs we deeply relate with. It's comforting in a weird way to believe that the artist or songwriter who penned the lyrics can empathize with feelings you might be experiencing in your own life, and their lyrics become therapy to you. While there is truth in the statement that lyrics are therapy, we often forget that songwriters are storytellers in their field, and not all songs are inspired by these profound, moving experiences. If they were...oof...that's a lot of therapy every artist needs to unpack the emotions portrayed through their songs. Zach Bryan is one of those artists who often writes deeply moving lyrics, but his backstories are not always as profound as one might think. ZB has opened up about what has inspired some of his lyrics, but recently, fans have picked up that his stories on stage during recent shows do not match what he's said has previously inspired their favorite songs. It first started when ZB told fans what inspired "28." After previously stating on Twitter that he and his ex-girlfriend, Brianna, were scared they might lose their puppy, Boston, and that terrifying experience inspired the track. “Boston, our puppy was going into surgery, and I told Brianna, “How lucky are we?” to have -had- a puppy so beautiful, and she came out of it just fine; I wrote it the next day because I felt like the luckiest man on the planet.” That story was far from what he told fans on the last leg of the Quittin' Time Tour: “I wrote this song because one night I and all the boys were bowling in New York City, and I felt lucky to have each and every one of them. And I was so glad to be alive, I wrote a song called ’28.'”  After going through a very public breakup with Brianna, I can't blame the man for wanting to re-brand a song that he has to sing every night on stage, but it's better to leave it as is than make up another story about what inspired the track. Or maybe you weren't telling the truth the first time, maybe it was a half-truth... either way, there's a well-documented record of everything you say on stage. While fans raised an eyebrow at his choice that night, they once again are cocking their heads as ZB shared a different story than what he's previously stated for what inspired "Something In The Orange." Bryan said the profound lyrics were not inspired by a significant life event when the song was released. He said a beautiful sunset he saw while staying in a Wisconsin cabin sparked his creativity to pen the beloved track. “‘Something In the Orange’ was a weird song because everyone thinks it was over some deep, dark thing. And it was just me in a cabin in Wisconsin. And I was like, I thought about the word orange, and I was watching the sunset, and I was like, ‘Oh, that’s a cool story to tell in a song,’ you know?” During a recent show, ZB is again changing the backstory. "Everyone thinks 'Something In The Orange' is some deeply rooted song. One time, I got stood up on a date, and I wrote it. That's the whole story."  While I understand that when explaining what might have inspired songs, the stories will not be word for word each time, but jumping from a sunset he saw from a cabin to a first date is too different to make these two stories feel connected in some way. @beccajoyy7 girl thank you ? #zachbryan #concert #fyp ♬ original sound - Becca ZB has been open about his personal struggles this year. However, this makes fans question his authenticity as an artist, and he keeps switching up the stories about where he draws inspiration. Check out some of the comments left on the post: "He is changing the backstories on his songs all the time." "'Cold Damn Vampires' is about a Verizon wireless bill, lol." "Wait he told a different story two years ago about this song? Lmao, confused." "I don’t think he even knows his own truth anymore." "Has he even had enough time between any relationship to go on a date?" "He’s changed the meaning of this song alone at least 3 times. Not to mention how many other times he’s changed the meaning behind his other songs." Who knows... maybe it's a little bit of both in some weird way. Regardless of what inspired the songs, fans connect with them unlike anything we've seen in recent memory. Zach's ability to resonate with the listener is why he's become the superstar that he has, in a relatively short amount of time. Despite his flaws and faults (we all have them), which he writes about a lot, he's a heart-on-his-sleeve kind of guy, and fans absolutely love him for it. Give the studio version a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA8F9sIhGdg&pp=ygUYbXpvbWV0aGluZyBpbiB0aGUgb3Jhbmdl

Simply inspiring. Several weeks ago during a tour stop in Indianapolis, Indiana at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for his Beautifully Broken Tour, Jelly Roll visited Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility to talk with the young men who are currently in custody there. He's been making stops at prisons and juvenile facilities all over the country during this tour, speaking with inmates and showing them that there's hope beyond the walls of prison, speaking from very personal experience and it's been really amazing to see. But up until now, we haven't really seen his full speech before, and the Indiana Department of Correction shared a video of it and it's really inspiring and a neat peak into this side of Jelly Roll and what's so important to him. He encouraged the boys to take their "fearlessness" and apply it to something they're really passionate about in order to stay out of trouble and turn their life around: "Two things I want y'all to know. The smartest kids I ever met in my life was in the juvenile with me. The smartest men I ever met was in prison. The most driven people ever ever met, the hardest working people I ever met, were stone cold drug addicts or stone cold drug dealers. To this day, I’ve never seen more talent, more songwriting, more spirit, more energy than I’ve ever seen in these walls, man. Because I know anybody that is fearless as y'all are to be in this facility, to live in this, and to have to wake up every day in the unknown in these kinds of environments, if you could apply that same kind of fearlessness to anything else in life... that's what I realized about me, man. I realized that this didn't make me f****d up, this made me special. That's what changed my perspective, y'all. Whenever I finally quit looking at myself like a victim of the system, and I started realizing that, man, I might be as smart as some of these dudes in here, I might be able to figure this out. I'll tell y'all what I know, I know that I went to jail and juvenile the first time, and I could barely read and write. To this day, I'm the most articulate person I know. You know why? I had to talk my way out of a bunch of sh*t, I had to figure my way through the system for 10 years as a kid... some of y'all are the most charismatic kids on earth." He also perform his song "The Hate Goes On" for them, and handled it brilliantly when one of the boys wasn't paying attention and talking to others rather than paying attention (obviously, he has a lot of experience, but still, it was amazing to watch): "Here's the deal, man. That is exactly how I expected that to go. And I expect if I sit here for 15 more minutes and let y'all talk to each other, five more kids would stand up with something to say. Because that's how it works, that's expression. Don't ever lose that, whether you try to do it for a living or not, man, being in a place like this and not being able to get the thoughts out of you is so special, man. Whether you want to rap it to me or not, that's cool, just keep writing it, though... tell y'all the truth man, I'm not no f****n' phony dude that comes in here to talk to y'all. I talk to y'all 'cuz I love y'all, I've been in this motherf****** for real, for real. Been through it three for four times, looked 50 years in the face and turned it over, been to the big prison, been stabbed, been shot, I'm a grown f****n' man in here dog. And I believe in y'all, and I love you. Period. I think y'all can turn this thing around, man." It's easy to think he's already inspired hundreds and even thousands of young men and grown men in juvenile facilities and real prison alike, and the fact that Jelly Roll takes the time out of his day at all of his tour stops is really impressive, and quite literally the definition of "putting your money where your mouth is." You can watch the full speech here, and I'd highly recommend it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppXajbwTkkM

Donald Trump announced Sunday his selection of Michael Anton to be the director of policy planning at the State Department under the prospective secretary, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). Anton held a position on the National Security Council during Trump’s first administration, and was also appointed by the president to the National Board for Education Sciences. Michael Anton will become Director of Policy Planning at the State Department. Michael served me loyally and effectively at the National Security Council in my First Term. He has an extensive background in Government, the private sector, and academia. He spent the last eight…— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) December 9, 2024 Anton is a notable thinker associated with the New Right. He studied at the Claremont Institute under Harry V. Jaffa and has written a number of notable pieces for Claremont publications over the years, including the famous essay “The Flight 93 Election.” The post Anton to Lead State Department Policy Planning appeared first on The American Conservative.