@aboltrail.bsky.social
Science and technology writer, executive speeches and presentations, occasional teaching. Aged out of marathons, motorcycles, NYC tenant activism, bushwhacking in northern Maine woods.
In the 1990s I lived in NJ with no quasi-inside angle on his casino follies, but reading between the lines it was clear he was playing Atlantic City and Trenton the same way. So I've never understood how all that got forgotten in the cheesy glow of "The Apprentice." /4
December 13, 2025 at 5:08 PM
In the 1990s I lived in NJ with no quasi-inside angle on his casino follies, but reading between the lines it was clear he was playing Atlantic City and Trenton the same way. So I've never understood how all that got forgotten in the cheesy glow of "The Apprentice." /4
And while the NY Times like the other papers gave him all the free man-about-Studio-54-and-charity-gala PR he could ask for, their coverage in financial and real estate sections left little doubt how sketchy and lawsuity his actual business and finances were. /3
December 13, 2025 at 5:02 PM
And while the NY Times like the other papers gave him all the free man-about-Studio-54-and-charity-gala PR he could ask for, their coverage in financial and real estate sections left little doubt how sketchy and lawsuity his actual business and finances were. /3
That included those who were benefiting career-wise (and in at least one case financially) from involvement in getting his projects through. The universal understanding was "Sky is blue, water runs downhill, and you might make money with Donnie but don't turn your back for a minute."
December 13, 2025 at 4:56 PM
That included those who were benefiting career-wise (and in at least one case financially) from involvement in getting his projects through. The universal understanding was "Sky is blue, water runs downhill, and you might make money with Donnie but don't turn your back for a minute."
From 1979 to 1985 I did a lot of housing and zoning work for a tenant organization in Brooklyn, getting to know a lot of people in all the city agencies concerned. Trump came up often in their conversation, and *everybody* took it for granted that he was a con man and a blowhard. /1
December 13, 2025 at 4:52 PM
From 1979 to 1985 I did a lot of housing and zoning work for a tenant organization in Brooklyn, getting to know a lot of people in all the city agencies concerned. Trump came up often in their conversation, and *everybody* took it for granted that he was a con man and a blowhard. /1
Bob Hoskins at the end of The Long Good Friday -- actually a two-minute sequence of small, subtle, devastating changes of expression
December 13, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Bob Hoskins at the end of The Long Good Friday -- actually a two-minute sequence of small, subtle, devastating changes of expression
Thank heaven Kegsbreath has cleansed our Warrior Forces of niggling nannies such as Hertling. I say disband USAREUR just to be sure (and so does Steve Witcoff).
December 2, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Thank heaven Kegsbreath has cleansed our Warrior Forces of niggling nannies such as Hertling. I say disband USAREUR just to be sure (and so does Steve Witcoff).
The "disbanded" DOGE remains a lot more substantial than Antifa has ever been.
December 2, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The "disbanded" DOGE remains a lot more substantial than Antifa has ever been.
ISTR that wrought iron has been "wreaked"
November 14, 2025 at 1:44 PM
ISTR that wrought iron has been "wreaked"
Could go either way. I compress multitudes.
November 1, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Could go either way. I compress multitudes.
"Mistakenly"? Oh, sweet summer editorial board... the dog has eaten your homework again.
October 30, 2025 at 4:48 PM
"Mistakenly"? Oh, sweet summer editorial board... the dog has eaten your homework again.
And littler Hitlers!
October 30, 2025 at 4:36 PM
And littler Hitlers!
Something like the Titan submersible that collapsed in 2023 would get them to an ideal size.
October 30, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Something like the Titan submersible that collapsed in 2023 would get them to an ideal size.
[Shakes head, tolerant Reagan grin] There you go again, making a big deal of every little daily counterfactual oopsie from a ***successful TV personality*** who has to juggle half a dozen grifts ***and*** a federal agency. Give him a break -- here, use my thoracic retractor!
October 30, 2025 at 3:54 PM
[Shakes head, tolerant Reagan grin] There you go again, making a big deal of every little daily counterfactual oopsie from a ***successful TV personality*** who has to juggle half a dozen grifts ***and*** a federal agency. Give him a break -- here, use my thoracic retractor!
After centuries of thought based on a sample of one planetary system, that flood of data has blown away much of what we thought we knew about how planetary systems form. And you could hear in Winn's voice the joy that brings to him and his peers in astrophysics. /2
October 30, 2025 at 3:08 PM
After centuries of thought based on a sample of one planetary system, that flood of data has blown away much of what we thought we knew about how planetary systems form. And you could hear in Winn's voice the joy that brings to him and his peers in astrophysics. /2
Thanks -- a lot of scientist joy packed into that "when the simulation matches reality."
Last weekend at Princeton I listened to Joshua Winn lecturing on exoplanets. As of 1994, we'd detected none; as of today, we know of 6000+ and the rate of discovery is accelerating. /1
Last weekend at Princeton I listened to Joshua Winn lecturing on exoplanets. As of 1994, we'd detected none; as of today, we know of 6000+ and the rate of discovery is accelerating. /1
October 30, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Thanks -- a lot of scientist joy packed into that "when the simulation matches reality."
Last weekend at Princeton I listened to Joshua Winn lecturing on exoplanets. As of 1994, we'd detected none; as of today, we know of 6000+ and the rate of discovery is accelerating. /1
Last weekend at Princeton I listened to Joshua Winn lecturing on exoplanets. As of 1994, we'd detected none; as of today, we know of 6000+ and the rate of discovery is accelerating. /1
But if he were deprived of oxygen, we'd be seeing signs of--
Never mind.
Never mind.
October 19, 2025 at 8:54 AM
But if he were deprived of oxygen, we'd be seeing signs of--
Never mind.
Never mind.
Snow in the Himalayas? Who knew? Also another nail in the coffin of the Chinese global warming hoaxters. Also, too, I blame Obama.
October 6, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Snow in the Himalayas? Who knew? Also another nail in the coffin of the Chinese global warming hoaxters. Also, too, I blame Obama.
The calculation of energy density will, of course, include the area of *everything* needed to locate, extract, process, and transport fuel to fossil and nuclear power plants. I'll do the calculations for that required to bring sunshine to photovoltaic panels and moving air to wind turbines.
August 2, 2025 at 12:50 PM
The calculation of energy density will, of course, include the area of *everything* needed to locate, extract, process, and transport fuel to fossil and nuclear power plants. I'll do the calculations for that required to bring sunshine to photovoltaic panels and moving air to wind turbines.
Giving Marjorie Taylor Greene a stumbling wrong-way run for her money.
July 28, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Giving Marjorie Taylor Greene a stumbling wrong-way run for her money.
Stand up for America, even -- especially! -- when it shows what an idiot you are. Don't make us build a big beautiful wall with fans blowing north all along the top!
July 9, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Stand up for America, even -- especially! -- when it shows what an idiot you are. Don't make us build a big beautiful wall with fans blowing north all along the top!
What could possibly go right?
July 9, 2025 at 1:13 PM
What could possibly go right?
Into the woods: the Lost Cause gets loster all the time.
July 9, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Into the woods: the Lost Cause gets loster all the time.
It's OK to be taken aback: just spit farther
June 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
It's OK to be taken aback: just spit farther
So much for wishful claims that the war has degraded Russian maintenance capability. They now have more parts for Tu-22s and Tu-95s than they've had in years! (some refurbishment required)
June 1, 2025 at 4:37 PM
So much for wishful claims that the war has degraded Russian maintenance capability. They now have more parts for Tu-22s and Tu-95s than they've had in years! (some refurbishment required)
Unusually legible for laymen like me about where it's been and how he wind is driving it. Thanks!
May 31, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Unusually legible for laymen like me about where it's been and how he wind is driving it. Thanks!