Starting (somehow) from a British condiment known as clotted cream, I discuss various world problems which I would not advise trying to solve with nuclear energy or space travel, or for which I have no particular solution, including French pension funding and the supply of paper in India. Of course, I end up circling back to the topic of the current fuel stringency, the absurdity of measures being advocated to deal with it, and the possibilities of a global Messmer Plan.
Supplementary ShowTag: supplementary shows
ASFO 2022–03–12
Not my most edifying, informative, or entertaining show ever, by a long chalk. It’s thirty minutes of sheer, uninterrupted “something has gone horribly wrong with the humans on this planet and I need to vacate, soonest.”
Supplementary ShowASFO 2022–03–05
The rent is too damn’ high! But what does that have to do with the crisis in Ukraine? I have ideas about that. (Also, the people on this planet are insane, and I want a billion dollars so I can leave for elsewhere.)
2 Supplementary ShowsASFO 2022–02–19
After skipping a week because I was unfortunately busy about other things, I start off by discussing a beautiful photo calendar commemorating the Gundremmingen nuclear power station, created not by the plant owners, but by the local parish priest! This leads into more of my interminable bitter ranting about the German energy policy, and an attempt at analysis of an € 85 000 PV+hydrogen “home total energy solution” which is now being offered on the market. But also I try to explore a little why some of the arguments people give about energy are fallacious.
3 Supplementary ShowsASFO 2022–02–05
This one is a trifle profane. Mostly I rant about the National Agency for Space Avoidance, and try to explain why the much–criticized rise of private space industry is good for those of us who understand that the Cosmos is the stage upon which the future of humanity will be acted. Jeff Bezos’ colossal new sailing yacht, which is causing consternation in Rotterdam, comes in as an example of what we can expect from a “renewable energy future”. Also a mention of the problems with decarbonization by taxation, although there is much more to be said about it.
2 Supplementary ShowsASFO 2022–01–29
In which I break my rule of mostly not talking about computers by discussing Bill Jolitz of 386BSD fame ― but in the context of Federal support for mad science (and besides, he was a friend of my parents). Also, if a SpaceX Falcon booster smacks into Luna (on the far side where we can’t see the flash), and there are no seismographs around to hear it, does it make a crater?
2 Supplementary ShowsASFO 2022–01–22
Wrapping up the theme of the past two weeks by talking about sexually transmitted infections? Well, that’s a rather grim pun.
Supplementary ShowASFO 2022–01–15
Continuing on from last week, somehow, I manage to talk about Joan of Arc and Ray Kurzweil in the same show. Also news from Berlin ― the city, not the German government.
Supplementary ShowASFO 2022–01–08
In which I talk about Sex. Fair warning, if you hold any strong opinions on topics such as gender identity or feminism, you probably won’t feel that I have fairly described either your position or opposing ones. Just as a reminder, I have very little patience with anyone who claims to hold an “unpopular opinion”, and then comes up with what is probably the second or third most popular opinion on the topic. Be original!
Supplementary ShowASFO 2021–12–04
A letter from the President of the United States! No, not a notice from the Draft Board.
2 Supplementary Shows