Apollo 11 Astronaut Michael Collins dies
Michael Collins, the command module pilot for the Apollo 11 mission that brought the first men to the Moon, Neil Armstrong and “Buzz” Aldrin, passed
away on April 28, 2021. The NASA Web site paid tribute. [4/28/2021]
Michael Collins dies »
Drone flies on Mars
An autonamous helicopter drone called Ingenuity made it first flight on Mars today, taking off, hovering at an altitude of 10 feet, safely landing,
and then shutting down. It was brought to Mars a few weeks ago by NASA's newest Martian Rover, Perseverance. It was the first flight of a human-built
aircraft in the atmosphere of another planet. NASA called it a “Wright Brothers moment on Mars.” Before the flight, the drone had to survive several nights of
Martian temperatures as low as -130° F. The 4-pound drone (about the same weight as JD's Typhoon H drones) flew for 40 seconds. [4/19/2021]
Drone flies on Mars »
Drones swarm USS Kidd
Last summer, a group of U.S, Navy ships were swarmed by numerous small drones. Documentary filmmaker Dave Beaty uncovered initial details about the events, centering on the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Kidd (DDG-100). That initial account described a tense encounter, culminating in the deployment of onboard intelligence teams. JD has flown his drone over the USS Kidd museumpiece anchored in the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge, but not over the current active Navy ship of the same name. Investigation details are emerging. [3/30/2021]
Drones swarm USS Kidd »
Michoud-built rocket tested at Stennis Space Center
JD’s buddies at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Center are celebrating today’s successful full-length engine test of the Artemis 1 core booster for the Space Launch System (SLS).
As in the days of the Apollo Saturn Moon rocket program, as well as the Space Shuttle External Tank program, the New Orleans East “rocket factory” turned out a winner.
Artemis comprises four new RS-25 engines. Together with two strap-on solid rocket boosters, the core stage will provide the thrust needed for a manned launch to the Moon
or beyond to Mars. The test took place at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. [3/18/2021]
Michoud rocket test »
Trump was right
In one of the few Trump election fraud cases actually decided on the merits rather than being tossed on a technicality, Trump has been declared right.
One of his "baseless claims" actually has a base, according to a Michigan judge. He says the Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson overstepped her
authority when she issued unilateral changes for absentee ballots in the state. [3/17/2021]
Trump right »
Drew Brees retires
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees announced his NFL retirement today (3/14/2021). His 20-year career comes to an end after 15 years with the Saints. He led the team to a Super Bowl win over Saint Archie Manning's son Peyton and the Indianapolis Colts in 2010. His Instagram post said, “I am only retiring from playing football, I am not retiring from New Orleans. This is not goodbye, rather a new beginning. Now my real life‘s work begins!” [3/14/2021]
Drew Brees retires »
Space Telescope Piracy?
Back in the mid-90's, when Space Shuttle External Tanks were built at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East, they were shipped on a barge to
Cape Canaveral for eventual launch. Once upon a time, a tug pulling an ET-laden barge lost power in a tropical storm , and was rescued by a commercial tanker.
Maritime salvage law allowed the tanker company to claim recovery reimbursement of millions of dallars. Could we have a similar situation with pirates demanding
ransom for a stolen James Webb Space Telescope? [3/13/2021]
Telescope piracy »
Louis Ottens, audio cassette inventor dies
Louis Ottens, inventor of the audio cassette tape, has died. The Dutch engineer passed away March 6, 2021 in Duizel, the Netherlands. No cause of death was provided.
He was a longtime engineer at Philips and as head of the product development department, he led a team that converted bulky tape recorders into a portable one.
He wanted to create a tape that could easily fit into his jacket pocket. Three years later, he introduced the cassette tape at an electronics fair in August 1963
with the slogan that said, “Smaller than a pack of cigarettes!” [3/11/2021]
Louis Ottens gone »
Zuckerberg-funded group infiltrated Green Bay Presidential election
This smells bad. Emails and documents obtained by the Wisconsin Spotlight allege that individuals affiliated with Mark Zuckerberg’s Center for Tech and Civic Life
took control of election procedures, including giving left-wing advisers “access to boxes of absentee ballots before the election.” investigations reveal the $1.6
million spent in the city of Green Bay led to the “infiltration of the November presidential elections by liberal groups and Democratic activists.” [3/11/2021]
Zuckerberg-funded election infiltration »
No Phase 3 for New Orleans
New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell has decreed that New Orleans will not accompany the rest of Louisiana into the more relaxed Phase 3 COVID restrictions
authorized 3/3/2021 by Governor John Bel Edwards. New Orleans will remain in its own modified phase 2. For the rest of Louisiana, businesses can increase capacity
and churches will have no limits on capacity. Live music will also be allowed indoors. Larger festivals or events will need permission from the state.
Meanwhile, Texas and Mississippi on either side of Louisiana have opened fully. [3/3/2021]
No Phase 3 for NOLA »
Drones to enforce New Jersey COVID restrictions
Elizabeth, New Jersey will deploy drones to surveil its population for violations of COVID restrictions, just like the Chinese Communist Party did.
The editorial board of the New Jersey Star-Ledger loves it! What about you? Are you a “knucklehead” who deserves to be nailed for exercising your
dwindling rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Sign up for MeWe and let JD know,
one way or the other. [3/2/2021]
Droning for COVID »
Metairie gun store shooting
If you're a bad guy with a gun, it's probably not a good idea to open fire in a crowded gun store. It happened today inside and outside Jefferson Gun Outlet,
a firearms store and shooting range in the 6700 block of Airline Drive in Metairie, LA. A preliminary investigation found that one man inside the business shot
two people to death before drawing fire from customers, employees. and other armed people. [2/20/2021]
Gun store shooting »
Cajuns in space
Hayley Arceneaux, a 29-year-old cancer survivor and Cajun from Baton Rouge has been named to the first all-civilian space flight crew. She'll ride a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into space later this year, along with 37-year-old billionaire Jared Isaacman — the CEO of the payment processing company Shift4 Payments — who purchased the private flight from SpaceX. Arceneaux is a physician's assistant at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, and will serve as the mission's Chief Medical Officer for the four-passenger flight.
Cajuns in space »
Perseverance lands on Mars
Another Mars rover has landed safely on Mars. Perseverance was winched down from its "sky crane," touching down on the Red Planet at 3:55 p.m. EST Thursday, 2/18/2021.
The unique landing maneuver successfully decelerated Perseverance from thousands of miles an hour to just 1.7 mph at touchdown. And because of an 11-minute delay in
transmissions from Earth to Mars, the rover did it all on its own – no human input was possible. [2/18/2021]
Perseverance lands »
Senate votes for Trump conviction, 70-44
After an extended overnigbt vote count conducted in Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Philadelphia due to the pandemic, the 100-member U.S. Senate has voted to
convict former President Donald Trump of inciting insurrection, 70-44. 67 votes were required for conviction. [Humor by Jay Douglas 2/12/2021]
Impeachment Vote »
Pentagon releases UFO info
The Pentagon has admitted to holding and testing wreckage from UFO crashes in a bombshell Freedom of Information letter. Researcher Anthony Bragalia wrote to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) requesting details of all UFO material, which they hold and results of any tests they had been carrying out on it. [2/13/2021]
Pentagon releases UFO info »
Biden vs. Louisiana
JD's old WTIX buddy Jeff Crouere showed up on this morning's Opinion Page in The Advocate. He compliments Louisiana voters for their good taste in Presidents. They didn't vote for Biden. [Opinion 2/11/2021]
Biden vs. Louisiana »
Reduce poverty, or raise unemployment?
The Advocate's 2/9/2021 headline on the Associated Press story read, "Report: $15 wage would reduce poverty." The New York Post headline re the
same Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report said, "Biden’s $15 minimum wage would cost 1.4 million jobs: CBO."
Poverty or employment? »
Supreme's Mary Wilson passes
Mary Wilson, a founding member of The Supremes, died February 8 at the age of 76. Wilson died suddenly at her home in Henderson, Nevada, on Monday.
A statement confirming her passing did not state a cause of death.
Mary Wilson passes »
New Orleans bars closed for Mardi Gras
Looks like Mardi Gras may as well move to Florida this year. All New Orleans bars will be closed, and no gathering allowed on Bourbon Street and elsewhere.
Some of the most quintessential elements of Mardi Gras, and the city itself, will be off limits, thanks to China virus fear. [2/5/2021]
Bars closed for Mardi Gras »
Florida Will Penalize Big Tech Unlawful Practices
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the consequences that big tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Google will face if they violate the privacy of
Floridians and interfere with citizens’ access to candidates during an election. The Republican governor criticized the manipulation of news and censorship
of certain individuals while detailing the new legislation’s harsh penalties during a press conference from the Florida Capitol on 2/2/2021. [2/5/2021]
Florida vs. Big Tech »
Does Biden want the Moon?
A good question for my friends at Michoud and Stennis Space Center: does President Biden want to send the country to the Moon again?
Democrat John F. Kennedy famously got us going the first time. But Trump wanted us to go again, and even created the U.S. Space Force.
Will Biden, like Obama did with Ares, cancel the program? [Opinion 1/31/2021]
Biden to the Moon? »
John Kerry admits zero US emissions goal won't help
John Kerry admits taking net US carbon emissions to zero won't make a dent in "climate change."
China and other countries will continue pouring carbon into Earth's atmosphere. More importantly,
there's no evidence that if every country took their emissions to zero that anything about
global temperature trends would change. Is “climate change” an existential threat? Maybe, but not likely.
Is losing one's job because of uninformed government policy on climate change an existential threat? Far
more likely.
Kerry admission »
Jimmie Rogers dies
Singer Jimmie Rogers died from kidney disease on January 18. The singer of the 1957 hits Honeycomb and Kisses Sweeter Than Wine had his career in music and movies disrupted by a severe head injury a decade later. He was 87. [1/23/2021]
Jimmie Rogers dies »
New drone rules published
New drone rules for certficated remote pilots have been published in the Federal Register on January 15. 2021, starting the clock running toward various effectivity dates.
Flying at night and over people will be permitted March 16, 2021 without a waiver. Remote ID will be required for most drones September 16, 2023. [1/19/2021]
New drone rules »
Phil Spector Dies at 81
Famed record producer Phil Spector has died at age 81 while serving a 19-years-to-life sentence for murdering actress Lana Clarkson. Spector had been hailed as a visionary for channeling Wagnerian ambition into the three-minute song, creating the “Wall of Sound” that merged spirited vocal harmonies with lavish orchestral arrangements to produce such pop monuments as Da Doo Ron Ron, Be My Baby, and He’s a Rebel. He also produced thhe original release of the Beatles album Let It Be. [1/17/2021]
Phil Spector dies»
The Missing Flu Riddle
Rates of influenza have remained persistently low through late 2020 and into 2021, cratering from levels a year ago and raising the puzzling specter of sharply reduced influenza transmission rates even as positive tests for COVID-19 have shattered numerous records over the last several weeks. Where have all the flu cases gone? [1/2/2021]
Missing Flu »
Phyllis McGuire gone at 89
The New York Times reports that Phyllis McGuire died Tuesday, December 29, 2020. She was the last of the living McGuire Sisters, a group with over a dozen hits in the late 50's. [1/1/2021]
Phyllis McGuire »