Half a century

[crfriend]

I've heard it said that there is no such thing as gravity -- the Earth just sucks.

That does not ring particularly true in any scientific sense because it refutes the "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" axiom by virtue of saying that place sucks, too, likely as strongly as on this side of the fence.

And so it was today fifty years ago that humankind took its first wobbling steps into a wider world -- the world of the cosmos. This was heady stuff at the time, and remains so today, not the least when one remembers that it took under a decade to go from a single orbit of this tiny little dust-mote in space to visiting our nearest celestial neighbour.

And we've done precious little else in human form. True enough, we have devised, built, and launched robotic spacecraft that have done immense things, have opened the eyes of what I would hope would be millions (although the cynic in me sometimes thinks the real number may be in the dozens), and have returned scientific knowledge that will still take our carbon-based brains decades more to fully interpret and digest.

But we've not done anything beyond low-Earth orbit. With the retirement of the Space Transport System (euphemistically know as "Shuttle") the United states -- who 41 years ago and change landed men on the Moon and returned them safely to the Earth -- will exit the roster of nations who have active manned spaceflight capability. This leaves Russia and China. Russia, at the moment, seems intent to cooperate with other nations with ISS; China is on its own path -- a path that will likely take them to the moon and beyond..

So, today marks yet another bittersweet moment for the engineer and visionary in me. We could have done so much, and yet we've done so little. The dreams we were once taught to strive for -- dream big and aim high -- turn out to be little more than relics in museums as a part of an audacious stunt that was never to amount to anything in and of itself. True, we benefited as a species from the engineering by-products of the endeavours, including the device I am typing this on now, but all the inspiration seems to have died years ago.

Congratulations Major Gagarin on a job well done when few believed it possible. 'Tis a pity that the best we can do a half-century on is to fly in roughly the same orbit you did. It's not your fault, of course, but that's the way it is.

[DALederle]

Where to even begin on this post?
The American voter decided this one! They voted in, over the years, various politiciansmthat took the NASA funds to spend on their various pet projects. Both the major parties want votes and you get vores by handing out things to the voting public.
We can argue conservative and liberal pointes of view all we want but the craven pols see only votes for dollars and throw money around like it was water. But how much ever gets to the right places.
And all of them forget the technological gratitude we owe to the NASA. All manner of technological advances have come out of that program. It has paid for itself many times over in new developments. But once thery started the Shuttle program and started work on earth orbit projects the public lost track of the great benefits the program has produced. Would we have modern computers, cell phones, fuel cell cars, etc. etc. if not for NASA. But the minute it ceased to be exciting people who vote forgot about them.
I too morn the loss of our position in the world of space research. Just as we are now the world's only true super power, because the USSR broke up and couldn't sustain their costs, we are headed that way to. There are people in and out of government that want to abandon our military might too.
Don't forget the medical advances that NASA stimulated too! I wonder how many of us owe our very lives to the advances in medical technology NASA advanced? THeir studies of Astronaut health meant a big push in medicine.
I think we should get back in space! Let's go back to the moon! And to Mars and beyond. I've looked forward to us catching up to my all time favorite TV show, Star Trek. Followed by Deep Space Nine and Doctor Who. I want a matter transporter, new lungs and heart, and a chance to see the stars up close. I'll never get those chances if the craven pols have anything to do with, the cowards!

Dennis A. Lederle
Live Long and Prosper
p.s. On to Mars, I want to really learn to Grok!

[DALederle]

It isn't just today either! Read this;

"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced,the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt. People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."

Cicero - 55 BC

We haven't learned much in 2,000+ years have we?

Dennis A. Ledele


Live Long and Prosper!
To Infinity and Beyond!

[crfriend]

At the risk of sounding maudlin on this, it's worth noting that in the natural world extinction and failure are the rules and survival and success are the exceptions; those rules apply no less to civilisations. Whilst we do have the remnants of some very ancient civilisations in Iran (Persia), China, and the Hindu world, most everything else is rather stunningly recent.

Even in my short life I have watched the demise of one empire (the Soviet Union). The demise of the British Empire was a bit before my time, ditto the French and other assorted colonial powers', and I am watching now the demise of another (the USA, except that we just don't call it an empire even though it usually works in that manner) -- and it's rather unpleasant when natural laws get applied to one. I rather imagine that many Romans felt the same way as their fortunes spiralled down the drain of time.

But my intent was not to wallow in sorrow and self-pity revelling in what was to the exclusion of what is. Yes, I am torqued off about what is, and recognise that it needs to change, and change fairly quickly if natural laws are to be staved off for a bit longer; however, I would like to see others' similar sentiments gathered together and channeled into a cogent voice for altering the status quo -- to once again dream big, think big, and execute on those ideals.

[DALederle]

To make it all work somewhere along the line someone has to "bite the bullet" and make the hard decisions that face us all!
Buut no one in any government is going to do that!
So we are in decline and keep in mind the USA has, twice before, declared bankruptacy.
Hang on folks.
I'm convince it will only get worse from here on out!
Sorry to be so negative, but now that I'm out of options I can hang on and pray!
God save us all!

Dennis A. Lederle
To Infinity and Beyond
p.s. Think about the world economy if the USA is forced into bankruptacy.

[crfriend]

God save us all!

Whose god?

I could not agree more.

[Since1982]

For those who have seen the Science Fiction Movie "Avatar" when Sigourney Weaver's character "Grace" is shot and told to pray for a trip to "heaven", she responds, "I'm a scientist but I don't believe in science fiction. I tend to fall into the same category. I'd be more likely to believe in the possibility of "ghosts" and an "afterlife" of the personal entity than believe in some all seeing, all knowing "GOD" that can hear all prayers and answer a billion or more prayers a second world-wide.

[DALederle]

Skip:
Neither science nor religion is able to explain everything to total satisfication. In some ways maybe George Lucas got it right, "May the Force be with you." A universal binding force may be the current closest answer we can come with as to an answer of the riddle of the universe.
When I ponder all these deep thoughts (yeah right) I just throw up my hands in wonder over the whole thing.
Big bang? Maybe. Evolution, yes but not the way it was Darwin first thought it was. Remember, his was a theory, he, himself, never said it was a fact. So why is his theory taught in schools as if it was a facts. I'm not sure about about the real truth, I'm only sure that we don't know all the answers.
Big I also pray to the god of science, because I hope I live long enough to get cures for my medical problems.
I also pray to the god of science, if she exists, for your health too!
Smile, your on candid camera!

Dennis A. Lederle
Merse, amash, faplap!
That's a phrase used on Vega prime, according to one sci-fi book I read years ago!

[Kirbstone]

Those of us who are ageing need something to keep us going....the promise of or hope for a brighter tomorrow. As we approach the End it is certain that we don't know what lies ahead, and it is a pleasant thought to believe that perhaps there IS something pleasant waiting for us on the Other Side.
I have lost a few very near and dear friends in the last few years, and I would like to think that they were enjoying some sort of pleasant after life, not total oblivion.
Tom K

[Big and Bashful]

<snip> I'd be more likely to believe in the possibility of "ghosts" and an "afterlife" of the personal entity than believe in some all seeing, all knowing "GOD" that can hear all prayers and answer a billion or more prayers a second world-wide.

Word for word, you have pinned down my world/afterlife view almost exactly, although I admit I would like to think there was something to that re-incarnation malarkey, there are at least as many people on this planet who believe in re-incarnation as there are christians believing in the God thing.

Having given all the different world views as much thought as I can, I have decided on a "wait and see" approach. Sooner or later we will find out who was right! At the moment I am a confirmed apathetic.
An atheist believes there isn't a God.
An agnostic believes there might be a God (I think!)
Me, I don't really care, so apathetic seems appropriate.

I like the view of Terry Pratchett's Discworld Witches, they don't believe in Gods, they don't have to. They KNOW the Gods exist whether they believe in them or not. The same way you don't have to believe in tables, you just know they exist.

[Grok]

More than one author has compared the present American economy to the Long Depression of the 19th century.

[Jack Williams]

I don't know how to begin.
I reckon God was created by Man, not the other way round.
We need him for something to believe in in in the crisis of the world.

[Grok]

I understand that the Russian economy is currently being subsidized by exports of oil and gas.

Before the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Russians were working on the Energia booster, which would have been comparable to the rockets that launched astronauts to the moon.

I once read a study about possibilities for the Energia. One would be to launch a cosmonaut on a flyby of the planet Venus. The mission would last about a year (minimizing the effects of weightlessness) and would be easier and cheaper than, say, landing a person on Mars.

But, of course, this would nevertheless be a space spectacular. Without the ideological baggage of the Space Race, it might expand the imaginations of young people in different countries.

[DALederle]

It was after the fall of the "iron curtain" and the collapse of the USSR that our own space program began to decline. There was no longer a threat from the USSR to worry us and drive us to stay on top of the space race. The high, earth orbit space station is not as exciting as the race to the moon was. And most of the Sci-Fi shows that also push an interest in science and space are no longer there.
I remember that back in the 1960s, while we were headed for the moon Star Trek was on. Even after it was ruthlessly pushed off the air by the gutless wonders at NBC other programs, like the lame Space 1999 came on. Just before Star Wars there a real darth of Sci-Fi on television and it was this lack on American TV that made me a fan of Doctor Who, which was, originally a kid's show. I guess the BBC gave it a chance to grow up. Some thing that American TV doesn't do.
Star Trek was like NASA as it could be in future (my mom actually got the real space race confused with Star Trek).
So not only is there no race right now but no threats from other militaries for us to work against. And this slows the whole pace down.
And gives some politicians the excuse they need to take funds from NASA to put into other favorite "pork" programs that will gain them more votes.
Hang on folks. Times are getting rough. It would be a pity if all human interest in space stops right now. By the way RAH (Heinlein) predicted this turn of events in more that one of his novels.

Dennis A. Lederle
Merse, Amash, Faplap!

[Since1982]

Grok said: the Long Depression of the 19th century.

When was the long depression of the 19th century??