SPACE: Virgin Galactic aircraft cruises to supersonic speeds. “It may not have as cutting-edge a name as Elon Musk and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, but Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo (SS2) is the real deal, and it successfully sailed Thursday to supersonic speeds with the aid of a rocket engine for the second time.”

#RACISM: Congressional Black Caucus Instructed to Hold Tongue on Syria.

But it’s too late: Top Congressional Black Caucus member mocks Obama’s Syria proposal. Charles Rangel is off the plantation.

TWEET OF THE DAY: “I’m picturing Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld sticking a daisy in the barrel of John Kerry’s M-16.”

21ST CENTURY RELATIONSHIPS: The Man With 6,000 Barbies Can’t Get A Date Because Women Feel Competitive With His Dolls.

SORRY, BUT THESE PEOPLE SOUND LIKE IDIOTS. “T-Shirt Gatling Gun,” is, I’m afraid, a very generic term. Gatling guns have been around since the 19th century. It’s also really stupid to threaten bloggers this way.

FASTER, PLEASE: Development of Tiny Thorium Reactors Could Wean the World Off Oil In Just Five Years.

SHIKHA DALMIA: Freedom ≠ Polygamy and Heroin: Conservatives are wrong to worry that libertarian policies will lead to libertinism. Places with a legacy of strong government — Russia, for example — aren’t noted for their strong morals.

COMING TO A WRIST NEAR YOU? Samsung’s Galaxy Gear Smartwatch.

Frankly, it’s kind of underwhelming. I was expecting a freestanding device, not a bluetooth-based smartphone peripheral.

YES, WE DO: We Need A Moore’s Law For Medicine.

Alas, I fear that ObamaCare makes that less likely.

WHY ARE U.S. POLICYMAKERS ignoring the impact on Syria’s Christians?

NEWS YOU CAN USE: 14 Rules Of The New Workplace That Millennials Need To Master. “Today’s workplace doesn’t tolerate slackers.”

THIS SOUNDS COOL: Entrepreneuring Abroad. “These are not just ordinary locations, but luxury residences in exotic locations with five-star amenities like onsite massage therapists, gourmet chefs and maid service. And the kicker? The claim they can do it for less than what it costs to have an average lifestyle in the United States. The all-in cost of staying in a Happy Hub per month is just $1,000 a week or $2,800 a month, this includes everything from accommodations to food and spa amenities and shuttle service to a popular surfing beach. The whole key to living the six-figure lifestyle without the six-figure pay check is that you must be ‘location-independent’ meaning that you work on the computer or over the phone.”

AT AMAZON, Deals & Markdowns in Exercise & Fitness.

Also, bestsellers in Jewelry.

Plus, coupons galore in Beverages & Coffee.

HIGHER EDUCATION: Are “Elite” Degrees Wasted On Stay-At-Home Moms?

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: Adjuncts At The Barricades.

YEAH, WHERE ARE THE CELEBRITIES ON THIS? “Where’s Bruce Springsteen? He helped Obama get elected. Shouldn’t he weigh in on the Syria question?” They’d certainly be weighing in if Mitt Romney were in the White House.

VIDEO: Iraq Vet Turns Tables on Liquor Store Robber.

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: Richard Thomas, Rapist, Upset He Might Have Gotten HIV From Victim.

UNVEILED: Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Campaign Mascot. This was kinda previewed at the 2012 DNC.

CHANGE: Doctors As Travel Agents. “A new generation of technology came along and pushed travel agents out of the loop. Before long, that’s how it will be with doctors. When online systems can assess and diagnose symptoms more reliably than most doctors can, they will. The primary venue for medical care will once again become the home. We will look on the days of driving across town and sitting around a crowded waiting room as a curiosity from the past, one that we will have no desire to bring back.”

READER BOOK PLUG: From reader David Welch, Chaos Quarter.

ARE ONLINE SCHOOLS FAILING STUDENTS? Or just getting funding that other people want?

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: Some 2-year degrees pay off better than BAs. “Shelling out more money for a four-year college degree doesn’t always mean you’ll land a job with a better salary, a recent report found. In fact, graduates of many two-year associates and occupational certificate programs earn just as much as workers with traditional four-year degrees — if not more in some cases, according to a report from CollegeMeasures.org, which analyzed the earnings of recent graduates in Arkansas, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.”

#WARONWOMEN: Campus Leaders Call Conservative Women Unimpressive, Unworthy.

STEPHEN FINCHER AND LAMAR ALEXANDER: Americans deserve protection from IRS. “The Internal Revenue Service violated the First Amendment rights of the American people — and their trust — when it targeted conservative political groups in Tennessee and around the country for additional scrutiny during the 2012 election. As Congress investigates just how deeply the problem goes, it’s important to make sure those responsible are held accountable, so that the American people can trust their government.”