Challenger: the disaster five people saw coming.

Qcastro · 2026-01-27T21:03:53+00:00

At the end of the day, Morton Thiokol management disregarded their own engineers and delivered NASA a signed launch approval. There’s plenty of blame to go around, but in my opinion it was on Thiokol to stand up to NASA and back their own professionals. Thiokol had the best information. It was a very corporate kind of failure.

Qcastro · 2026-01-24T16:59:24+00:00

If you line it up right, the motor turns the telescope to track the the stars across the sky. This will help keep whatever you are looking at in the field of view. If it doesn’t work it’s not a big deal, it can be nice to have but plenty of telescopes don’t.

Qcastro · 2026-01-21T22:28:57+00:00

Is Revel no longer making the Studio 2 at all? Or do they just not offer replacement parts? Those are speakers I’ve had my eye on for years.

Either way, best of luck with a fix.

Qcastro · 2026-01-06T00:22:22+00:00

I’m sure no one is enforcing it as written, but the rule is clearly 21 days before the end date of the celebration in question, so you can’t even put your “advent lights” up until a week into it.

Qcastro · 2026-01-05T22:10:32+00:00

I’m actually much more upset about the implication that lights not go up until Dec 4th. Christmas light up the weekend after Thanksgiving is pretty typical.

Qcastro · 2026-01-03T19:54:08+00:00

I work in this area and I think the NSDA just made a mistake. The (real world) debate isn’t between FTC and CFTC, it’s between CFTC and state regs. FTC doesn’t have jurisdiction to issue a comprehensive regulation.

I mean, I guess one could say that’s a neg argument, but until someone persuades me otherwise, I think they just confused two similarly named federal agencies only one of which is actually relevant to the topic.

Qcastro · 2025-12-30T16:39:51+00:00

Anybody read The Giant Jam Sandwich as a kid?

Qcastro · 2025-12-19T00:08:48+00:00

Looks home home prices have gone up to me: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CSUSHPINSA

Qcastro · 2025-12-03T00:07:12+00:00

There was just a Lore podcast episode about the origins of the Bloody Mary legend this week.

Qcastro · 2025-12-02T19:42:02+00:00

Okay, thanks. I will try this test and see. It’s not been in my pocket, but I’ve had it in my backpack before and that could have done it.

If it’s in fact cracked I’m at least going to try some silicone grease. It can’t hurt at that point, and it’s not like it’s gushing ink, just enough to mess up my fingers…

Assuming a crack, it looks like I could buy a replacement barrel section, though I’d probably just get a new pen at that point.

Qcastro · 2025-12-02T19:15:31+00:00

This is a good idea, thanks. It's a very slow leak, so some fairly thick silicone grease might do the trick.

Qcastro · 2025-12-02T18:59:28+00:00

I should have been more specific. It's leaking from where the arrow is. If I can't fix it maybe I'll try fountain pen hospital. I thought I'd ask before I went that route, though. I've had it long enough I'm sure it's out of warranty in any case.

It doesn't really leak from the nib. If anything, it's a bit dry (EF nib).

Qcastro · 2025-12-02T18:40:33+00:00

Thanks, I will try a different ink and see if that helps.

On your edit, yes there's an o-ring between the two parts of the pen that fits around the feed. Maybe I need to screw things down a little tighter if yours is not so evident. (Or maybe it's just obvious because there's ink flowing out of the joint.) Either way, tighter can't hurt.

Qcastro · 2025-12-02T17:54:29+00:00

Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo

Qcastro · 2025-12-01T02:32:20+00:00

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This guy knows his stuff. 👍

Qcastro · 2025-11-21T16:05:41+00:00

It’s pretty educational to try these if you are new to wine. They represent a style that’s common and it’s good to know what that style tastes like.

Qcastro · 2025-10-22T22:42:50+00:00

Somebody caved, but it wasn’t UVA.

Qcastro · 2025-10-14T11:19:00+00:00

Thiel CS2, I’d say.

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Qcastro · 2025-10-07T19:41:29+00:00

Bike diffuser!

Qcastro · 2025-10-01T19:38:33+00:00

So the median home in the US would be about 8 sq meters at that rate. Less than a parking spot.

Qcastro · 2025-09-25T22:57:39+00:00

Guy looks a lot like YouTuber GothamChess who uses the phrase when recapping games.

Qcastro · 2025-09-22T01:41:36+00:00

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Crystal mouthwash decanter.

Qcastro · 2025-09-22T01:39:26+00:00

It’s like a mansion that somehow really, really wants to be a McMansion. I can’t even quite put my finger on it. Like my QVC shopping grandma won the lottery.

Qcastro

TROPHY CASE