Dudes posting their Ws
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Last week I was able to visit Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
If you ever go, you pay like $75 to get in (includes a bus from the visitor center to the Saturn V building), but for $25 you can upgrade the bus to a 1.5 hour "explore tour" of the property.
LISTEN TO ME, PAYING THE EXTRA $25 IS THE BIGGEST NO BRAINER ON THE PLANET IF YOU EVER GO THERE.
It was AMAZING, the tour guide on the bus was fantastic, lots of trivia, a few jokes, and amazing facts. The bus lets you out 3 times to take pictures, and you see so much. You get awfully close to the launch pads for the Apollo and Shuttle launches, and now Artemis, as well as a new Space X "tower and chopsticks". You get to see the Vehicle Assembly Building, the crawler, the actual places where the Apollo astronauts got ready, the countdown clock, the stands, the CBS building where Cronkite watched Apollo launches from, you drive the very same road the Apollo (and other) astronauts took back in 1969...
Anyway...............what struck me, as I saw a SpaceX falcon rocket being refurbished after a launch, was how incredibly routine this has become. The day after we left, there were 2 SpaceX launches, where the rocket returned (one to a drone ship, one to the launch pad).
I didn't get to see a launch unfortunately (I was hoping, but weather scrubbed one launch) but did get to hear/feel the rumble from one later that week from 10+ miles away. It was great.
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Easily in the Top 5 coolest fucking things my dad ever did:
He was down in Florida, walking around, viewing the Rocket Garden at Cape Canaveral. It wasn't too crowded, just some tourists, but he saw this one guy looking up at the Mercury rocket. Just by himself, staring at it.
He walked up behind him and said, "that was your ride, wasn't it."
Dude was Alan B.
Afterwards they got a photo together that my dad still has on his bookshelf.
Please love yourself.
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Easily in the Top 5 coolest fucking things my dad ever did:
He was down in Florida, walking around, viewing the Rocket Garden at Cape Canaveral. It wasn't too crowded, just some tourists, but he saw this one guy looking up at the Mercury rocket. Just by himself, staring at it.
He walked up behind him and said, "that was your ride, wasn't it."
Dude was Alan B.
Afterwards they got a photo together that my dad still has on his bookshelf.
@Aqua-Letifer said in Dudes posting their Ws:
Easily in the Top 5 coolest fucking things my dad ever did:
He was down in Florida, walking around, viewing the Rocket Garden at Cape Canaveral. It wasn't too crowded, just some tourists, but he saw this one guy looking up at the Mercury rocket. Just by himself, staring at it.
He walked up behind him and said, "that was your ride, wasn't it."
Dude was Alan B.
Afterwards they got a photo together that my dad still has on his bookshelf.
That is great.
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I had Alan B. Shepard Jr's autograph hanging on my wall.
When I moved out of my mother's house, my sister took my room and trashed the autograph.
@Copper said in Dudes posting their Ws:
I had Alan B. Shepard Jr's autograph hanging on my wall.
When I moved out of my mother's house, my sister took my room and trashed the autograph.
Didja beat her?
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@Copper said in Dudes posting their Ws:
I had Alan B. Shepard Jr's autograph hanging on my wall.
When I moved out of my mother's house, my sister took my room and trashed the autograph.
Didja beat her?
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Is she still alive? THere's no statute of limitations on trashing an Alan Shepard autograph.
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@89th Great pics and background
@taiwan_girl said in Dudes posting their Ws:
@89th Great pics and background
Thanks, I've had a little vino tonight, but I'm trying to recall some of the interesting facts. First that Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the first pic... the stripes of the American flag are 8 feet wide, you can drive the tour bus up each stripe. It's the biggest american flag on the planet, you can fit Yankee Stadium on top, plus room for parking, it's the biggest one-story building in the world... and so on.
Here's a better video about how it works, great animation, too.
Link to video -
@taiwan_girl said in Dudes posting their Ws:
@89th Great pics and background
Thanks, I've had a little vino tonight, but I'm trying to recall some of the interesting facts. First that Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), the first pic... the stripes of the American flag are 8 feet wide, you can drive the tour bus up each stripe. It's the biggest american flag on the planet, you can fit Yankee Stadium on top, plus room for parking, it's the biggest one-story building in the world... and so on.
Here's a better video about how it works, great animation, too.
Link to video@89th said in Dudes posting their Ws:
you can drive the tour bus up each stripe. It's the biggest american flag on the planet, you can fit Yankee Stadium on top, plus room for parking, it's the biggest one-story building in the world
Wow!!!!
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why is the economist so much more expensive than the atlantic? is it more expensive to run the economist?
Great question. The price difference between The Economist and The Atlantic is noticeable—The Economist can cost $200+ per year, while The Atlantic is often under $60, with frequent discounts. This isn’t just price-gouging; it reflects both business model and content differences.
Key reasons why The Economist is more expensive:
1. Editorial Model & Scope
- International Focus: The Economist covers global economics, business, politics, and finance, with correspondents and reporting from around the world. This international scope is broader than The Atlantic, which, while respected, focuses primarily on U.S. issues and culture.
- Original Reporting: The Economist claims a lot of original analysis, data journalism, and reporting that requires more staff and more travel, rather than relying heavily on freelance contributors or commentary.
2. Audience & Perceived Value
- Target Audience: The Economist targets professionals in business, finance, and policy, who often expense the subscription or consider it a career investment. The Atlantic’s audience is broader and more general-interest.
- Willingness to Pay: The Economist can charge more because its audience is less price-sensitive and sees direct value (e.g., for work, investing, or academic research).
3. Cost Structure
- International Operations: Running a global news operation costs more: foreign bureaus, data analysis, travel, and higher editorial salaries.
- Production Quality: The Economist also spends more on detailed graphics, economic modeling, and maintaining a larger editorial staff per article.
4. Subscription Strategy
- Premium Branding: The Economist deliberately positions itself as a premium, niche product. The higher price signals exclusivity and quality.
- Discounting: The Atlantic aggressively discounts subscriptions to boost readership and advertising numbers, relying more on ads, sponsored content, and volume.
5. Advertising Mix
- The Atlantic relies more on advertising, events, and partnerships. The Economist has historically focused more on reader revenue and keeps ads less intrusive, so needs higher subscription fees.
6. Print vs. Digital
- The Economist still invests heavily in its print edition and global distribution, which is expensive. The Atlantic is now almost entirely digital.
Is it more expensive to run The Economist?
Yes, in most ways: The Economist’s editorial operations, staffing, and global reach make it much more expensive to run than a magazine with a mostly U.S.-based or commentary-driven model like The Atlantic.
But: A big part of the price difference is market positioning. The Economist charges what its audience will pay.
In summary:
The Economist costs more because it’s more expensive to produce, but also because it can charge more for what it offers.Let me know if you want details on actual circulation, finances, or staffing!
