Star Simpson
@starstar.bsky.social
Reposted by Star Simpson
TFR expert here. This is not funny, federal aviation agencies only do this when extremely distressed by CBP firing a fucking 20 kW laser into the sky without regard for civilian aircraft.
February 12, 2026 at 9:33 PM
TFR expert here. This is not funny, federal aviation agencies only do this when extremely distressed by CBP firing a fucking 20 kW laser into the sky without regard for civilian aircraft.
Reposted by Star Simpson
Fun little analysis by @jzhao.xyz estimating the short-term, direct cost of the El Paso TFR as ~$600K. log.jasongodfrey.info/questions/Th...
The Most Expensive Party Balloon in History
A party balloon mistaken for a cartel drone shut down El Paso for hours. Here's what it cost.
log.jasongodfrey.info
February 12, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Fun little analysis by @jzhao.xyz estimating the short-term, direct cost of the El Paso TFR as ~$600K. log.jasongodfrey.info/questions/Th...
Reposted by Star Simpson
The El Paso TFR story seems to be this: CBP started firing a high-power anti-drone laser into the sky *without coordinating with the FAA*. The FAA says WTF are these assholes doing & closes airspace like it’s never been closed before. “You don’t want to coordinate? Fine, then this is how we do it.”
February 12, 2026 at 6:49 PM
The El Paso TFR story seems to be this: CBP started firing a high-power anti-drone laser into the sky *without coordinating with the FAA*. The FAA says WTF are these assholes doing & closes airspace like it’s never been closed before. “You don’t want to coordinate? Fine, then this is how we do it.”
Reposted by Star Simpson
Deep, accurate cut.
My joke is that the promise of Yahoo Pipes has been fulfilled! (But actually! And it’s a big deal!)
February 11, 2026 at 9:05 PM
Deep, accurate cut.
Reposted by Star Simpson
The Pentagon has been using a high-energy, counter-drone laser to shoot down mylar party balloons near the border without having coordinated with the FAA first about potential risks to civilian flights. This admin has a love of security theater plus total incompetence.
www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/u...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/u...
Surprise US military plans to use counter-drone laser triggered El Paso airspace closure, Sources say | CNN
A Pentagon plan to use a high-energy, counter-drone laser without having coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration about potential risks to civilian flights prompted Wednesday’s unprecedent...
www.cnn.com
February 11, 2026 at 9:00 PM
The Pentagon has been using a high-energy, counter-drone laser to shoot down mylar party balloons near the border without having coordinated with the FAA first about potential risks to civilian flights. This admin has a love of security theater plus total incompetence.
www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/u...
www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/u...
Reposted by Star Simpson
The worlds most hopeful dog
(Yes it’s closed)
(Yes it’s closed)
February 11, 2026 at 9:06 AM
The worlds most hopeful dog
(Yes it’s closed)
(Yes it’s closed)
Reposted by Star Simpson
Again I'm recommending the ATC.com app. The push notification they sent last night with an incredulous Southwest pilot being told that the El Paso airport would be closed for 10 days was the first I heard about the TFR. I checked twitter and found zero mentions. I think ATC.com drove the story.
ATC App – Live Air Traffic Control Radio
Download now!
ATC.com
February 11, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Find me out here on the fringe, as ever
February 10, 2026 at 10:28 PM
Find me out here on the fringe, as ever
I finished the book I was reading and now I need a new book 🥲
hey BlueSky are any of you the sort who might recommend what I should read next? last book was an aerospace history audiobook.
hey BlueSky are any of you the sort who might recommend what I should read next? last book was an aerospace history audiobook.
February 10, 2026 at 6:40 PM
I finished the book I was reading and now I need a new book 🥲
hey BlueSky are any of you the sort who might recommend what I should read next? last book was an aerospace history audiobook.
hey BlueSky are any of you the sort who might recommend what I should read next? last book was an aerospace history audiobook.
I couldn’t complete my senior high school science fair project because of the prohibitive cost of shipping one component due to the Jones Act and since that day (until it is canceled) I can never stop ranting about how bad that law is.
No ferries in the Bay Area. Hawaii has the biggest privately owned ranch in the United States but the highest price/gal on milk. Maine islanders use electric heaters in every room rather than fuel through winter because the utility price is capped vs fuel comes on a boat. Puerto Rico
The Jones Act!
The Jones Act!
The Jones Act is like this strange horrific thing that you realize impacts way more of life than you can imagine, including partially explaining the lack of ferries in the SF Bay!
February 9, 2026 at 7:04 PM
I couldn’t complete my senior high school science fair project because of the prohibitive cost of shipping one component due to the Jones Act and since that day (until it is canceled) I can never stop ranting about how bad that law is.
No ferries in the Bay Area. Hawaii has the biggest privately owned ranch in the United States but the highest price/gal on milk. Maine islanders use electric heaters in every room rather than fuel through winter because the utility price is capped vs fuel comes on a boat. Puerto Rico
The Jones Act!
The Jones Act!
The Jones Act is like this strange horrific thing that you realize impacts way more of life than you can imagine, including partially explaining the lack of ferries in the SF Bay!
There are no ferries because you have to use a US-built boat under the (1920s!) Jones Act and the United States essentially stopped building commercial watercraft of any kind. So right there, no ferries.
February 9, 2026 at 7:02 PM
No ferries in the Bay Area. Hawaii has the biggest privately owned ranch in the United States but the highest price/gal on milk. Maine islanders use electric heaters in every room rather than fuel through winter because the utility price is capped vs fuel comes on a boat. Puerto Rico
The Jones Act!
The Jones Act!
Reposted by Star Simpson
Based on real events.
February 9, 2026 at 10:41 AM
Based on real events.
The Aerospace Republic is up to its usual —
February 9, 2026 at 12:19 AM
The Aerospace Republic is up to its usual —
Reposted by Star Simpson
To clarify for the non-roboticists out there:
Two legged humanoid robots only stay standing when they’re powered and the control loops managing the joints and actively detecting the balance situation are all functioning.
Lose power? It keels over. All 120-200 lbs of it.
Two legged humanoid robots only stay standing when they’re powered and the control loops managing the joints and actively detecting the balance situation are all functioning.
Lose power? It keels over. All 120-200 lbs of it.
Friendly reminder that dynamically balanced bipeds are actually unsafe to have operating in proximity to small children, pets, etc and that there are companies actively avoiding anything to do with creating or trying to meet safety standards to mitigate this
The Humanoid Robot That Fell on Cardi B in San Francisco mikekalil.com/blog/cardi-b...
February 8, 2026 at 12:56 PM
To clarify for the non-roboticists out there:
Two legged humanoid robots only stay standing when they’re powered and the control loops managing the joints and actively detecting the balance situation are all functioning.
Lose power? It keels over. All 120-200 lbs of it.
Two legged humanoid robots only stay standing when they’re powered and the control loops managing the joints and actively detecting the balance situation are all functioning.
Lose power? It keels over. All 120-200 lbs of it.
Reposted by Star Simpson
the magic of the Muppets is that there are two fourth walls. they constantly break the one that reminds the audience they are performers. they NEVER break the one that reminds the audience they are puppets. this dynamic is the key to their entire comedy style
MY KIDS: so why are there muppets in the AUDIENCE
ME: THE CONCEIT!! IS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON A VARIETY SHOW!!! IN A WORLD WHERE MUPPET AND HUMAN COEXIST!!! YOU ARE WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY!! FILMED!! IN REAL TIME!!!
ME: THE CONCEIT!! IS THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON A VARIETY SHOW!!! IN A WORLD WHERE MUPPET AND HUMAN COEXIST!!! YOU ARE WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY!! FILMED!! IN REAL TIME!!!
February 8, 2026 at 6:22 AM
the magic of the Muppets is that there are two fourth walls. they constantly break the one that reminds the audience they are performers. they NEVER break the one that reminds the audience they are puppets. this dynamic is the key to their entire comedy style
Reposted by Star Simpson
The drone footage of this race was bonkers. Stomach-dropping in a good way.
Winter Olympics Photo of the Day: Drone Chase. A camera drone follows close behind Barnabas Szollos of Team Israel, as he hurtles down the course during the Men’s Downhill in Bormio, Italy, on February 7, 2026, day one of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/photography/...
February 7, 2026 at 10:08 PM
The drone footage of this race was bonkers. Stomach-dropping in a good way.
Reposted by Star Simpson
Massholes about to sweep this event until we’ve poured enough money into Boston transit that nobody in the city is allowed to own a car
coming up with a new idea called "driving like shit olympics". no more bland, unprovable statements like "california drivers are the WORST" allowed. whichever state wins every 4 years gets a moonshot-sized public transit investment to get those fuckers off the road
February 7, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Massholes about to sweep this event until we’ve poured enough money into Boston transit that nobody in the city is allowed to own a car
Reposted by Star Simpson
coming up with a new idea called "driving like shit olympics". no more bland, unprovable statements like "california drivers are the WORST" allowed. whichever state wins every 4 years gets a moonshot-sized public transit investment to get those fuckers off the road
February 7, 2026 at 5:34 PM
coming up with a new idea called "driving like shit olympics". no more bland, unprovable statements like "california drivers are the WORST" allowed. whichever state wins every 4 years gets a moonshot-sized public transit investment to get those fuckers off the road
Reposted by Star Simpson
I wish I could somehow curate a bsky feed that just got rid of the same 3 variations of takes on the major issue of the day and just summarized them into one. Or I'll take "ability to turn off rts from a person you follow"
February 4, 2026 at 11:00 PM
I wish I could somehow curate a bsky feed that just got rid of the same 3 variations of takes on the major issue of the day and just summarized them into one. Or I'll take "ability to turn off rts from a person you follow"
Ugh, oh no
I miss the CIA World Factbook…Already.
www.cia.gov/stories/stor...
www.cia.gov/stories/stor...
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell - CIA
www.cia.gov
February 5, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Ugh, oh no
Reposted by Star Simpson
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I don't mean to seem alarmed, but it appears Google's book search function is, just...gone.
In a sane country it would be a huge deal, front page news, that a privately owned utility that millions researches, from journalists to scholars, rely on every day to advance knowledge can just disappear.
In a sane country it would be a huge deal, front page news, that a privately owned utility that millions researches, from journalists to scholars, rely on every day to advance knowledge can just disappear.
February 3, 2026 at 8:39 PM
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Reposted by Star Simpson
Still perfect
February 3, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Still perfect
Reposted by Star Simpson
Most people don't realize the truly staggering rate of improvement of renewable technologies - the pace has been *insane* and costs have fallen through the floor.
Ireland has dismantled its first commercial wind farm to make way for a step-change in scale. Each new turbine generates more power than the entire 1992 Bellacorick site, illustrating how 3 decades of innovation have compressed land use while multiplying output. buff.ly/goiabIO
#ShareGoodNewsToo
#ShareGoodNewsToo
Last turbine on first commercial wind farm dismantled
The last wind turbine of what was Ireland's first commercial wind farm at Bellacorick in Co Mayo has been dismantled.
buff.ly
February 2, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Most people don't realize the truly staggering rate of improvement of renewable technologies - the pace has been *insane* and costs have fallen through the floor.