Front Page


Staff

Editor: Veronica Pierce
OpEd: Dan Schrimpsher
Reporter: Dan Schrimpsher
Finance: Veronica Pierce
Contact Us Alternative Contact
space (spās) n. 1. space beyond the atmosphere of the earth.

prag·ma·tism (prgm-tzm) n. A way of approaching situations or solving problems that emphasizes practical applications and consequences.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

I Guess I have to comment on the ESAS Eventually...

I suppose I have to comment on the plan to return to the Moon NASA put out a little while ago. I have to say, I am a little torn. I mean this is Space Pragmatism, where we are pragmatic, as it were.

Well for the executive summary, I am okay with it. Unlike many of my private space industry brothers, I don't think it is doomed to failure already. I think they could get to space, and with the right leadership (and I mean in the White House not in Griffin's seat) they could build colonies and launch Americans to Mars.

So why am I not jumping for joy and waving my arms. The problem is, it doesn't get me and my wife to space. That, of course, is my ultimate goal. Like Ron "Tater Salad" White said about being a dog lover:

I a dog lover. Actually I love my dog. I don't give a crap
about your dog.

Well, just the same for me. I want to go to space. I don't give a crap if you go to space. (I wouldn't mind the company, so come on up). But the best way to get me to space is to get everybody to space.

Mr Borman (who has been to space which hurts me to the core) is a dumbass (yes I said it). His recent statement (from Space Politics):

Well, I think Spacecraft One [sic] was a nice stunt. You spend twenty-five
million dollars to win ten. I'm not taking anything away from it because the
people who flew it were very brave and courageous, but I don't think it leads to
much, and I think it's inappropriately displayed up there next to Lindbergh's
and Yeager's airplanes.


Well, Mr Borman, screw you. You got to go to space, and unless I change my personality, my career path, and my vision pretty soon, NASA ain't send'n me up. Burt is the only person around who has done a lot to get me to space. So he falls right below God, my wife, and my kids on my list of people I love.

So were do I fall. It will be a fun show. I hope them the best. I also hope Virigin Galactic has a resort on the Moon before then. I be drinking 7n7's and toasting the landing, from the lunar side.

Update: 7:30 PM CST Nov 2, 2005
Jonathan Goff over at Selenian Boondocks seems to agree with me.

Saturday, October 29, 2005

So What Are You Going To Do About It?

The Speculist has a note about space property rights. Know as many of you know (if I still have any steady readers since I haven't posted in a while) I am very interested in space property. All of this talk about who owns what in space will only be settled when there are people truly living there and when commerce is established.

The article goes on to suggest that the UN is King George to the
would-be-settlers' American colonists. Let's hope it doesn't come down to that.
But if it does, I think I know which side I'm on.


To sum it up, this issue will be resolved when settlers and/or companies look back at the UN from space and say "So what are you going to do about it?" When that question is asked, history happens. Where it is a young, nerdy, overly picked on boy finally has enough, or when a group of humans finally has enough. English colonists look at England and said (through their actions) "Screw you, so what are you going to do about it?" England, of course, march one of the greatest armies in the world (at the time) across the sea (figuratively) and brought war to our land. From that war, came America.

Now, not to disparage the UN, my inclining is that they will shrug their shoulders and talk about how rough and barbaric space is. How space citizens need to be enlightened. Truth is they will do nothing of consequence. What could the do, really, as they are worse than useless.

That moment, whether through war or elitists inaction, is when we will become an extraterrestrial species.