Author: publius

Fools! I will destroy you all!!

ASFO 2026–02–07

The ethics of decarbonization, with aspects that perhaps don’t get enough discussion — the problem of funding scientific and technical research and development, in an international context — the South African peace dividend, the moral problem of the African National Congress, and the stupidity of attempts to sabotage the Koeberg nuclear power plant. And I don’t even get to talking about my new film transfers!

ASFO 2026–01–31

More evidence for my position that NASA should just pause operations during the last week of January and first week of February : a serious mishap to one of their three WB–57 Canberra high–altitude research aircraft. Also, my updated (and hopefully final!) travel plans, and a tiny bit of progress toward the token issue for the 75th anniversary of electric power generation by EBR–I.

Supplementary Show

2026–02–03 Audio from two recently–transferred educational films, The Transuranium Elements with Glenn Seaborg and collaborators, and Understanding Electricity.

ASFO 2026–01–24

Weather has disrupted my travel plans, and I spend most of the show talking about how that came about. Unfortunately the result of having to re–plan at short notice is a great deal of distraction and losing my train of thought, so I don’t manage to say much else of value.

ASFO 2026–01–17

NOBODY is going to Mars this year, for better or worse. I tell you how I know that. The launch vehicle for the NASA Artemis II mission is on its way to the launchpad, in preparation for a manned circumlunar flight which may launch sometime in the next three months, and a possible landing sometime in the coming years. Colour me unimpressed. Chancellor Merz of Germany admits that the nuclear exit was a mistake — again, colour me unimpressed. And I let you know of my upcoming travels, and my continuing anxiety over the US domestic and international political situations.

ASFO 2026–01–10

CRIMES against Peace — Lord Voldemort? — Nietzsche’s Superman as fast–food mascot — a brief discussion of the complicated situation in Venezuela — Putin working hard to get the spotlight back — escalating stupidity in Cowley County, Kansas — “carbon pollution”, literally — colossal stupidity in Japan — further progress, of a sort, with blast.

ASFO 2026–01–03

Senator Floyd Haskell provides an example of how not to do representative government ; controversy erupts in Cowley County, Kansas, and I suggest a rule which would substantially change the way “renewable energy development” is approached ; and some good news from Japan and South Korea, bad news from Belgium, and downright stupid news from the European Commission.

ASFO 2025–12–20

When the 30th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convenion on Climate Change spends virtually all its efforts on “Adaptation Finance”, you might be forgiven for thinking that plans for adaptation were already delineated and merely required financing ; and that, over the course of 30 years, plans for emissions reduction have been made and financed, and are well underway. Given that the Euratom Treaty is one of the three foundation documents of the European Union, you might be forgiven for expecting the European Commission to treat its obligation to produce, from time to time, an Illustrative Nuclear Program with utmost gravity and care. And yet…

ASFO 2025–10–25

Light Railway Orders were never meant as a way to extend your 381 mm gage live–steam garden railway 22 km to provide access to a nuclear power station, but here we are. Or, a day out on the Romney, Dymchurch, and Hythe. (More photos here — the best ones are free.)

ASFO 2025–10–18

The future should look like the future — all right, but what kind of future? Billions for defense, billions more for infrastructure, but to what avail? Also, novel forms of morality with nothing to recommend them, served piping fresh.

Supplementary Show

2025–10–24 Starting late and frequently interrupted, a ramble around London Saint Pancras and King’s Cross railway stations in search of a Folkestone bus pass. I swear it makes some kind of sense in context!