Happy Pi Day
(a.k.a. Cue the cleanup hitter)
Time to tie up some loose ends -- or rather, comment on some previous topics. First things first, though. Happy Pi Day (the day formerly known as 3/14). We're celebrating by visiting Eric and Jill for homemade pizza pi.
Anyway, to follow up on the January post "On Public Smoking Bans," Monday was significant because Gov. Kaine actually got the deal done. Yes, Virginia, starting December 1, 2009, the home state of Philip Morris USA, and the worlds largest cigarrette factory, smoking in bars and restaurants (with a few exceptions - private parties, patios, separate ventilation systems) will be PROHIBITED. This one's for you, Gov. Kaine.
And, while NASA's Kepler spacecraft had a successful start to its mission, the Shuttle Discovery is having issues getting off the ground. There's a leak in one of the hydrogen fuel lines that they just can't get fixed. Next launch window is tomorrow...after that we're looking at April. Here's hoping that we don't have to wait. Every delay makes our space program look older. Where's that shuttle replacement when we need it? Oh, here it is...just, you know, it isn't built yet, it's British, and it won't be designed for manned missions (at least to start...). Anyway, this one's for you, Kepler Spacecraft -- I'm following you on twitter: @NASAKepler
-Kal
1 comment:
Ha! Nice use of "Yes, Virginia."
Boston went to no smoking in bars a few years ago, and I was on the wrong side of history -- thinking (and arguing ad nauseum) it was overstepping govt's role, unfairly hurting the city businesses that would lose their customers to bars in the suburbs, etc, etc. But now I love being able to sit comfortably in a bar and not smell like an ashtray when I leave. Between the restrictions and the high taxes on cigarettes I know quite a few people who quit smoking because it just became too inconvenient. And I, who from time to time would bum a cigarette in a bar haven't had the opportunity to smoke in years - and don't miss it. So, it basically is all around making people like me healthier.
But I still feel a little weird about it. Isn't there supposed to be something wrong with Big Brother telling us what we can and can't put in our bodies, or what we can allow in our private businesses? Instead, things just got better.
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