Potpourri CV

This has been in my inbox for awhile. Veronique Koken and her partner Howard Chipman, a doctor with his own Czech L-39 jet fighter, have opened an astronaut training center called Aurora Aerospace in the Tampa Bay (Oldsmar) area. The training, a la carte or all together, is not cheap ($8,000 for the whole thing), but sounds like quite an adventure. The full package includes, per the brochure:

• L-39 flight
• Zero-G flight
• Spacecraft/L-39 simulator
• "MAD" machine
• High altitude hypoxia training
• Ground school
• Flight suit, leather jacket, L-39 model, t-shirt, cap, and more

This is a two-day experience that operates out of a local airport in Oldsmar, and it includes a medical screening to ensure that your body can handle all this stuff. I was just flipping through the brochure and noted that the L-39 has ejection seats if needed. Well, jump in as you see fit. I've already made my choice: Earth is my home. For those of you so inclined, I'll add the link to my permanent rotation.

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Yesterday's Lunar Crater Reconnaissance and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) was a little disappointing from a visual point of view. To be blunt, I saw nothing--no flash, no plume of stuff thrown into the air--nada. I admit to having a little fun with this. I posted Marvin the Martian as my user image on Facebook and asked, "Where's the kaboom? There's supposed to be a moon-shattering kaboom!" Part of that was to express my shared disappointment that the NASA simulation graphics were more dramatic than the actual event; part of it was to poke fun at the people I griped about on Thursday who thought the mission was going to somehow damage the Moon. Now, of course, the mission is being pummeled in the press. If there weren't any fireworks, the press assumed, the mission was a failure. The truth is, until they sort through the data, we won't know what they've got. But the only real reason that LCROSS matters is, if we find water ice on the Moon, we can build long-term bases and permanent settlements there. NASA can't say that because the administration isn't talking about it. However, in my off-duty hours as a National Space Society person, I think that's exactly what they should be talking about. If you agree, join NSS today, and start the campaign to get that started. I want my hotel (not home) with a view of the Earth!

Oh yeah: our president--the guy who was elected nine months ago--has won the Nobel Peace Prize. Let's consider what some previous winners have done:

• Mediated between countries at war (Theodore Roosevelt, Ralph Bunche)
• Ministered to the needs of the poor and suffering (Mother Teresa, UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross)
• Negotiated a peace treaty (Menachem Begin, Anwar Sadat, Henry Kissinger)
• Fought for the rights of prisoners (Amnesty International)
• Fought for freedom of conscience (Andrei Sakharov)
• Fought for equality under the law (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
• Designed a plan to help rebuild countries destroyed by war (George C. Marshall)

President Obama has done none of these things. Now I commend Obama and his speech writers for acknowledging that he's done nothing (yet?) to earn the award, but jeez, if you know you've done nothing, why accept it? So what has Obama done? The Nobel organization notes on its web site that the nomination process ends in February. I leave it to the reader to review WhiteHouse.gov to look for themselves:

• Presidential actions and proclamations
• Speeches given
• Weekly addresses given
• Nominations and appointments made
• Statments and releases made
• Press briefings given

I still think someone in the international community is setting this guy up. He's very sensitive to public and press opinion, here and abroad. If he's turned down for the Olympics, it affects his attitude toward the press, as does his surprise award for the Nobel Peace Prize. I believe he's also very susceptible to flattery. Why would the Nobel Foundation give such a prize to someone who, 12 days into his presidency, had yet to make any substantial contribution to world peace? As Obama saw it,

I am both surprised and deeply humbled by the decision of the Nobel Committee. Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that this prize reflects the kind of world that those men and women, and all Americans, want to build -- a world that gives life to the promise of our founding documents. And I know that throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes. And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action -- a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century.

Again, I appreciate his humility and candor. But you've got to wonder, don't you, why you're being given an (arguably) important award before you've done anything? Could it be a message that "We're awarding you up front so you do things in a way that will make us happy in the future"? Is this some sort of message that "We want you to remain a man of peace, and by a man of peace, we mean undoing everything George W. Bush has done"? (Sure, give Iraq back to the Baathists and Afghanistan back to the Taliban--that'll make everyone happy and safe!)

I'm very much a merit-minded person. If I've earned something specific, I take that as a matter of course. If I'm rewarded for extra effort, I'm appreciative. If I'm awarded for doing little to nothing (as I see it), I feel uneasy and try to deflect attention elsewhere. But no, our president is going to accept the award as an incentive to go forth and do things. Interesting take on things, but a little disingenuous. And if someone gave me a big prize without me having done anything, I'd wonder what game was afoot. I'm probably overly suspicious that way, but really...

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I got this item from Lin: the Democrats are looking at a "second stimulus," as the economy shows little sign of improving (unemployment now at 9.8 percent--is it still Bush's fault?).

There are two approaches to governing in the U.S. One side tries to do what it can for the individual citizens to make it on their own with as little government charity as possible. The other side says that government needs to make sure that the goods of society are distributed as equally as possible, usually through taxation and wealth transfers. Conservatives overlook the fact that everyone isn't equipped to do things on their own; liberals overlook the fact that if you make people dependent on someone else, they'll never learn to do things for themselves. The conservative approach to governance empowers more individuals, but results in inequality of outcomes among those individuals due to differences in ability, willingness to work, and starting position. The liberal approach empowers government by giving the political class the power and (assumed) right to decide who gets what--ostensibly to raise up the poor, but more often to punish the rich.

It's been 30 years since the nation went through one of these exercises. Perhaps it will take another "Carter presidency" to hammer the lesson home. Alas, we must await the next swing of the pendulum.

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Got this from my company yesterday: an FBI press release on a Jordanian who was looking to bomb a building in Dallas, Texas. This wasn't an old release from just after 9/11, but a fresh one, from September of this year. Our peace-loving president would do well to remember that he's supposed to maintain peace and security in his own back yard, not just in the court of world opinion. Safe bet: if he takes actions that protect Americans--you know, the folks who voted for him--he'll be regarded as an outlaw and a cowboy, just like Bush. That might do him some good and earn him a second term. As it stands right now, I don't see that happening.

That's about it for now.

Potpourri XLI

I started worrying about the end of the world during the halcyon days of the 1980s, when the only(!) problem we had was nuclear anninhilation from the Soviet Union. Some of the same stuff you need to survive a nuclear war can also be used in the event of a hurricane or establishing a base on the Moon or Mars, come to think of it. Twelve years in Florida will cause you to think about these things. I also had a brief attack of survivalist paranoia after 9/11, but eventually calmed down. That doesn't mean I threw away any of my research. What follows below is a sampling of the stuff I uncovered for people who don't intend to depend on the government if civilization goes pear-shaped.

My survivalist-minded friends inform me that there are only a few things absolutely worth having in the event of civilization's collapse, with the top three being "guns, gold, and groceries." And if you're a right-wing nut job like me, you're hearing or reading a lot about that sort of thing these days, depending on what web site you read. So in the spirit of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse with style, here's a useful list of things you ought to own when the solid waste hits the ventilator:

• Weapons, ammunition, and cleaning supplies (recommended outlets: Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, or your local gun shop. If your neighborhood doesn't have these, you're just going to have to rely on the kindness of strangers or hope you have some of the other items below.) For close-range fighting, the sidearm; for long-range shooting and hunting, the rifle; for more practical self-defense, the shotgun--sawed-off or otherwise.
• Gold (http://www.swissamerica.com/ or http://www.golddealer.com/ were recommended to me at one point)
• Canned food (your local grocery store should be sufficient for buying this stuff, but other sites provide kits that will meet your needs for a month, several months, or a year, depending on how you place your bets.
• Basic survival skills. You can look here or check out the U.S. Army's Field Survival Manual for reference.
• High-quality outdoor gear, including hunting/fishing gear, suitable for where you live or where you plan to migrate. The outdoor stores above work just as well for these sorts of items.
• Four-wheel drive vehicle. As near as I can tell, the best of the lot is the Land Rover, but those are a tad expensive. Still--you're going to need somewhere to keep a portion of all your other stuff, right?
• Trade goods (e.g. priceless antiques, high-quality whiskey, useful/rare books, solar-powered watches, tools--recommended sources: wherever you can find them, but I recommend buying originals like Rolex or Chivas Royal Salute or Steuben crystal, not knockoffs).
• Means of obtaining and storing gasoline, ethanol, or other fuel, along with a generator.
• The Book of Common Prayer, The Bible, and a few other sacred texts. Inevitably, people are still going to be born, get sick, get married, and die, and these books provide the standard words to cover such eventualities. If you're an atheist, you might not need any of the above, but I will, and I'd appreciate it very much of something more than "good riddance" was spoken over my body. If you go before me, I'll say a prayer for you anyway. Promise.
• Practical texts for rebuilding civilization. This includes things like How Stuff Works, auto repair manuals, basic engineering (yes, including aerospace--might as well dream big!), chemistry, physics, agriculture, cloth- and clothing-making, and biology texts. And, oh yeah, some basic education or people who have a basic education in all of the above.
• Dogs. Preferably big 'uns, not lap dogs. They can hear and smell better than we can, serve as good guards, and odds are they'll be more loyal than some people, come the day.
• Loyal friends with some or all of the above. Most likely these are country folks. I'm cool with that, are you?

What do you mean, nobody asked?

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On a completely different topic, this site looks pretty cool: FutureMe.org, where you can send an email to yourself in the future. I sent one for November 1, after I've been to Europe and finished up with the launch of Ares I-X by then. Of course this all becomes moot if we have the Zombie Apocalypse between now and then, but hope springs eternal.

Just saw this...Former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin is now on Facebook. Wild.

This is an idea I'd like to take on, if I had a few billion in the bank: making a business out of clearing space debris from orbit.

Just saw this link on Dar's site: Nerd Girls.

Dan Linehan has a good interview about his SpaceShipOne: An Illustrated History book on C-SPAN.

Starfleet Academy -- A Proposal

Several educational paths, systems, and organizations already exist to provide the knowledge, skills, and credentials needed to work in the aerospace industry, become an astronaut, or become a space scientist. However, I've got another hot idea in the back of my brain: we need a university (or more) that will train the next generation the skills needed to explore, work, and live in outer space permanently. In short, I think it is time to create the 21st century's equivalent of Starfleet Academy.

Bill Cosby used to say that "Intellectuals go [to class] to study things that people do naturally." That could be true. However, when it comes to doing things in space, nothing about the activity will be "natural." The environments--atmospheres, gravities, soil chemistry, what have you--will all pose unique constraints on human activity, and our technologies will have to cope with them. Many activities will have to be completely redone. Others, managed by teleoperated robots, will be easily handled from an office here on Earth.

We will also face challenges in space because it will be an international undertaking. This means a more rigorous education in foreign languages and diplomacy than most Americans are used to receiving these days. What I'm proposing is a program that would encompass some or all of the following programs:

• North Dakota's Space Studies Program
• George Washington University's Space Policy Institute
• McGill University's Air & Space Law Program (located in Canada--point of trivia for you: William Shatner graduated from McGill, and even had the student center named after him!)
• International Space University
• NASA's Astronaut Training Program, which includes things like "Space Camp" (flight simulators
• Space Camp
• The United States Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies
• The U.S. State Department's Foreign Service Institute
• A trade school for basic machine tooling, metallurgy, construction in space environments
• Bachelor’s degree programs (from accredited institutions) in engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics
• The Vanderbilt Center for Space Physiology and Medicine ("Dr. McCoy will see you now...")
• The Colorado School of Mines Center for Space Resources

The schools above mostly cover physical science disciplines, except for the law schools and the Foreign Service Institute. I would include the following "required" courses in the curriculum:

• Comparative government
• Economics (Chicago or Austrian school, not Marxist, thank you very much)
• Technical communication/writing
• Comparative religion

Why these? Because the students coming out of this school should be--in my mind--well versed in the Western traditions of equality under the law, trial by jury, representative government, freedom of speech, balance of powers, separation of church and state, and other notions that have allowed the world to advance over the past 500 years. They should also understand basic economics, under the assumption that we're going to have a capitalist, not socialist economy up there. They should be able to write and speak about technnical subjects clearly, both to other technical professionals and to laymen not so well versed. And yes, they should have some understanding (notice I do not say "appreciation" or "sensitivity") of the other cultural traditions of the world, since they are likely to be interacting with them in one fashion or another.

As you can see, this would be a wide-ranging university/academy, which would obviously demand multiple tracks, as well as (possibly) multiple locations and facilities, but the whole would be dedicated to building and sustaining human society beyond this planet. Ideally, this institution should be privately funded and publicly accredited. Financial aid and scholarships would be available at competitive rates. Given the specialized nature of this university, perhaps arrangements should be made for any graduates to automatically get first choice of any off-Earth jobs through one of the sponsoring organizations or companies.

Other ideas welcome.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Today was one of those fantastic days that make me wonder why the heck anyone would want to leave Earth: sunny, 70 degrees, light breeze, unbelievably blue sky, trees and grass so green they were practically shouting. So you've gotta ask yourself a simple question: what in HECK would make you want to give up all this to go live in a tin can on some godforsaken rock in the middle of nowhere? We might have to leave someday--asteroids, volcanoes, and ice ages being what they are--but if things are going well, why screw around with it?

There is an element of escapism in the whole space exploration/settlement thing, of course. A lot of people watch SF for the vicarious thrill of seeing people live on other worlds; but the odds are pretty good that they wouldn't want to actually live there. That explains the audience gap between space advocacy conferences and SF conventions. The space advocates really want to go; the SF fans are content to let their minds wander. And then there are people like me, who are in both camps.

I don't have any other deep thoughts this evening. My mind must be wandering. Ciao.

Random Thoughts on a Friday Evening

When I started this space advocacy thing, I was already doing a lot of philosophical and historical reading—Aristotle, Toynbee, Rand, what have you—but one thing that surprised me was how philosophical pro-space literature is: The Case for Mars, The High Frontier, etc. Heinlein, Zubrin, O’Neill, and the others have a vision of humanity that is often more lofty and courageous than our current age would seem to inspire. This has led me, unsurprisingly, to yet more reading.

We often have to ask ourselves: who are we as a people? Or, more selfishly: who am I? What kind of person am I? What kind of person do I want to be?

So I’ve done yet more reading: Cicero, Kipling, the King James Bible, Kissinger, Bobbitt, Pournelle, history, philosophy, space stuff, religion, biography, pop culture sociology. And then, of course, I have my daily interactions with non-literary people in person and via email. Occasionally, when I can stomach it, I watch the TV news. The more I read, the more I am convinced of the following:

• People are inherently fallen, subject to temptation, greed, lust, ill temper, violence, gossip, shortsightedness, foolishness, and power-seeking. And I include myself in that category 100%.
• The best thing I can prescribe is that individuals and groups act under a similar creed: if someone’s behavior is not causing you harm, leave them the hell alone. Of course that sort of libertarian thought is not likely to be practiced. Otherwise, laws wouldn’t be enforced, nor, most likely, would religions be spread, regardless of their goodness.
• Religions seem blind to the possibilities or potential of space exploration and settlement. This is mostly because they—and I mean here Protestant Christian sects, I cannot speak for others—prefer that their followers focus on the next world. A friend of mine suggested the other day that “we needed a new church.” I’m not so sure. Roman Catholicism at least believes in practicing good works in this life. Would improving living conditions worldwide and offering the potential for new freedoms qualify as good works?
• I suggested to my pastor and vicar, very gently of course, that space exploration offers us a chance to better learn about God’s creation. And, indeed, the more we see of the universe’s vastness, the more humbled we may become. I don’t hold with the scientific (liberal?) view that the size of the universe is proof-positive of how insignificant we are. On the contrary! If life is truly so rare, then we should treasure it as never before, and marvel that we have brains to comprehend it at all. I haven’t made much progress with either camp on these views.
• Another argument I suggested to the vicar (this discussion quickly eluded or bored my pastor) was: “Isn’t space technology worthwhile if it is used to stop an asteroid that kills all life on Earth?” I was told, more or less, that if God wanted to smack us down like that, that was his privilege; likewise, if he felt it was within his mercy to grant us the intelligence to achieve such a mission, that was fine, too. Again, I was cautioned against focusing too much on this world and not enough on the next. Yeah, but while I’m here, shouldn’t I try to do everything in my power to help my fellow man? I left the church for about 20 years because of its hostility to science fiction. It doesn’t seem to be much more welcoming to science fact, either. I draw my moral and spiritual precepts from Christianity, but most of my daily-life inspiration comes from outer space, which God created. I’m sure I’m going to hell for that in some people’s minds.
• We are in for a long war with Islam. Wouldn’t space colonies provide excellent sanctuaries and places for preserving Western Civilization, especially if Europe actually becomes “Eurabia,” as Bat Ye’or suggests? Some Europeans, not wishing to give up their culture or move to America to preserve it might seek an “island” from which to preserve their lives, families, and traditions. Such enclaves could offer the hope of a second Renaissance in exile.
• America’s ruling political parties have both embraced “big government” as their mantra: for Republicans, big government encourages virtue, discourages vice, promotes a strong military, and rewards faithful political districts with pork; for Democrats, big government rights wrongs, ensures (enforces) equality of outcomes, emasculates a strong military, and rewards appropriate pressure groups with preferred legal rights. Actual limited government has fallen by the wayside in favor of doing good, and elected officials have assumed an air of arrogance toward their subjects that is becoming all too obvious. Free enclaves in space must be established, if only to get out from under foot once in awhile. But would such a government willingly establish such colonies, knowing its citizens were likely to secede? Would businesses funding such settlements accept independence if the end result was no return on investment? Yet the frontier must be preserved. We must do something before freedom is extinguished.
• Book after book and study after study is pointing out the steadily decreasing gap between East and West. China has more honor students than we have students, and not all our students are geniuses. If it weren’t for immigration, America’s birth rate might well be falling. Would technological success or the challenge of the frontier create the cultural incentives to overcome these hurdles? One can only hope. There is some doubt as to whether our educational system can still teach kids the skills and insights they need to conquer the space frontier.
• Space can, in fact, be tied to so many Earth-based issues that it truly baffles me how short-sighted our society has been toward it. We need a commitment to technological leadership—check. We need a reason to feel hopeful about the future—check. We need goals worthy of the freedoms that God and our Constitution gave us—check. We need reasons for kids to study the hard topics—check. We need new resources, energy, raw materials, and so forth to enable our capitalist economy to keep expanding without undue harm to our planet—check. We need more information about how the climate of our planet functions and what, if anything, we can do about it—check.

On and on like that. Space exploration and settlement are truly multidisciplinary activities worthy of our attention. And yet NASA is 0.58% of the federal budget, while “more important things here on Earth” are many dozens or hundreds of times greater—and still the Earth-bound want more from the paltry sum NASA consumes of the federal treasury. In fact, this will only get worse, either as the War on Terror deepens or as the Baby Boomers start retiring. Discretionary spending, of which NASA is a part, will dwindle to nothing, even though it is the one agency specifically dedicated to developing the very technologies that could save us. Frustrating, but there it is.