tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post6954467974560247915..comments2024-03-17T08:27:53.658-05:00Comments on Stonekettle Station: Down And Out On Moonbase FreedomJim Wrighthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-38804309917765883022012-03-19T06:26:01.099-05:002012-03-19T06:26:01.099-05:00Two extremely optimistic video tributes to space f...Two extremely optimistic video tributes to space flight...Unfortunately, I am afraid the hopes expressed here will never fly again. But they are beautiful and should be shared. Besides which, hope should not die...thats why its called hope. <br />Hope Eyrie<br /> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cVOOXQo22o<br />Fire in the Sky<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ryd_p20XEUCameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13378591363411441816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-1622706122644956412012-03-19T06:11:18.630-05:002012-03-19T06:11:18.630-05:00I was gleefully reading this, howling, and plannin...I was gleefully reading this, howling, and planning to point out "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" in my well plotted comment- one of the best SciFi books ever...a-n-d...then you hit that last reference to above book + "I can see your house from here...". You owe me a keyboard, and another glass of tea, dammit! I love you, man! <br />On a more serious note, I watched the Landing on the Moon with both of my grandmothers, my parents and my much younger self all in the same room. Ah, a day like shall never come again in my lifetime for so many reasons. I remember it with awe and love and glory...Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13378591363411441816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-72734777077676921472012-02-03T20:07:09.919-06:002012-02-03T20:07:09.919-06:00Nick, the base goes in Tycho Crater. Good lord, ma...Nick, the base goes in Tycho Crater. Good lord, man, haven't you read your Arthur C. Clarke?Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-35887910438818666132012-02-03T19:25:36.371-06:002012-02-03T19:25:36.371-06:00Oh, but where to put the base?
I'd vote for th...Oh, but where to put the base?<br />I'd vote for the "dark line" (on the line that divides the "dark" side from the side that faces us.<br />Then we could go look at the stars without the glare from the United Light Pollutin' States.<br />I'm not really sure if I'd like the 14 days followed by 14 nights though.Nick K. Aghazarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00645318005021298052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-86030944294915700342012-02-03T14:44:19.844-06:002012-02-03T14:44:19.844-06:00Lee27 - wondering.. was your 'jeer' a freu...Lee27 - wondering.. was your 'jeer' a freudian slip?<br /><br />AIUI, Newt's proposal was to set aside 10% of NASA's budget as a prize to a private company that could fulfill the challenge.. Since, as Jim points out, it is pretty much impossible, all Newt is actually planning is cutting NASA's budget by 10%.. & likely adding the funds to the already over-bloated Pentagon budget. <br /><br />So, the scientists really should have _not_ been cheering the cutting of their funding.<br /><br />as ever, it pays to realize that Newt is incapable of speaking an honest word.durnikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17831775482692938740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-49293198516849510812012-02-03T12:02:23.421-06:002012-02-03T12:02:23.421-06:00Jim, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed thi...Jim, I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this post. Yeah, I’ve read The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress along with every other Heinlein book I could lay hands on. Throwing rocks, hummm, that has potential; kinetic energy is so flamboyant! <br /><br />As for Newt and his empty promises, I really never expected anything else. Eventually his millionaire friends will realize that he can’t be elected no matter how many of their millions he spends on commercials. <br /><br />I don’t think we (as a nation or a race) will gain a real foot hold on space until material science is capable of providing us with what we need to build a beanstalk (space elevator). That’s my opinion and I’ll freely admit that could be wrong. Then again, this isn’t really about the space race is it?Dana Teelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02686989075671803137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-66663597205370809582012-02-03T00:57:11.749-06:002012-02-03T00:57:11.749-06:00I was thinking of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress whi...I was thinking of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress while I was reading your post.<br /><br />I read it over and over until it fell apart, and am always looking for a used copy. I love that story.<br /><br />And I love the reference to seeing his house from there.<br /><br />Thanks for all your straight-shooting perspectives, Chief.Sweet annynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-44875131353647505632012-02-02T21:10:11.307-06:002012-02-02T21:10:11.307-06:00Anonymous@5:54 Aren't you being extremely hard...Anonymous@5:54 <i>Aren't you being extremely hard on President Gingrich ? President Obama has not exactly been a Moon Occupier's best buddy</i><br /><br />The difference being that President Obama didn't promise a bullshit moon colony in a blatant attempt to play on people's dreams in order to get elected. <br /><br />Obama has never been a space enthusiast and never claimed to be. I would prefer that he was, but at least he didn't lie about it.<br /><br />Gingrich's bullshit empty promise to build a moon colony by the end of his supposed second term is one of the most outrageous bullshit empty promises in an election cycle of increasingly outrageous bullshit empty promises (you want another one, try Ron Paul's utter fucking nonsense about being able to balance the budget in his first year without raising taxes). <br /><br />Granted, Obama has not made good on certain campaign promises, notably the closing of GitMo, but he fully <i>intended</i> to do so when he made that promise and he did indeed try. He got a reality check on it, but that's not the same as Gingrich's bullshit.<br /><br />The difference, Anonymous, is that Obama has something Gingrich doesn't, and never has and likely never will, i.e. integrity.Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-90257518120535861812012-02-02T20:56:04.075-06:002012-02-02T20:56:04.075-06:00Thanks for the Heinlein reference! And thanks for...Thanks for the Heinlein reference! And thanks for the laugh. It was a long day so the hysteria I'm currently engaged in is greatly appreciated. I sent the link to my son (writing in another room) and am now listening to gales of laughter emitting from that direction. Horribly 21st century I know but the combination is about as good as the toddle of Scotch that is forthcoming. Please keep writing.Ceahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06643518385726488500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-86744381731982714982012-02-02T20:54:30.706-06:002012-02-02T20:54:30.706-06:00Aren't you being extremely hard on President G...Aren't you being extremely hard on President Gingrich ? President Obama has not exactly been a Moon Occupier's best buddy .Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-60644423073776857562012-02-02T20:18:30.070-06:002012-02-02T20:18:30.070-06:00Yay!
That's all I got.
Dr. Phil
oombushe --...Yay!<br /><br />That's all I got.<br /><br />Dr. Phil<br /><br />oombushe -- the mind boggles with the symbolism possibilities...Dr. Phil (Physics)https://www.blogger.com/profile/11943336276878704753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-7956670263959452582012-02-02T18:28:53.783-06:002012-02-02T18:28:53.783-06:00I still say that Newt should be the first to go li...I still say that Newt should be the first to go live on the moon.<br /><br />Another good one, Jim.Marlene in PAnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-5932931035693297002012-02-02T17:59:20.561-06:002012-02-02T17:59:20.561-06:00O'Neill Colonies BABY!! Sieze the Lagrange Poi...O'Neill Colonies BABY!! Sieze the Lagrange Points for FREEDOM!!!!<br /><br />Space WOLVERINES!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-80077342897933588422012-02-02T16:26:45.828-06:002012-02-02T16:26:45.828-06:00@Jim - I wasn't so much missing the point as e...@Jim - I wasn't so much missing the point as enjoying the irony that the last president who wanted to send us to the moon was Kennedy.<br /><br />I'm right with you on space exploration (though I probably wouldn't make the cut as a colonist, darn it). I didn't realize that Newt suggested this to people in the space industry specifically, but that surprises me not in the least.<br /><br />Newt embodies the worst in the Republican establishment in that what he <i>says</i> is completely irrelevant. His words have the same purpose as a stage magician's patter: to distract the audience from his real intentions. If you want to know what Newt will do, you have to ignore everything he says and watch what he actually does.Dan Bresslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18150885966715899514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-370076187406379022012-02-02T14:15:15.825-06:002012-02-02T14:15:15.825-06:00The thing is that getting rid of SOCIAL PROGRAMS w...The thing is that getting rid of SOCIAL PROGRAMS will solve exactly NONE of the budget issues. However, cutting the military weapons programs and stopping our last useless wasteful war would... After all, on the money that we've wasted fighting two useless and futile wars probably WOULD have gotten us a moon base... :) Ok... Maybe not but we'd be a heck of a lot closer...hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03226544814244195874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-58031704892493837332012-02-02T13:57:02.043-06:002012-02-02T13:57:02.043-06:00The room full of scientist were jeering because Ne...The room full of scientist were jeering because Newt unrealistic (especially the financial part) "plan" to return & colonize the moon mean JOB SECURITY!!<br /><br />With President Obama ending much of the space exploration, these guys are looking at re-enventing themselves for future employment.<br /><br />exactly where is the money going to come from. American people will be in for a huge surprise when ending all social programs doesn't bring instant balanced budget and free money for all.Lee27https://www.blogger.com/profile/00514038275077027651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-50713075074070670032012-02-02T12:39:05.450-06:002012-02-02T12:39:05.450-06:00LOVE this! (And fwiw, I love Heinlein, too.) Reall...LOVE this! (And fwiw, I love Heinlein, too.) Really glad I had already finished my soda, though. ;-) <br /><br />nitpick: as a frequent typo-ist, I happened to notice that your final E is missing from the word breathe in at least one instance. Not that I think Newt would notice or care, since education is so NOT his favorite thing.<br /><br />Thank you for the laugh today, and the many other great posts I've read in the past. <br /><br />Gretchen in KSAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-84571615773442601642012-02-02T12:17:29.415-06:002012-02-02T12:17:29.415-06:00Jim, you site is the second I read each day. The f...Jim, you site is the second I read each day. The first being my E-. My E-mails seem to be necessary because coffee seems to be so much more enjoyable when inhaled. These constipated conservatives do that to me. I must inhale deeply when I read their bullshit.<br />I 'ditto', even mega-ditto the suggestions that your write a book. I have lots of time and know that any book from you will be a couple thousand pages because you have a way of addressing the embarrassing the crap.Ken Greennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-90165332846787030352012-02-02T12:01:37.564-06:002012-02-02T12:01:37.564-06:00It doesn't really matter, since Newt doesn'...It doesn't really matter, since Newt doesn't have any real plan for getting to the moon, just wishful thinking, and made that up just to try to get some Space Coast votes from Floridians (gosh, how well did that work for the Newt? Not well, apparently, since he lost the Space Coast big-time!). Free market magic fairy dust isn't going to get anybody to the moon anytime soon because there's no "there" there -- no resources not more easily obtained on Earth, nothing of any real scientific interest, nothing. It's just a big dusty ball of space rock, already examined in sufficient detail by robots to tell us that there's nothing of any commercial interest there. <br /><br />I mean, c'mon. We've had the technology to send people to the moon for over forty years now. Yet nobody's gone back since the last American left that dusty shore. That in and of itself says more than a little something...<br /><br />- Badtux the Pragmatic PenguinBadTuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01345749557330760251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-25680036655874321112012-02-02T10:13:28.284-06:002012-02-02T10:13:28.284-06:00I daresay the book would be farther along if ShopK...I daresay the book would be farther along if ShopKat would stop trying to rewrite her chapters.Never Ben Betterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17814767173601107270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-32674641336555377392012-02-02T10:00:34.296-06:002012-02-02T10:00:34.296-06:00@ Tristan, last I heard he was working on one.@ Tristan, last I heard he was working on one.Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16588657943011198242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-59906222451664938342012-02-02T09:33:15.950-06:002012-02-02T09:33:15.950-06:00Have you ever considered writing an actual book? I...Have you ever considered writing an actual book? I am guessing this has been asked before...but realy, you can write!!<br /><br />GREAT post!Tristan Alexanderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05936915388418287612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-57123403412217872232012-02-02T09:23:58.459-06:002012-02-02T09:23:58.459-06:00@Dan Bressler, you may be missing the point.
It&#...@Dan Bressler, you may be missing the point.<br /><br />It's not the moon. I'm huge fan of space exploration. I want to go, I've always wanted to go. I'd be the first guy to sign up as a colonist. I watched the moon landings. I've waited my whole life <a href="http://www.stonekettle.com/2009/07/one-small-step-bittersweet-anniversary.html" rel="nofollow">to see the lights of Luna City</a> shining in the darkened crescent of the moon.<br /><br />However, I actually know what it would take to return to the moon in nine years - let alone build a permanent colony there. And it is simply not possible. Period. America will likely <i>never</i> return to the moon as a nation, not unless the political climate and partisan divides change, divides I might add that were created in large part by Gingrich himself and pompous self-serving assholes just like him. These fuckers are the very bastards who stole our future from us thirty years ago, back when we actually could have returned to the moon and gone to Mars, and on out to the moons of Jupiter.<br /><br />What really pisses me off here is this: Gingrich literally promised the moon to a room full of <i>actual rocket scientists</i>, people who should damned well know better and probably did, but cheered him anyway rather than ask him pointed questioned and demand detailed plans. It's one of the most pathetic things I've ever seen. It made me want to vomit, watching those particular people cheer Gingrich's smarmy bullshit. They want space so desperately, that they'll cheer an obvious fantasy, even though they know it's nothing but smoke and mirror. It's sickening. <br /><br />It pisses me off to a degree you simply cannot imagine that Gingrich would attempt to steal my dreams in a crass attempt to further his political goals. He's making promises that he has no intention of fulfilling. This is a guy who will say and do <i>anything</i> in order to regain power.<br /><br /><br />"Build a moonbase" is the political equivalent of "jumped the shark."Jim Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11259550121437562338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-50073322230016191522012-02-02T08:45:15.078-06:002012-02-02T08:45:15.078-06:00To quote some ancient wise man:
Hyperbole becomes ...To quote some ancient wise man:<br />Hyperbole becomes you!<br />Keep going!fromthediagonalnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8243351006478134285.post-67989171319989746872012-02-02T07:59:53.416-06:002012-02-02T07:59:53.416-06:00Jebus, Jim, I can't keep laughing out loud at ...Jebus, Jim, I can't keep laughing out loud at work and spitting coffee on my monitors. Don't suggest I stop reading here, either, because some days, it's all the giggle I get.<br /><br />word verification: ationupl, the act of a republican candidate marrying the nation (and then promptly f***ing it.)Christinanoreply@blogger.com