Edition #1138

Wednesday. And I am not sure this is still valid, but after Secretary of State clearly stated that no country can charge tolls or fees for transiting international waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz, and Trump posting that the US would escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz for a fee of twenty percent of the value of a ship’s cargo, and then Trump backing off that, I have no idea where we are on the issue. Got it?

“What grips the heart most powerfully is not the peaceful possession of a precious object but the imperfectly satisfied desire to possess it and the constant fear of losing it.” Alexis de Tocqueville, quoted in Harper’s.

Maybe? Shooting for tomorrow, Thursday at 3:45 pm Pacific Time. I know…Elon and all. Same here. But to the extent that this really massive space launch capability can be perfected, it can open up a whole new realm of space exploration and exploitation (using the term “exploitation” in the kindest and most beneficial manner possible). So watching the launch, and, forty-five minutes later, the controlled descent to a soft water landing is cool to watch. And if they attempt another catch of the booster by the launch tower, it is straight out of a sci-fi movie. Just saying.

For a long time, the threat of space debris rendering large swaths of needed orbits unusable has been talked about. The most dramatic scenario, called the Kessler Syndrome (named by a guy by that name, but you knew that), is when there is a collision in space resulting in that debris cascading from one to the next, taking out multiple satellites, filling the entire orbit with dangerous debris. Well, hang on folks. With a new method of detecting trash in orbit, a cloud of space junk was discovered in the space we reserve for geosynchronous orbits. This orbital plane is about twenty-two thousand miles above us and is the spot where the velocity needed to maintain that altitude matches the spin of Earth. So the satellite stays above one spot on Earth at all times. But now, it seems that danger lurks out there with a concentration of small shards of whatever that can do damage. Even though these can be only a few inches in length, they can strike satellites at velocities that can disable or destroy a satellite that gets in the way. And whereas debris at lower altitudes will encounter some level of our atmosphere, which will cause some drag, eventually slowing it down enough to be pulled out of orbit, at a geosynchronous orbit, the atmosphere is far below. So if you are looking to park something in that orbit, make sure you do an adequate survey and be careful.

Brought to us by our London office, I give you Bio Orbit. But also from our London office is the fact that as much as they love their futball, they love their beer just as much. Due to the time difference between our Western Hemisphere and whatever hemisphere they may be in, they have had to stay up late to watch their team advance, not caring that the host country’s did not advance. But what do you do when you are up all night? You waive the laws that force pubs to close at a reasonable hour and allow them to stay open until five or six in the morning. And as a result, forgetting about the five million pounds (that is the British currency, not the weight) that was spent during those additional hours, the country consumed some nine hundred ten thousand pints of beer. Now is the time to invade, if anyone is paying attention.

…………………Ok, Back To It -

A recent mission, where this company, Bio Orbit, in case you were distracted by my digression, is demonstrating the viability of manufacturing pharmaceuticals in space, was brought to our attention. From their website, they are “the leading scalable crystallization platform for complex biologics.” And since I have a reputation to maintain vis-à-vis the London office, I had to actually do some research on this to sound like I know what I am doing. The process of crystallization transforms soluble drugs into highly concentrated crystalline suspensions (no, I have no real idea other than what it sounds like). But, from what I read, this stabilizes the molecules for longer shelf life as well as the ability to inject these substances subcutaneously for slow release. Rather than having to go to the hospital or doctor’s office for a long infusion, this could allow for self-administration at home. But the process of manufacturing a biologic crystal is not easy. However, in the microgravity of space, well, that is a horse of a different color…chartreus, I think. So Bio Orbit sent a microwave-sized device to the International Space Station, where it did its thing and returned (I believe) a product that is now undergoing testing for viability, safety, and efficacy. A major breakthrough and a demonstration of how space exploration is not just a waste of money. Thank you to the London office for sharing…about the beer.

A packet of C&H Sugar was detected in the deep reaches of our galaxy. Well, sort of. Sugar at least, even if not packaged by C&H. Yes, sugar. As I did not know until I read this article, sugar is a critical component in life here on Earth. But researchers have never been able to recreate the conditions to create sugar from its constituent components…carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. So the thought was that sugar was brought here by comets, asteroids, and whatever other transport from space. And looking for proof is what they did. As you may know, molecules in space spin and move, and in doing so, they produce different frequencies that are unique to their composition. Therefore, two radio telescopes were used to peer deep into the vastness out there, and success was waiting. Raspberries. Or the same sugar that is found in raspberries, I should say. Simpler sugars were not yet detected, but it now seems that the galaxy is full of sugar. And without it, life would not have had the chance to develop on this lucky ball. Ok, I’m done here. You can read more about it here, if you like.

Just a brief note here. I was talking to my sister yesterday, and she recalled a recent podcast where a long-time athlete was talking up the community building aspect of sports. And, yes, sure. I agree that rooting for your home team, or school team, can bring a sense of communion with those who share that loyalty. Of course, for many, the fanaticism that they feel goes way beyond a realization that this is just a game. I know many who will mope around for days after their team loses a game, or worse, a championship, as if that event has any real-world impact on them. And then there are the outright brawls that break out, commonly in Europe, by fans who perhaps use sports as an excuse to just be complete assholes. Who knows. So while I do recognize and sympathize with the community aspect that sports can offer, it is clear that the sports world does not share in that loyalty. Back in 1998, a great movie about this was made. Actually, the opening sequence of a few minutes of “Baseketball” tells it all to me. And you can watch it here. The description is of the debasement of the sporting ethic by unwarranted showmanship, even for routine accomplishments, the lack of loyalty by players, and by teams, who all move from a “beloved” city as soon as they get a better deal. If the teams and the players were loyal to their fans, it would all make more sense. But that is not the case. The fans are merely a means of making as much money off of them as possible before moving on to fleece another community. And the sad part is that the poor, neglected, oblivious fans just go on cheering.

I heard a few updates on the Iran thing last night at a meeting with geopolitical experts focused on the Middle East, as well as Lebanon this morning. And from these, as well as numerous briefings in the past, it is clear that opportunities abound, yet calcified thinking is hard to dislodge. The optimism seems to be in hoping, against all past experience, that something different will take hold. I remember hearing a quote about divorce once that may be relevant here. The times when people get divorced are when both want it at the same time. In this instance, solutions will only happen when all parties want it at the same time. And I am not sure we are at that time yet.

Ok, so this edition is done. Again, a bit brief, but I did not want to rehash a lot of stuff. So just stay healthy and be good to each other.

Me.