Update no.1220

 Update from the Heartland

No.1220

26.5.25 – 1.6.25

Blog version:  http://heartlandupdate.blogspot.com/

 

To all,

 

On Tuesday, 29.May.2025, 18:37 [S] CDT, SpaceX launched its Integrated Flight Test Number Nine (IFT-9) with Super Heavy Booster 14, making its second flight—a first. Starship number 35 was stacked atop the booster. The vehicle launched successfully with all 33 first-stage engines performing nominally throughout its planned assent burn.

Of particular note, in addition to the booster structure, 29 of 33 of the booster’s Raptor engines were re-used—a physical demonstration of reusability. After hot-staging and sending the Starship on its way to space, the booster executed its flip maneuver, oriented properly for its retrograde, boost back burn, and the engines reignited (except one middle ring engine. The booster reoriented again for its descent. All the 1^st stage engines lit for its deceleration burn for landing, and then for some as yet unspecified reason, the engines shutdown simultaneously, which suggests the booster may have suffered a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly (RUD) prior to the planned hard impact in the Gulf of Mexico. The physical evidence so far is consistent with an explosion.

Starship 35 made it successfully through its assent burn to space, beyond the failure point in IFT-7 & 8. On the first IFT-9 in space experimental agenda, the craft could not open the payload bay door to deploy the Starlink satellite simulators; no joy on that task. Circa T+30-minute mark, they lost attitude control of the Starship. The vehicle started to tumble. They were unable to regain attitude control. The ship reentered the atmosphere in an uncontrolled state. Thanks to the extraordinary deployment of downlink cameras on the Starship, we got to witness the melting of the vehicle and disintegration.

SpaceX will learn a great deal from this flight and continue to make progress in maturation of the system. Progress by jerks, as the physicists say.

 

The follow-up news items:

-- Paramount, the parent company of CBS and 60 Minutes, has apparently caved to the intimidation of oppression from the current administration. [No name], as an individual, filed a US$20B damages suit against 60 Minutes and the program’s parent CBS— Trump v. CBS [Case 2:24-cv-00236-Z (2024)] [1214]—the conflict of interest is extraordinary. His complaint accuses 60 Minutes of deceptive editing in a pre-election interview of Kamala Harris, and for that, he is asking for US$20B in damages. Although [no name] could not care less, the image and impression he has created is off the charts on the bad side. Paramount is seeking to acquire Sundance Productions, a Robert Redford film and television production company for a reported US$8B. The acquisition is under scrutiny by No.47’s Department of Justice. [No name]’s legal action appears to be a direct threat and vengeance against 60 Minutes, if not outright extortion, to extract as much money as possible from Paramount. The massive media company is reportedly offering US$15M in cash and running an unspecified number of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) that [no name] approves of. Beyond the obvious, [no name]’s legal action against 60 Minutes and CBS appears to be intended in the larger context to send a profound chill among all the Press, i.e., if they speak or write anything not to [no name]’s liking, they will face a US$20B lawsuit of their own. The paucity of morality, ethics, and propriety of the man is staggering, but he is not going to stop; this is just another form of appeasement in the face of extortion.

 

It seems to me that chaos in the 45 administration was internal—staffing volatility, controversy upon controversy, perpetual fact-checking. The 47 administration appears to have not been satisfied with internal chaos. He has chosen to project his brand of chaos worldwide, destabilizing everything. As we have another three and a half years of this to go. Buckle up, Buttercup!

 

CNBC White House Correspondent Megan Cassella asked the president in a public press conference, “Wall Street analysts have coined a new term they call the TACO Trade—Trump Always Chickens Out (TACO)—on your tariff threats. And that’s why markets are higher this week. What’s your response to that?” The president of the United States of America answered, “Six months ago, this country was stone cold dead. We had a dead country. We had a country that people didn’t think was going to survive, and you ask a nasty question like that. It’s call negotiation.” He may call it negotiation. The rest of us have a lot of other more descriptive terms to describe what it is doing, e.g., bullying, intimidation, extortion . . . I could go on. [No name] has established a level of revulsion so low that I doubt we will ever go so low again. History likes to point to Emperor Caligula as the pinnacle of depravity and malfeasance in governance. I suspect when all this is said and done, [no name] will have set a new low point for disgusting governance.

 

Perhaps the vanity aspect of [no name]’s malignant narcissism is breaking. He has appeared recently without his typical orange face paint and blond hair coloring. [No name] now appears in what I suspect is his natural state—a ghost-white skin, grey-haired, old man. 

 

Well, surprise, surprise! The Washington Post, ABC News, and The Hill reported that [no name] and/or his minions asked the Qataris to “gift” him their gold-plated, luxury, Boeing 747-8 BBJ. This transaction was not some spontaneous event of generosity or gratitude. It was a solicitation. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what in the trade is call a grift. I sure hope all the MAGAts are proud of the con-man they elected to be our president. I am not proud. I am disgusted and revolted by the man. And yet, he is still our president for another three and a half years. This is the best historic example of what happens when 18M voters decide to not vote for whatever reason.

 

Comments and contributions from Update no.1219:

“Merriam-Webster’s word of the day is “commemorate.” I’m sure you commemorate, rather than merely celebrate, Memorial Day.

“The central purpose of the ‘Big Beautiful Act’ is to cow Americans into submission. The details mostly don’t concern the Felon. As a meme that’s making the rounds again states, “The meanness is the point.”

“The discussion of moving interests me. My family’s history involves moving around and/or working in transportation for hundreds of years on both sides. I suspect the uniting factor there is that we’ve never had much material wealth to leave or take. What has held me in place in recent times is my attachments to specific people. Other climates, whether literal, economic, or political, would benefit me more than this part of the country, and if the people factors change, I’ll choose a place and go.

“Are you in the part of the country that’s been hit hard by recent weather? The worst keeps missing us here, for which I’m grateful.”

My response:

You are quite correct. Memorial Day is a commemoration rather than celebration—a solemn occasion.

I also agree with your assessment of H.R.1. The inhumanity of H.R.1 is shocking to say the least.

You shared an interesting perspective on moving. Most of the moves in my life were induced by military orders. Early on, there is an element of adventure, new neighbors, new community, new cultures, and such. At my age, I just want stability, consistency, and security. My adventure days are over. I need routine.

‘Tis the season on the Great Plains. At least no tornados for us as yet. It has been raining for days now and still going.

. . . Round two:

“I've done little tourism in my lifetime, but I've sought new opportunities or escape from unpleasant environments. (The ‘escape’ part of that is a common feature of alcoholism and other dysfunctions.) Nowadays, I seek comfort and stability, but that includes comfortable climates for my activities and my health as well as political environments where I won't have to fear the brownshirts and/or police.

“Our weather is peculiar, even for our area. Much rain has fallen to our north and even more to the south, but not as much here. We're running well above average, though. We've also had sustained below-average temperatures, which has become unusual worldwide.”

. . . my response to round two:

We share many things in common, my friend.

We live on the edge with the brownshirts, I must say. That concern is not likely to end until well into the succeeding president’s term or later depending upon the outcome of the next presidential election. The police are a different (but related) matter. Any abuse by a particular police force is a direct function of the leadership. Police leaders must be held accountable, e.g., Uvalde, Texas.

We are in our fifth day of rain, not heavy like the first two days, but still it is wet. We need more rain to fill up the surrounding reservoirs. The weather in Kansas is markedly different from Arizona; at least, we knew that going into this move. We are on track (so far) to close on the 10^th of June, which will be another major milestone in our efforts to return to normalcy. We remain optimistic.

. . . Round three:

“The police here have been restrained somewhat by a one-party Democrat city government and by the courts. In the county I come from, attrition has weeded out some of the worst individuals, but I wouldn't want to be a minority there or carry one of several last names, including mine.

“I'm glad if you at least need the rain. We didn't have flooding here from the last round, but it's become common. I'll be glad when you have a stable base of operations.”

. . . my response to round three:

The processes at work in regulating law enforcement organizations are different in each locale. The reality is, there are bad men in all walks of life including the police. We must remain ever vigilant and critical. As with the president and the entire government (all levels), the police work for us, not the other way around.

Yes, must needed rain, but not yet enough. It is a clear, star-lit night as I write, so a welcome respite. We expect to have a finalized contract and firm closing date by early next week. The beginning of the end of this (hopefully) last move is closer. We still a way to go for stability, but at least we are getting closer.

. . . Round four:

“Actual regulation of policing is indeed mostly local, except for state and Federal agencies. I finally realized why I dislike the ‘bad men’ idea. It takes away society's responsibility for addressing harm done. Yes, there are and always will be ‘bad’ (harmful) people, but they don't exist in a vacuum.”

. . . my response to round four:

I’m with you in this aspect. Bad men are just bad men until they are enabled by their organization and/or community. The classic example is the KKK; they needed community support. Holding police leadership accountable for the conduct of their officers is no different from the general being held accountable for the conduct of a lieutenant.

The community pays taxes, which pay for fines and settlements.

 

My very best wishes to all.  Take care of yourselves and each other.

Cheers,

Cap                  :-)