Stephen C. Smith
@wordsmithfl.bsky.social
Writing about space policy and politics, from the Space Coast of Florida. Now retired after ten years doing public education at Kennedy Space Center. You can also find me on Counter.Social at the same handle, and on Substack at TheSpacePundit.com.
#Baseball
In 2010 here in #Florida we had a brief experiment called Double Diamond Baseball -- two sets of bases. Batters alternated running clockwise and counterclockwise, eliminating bias against left-handers.
As a lefty, I loved it. It was like chess baseball.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYht...
In 2010 here in #Florida we had a brief experiment called Double Diamond Baseball -- two sets of bases. Batters alternated running clockwise and counterclockwise, eliminating bias against left-handers.
As a lefty, I loved it. It was like chess baseball.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYht...
Orlando Dragons at Space Coast Rockets, Cocoa Expo Stadium, July 17, 2010
YouTube video by Stephen's Baseball Archives
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 11:56 AM
#Baseball
In 2010 here in #Florida we had a brief experiment called Double Diamond Baseball -- two sets of bases. Batters alternated running clockwise and counterclockwise, eliminating bias against left-handers.
As a lefty, I loved it. It was like chess baseball.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYht...
In 2010 here in #Florida we had a brief experiment called Double Diamond Baseball -- two sets of bases. Batters alternated running clockwise and counterclockwise, eliminating bias against left-handers.
As a lefty, I loved it. It was like chess baseball.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYht...
#Politics #Trump
From #MSNow: Two sources say that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is on thin ice with Trump, who thinks she's insufficiently loyal (!). Stephen Miller wants her gone by January.
Comment ... I'll believe this one when it happens.
www.ms.now/news/trump-n...
From #MSNow: Two sources say that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is on thin ice with Trump, who thinks she's insufficiently loyal (!). Stephen Miller wants her gone by January.
Comment ... I'll believe this one when it happens.
www.ms.now/news/trump-n...
Trump weighing Noem’s ouster at Homeland Security
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is on “very thin ice,” a White House official told MS NOW.
www.ms.now
December 8, 2025 at 7:26 PM
#Politics #Trump
From #MSNow: Two sources say that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is on thin ice with Trump, who thinks she's insufficiently loyal (!). Stephen Miller wants her gone by January.
Comment ... I'll believe this one when it happens.
www.ms.now/news/trump-n...
From #MSNow: Two sources say that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem is on thin ice with Trump, who thinks she's insufficiently loyal (!). Stephen Miller wants her gone by January.
Comment ... I'll believe this one when it happens.
www.ms.now/news/trump-n...
#CASIS is the "secret sauce" for #ISS. One of the many reforms by the #Obama administration was to reverse the W. Bush plan to splash ISS in 2015. Obama extended ISS to at least 2020 and had a non-profit manage commercial access.
issnationallab.org/press-releas...
issnationallab.org/press-releas...
CASIS to Manage ISS National Lab through 2030
NASA extends Cooperative Agreement with the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®) to manage the International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory through 2030.
issnationallab.org
December 8, 2025 at 2:43 PM
#CASIS is the "secret sauce" for #ISS. One of the many reforms by the #Obama administration was to reverse the W. Bush plan to splash ISS in 2015. Obama extended ISS to at least 2020 and had a non-profit manage commercial access.
issnationallab.org/press-releas...
issnationallab.org/press-releas...
#Politics #Trump
From #LATimes: #FIFA made up their "peace prize" as a bribe to keep Trump from screwing with the World Cup scheduled to be held in the US next year.
www.latimes.com/sports/socce...
From #LATimes: #FIFA made up their "peace prize" as a bribe to keep Trump from screwing with the World Cup scheduled to be held in the US next year.
www.latimes.com/sports/socce...
Why is FIFA President Gianni Infantino working so hard to court President Trump?
FIFA needs President Trump to support the 2026 World Cup, but many view FIFA President Gianni Infantino's wooing of Trump as excessive.
www.latimes.com
December 7, 2025 at 11:33 PM
#Politics #Trump
From #LATimes: #FIFA made up their "peace prize" as a bribe to keep Trump from screwing with the World Cup scheduled to be held in the US next year.
www.latimes.com/sports/socce...
From #LATimes: #FIFA made up their "peace prize" as a bribe to keep Trump from screwing with the World Cup scheduled to be held in the US next year.
www.latimes.com/sports/socce...
#Politics #Trump
From #MSNOW: Trump declares his birthday a holiday at national parks, revokes Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth as holidays.
www.ms.now/news/trumps-...
From #MSNOW: Trump declares his birthday a holiday at national parks, revokes Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth as holidays.
www.ms.now/news/trumps-...
Trump’s birthday replaces MLK Day as a free National Parks day
U.S. residents will be able to enter the parks free of charge on what the Trump administration refers to as “patriotic” days, which will now include Trump’s birthday.
www.ms.now
December 7, 2025 at 10:55 PM
#Politics #Trump
From #MSNOW: Trump declares his birthday a holiday at national parks, revokes Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth as holidays.
www.ms.now/news/trumps-...
From #MSNOW: Trump declares his birthday a holiday at national parks, revokes Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth as holidays.
www.ms.now/news/trumps-...
84 years ago today ... The only known live radio report of the Pearl Harbor attack, a phone report called in to NBC News in New York City.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfGq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfGq...
1941 Radio: KGU Honolulu Live Report During Pearl Harbor Attack NBC Broadcast, Dec 7, 1941
YouTube video by Old Broadcast
www.youtube.com
December 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM
84 years ago today ... The only known live radio report of the Pearl Harbor attack, a phone report called in to NBC News in New York City.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfGq...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfGq...
Reposted by Stephen C. Smith
"In response to Trump's order, attorneys general in 21 states sued the administration.
Now, after a judge's ruling that Trump's actions were unlawful, libraries and museums across the country will have access to money that had been stuck in a months-long limbo..."
www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n...
Now, after a judge's ruling that Trump's actions were unlawful, libraries and museums across the country will have access to money that had been stuck in a months-long limbo..."
www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n...
Libraries and museums get federal funding back after Trump cuts
Earlier this year, the Trump administration gutted the Institute of Museum and Library Services, leading to canceled federal grants. Now, after a court order, those grants are being reinstated.
www.npr.org
December 7, 2025 at 7:04 PM
"In response to Trump's order, attorneys general in 21 states sued the administration.
Now, after a judge's ruling that Trump's actions were unlawful, libraries and museums across the country will have access to money that had been stuck in a months-long limbo..."
www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n...
Now, after a judge's ruling that Trump's actions were unlawful, libraries and museums across the country will have access to money that had been stuck in a months-long limbo..."
www.npr.org/2025/12/04/n...
Some of you might find of interest this 2009 video about women in #Baseball that I just uploaded to YouTube. The host, Jean Ardell, wrote books and monographs about women and the national pastime. Jean passed away in 2022.
#CoSoWriters
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgQR...
#CoSoWriters
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgQR...
Women in Baseball Lecture, Fullerton Museum Center, March 7, 2009 (Low Resolution)
YouTube video by Stephen's Baseball Archives
www.youtube.com
December 7, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Some of you might find of interest this 2009 video about women in #Baseball that I just uploaded to YouTube. The host, Jean Ardell, wrote books and monographs about women and the national pastime. Jean passed away in 2022.
#CoSoWriters
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgQR...
#CoSoWriters
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgQR...
Paramount Plus has released a four-minute clip from the new #StarTrek "Starfleet Academy" series.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMsF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMsF...
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy | Exclusive Clip | Paramount+ (CCXP 2025)
YouTube video by Paramount Plus
www.youtube.com
December 6, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Paramount Plus has released a four-minute clip from the new #StarTrek "Starfleet Academy" series.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMsF...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMsF...
#Space #NASA
Today is the 68th anniversary of a turning point in the history of the US space program.
December 6, 1957, Project Vanguard's Test Vehicle-3 blew up seconds after launch, live on national TV.
Congress began hearings that led to the creation of NASA.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yWf...
Today is the 68th anniversary of a turning point in the history of the US space program.
December 6, 1957, Project Vanguard's Test Vehicle-3 blew up seconds after launch, live on national TV.
Congress began hearings that led to the creation of NASA.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yWf...
Vanguard TV3 Launch Failure Views - 1957, NASA, Vanguard Rocket and Satellite, AI upscale
YouTube video by Retro Space HD
www.youtube.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:10 PM
#Space #NASA
Today is the 68th anniversary of a turning point in the history of the US space program.
December 6, 1957, Project Vanguard's Test Vehicle-3 blew up seconds after launch, live on national TV.
Congress began hearings that led to the creation of NASA.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yWf...
Today is the 68th anniversary of a turning point in the history of the US space program.
December 6, 1957, Project Vanguard's Test Vehicle-3 blew up seconds after launch, live on national TV.
Congress began hearings that led to the creation of NASA.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yWf...
#Politics #Trump
Did you know that Trump has created a "Media Offenders" enemies list that's on the White House website? It's a handy guide for #MAGA to dox reporters and journalists.
www.ms.now/opinion/trum...
Did you know that Trump has created a "Media Offenders" enemies list that's on the White House website? It's a handy guide for #MAGA to dox reporters and journalists.
www.ms.now/opinion/trum...
Opinion | I'm on the White House’s ‘Media Offenders’ list — and couldn’t be prouder
Max Burns: The White House's attempt to shame journalists for reporting the truth only shows how low President Trump's energy is these days.
www.ms.now
December 6, 2025 at 10:51 AM
#Politics #Trump
Did you know that Trump has created a "Media Offenders" enemies list that's on the White House website? It's a handy guide for #MAGA to dox reporters and journalists.
www.ms.now/opinion/trum...
Did you know that Trump has created a "Media Offenders" enemies list that's on the White House website? It's a handy guide for #MAGA to dox reporters and journalists.
www.ms.now/opinion/trum...
#Politics #Trump
From #MSNow: Suspect confesses to placing pipe bombs outside DNC and RNC headquarters, says he's a Trump supporter and believes Trump won the 2020 election.
www.ms.now/news/fbi-des...
From #MSNow: Suspect confesses to placing pipe bombs outside DNC and RNC headquarters, says he's a Trump supporter and believes Trump won the 2020 election.
www.ms.now/news/fbi-des...
Pipe bomb suspect confesses and has expressed support for Trump, sources say
But the FBI isn’t sure what motivated the suspect, Brian Cole Jr., to allegedly plant bombs outside GOP and Democratic party headquarters on the evening before the Jan. 6 Capitol attacks.
www.ms.now
December 6, 2025 at 12:21 AM
#Politics #Trump
From #MSNow: Suspect confesses to placing pipe bombs outside DNC and RNC headquarters, says he's a Trump supporter and believes Trump won the 2020 election.
www.ms.now/news/fbi-des...
From #MSNow: Suspect confesses to placing pipe bombs outside DNC and RNC headquarters, says he's a Trump supporter and believes Trump won the 2020 election.
www.ms.now/news/fbi-des...
#Politics From #CNN:
RFK Jr.'s anti-vax panel at the #CDC votes to end Hepatitis B vaccinations for childen.
www.cnn.com/health/live-...
RFK Jr.'s anti-vax panel at the #CDC votes to end Hepatitis B vaccinations for childen.
www.cnn.com/health/live-...
Live updates: CDC advisers to vote on hepatitis B vaccine practice | CNN
Vaccine advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are meeting today on what could be a major change to the childhood vaccination schedule. Follow here for live updates.
www.cnn.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:20 PM
#Politics From #CNN:
RFK Jr.'s anti-vax panel at the #CDC votes to end Hepatitis B vaccinations for childen.
www.cnn.com/health/live-...
RFK Jr.'s anti-vax panel at the #CDC votes to end Hepatitis B vaccinations for childen.
www.cnn.com/health/live-...
#Politics #Trump
BREAKING From #CNN: No surprise, #SCOTUS 6-3 Republican majority says it's okay for #Texas to use its gerrymandered congressional map.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/p...
BREAKING From #CNN: No surprise, #SCOTUS 6-3 Republican majority says it's okay for #Texas to use its gerrymandered congressional map.
www.cnn.com/2025/12/04/p...
Supreme Court allows Texas to use Trump-backed congressional map in midterms | CNN Politics
The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed Texas to use a congressional map that will boost President Donald Trump’s effort to keep Republicans in control of Congress, blocking a lower court decision that ...
www.cnn.com
December 4, 2025 at 11:36 PM
#Space #NASA #Politics
Jared Isaacman's NASA administrator Senate confirmation hearing today is now on my Space SPAN YouTube channel.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b2r...
Jared Isaacman's NASA administrator Senate confirmation hearing today is now on my Space SPAN YouTube channel.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b2r...
Jared Isaacman Nomination Hearing, Senate Commerce Committee, December 3, 2025
YouTube video by Space SPAN (Space Policy and News)
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:43 PM
#Space #NASA #Politics
Jared Isaacman's NASA administrator Senate confirmation hearing today is now on my Space SPAN YouTube channel.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b2r...
Jared Isaacman's NASA administrator Senate confirmation hearing today is now on my Space SPAN YouTube channel.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7b2r...
#Space #NASA
For those of you who like #Politics in your space ... Jared Isaacman will have his second Senate confirmation hearing, today at 10 AM EST. #Trump fired him last May to punish Elon Musk. No one else wanted the job, so Jared is back.
www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/11/chai...
For those of you who like #Politics in your space ... Jared Isaacman will have his second Senate confirmation hearing, today at 10 AM EST. #Trump fired him last May to punish Elon Musk. No one else wanted the job, so Jared is back.
www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/11/chai...
Chairman Cruz Announces Nominations Hearing for NASA and Commerce Nominees
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing to consider the nominations for the National Aeronautics and Space Ad...
www.commerce.senate.gov
December 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM
#Space #NASA
For those of you who like #Politics in your space ... Jared Isaacman will have his second Senate confirmation hearing, today at 10 AM EST. #Trump fired him last May to punish Elon Musk. No one else wanted the job, so Jared is back.
www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/11/chai...
For those of you who like #Politics in your space ... Jared Isaacman will have his second Senate confirmation hearing, today at 10 AM EST. #Trump fired him last May to punish Elon Musk. No one else wanted the job, so Jared is back.
www.commerce.senate.gov/2025/11/chai...
Reposted by Stephen C. Smith
a new cartoon as we ease into our post-thanksgiving week: donald's war on woke
www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...
www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...
Cartoon: The war on woke
As always, if � you find value in this work I do, please consider helping me keep it sustainable by joining my weekly newsletter, � Sparky’s List! � You can get it in your inbox or read it on ...
www.dailykos.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:32 PM
a new cartoon as we ease into our post-thanksgiving week: donald's war on woke
www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...
www.dailykos.com/stories/2025...
#Politics #Trump
Maybe the US is waking up to the reality that it was a really bad idea to let #FoxNews run the country.
From #DailyBeast:
www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump...
Maybe the US is waking up to the reality that it was a really bad idea to let #FoxNews run the country.
From #DailyBeast:
www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump...
Trump Posts Once a Minute in Unhinged Late-Night Spree
The president went posting-crazy, even for him.
www.thedailybeast.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:29 PM
#Politics #Trump
Maybe the US is waking up to the reality that it was a really bad idea to let #FoxNews run the country.
From #DailyBeast:
www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump...
Maybe the US is waking up to the reality that it was a really bad idea to let #FoxNews run the country.
From #DailyBeast:
www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump...
#Space
Today at #NASA #KSC Pad 39A. If you look on the pad, you can see the #SpaceX #Falcon9 horizontal for tonight's midnight launch. It lies on the erector that will take it vertical before launch. To the right, the tall tower will be for #Starship when operational here on the Cape.
Today at #NASA #KSC Pad 39A. If you look on the pad, you can see the #SpaceX #Falcon9 horizontal for tonight's midnight launch. It lies on the erector that will take it vertical before launch. To the right, the tall tower will be for #Starship when operational here on the Cape.
November 30, 2025 at 11:05 PM
#Politics #Trump
From #WaPo: Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees will investigate a report that Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered the killing of Caribbean boat survivors.
wapo.st/48k7g1S
From #WaPo: Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees will investigate a report that Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered the killing of Caribbean boat survivors.
wapo.st/48k7g1S
Congressional committees to scrutinize U.S. killing of boat strike survivors
The Senate and House armed services committees’ pledge followed a Washington Post report revealing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered that a U.S. strike leave no survivors.
wapo.st
November 30, 2025 at 2:29 AM
#Politics #Trump
From #WaPo: Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees will investigate a report that Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered the killing of Caribbean boat survivors.
wapo.st/48k7g1S
From #WaPo: Both the House and Senate Armed Services Committees will investigate a report that Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered the killing of Caribbean boat survivors.
wapo.st/48k7g1S
#Politics #Trump #Russia #Ukraine
From #WSJ via Archive.ph: The US peace plan for Ukraine is designed to create US-Russia joint business opportunities in Ukraine, bypassing the US national security apparatus.
archive.ph/9Fg37
From #WSJ via Archive.ph: The US peace plan for Ukraine is designed to create US-Russia joint business opportunities in Ukraine, bypassing the US national security apparatus.
archive.ph/9Fg37
Archive.ph
November 29, 2025 at 7:23 PM
#Politics #Trump #Russia #Ukraine
From #WSJ via Archive.ph: The US peace plan for Ukraine is designed to create US-Russia joint business opportunities in Ukraine, bypassing the US national security apparatus.
archive.ph/9Fg37
From #WSJ via Archive.ph: The US peace plan for Ukraine is designed to create US-Russia joint business opportunities in Ukraine, bypassing the US national security apparatus.
archive.ph/9Fg37
#Politics #Trump
From #NBCNews: Trump says he's closing #Venezuela airspace, more evidence the US is about to go to war with Venezuela.
www.nbcnews.com/world/venezu...
From #NBCNews: Trump says he's closing #Venezuela airspace, more evidence the US is about to go to war with Venezuela.
www.nbcnews.com/world/venezu...
Trump tells airlines Venezuela's airspace is 'closed in its entirety' in latest escalation
There was no immediate response from Venezuela, which maintains authority over its own airspace.
www.nbcnews.com
November 29, 2025 at 7:16 PM
#Politics #Trump
From #NBCNews: Trump says he's closing #Venezuela airspace, more evidence the US is about to go to war with Venezuela.
www.nbcnews.com/world/venezu...
From #NBCNews: Trump says he's closing #Venezuela airspace, more evidence the US is about to go to war with Venezuela.
www.nbcnews.com/world/venezu...
Just noticed on the #Tesla website that the 1.99% APR deal for the Model Y is back. If you're thinking about buying a Tesla, now is a great time to buy if you qualify for the 1.99% finance rate.
November 29, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Just noticed on the #Tesla website that the 1.99% APR deal for the Model Y is back. If you're thinking about buying a Tesla, now is a great time to buy if you qualify for the 1.99% finance rate.
#Space #Russia #ISS #NASA
My latest #Substack is now online looking at the implications for NASA and the ISS after yesterday's failure of the Russian Soyuz launch pad at Baikonur.
Read "The Bottom Falls Out" for free at the link.
www.thespacepundit.com/p/the-bottom...
My latest #Substack is now online looking at the implications for NASA and the ISS after yesterday's failure of the Russian Soyuz launch pad at Baikonur.
Read "The Bottom Falls Out" for free at the link.
www.thespacepundit.com/p/the-bottom...
The Bottom Falls Out
Russia's orbital capability is in question after a collapse at its Soyuz launch pad in Baikonur.
www.thespacepundit.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
#Space #Russia #ISS #NASA
#ArsTechnica believes that the #Soyuz launch pad failure was due to someone failing to secure a service platform that fell into the flame trench after yesterday's launch.
arstechnica.com/space/2025/1...
#ArsTechnica believes that the #Soyuz launch pad failure was due to someone failing to secure a service platform that fell into the flame trench after yesterday's launch.
arstechnica.com/space/2025/1...
Before a Soyuz launch Thursday someone forgot to secure a 20-ton service platform
“We are going to learn just how important the ISS is to leadership.”…
arstechnica.com
November 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM
#Space #Russia #ISS #NASA
#ArsTechnica believes that the #Soyuz launch pad failure was due to someone failing to secure a service platform that fell into the flame trench after yesterday's launch.
arstechnica.com/space/2025/1...
#ArsTechnica believes that the #Soyuz launch pad failure was due to someone failing to secure a service platform that fell into the flame trench after yesterday's launch.
arstechnica.com/space/2025/1...