Election Day

This day has been talked about for months, and now it is finally here.  It's time to do one's civic duty and go vote.  Todays weather is light rain, not bad conditions really.  The forecast says there's a chance of isolated thundershowers.  Weather isn't an excuse for failure to vote.  For me, it would take something like a tornado to keep me away.  I went in the first thing and cast my ballot- straight Republican.  Funny though. I was the only one there.  Another man came in while I was voting, but that was it.  Nothing like 2008, the Presidential election year.  That was busiest I ever saw it.  Not this time.  It was the very opposite.  Dead as a doornail.  Light turnout favors Republicans, but this is a Republican district anyway.  If this turnout is any indication, it will be light today.

Speculist Survey

Over at the Speculist blog, there's a poll which asks which technology will see the biggest single technological leap in the next 20 years.   I voted, but left no comment.  I voted energy because I think it will have the greatest impact over events.  If the energy problem isn't solved, then a lot of things are going to get bogged down.  Biotech (genetic research) may give answers to the energy problem, that could be my second choice.

Space gets the fewest votes.  Nanotech leads.  Genetic research is next.  Energy is in third.

What happens in the space field depends a lot of what government does.  If government doesn't support it, it won't amount to much.  If the Republicans win the midterms as expected, government cuts could bring some big changes to NASA.

Nanotech is fashionable, but I don't don't follow it closely.  I want to look into that area, though.

Artificial intelligence gets some votes.  The comment there was pretty interesting.  If you can make smarter people by using machines, then you just may speed up progress.  Yet, it doesn't seem to be happening.  If it is, I must be missing it.

Couldn't resist this

Looks like somebody is building 1966 Batmobile replicas.  Cool.  Hat tip Coyote Blog.

I remember the TV show.  Yeah, I'm that old.  The movies were better though.

Update:  The Batmobile reminds me of the TBird I used to drive.  The Batmobile may
have been based upon the same kind of design.

Flip This

Politicians, good ones, bad ones even mediocre ones, all share one trait. They are thick-skinned and never seem phased by criticism ( a few notable exceptions like Nixon and Truman). This makes it easy for them to change a position 180 degrees without a twitch. Some flip-flops are awesome, like John Kerry's "I voted for it before I voted against it" or was it vise versa? Doesn't matter, he was covered either way. Now, if the unthinkable happens and they lose their cushy gig and have to go to work for a living, where do most of the old politicos go? They become lobbyists. Still trying to shape peoples lives and tell them how to live, but doing it vicariously through their patrons billfold. So if Pelosi and Reid lose their seat at the big boys table, you'll find them handing out the bribes in D.C. as hired guns, see Tom Dashle (sic?).

What could done about the ISS

This is speculative at this time, and could become a series of posts.

The basic idea is as follows
The ISS then would be saved for a long as possible, and integrated into a series of space infrastructure improvements that would facilitate the development of space resources.

This is the bare outline which is being fleshed out here over a series of posts.  Some of these posts have already been written, others have not.

I) Based upon what I understand it to be as of now, here is what the policy according to these links:
 Obama's policy, the pdf report I mentioned here.

II) This is what the policy could become based upon these links: (not yet written)
    A) what could be feasible technically, financially, and politically
III) my own opinion of what it could become according to these links:
    A) heavy lift rocket could continue to be developed which could lift the following:
    B) a reusable space tug could be developed; a modified service module like Apollo (not written about)
    C) with a heavy lift rocket and space tug you could be able to:
          a) build a lunar orbital station (not written about)
          b) the orbital station could interface with the ISS which in turn, interfaces with Earth
          c) return crew from space with a return capsule
    D) continue with the Altair lander, but make it reusable also (not written about)
          a) land on the Moon
          b) land on Mars
          c) possibly visit near Earth asteroids
    E) with the Altair, it could be possible to deliver tons of cargo to the Moon's surface and, in addition,  return crew and material from the surface
          a) this could enable you to build a permanent lunar space outpost
    F) with tons of material and crews deployed on Moon, after building a lunar outpost that could
    G) mine the moon for fuels and useful materials that could be used to further
expand the reach into space that could take you to the rest of the solar system
and beyond.

Kitco Interview with Newt Gingrich

Daniela Cambone did an interview with Newt Gingrich and its posted on Kitco.com.  Gingrich is said to be hinting at a possible 2012 presidential run.  A quote from the article: "Under this “socialist, big government redistributionist model,” it’s very hard to create economic growth".

Gingrich is also critical of Bernanke.  He says he lacks understanding of the velocity of money.  Therefore, the recession is not about a lack of money.  It is about a lack of velocity of money.  Gingrich says "in a period of really deep economic recession people don’t turn it over very fast.” 


I would conclude that increasing the amount of money as Bernanke has done and increasing the velocity of money (which will occur in a real recovery) will eventually lead to inflation.


In my opinion, Gingrich is on the right track.  Read it all here.

The future of US manned space program

If this is true, moon base won't happen: the article says that Ares launch vehicle is "off the table".  It is the Ares launch vehicle that is supposed to go to the moon.  I think the Ares I program got terminated, not necessarily the Ares V.  Without a capability to return to space, the manned space program would be grounded indefinitely.  As it stands now, I think there will be a hiatus, but at most it will be for seven years.  Unless of course something goes wrong.  The ideas that I have presented in earlier posts will probably not be implemented.  Something else may be, but not as I have written here.

I spent most of today reading the Review of  US Human Spaceflight Plans Committee that was set up by the Obama Administration shortly after he took office.  It is an extensive PDF file which I have read only the executive summary as of now.  It is pretty unclear to me right now, but it looks like there won't be landings anywhere, only flybys.  Maybe asteroids, the Moon, and Mars.  If I am right, it will be mostly a show program.  A dog and pony show for the people.

Update:  Yes, this site is the one that I needed in order to learn what is going on with the space program.  The word is that they are going to go to an asteroid.  But what do you do when you get there?  Take pictures?

Here's a good idea, assuming that it works.  The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.  It will resupply the ISS.  Cheaper, but unmanned.  Crews on the ISS will have to hitch a ride with the Russians.