Heart's not in it this morning...

...which better change quickly. I need to get this robotics piece off my desk!

* * *I did my "usual" morning search on news of Hot Bird 8, which was the satellite I was to help process for a mid-May launch out of Baikonur, except that the Breeze-M upper stage carrying ArabSat failed to insert that bird into a proper orbit back in February.

Originally, the Russian commission appointed to investigate this failure was supposed to deliver a finding at the end of March, and then again a few days ago, but the only thing I've found so far was rumor and innuendo (i.e., "preliminary results") from the NASA Spaceflight site:

However, preliminary results are pointing towards a delay of several months, required to carry out corrective work on the Breeze M (Briz M) upper stage - cancelling the May 17th launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome of the Hot Bird 8 satellite.

There is a money quote - as in: I may miss out on some money - later in the report:

Hot Bird 8 [...] could be pushed down the schedule to the end of this year, or move to a launch via Arianespace's Ariane 5 launcher...

It makes sense that any comeback of the Breeze-M is going to be subjected to microscopic review by people versed in the cerulian blue art of "quality." Unlike the situation in government-funded space programs, though, the people looking hard at the Breeze-M have to launch satellites if they're going to get paid, else look for new jobs.

I'm going to keep my fingers crossed.

Cheers...

A valuable lesson...

It turns out Comedy Central has banned the broadcast of an image of Muhammad in an episode of "South Park," an episide featuring an animated Jesus defecating on the President and the U.S. flag (this, during the Christian Holy Week).

Now, Comedy Central has the right to broadcast what it wants (just as I have the right to not watch their programming), but this particular prohibition - in juxtaposition to what is being broadcast - raises an interesting point. Obviously, the ban was not imposed out of any feeling that the image was in bad taste, or offensive on its face to the religious sensibilities of some segment of audience members.

It was because of concerns - according to a piece in the WaPo - about "public safety."

How... public-minded.

One gets the feeling that the "public" Comedy Central has in mind consists mostly of people who park their cars in the executive and employee parking area at Comedy Central.

So who said violence never accomplishes anything?

Cheers...

Halfway there...

Well, I didn't finish the robotics piece, but I got halfway through the part I had left. That will leave a moderate chunk for tomorrow, followed by the Review Session from Hades&grade;.

Unlike previous documents that I've run through my OCR program, the source PDF file would not open in FineReader, but would open in a PDF utility I bought on a trial basis and which, I am sorry to say, I will be trying to get a refund for (according to the ad that enticed me to buy, this is possible). The OCR function of this latter program is terrible, and since I have fallen into the habit of not checking the OCR text against the original (unnecessary with FineReader), that means I'll have to do that check during the review.

Still, I figure I ought to be able to get the job finished on Saturday.

My ongoing review of documentation for the interpreting gig is revealing all sorts of interesting safety warnings about local flora and fauna, as well as off-limits bars and nightclubs in the area. Curiouser and curiouser.

Saturday night, Galina and I are eating out with a fellow who has expressed an interest in learning Russian, which ought to be interesting. I hope he's not one of those types who is simply looking for a way to enter into a "relationship" with an "obedient" Russian woman. The fact he is interested in learning about Russia and Russian is a good sign, but you can never tell. We'll see.

Cheers...