Welcome to the Nightmare   - (a Pantoum)

What do you do when your holiday gets arrested?

Imprisoned and faced with repeating bland motifs;

Even after the TSA leaves you feeling molested,

You get assaulted with crappy advertising reliefs.

Imprisoned and faced with repeating bland motifs,

How many times until you want to just scream?

You get assaulted with crappy advertising reliefs,

You sit and nod off, wishing to awake from the dream.

How many times until you want to just scream,

Another flight gets cancelled, another mob circulates;

You sit and nod off, wishing to awake from the dream,

This snowstorm has closed airports in neighboring states.

Another flight gets cancelled, another mob circulates,

How many displaced people will it take to start a riot?

This snowstorm has closed airports in neighboring states,

Ruined holidays are propagating around the planet!

How many displaced people will it take to start a riot?

One more bagel and water is going to make me sick;

Ruined holidays are propagating around the planet,

How can one keep their sanity here, is there some trick?

One more bagel and water is going to make me sick,

Even after the TSA leaves you feeling molested;

How can one keep their sanity here, is there some trick?

What do you do when your holiday gets arrested?

(referring to the snowstorms that shut down airports in Europe and the US.)

There once was a guy named Obama,
Did he think these things up in pajamas?
He pushed a tax bill on the hill,
Ran up debt for short-term thrills,
Now the world is saying,  "Yo Mama!"

Borrow billions more for social security,
Borrow billions for money for the rich,
Borrow biullions for school lunch nutrition,
Borrow billions for, gosh, darn near everything -
What happens when the world cuts off our credit card?

Don't cry for me, distant Beijing -
You knew we would feel debt's harsh sting,
We have no common sense left over here,
Only greed, partisanship, misery and fear
A whole nation sold out for capitol hill Bling-Bling.

Times we find ourselves in

The Democrats are rebelling against Obama big time.  They say hell no, we won't go along with the latest giveaway to the super-rish.  Looks like more late nights in DC. 

     The college agers are rioting in London.  Even poor Prince Charles and Camilla felt their wrath.  Buck up, brits:  We endure regular tuition increases here in the states.  Hell, we may have a spiraling inflation rate, but at least our minimum wage is going up.  When they manage to breed a human that can work three shifts without food or rest, we'll have it made, be the envy of the world.  Where are watson and crick when you need them?  Corporate profits rule!

     Anger drifts in the iar like a noxious cloud, and it is floating all around the world.  Populations are increasing, resources dwindling, greed multiplying in developing countries who want a piece of the pie, too.  Since the pie is shrinking, they have to take ours.   There is already a fair amount of shooting going on around the world, and it could get much worse.  This time, we are already sapped over here.  It would be nice if we could just sit this one out. 

     Hang on, we could be in for a real rough ride folks.

Applause, Applause

Some well-deserved approval for the US congress.  A bipartisan committee has been giving recommendations for cutting the budget deficit, and while they are tough, they seem practical and well-intended.  It is a starting point, and already the haggling is intense.  But credit should go where credit is due, so in my ever so humble opinion, I applaud some members of Congress for at least trying to get a handle on things.    - all 4 now.

Help participate in the E-book revolution.  A new way to read, from most any portable electronic device these days.

http://www.slideshare.net/Smashwords/introduction-to-smashwords-ebook-publishing-and-distribution-made-easy 

Thanks for taking a look. 

Kids in a Schoolyard

They are seemingly equally capable of coming to an agreement as our Congress is.  Our national debt is in the trillions, and running up more and more.  And all they can do is argue about earmarks, and wage partisan battles.   It is easy to take potshots from the outside, and I don't understand all the mechanics.  But I do understand that we seem to be headed for hyperinflation and collapse if the idiots don't put aside the BS and DO somenting about it, and Now.  If you have to cut five percent from every funded program out there, irregardless of any circumstance, DO IT!  You can't buy groceries on a credit card, endlessly, and not get cut off.  Well, it is time to get cut off and get responsible.  Please don't destroy the USA with your financial recklessness and foolishness.  Cut Spending and raise taxes, and balance this budget!  

     Get out of the schoolyard, and into the classroom - sharpen those pencils, and cut everything across the board.  Raise a few taxes.  Get our House in order, Please   - just a plea from one of the people you supposedly represent. 

A writer's life takes many twists and turns.  Sometimes the blogs get forgotten entirely as other projects take over, or real life just gets in the way.  My apologies to anyone who has been checking this space lately looking for something, anything.  But, below is a link to my latest poetry chapbook, very reasonably priced at only one US dollar.  Thanks to anyone for taking a look!   Have a wonderful day.

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/28909

     There is no rhyme or reason to it.

People always seem to default to the same behaviors.  
They cannot stand it when someone goes about their own business,
doing well in school, mastering a musical instrument, generally 
exhibiting contentedness with an orientation and lifestyle different than their own.
Greater society cringes, and seems to conspire to crush the life out of
successful differences in people.

Thinking about the Rutgers student driven to suicide, along with the other teen suicides,
I also think about my own experiences.  People seem like they cannot stand the thought of one living a happy life who also prefer the company of the same sex in all ways.

It makes me glad to see the publicity about the suicides, especially on this, national coming out day.  Our society can be educated again about the differences among us, and the fact that differences are not threatening - indeed, they can be enhancing to us all.   American society is showing a leadership role in grappling with these issues, even if we slip backwards at times.  The value of equality for all human beings cannot be overstated - everyone has something to contribute, some story to tell, or song to sing.  

     So let us celebrate our diversity, and not castigate someone because he or she is not our idea of an adult or a sexually mature person.  We could all learn something from each other. 
We should not judge each other cruelly, but rather embrace our differences and work together to solve the challenges that face every one of us.  Thanks for reading.

A new hope for the United States Economy  (and it's people)

Pres. Obama has just signed a bill supporting small business to help boost economic growth, and this is great. But there is something more he and Congress could do to really energize the economy. That is, provide low-interest loans and grants to companies for the purpose of projects in space, especially near-earth. Proposals for a resort hotel, or other scientific or recreational projects, could be helped along by some federal dollars. A public show of support would also help.

The future is out there, and other countries know this. That is why India and China are ramping up their programs, and other countries are trying to get in on the space rush. One way the US could retain it's position, and even enhance it, is for the federal government to provide financial assistance to space tourism and the like, in the same way loans are made to other types of businesses. A solidly funded suite of financial supports, together with public speeches and moral support, could get a US private space industry going strong. This in turn would provide jobs, a boost to technology research, and more importantly, a boost to peoples hopes and dreams.

For the young people in the US and the world, a brighter future would beckon - one with hopes for a spacious new area for settlement and trade. We already have an orbiting space station, so we are basically there. Now is the time to give it a real commercial push, to make it happen for the majority of people. We could bring space down to Earth, and more of the Earth into space.

The more commercial projects reaching up and out of Earths gravity well, the more resources in space can be utilized by the people of Earth. The Democrats can and should paint themselves as the party for a brighter future by pushing the concept of moving out and taking hold of the boundless resources in our Solar System and beyond. Thanks for reading.

Earmarks and Taxes. 

     I was meditating on the budgetary mess that the US is in these days.  While I realize it is an enormously complex problem to solve, I have an idea or two.  These are not new ideas, but I still have to get them off my chest.  With our budget deficits spiralling out of control, we need to get a grip in it somehow.

     So - we need to declare an immediate moratoriam on all earmarks.  Period - no exceptions, no matter how seemingly critical.  Like a person with maxed out credit cards, the first thing is to stop spending.  Then, go to plan B.

Plan B is a national sales tax.  Oh now, everyone is howling regressive tax and its hard on the poor.  But I feel that  a crashed economy, a second-rate country, a dsimal outlook will be harder on the poor than a 1 or 2 percent sales tax ever would.  The national sales tax will do several things.  It will show the rest of the world we are getting serious about our budget problems.  It will make those poor think a bit harder before spending any unneccesary cash on things like tobacco or alchohol.  And it will provide extra funds, which should be designated as deficit redution money, and Nothing else - not social security, medicare, defense or anything.  The national sales tax money would be to pay down the national debt - period.  It is Americans finally owning up to our collective debt.

     Lets face it - we have all benefitted from the constant earmarks applied by our congresspersons.  Our government is a huge bloat-ocracy, trying to feed too many greedy fish at once.  This has got to end.  It can end, if we show some spine and do what needs to be done.  Perhaps the end of earmarks and the sales tax could be in one single bill - a two-headed axe chopping away at our humongous debts.   C'mon Congress, time to get serious about paying the bills.  Thanks for reading.

Chelsea and the new Investment Banker hubby

Congratulations on your marriage.   I hope that in your time of happiness, you give thought to just how priveleged you are.  Like royalty, you have a whole town turning out signs and putting out the welcome mat for you.   In the meantime we are mired in an endless war, with some soldiers doing multiple duty stretches in Iraq or Afghanistan.  Our economy is in the doldrums.  We are graduating less engineers and IT professionals, while India and China are overtaking us.  There are multiple crises besetting us.  So celebrate your entrance into the ruling class of America.  They will soon be your headaches too, and you will get to eat the same fare the rest of us have been choking on all these years.   

     Celebrate a lot, enjoy the champagne - the tough times are right around the corner.   For the rest of us, they are already here.

New general

So McChrystal is out, just like that,

And Petraeus steps in to take his place;

Seems him and Obama got into a spat,

These events happened at a rapid pace.

Almost as if McChrystal wanted to leave,

He gave a interview criticizing Pres. Obama,

Perhaps preparing the way to get the heave --

A preplanned scenario executed with drama?

Whatever the case, we have a new one in charge

Of an unending war, sapping our strength and will;

I sincerely hope this person can achieve large

progress in dislodging the Taliban hidden in the hills.

Gen. Petraeus accomplished good results before in Iraq,

Hopefully he can do the same with the Afghanistan map.

(this is an unmetered elizabethan sonnet)

In addition to booms rounding up the oil in the Gulf, here is another possibility:  build and deploy screens to harvest the oil off the surface of the gulf.  These could be approximately one meter high by ten meters long, and pulled behind boats.  The screen would allow water to go through, but would get most of the tar and heavy oil.  Another system would be needed to then collect the oil from the screens.  Perhaps a larger container vessel that could winch the loaded screens up and over, to scrape them off or even "wash' them with dilutant, collecting the resulting oil residue.  Then the screen could be re-deployed to scrape more oil off the surface of the gulf. 

     Another possibility would be that these oil-laden screens could be collected in a large vessel and brought to a shore processing facility, to harvest the oil that way.  Two benefits:  you clean up the gulf, and you harvest oil that could be used.  Something to consider anyways.

Some wacky ideas to solve the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

They have been trying this and that and the other. So here are some suggestions, take them or leave them, FWIW.


1. Dump some concrete chunks, boulders and dust over the pipe, as many as possible. This would mute the oil flow, so the seepage pressure would be reduced - oil leaking from underneath many concrete boulders. With the direct pressure reduced to a seepage, then more rock and concrete could be dumped over this. Eventually it might take a small mountain to contain most of the leak. Then, a plastic polymer or concrete cap could be placed over the whole, stopping the flow. The oil flow would be held in by a rubble mountain sealed over.


2. Construct a conical concrete cap with a hole at the center. Lower same down carefully until it rests over the pipe. The hole would be fitted with flexible pipe or hose, and would capture the flow of oil, enabling BP to collect the oil. The concrete cap would need to be around 30-50 ft in diameter - very spacious and heavy, to rest atop the gusher and channel it to the center pipe. Problem solved.
The act of lowering such a massive object seems daunting, but considering the other macro construction done by the oil companies, it seems entirely possible.

3. Outfit a small bathyscaph type submarine that can withstand high pressures to journey to the gusher. Attach a heavy metal cap to one side of this vessel, and remotely pilot it to be positioned over the gusher. The sub could be driven to the correct spot, and lowered over the gusher. At the same time, a large fitted hose at the top of the cap could be subjected to negative air pressure, to draw the flow up into attached piping. The cap could be muscled over the flow, the flow pulled upward. The Robot vehicles could then seal any leakage underneath, once the cap is on securely and channelling oil to waiting ships/piping/etc.

Anyway, there they are - hope they help :-) Thanks for reading.

Riding the rails

Once upon a time in the 1930's
Thousands of unemployed hopped trains;
Desperate, disheveled, and in a hurry
To get a ticket, a meal, or in out of the rain.

Somehow they persevered in those dire times,
Found food, odd jobs, or hobo jungles to live in;
America's residual strength eventually shined,
Government jobs ensured new help was given.

Today it may not be so simple to fix our problems,
The government is already putting out trillions;
The trains go too fast for the homeless to ride them,
Many wars keep sapping our taxpayer billions.
Something has got to give somewhere, and soon;
Or we are headed towards certain economic doom.
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A contrariwise view of cellphones

I finally made up my mind. With the dizzying array of cellular plans and phones, it took me some time. Oh, all of the high-resolution cameras, touchscreens, MP3 players, powerful processors and OS's, it was difficult. But I came to a resolution on the matter.

Why should I pay a provider for a plan? Why should I pay for the privilege of fumbling with a complicated gadget loaded with options and capabilities? Why should I pay for the chance to be forced to multitask every time the thing rings, warbles or plays a tune? I have to pick out a ring tone, set numbers in the thing, figure out how to download stuff on them. I can't download photos to my computer, but must email them to myself in order to get them onto my home computer. If it rings in the car, I can ignore it. But if I am some harried mother, worried about where their kid is,and my phone rings, what do you think I will do?

You are right - I'm gonna answer that phone to see if it is my kid, in trouble or something. If I'm driving, well, so what, things are tough all over. (Right or wrong, people are going to be people.)

And so you want me to pay for all this aggravation?

Not to mention the tracking capabilities built in to phones nowadays. The authorities can trace these things. Great for emergencies, but a bit invasive for privacy concerns. Now there is news that these things can be hacked and made to listen in on the users.

Pay for all of this Orwellian nightmare? No way - not me. I think they should pay me! I can be magnanimous about things, though. I'll only charge them $29.95 a month, and giving me a stripped-down model that is easy to operate. I want a phone - not a gol-danged computer center in my hand. Something with large keys, easy to see and press.

Oh, and throw in about ten extra bucks - I'll probably use it for long-distance, and you know all those taxes and fees they tack on. So, make it 40 bucks even that you pay me - that ought to cover it.

Oh - and I'll take checks, for the exact amount only please. Thanks, I'll be waiting for my phone.

Harrrumph.

(grinning)

Apparently a major oil spill off the coast of California in the 1960's was one of the main reasons for the ban on offshore oil drilling that was enacted back then. Now, today, just a short time after major coastal areas of the US were opened up to Offshore Drilling, here we have another major mishap.

This seems to be a lesson to us: Humans are still like children playing with dangerous objects when it comes to the titanic forces that the Earth is capable of unleashing. We are still helpless in the face of Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes and the like. And when we try and poke a hole a mile down and many miles out, we get poked in the eye by Mother Earth.

I suppose we can get the thing capped (hopefully soon for all the people on the coasts down there). But it is another grim reminder that, as long as we rely on non-renewable petroleum for our energy needs, there will only be more of these accidents - to believe otherwise is simply ridiculous. This stands as an urgent reminder of the need to find more non-fossil-fuel transportation methods, and quick. A very unfortunate tragedy as well as a grim reminder.

As big as human accomplishments have been to date, we still have a long way to go to match the might of the Earth, or to equal planetary forces of nature.

Just in case anyone is interested, here is the link to my latest E-book of poetry:

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/12867

Thanks for taking a look!

Beautiful day in May

A beautiful day early this May,

Right out of a Chamber of Commerce ad;

Profuse flowers illuminated by sun's rays,

Balmy scented scenes make a heart glad.

Everything green is straining to grow,

Sprouts surge into brilliant emerald fronds;

The flower buds unfurling seem to glow

Like mysterious lamps, rising from ponds...

The whole was preceded by a harsh, bitter winter,

As they all are, and must return to in any event --

But for now we have earned the right to savor

The scents, colors and balmy winds evident.

Though the price we paid for spring is steep,

Rewards are sweet indeed, not gotten cheap!

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Mother Earth roars

We jab, prick, dig into and spoil her,
But we never know how she may retaliate;
Just keep on doing what we prefer
In order to survive and prosper inviolate.

But up out of nowhere the blows come,
Earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and other lands,
Hurricanes blot out the warm tropical sun
Recently a massive eruption in Iceland...

Humans are puny compared to Earth's might,
We scurry around and struggle to recover;
Eternal natural forces ignore our plight,
Destructive environmental actions discovered.
All of our minor plans can go seriously awry
When Mother Earth lets rock and ashes fly!

Technology migration


We have a new situation,
Ipad trending integration;
Cellphone signal propagation,
Bathing in a deluge of information.

Your grandfathers Mainframe is a distant memory,
Your fathers PC is so last-generation passe;
You need to get an all-in-one handheld device,
Put all the day-before-yesterday toys on ice...


They all take big chunks of your take-home credits!
Small devices come with big price tags.
Perhaps someday you will have an Ihand
Embedded in your palm, and a bill for several thousand.

Embedded body-driven device = $579.99
Hand Surgery = $4,299.99
Feeling of way-cool mojo keeping up = priceless (for a short while anyway).
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(written for April poetry contest on Allpoetry - and shared here)

Springtime

Sunlight splashes across newly-exposed ground,

Beckoning buds and shoots to sprout;

Birds sing, rabbits and squirrels run around,

Winter is ending, of that there is no doubt.

No matter what my state of mind,

Nor how badly I want to just sit;

The balmy inviting outdoors seems fine,

Draws me outside, to garden as I see fit.

Nature appears to be giving a great gift,

With warmth, flowers, scent and birdsong;

This time of year gives everyone a lift,

But (of course) there is one thing wrong...

A dripping nose, droopy eyes, sneezing abound,

Those allergies flare up, and drag oneself down!

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A New Age of Discovery Begins Now...


There are lots of things yet to discover
In our vast, heavily populated Solar System...
Planetoids of all sizes and shapes,
Minerals, elements, natural resources
Megatons of materials to mine and measure.

Humankind could spend a thousand years
Exploring this vast, rich trove of stuff;
But only if we take the bold first steps;
Learning to assemble space-faring liners
In Earth's orbit, using materials at hand.

Tiny capsules will not do for this upcoming
Effort at exploration; Bigger craft are needed.
Construction will need to take place in Space,
Utilizing the vast materials offered by the inner
Solar System: Asteroid Belt or Moon material.

Someday when a human steps onto the surface
Of Pluto, they will pay homage to the discoverer,
And all who laid the path out ever after. But
We will walk on the surface there, sooner
Or later. It should prove to be an exciting journey!

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Middle Age

To sit in a recliner, watching any reasonably good

TV show, is enough, especially after a good meal.

Thoughts of going out to party, or secure some

Illicit drugs, or to chase after some hottie are

Either not there, or not very urgent any more.

One's body is content to be at rest, fed, and secure.

No more jangling adrenaline urgency to prove

Ones self to the world or a best friend, or anyone.

At work, either in a busy office, or at a physical job,

Every sudden motion is paid for with twinges of mortality.

Walking swiftly down a hall is now impeded by a sore

Cramping muscle somewhere, or a gimpy knee. Old

Injuries have accumulated; now they wait their turn

To manifest anew, and let you know you ain't getting

Off so easy anymore, bub. Movement has cost now.

Exercise can be a real boon, make you perk up good.

You can move easier, and sleep better at night. But,

Lest you think you have acquired some super-rejuvenating

Powers, a youngster will breeze by you on the jogging

Track or sidewalk - flitting by effortlessly without a seeming

Care in the world. You think, "Did I used to be that agile?"

One gets less tolerant of difficult, bossy people. It is time to

Eliminate oppressive, irritating personalities from your group

of friends and acquaintances. Live free or die, and that is

Coming all too soon anyway. Might as well keep the chosen,

Precious few close at hand, and get rid of the noxious weeds.

Your span of years dwindles, and you begin to think in terms

Of what can I accomplish, not so much how can I have fun.

You think in terms of legacy and avoiding heart attacks and

How one can duck the dreaded Cancer. If you have kids,

You might obsess over them and their futures, or even

Be supporting them at home, long after they should have left.

Middle age spreads out before one, like a banquet full of

Bizarre dishes, some tasty, some awful. But you have to

Try them all, indeed cannot help yourself. This path surely has

Been trod before, but one tramples down the dust and keeps

Going - it definitely beats the alternative - to be six feet under!

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The Vancouver Olympics 2010

What a glorious day, a beauty way,

Canada won the big hockey game;

Overtime contest yielded the winning play,

Sidney Crosby was launched to new fame.

Downhill skiing victories,

Figure skating superiority;

Bobsled sped to a certainty,

USA staked the medal territory!

Another Winter Olympics has crossed the finish line.

Surprising and sometimes saddening turns of fate,

As one athlete lost his life, and others had theirs changed,

The spellbinding spectacle kept people tuned to the games.

The best of the best competed against each other,

In the end they were all human, showing we are all

Not so much different, Earths' sisters and brothers.

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Poetry dot com

www.start.com

www.to.org

www.realize.gov

www.you.com

www.needto.org

www.getagrip.com

www.onwhatmatters.org

www.notmoney.com

www.relationships.org

www.humanneeds.gov

www.emotions.com

www.lovingoneanother.org

www.precioustime.gov

www.together.com

www.mostofall.biz

www.neverforget.com

www.alwaysremember.org

www.iloveyou.gov

www.the-end.tv

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two dot com

www.you.com

www.areall.org

www.thatmatters.gove

www.tome.com

www.shall-we.org

www.gettogether.gov

www.realizing.com

www.mutualinterests.org

www.needs.gov

www.benefits.com

www.ofbeing.org

www.together.gov

www.forever.com

www.peacenotmoney.biz

www.the-end.com

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Peace dot com

www.grindtheenemy.com

www.intodust.org

www.shownomercy.gov

www.limited-in-usefulness.com

www.instead.org

www.letuslove.gov

www.oneanother.com

www.peaceisbetter.org

www.thangreed.gov

www.moneygrab.com

www.peacenotgreed.org

www.loveoneanother.gov

www.theonlyway.com

www.wecansurvive.org

www.hugs-the-end.gov

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(c) 2010 Michael S Wilson dot com org biz tv etc

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Looking Back

Tripping down memory lane,

Hop into the wires and travel

Down network time to the past,

Primitive Internet connections -

Companies started in a flash,

Dazzling ads enticed us all -

One more login and password.

Leafing through an old notebook,

Storied names came and went.

Compuserve with numbers, numbers;

Pipeline, GNN, Sprynet, Freenet.

The names roll on by. INS, my first

On-ramp to the Information Superhighway...

Remember that moniker? Back,

Further in time, to the days of BBS's.

Common Link, Citywide Internet, Omni,

Buffalo Creek, Ru's Hotel, The Talk Board,

Apple Hideaway, Fantasy Inn, Full Moon.

Local gathering places on PC's and Macs.

On to earlier days of 300 baud acoustic couplers,

Teletype machines with loud bells and clatter;

The early way software and hardware was shared.

Nowadays the web is everywhere, one-touch

Access to financial and social needs being met.

Crackers and hackers, impersonation and slander

Have not gone away, only gotten more sophisticated.

More sleek, streamlined, colorful and animated, the

Internet has become our partner and confidant,

Ever present, and increasingly, watching what we do.

This embracing friend can become a smothering enemy.

The old days were fun - but the present is never dull, either!

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No more Constellation


The news that NASA is facing the cancellation of their (and our) Constellation program drew mixed emotions. On the one hand, it is a shame to see the U.S. space exploration program crippled. I was hoping to see our astronauts travel beyond Earth orbit again, to go back to the Moon or even further. And NASA is one government agency that seems to inspire something other than frustration or contempt, at least on my part. They had actually built an Ares booster rocket and flew it, testing the components. So it is a shame to see this canceled, after billions have been spent on it.

The brighter side is that Obama and co. have said they want to increase funding for NASA, to facilitate commercial launch companies to get going. So this seems to mean that, instead of using the same bunch of subcontractors to build Ares/Orion, they will use a different bunch of contractors to build a transportation system to get to and from the Space Station. One presumably involving some kind of capsule design. Well, at least we won't have to buy Soyuz services from Russia forever, only until 2015 or so. And, at least NASA will be staying in the human-crewed space business, at least by proxy.

Gong back to the Moon would have been very expensive, on top of everything else NASA is trying to do (Earth sensing, unmanned space probes, aeronautics, etc). Inevitably the Moon missions would be cheapened down to a bare minimum, almost a repeat of Apollo, and that would make no sense, really - just us trying to show we still have the mojo to get to the Moon. A wasteful exercise. A mission further out, to an Asteroid, would be "cool", but again, not much more than a publicity stunt costing many billions to execute.

I for one cannot understand why they cannot take the Shuttle technology, already developed and proven, and use it to make a derivative Shuttle-like vehicle, only smaller. If one could scale down the SSME's, the SRB's, etc to half-size. And then use more cargo area for crew seating, but keeping the same airlock configuration. Sure this would cost money to do. But we would keep a reusable vehicle, with wheels and wings, flying, and slowly but surely advance reusable spacecraft technology and methodology while we are at it.

Instead we are abandoning a system that has eaten at least a hundred billion dollars, abandoning all of the lessons learned, techniques improved, etc to go back to a pre-shuttle design. Talk about government waste! Rather than abandon Shuttle technology, why not improve on it? That is one opinion anyway.

We shall see what transpires in the days and weeks ahead regarding Congressional budget talks. The secret deals, the backroom chats, the trades of one favor for another. Who knows? Maybe someone will vote to fund the Gemini program again, just to keep our industrial base going ya'know. Thanks for reading.
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A new perspective


Millions of sufffering people,
Thousands dying each day;
disease and destruction unparalleled,
Starving and desperate humanity,
Multitudes struggling just to survive.

It all gives a new meaning to well-being:
A dry, warm house full of possessions,
Pantry and fridge stocked with food,
Techology to entertain and inform,
Connect with friends and research topics...
Even a well-fed pet to provide companionship.

Today, success is not measured by
Achieveing some lofty goal, or climbing
A corporate ladder, or gettting an award.
On this day, I am successful - well-fed, warm,
Dry, healthy, surrounded by possessions - that
Is a greater measure of achievement than anything,
Given the rampant destruction and suffering in Haiti!
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Innovation

Just saw a piece on CBS news about innovation in the US, or rather, the lack thereof. It is really a shame to observe our country being overtaken by the Asian powers, and slowly sinking in our own lethargy as well.

Maybe it is inevitable, given the advancements made in formerly poor, backward countries. They are rightfully pulling themselves upward, trying to improve their lot, and succeeding. And as we trade back and forth with them, the innovative ideas flow both ways, perhaps benefiting everyone.

But there are some things going on that could be changed to improve things, in my opinion.

Ever since the Baby Boomers have moved into leadership positions in companies, there seems to have been a degradation of ethics and patriotism on a grand scale. While our parents seemed to want to

create jobs and prosperity for their entire community, every generation since has seemed focused on only what is in it for them. That old philosophy of helping oneself by helping the other fellow has gone by the wayside, to be replaced by helping oneself by denigrating the other fellow. This is generalizing, but there is ample evidence out there.

We need to create and propagate a new patriotism, a capital-patriotism, or patriot-capitalism. “What is good for my customers, employees and community will be good for me, and my progeny. “

A large number of small family-run enterprises could benefit our communities and society, also leading to innovation and advancements. Rather than gobbling up or selling out, the ethos of patriot-capitalism says “stick it out – think of your larger impact upon American society. You have a duty to your country to make your company the best it can be, for all your sakes.”

There are still a few companies run like this, but not very many. It is hard to create a patriot-capital company in an atmosphere of constant back-stabbing, me-first, 15-minute celebrity fluff. But if we value the American economy and our well-being, we had better try. Not only to invest in new technologies, and better education. But to help employees on a community level, to build that patriotic-capitalist ethos that would hold leadership responsible to help on many levels, and prosper by gaining loyalty, hard work and assembly-line innovation as a result. A first step might be to require every CEO to take an oath of loyalty to his employees, to his community, and to his country. We already require most of our schoolchildren to recite the Pledge of Allegiance. How about requiring those in positions of power and leadership to do the same, and also pledge to help their communities and employees to the best of their abilities? Couldn't hurt, and it may help things along.

As I see giant skyscrapers go up in Arabian states, and ponder the fact that our petrodollars built most of them, I wish that the US could invest in and push hard on alternative energies to give us a new independence and wealth. But this fact has been known for decades, and look at where we are at. No, it will also take something else: a new patriot-capitalist ethos that demands that our business enterprise helps us, here in the US, our communities, our people, all of us. A win-win situation. Thanks for reading.

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Christmas poems


A foot of snow on the ground,
Twinkling lights on houses all ‘round;
Subzero temps appear here to stay,
The sun slinks south, shortening the day.

The evidence is unmistakable,
While the mood is unshakable;
Another Christmas time is finally here,
Time to strive to be of good cheer.

Some may exchange presents,
Others prefer to remain absent…
But one thing remains for sure,
The Christmas message remains pure.

Seasonal music holds us in thrall,
Even if we stay home from the malls;
Time to give the best presents of all,
Love, hope, peace and goodwill for all.


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What will we find in our stockings tomorrow?
Ipods and flatscreens and digicams galore?
How much do gift givers’ credit cards borrow?
We do not have enough gadgets but want more!

Not like the long-passed days of yore,
With wooden toys or fragrant honey cakes,
Storybooks full of charming Victorian lore,
Plum pudding like only our Mother makes.

Still we can imagine the pastoral scenery,
Sleigh bells, pine trees, singing and mirth;
Old St. Nick squirming down the chimney,
To deliver his gifts despite his huge girth.
Chuckling and grateful for the offered snack,
Delivers wishes and magic from his huge sack.

Merry Christmas 2009

The way I see it


Given the fact that we already have many troops on the ground in Afghanistan, fighting a difficult, dirty campaign against the Taliban,

And given that our generals keep saying that with some more help they can wrap this thing up, and given that Pres. Obama allowed time for extensive debate and input before committing himself, and the nation, to action,

And especially given the statement that “We go in hard, and then get the heck out!”

Therefore, I support the additional troop deployment to Afghanistan. But in a couple of years, if we are sinking deeper and deeper, and they are crying for more and more bodies, I will be singing a very different tune. We have been at this for way too long already. We only have so many bodies to expend on this godforsaken piece of dry rock - may as well be fighting a battle for a piece of Mars or something. It doesn’t make sense, but then a lot of these wars never seem to make sense.

Lets go in and give it one last, big effort. And then, please, for the sake of humanity, let’s get the hell out. While we still have an economy left.

75 billion dollars a year for a war.
19 billion dollars a year for space exploration,

We should reverse those numbers.

A real Space Race


Here is something to consider doing. A group of contestants could get together at a point in near-earth space, say perhaps in Geosynchronous Orbit. Then, they race a specially-prepared vehicle to a predetermined point further out. A starting point might be the orbital boundary of the Moon, asy around 240,000 miles out. Later races could go further, of course, maybe even out to the orbit of Mars. Contestants could be nations, coalitions of nations, business groups or nonprofits, whomever wishes to enter. Satellites positioned along the may and at the destination point could determine the winner. Top speed wins the trophy, but there could be other awards as time went on.

This would generate more public excitement over space exploration in general, and give propulsion technology a real boost. With space tourism set to begin soon, this could give any poetntial near-earth guests something to watch, if only over remote monitors. The excitement would be contagious, and would help celebrate humanity's ultimate evolutionary path out into space and off of our beautiful blue cradle.

Want to race, anyone?

Guantanamo North


There is this huge Federal prison sitting there, in Illinois, mostly unoccupied. Our president wants to close the Guantanamo Prison, as he should: it is an embarrasment to us. The obvious choice to me would be to use this sprawling facility in Illinois, which is otherwise going to waste.

Of course you have the usual Republicans wanting to cause problems for the President. These are the same hypocrites who voted to extend Medicare benefits, and now are trying to kill any kind of public-option healthcare. Their mantra seems to be, anything goes for my district, otherwise, no way. But all that aside.

We should move the terrorists and conspirators, all those charged, to the Illinois facility. All the better, to keep closer tabs on them. If need be, keep them locked down 24 x 7 in a cell. At least they are closer at hand. They won’t be a threat if we keep them closely guarded. The other Supermax prison in Colorado has never had an escape.

Then, we can close Guantanamo prison, and close an unfortunate chapter in our history. War is ugly, and the American people were (rightly) out for blood and consequences back on 9/12/2001 . But today is a different day. We can ratchet things down a notch, move the remaining prisoners to Illinois, get these trials over with, and administer final justice. And then move on.

We are a much more alert nation now when it comes to terrorism in general. And the more energy self-sufficient we become, the less involved we need to become altogether in places like the Middle East. This will also reduce our risk exposure to terror plots. Lets do it. Thanks for reading.

A little ranting about a lot of things...tongue in cheek


It appears that now NASA has decided that China has a good enough space program after all, and the time is ripe for cooperation. That wasn't what I heard a couple short years ago.
Glad that President Obama made his Asian trip. There is nothing wrong with showing respect to Asian leaders, especially when they hold so many of our dollars and bonds. We work best when we work together anyways, right?
Happy Holidays to everyone. I don't care if you believe in Christmas, Kwanzaa, Santa Claus, Kermit the Frog, or whatever. I believe in wishing people Happy Holidays. So, like I said...
Somewhere in the distant past, it was inculcated into Fraternity brats that drinking potentially lethal amounts of alcohol, and forcing your undergrads to do the same, was a mark of distinction and pride. So they poisoned countless kids, and ruined many lives, introducing Alcoholism to the college curricula of the United States of America. We have been suffering ever since. Idiots.
Alternative Energy is finally beginning to take off here in the USA. Wind farms are sprouting up all over, solar is gaining ground, And a variety of electric cars are coming on-line. While Detroit is still hawking way too many large, gas guzzling trucks, at least an equal amount of fuel-efficient vehicles are being made available. Finally, something good. And, the beginning of the next bubble. Better get in on the ground floor of this, could be good.
Now China and the US are putting on the best buddies act, smiling for the cameras and all. I hope we don't do something stupid like bomb another embassy of theirs, screwing it all up again. Never underestimate the human capacity for pulling failure from the seeds of success.
Ex-Pres Carter said he could have destroyed Iran, but did not do so for fear of killing 20,000 Iranians. (did he mean 20,000 US servicemen too?) How nice of him to say so - in 2009;-)
The housing market is taking off again, helped in part by generous tax credits. That is one bubble we don't need to repeat again, thank you very much. I can hear the boys over at Goldman licking their chops and smacking their lips already. the ETF's are launching once again. Look out below - it's more brown stuff from the boys in charge, hitting the working class right in the face - as usual. Thanks for reading.

This is a more serious post, not poetry or fiction
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The Fall of the Wall


It is hard to believe that 20 years have passed since the fall of the Berlin Wall. So much has happened, though, that it should not be a real surprise. Our own ups and downs. The boom of the Internet and dot-coms, followed by the bust, the Millennium scare-fest, and most significantly, Nine-Eleven and the subsequent war on terror. Now a host of problems beset us. We find ourselves mired in an everlasting war half-a-world away again. Economic troubles have people losing jobs, or frightened of losing them. We are locked in polarizing partisan battles over things like healthcare and gay marriage.

Twenty years ago, events surprised and pleased us. A downtrodden people, sick of an oppressive communist system, revolted. Actually it started even earlier, in Poland, with the Solidarity movement. The Poles revolted, and the tanks did not roll. This seemed to be the beginning of the end for a Communist monolith that had appeared invincible. By the time the wall fell, even in China there were seeds of revolution. The people had spoken, and they chose economic and political freedom over oppression. It was a stunning, good feeling to see these peoples free themselves, and the seemingly mighty Soviet Union accede, and then disintegrate. To me, it seemed like a dream, after living with the spectre of a Communist giant all of my life.

And then when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991, the wrong was righted in a swift and stunning way, mostly by American military prowess. It was all amazing to behold at that time. (One of the last vestiges of Soviet power, the T-72 tank, was no match for our Abrams M-1s. We made short work of them, surprising even ourselves.)

Personally, I quickly came back down to Earth. Just making a living preoccupied most of my time and thoughts. Our economic system over here had its problems, and when Bill Clinton got elected in 1992, one of the mantras was, “It’s the economy, stupid.”
Meaning, of course, foreign policy triumphs did not put bread on the table back here in the U.S. Life and work ground on. Another recession. Then, the dot-com boom, and everything was fine again for awhile. And et cetera.

Whatever happens now, we must remind ourselves: We faced down an opponent for forty-plus years, and managed to prevail. So our present difficulties can surely be resolved, one way or another. No one religious or political dogma should rule forever. We should never forget nor surrender our freedoms - Freedom of religion, Freedom of assembly in protest, right to bear arms, and all the other rights and responsibilities outlined in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. With all of the hassles, problems and difficulties, we are still lucky to live Here in the USA. It is difficult to remember at times (for me, at least), but true nonetheless. Thanks for reading.

Headlines


Doctor opens fire on fellow soldiers;
Twelve killed, 31 injured! Police
Tase Pregnant mother, brutally beat
Three defenseless children, maiming
Dismembered bodies found in residence,
Mild-mannered man never suspected!

Accounting irregularities scandal rocks
State shaken by film office scandal,
Political activist charged with embezzling
5.9 Million from her employer. Former
Ottumwa man is witness to Ft. Hood Carnage.

Bank robber foiled foils attempts gets away
Steals car runs over baby charged with default.
Man kills wife kills son kills daughter kills dog
Kills babysitter kills houseguest rapes two or three…
Human winnowing continues effectively. They
Will never catch on; Our mission will be a success.
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Halloween in the 21st Century


Where used to roam demons and vampires,
Sprites, ghouls and ghosts of all types;
In former times we feared what might transpire,
If we ventured out on those dark, moonless nights.

Now we board gleaming electronic chariots,
Whizz to and fro like so many minor gods;
Impervious, casting our cellular-signal lariats,
Thrilling to artificial spooks or fake zombie bods.

However larger demons loom just beyond our vision,
Major disruptions foreshadowed by present events;
Wars around the world, dwindling petroleum provisions,
Economic downturn, corrosive corruption hard to prevent.
The things we dread this modern Halloween night,
Different though they be, can still give us a real fright!

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Time passes like colored clouds of experience,
Floating steadily overhead, offer a swift glance;
They move onward, leaving incoherence,
It leaves one a bit dazed, left in a trance.

Here we are well into a new century,
Onetime protesting youth now combats
Ailments of advancing years aplenty.
1960’s idealists are now aging into irrelevance…

However the younger vanguards have arrived,
Generation Xers and Yers are taking responsibility;
The wars, shortages and problems they have survived
Induce conservativism to survive economic fragility.
Here is hoping their sense of moral outrage
Will not destroy our freedoms in this new age.
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From Bricks to Chips - some ruminations on high-tech


I recall those not-so-long-ago times, back in 1995 or so. I had a nice desktop Ambra PC, with a 50 mhz 486 processor. Think it had 8 megabytes of RAM memory. 14.4 dial-up modem. The harddrive was not even a gigabyte, I believe around 540 megs. With this I used Windows 3.11 to learn about the intricacies of AOL, the online world, and later, the Internet as it was back then. It all seemed so amazing. Times change, of course.

Today the average cellphone seems to have a processor at least ten times as powerful. For example, the Apple Iphone is said to have a microprocessor running at 660 MHZ. Not to mention a second baseband MP used as a resource by the main. A PC around 1995 vintage usually ran at 50 to 66 MHZ, using I-486 or compatible microprocessors. This makes a handheld device capable of surfing the web, and storing Gigabytes, ten times faster than the desktops common 15 years ago. Not surprising in the microprocessor techie world - they call it Moore’s law. Every time the limits of Moore’s law, or a doubling of capacity every 18 months, is approached, someone comes up with a hack or fix or workaround to keep things moving and shrinking.

In my humble opinion, cellphones are already too small. Too small to store a respectable battery, too small for human fingers to press the keys, too small for a decent-sized antenna. There should be some kind of logical limit for people to use these things. Of course, when someone figures out how to implant the neccesary hardware right into our skulls, things like battery and data entry won’t be a concern. They will run on our bodily currents (millivolts and milliamps) and be voice or thought-activated. Makes me wonder how we will be driving by then. But maybe the cars will drive themselves, or we won’t be driving at all. Fascinating, as Mr. Spock used to say.

It all is a far cry from the days of iron, ink and paper. You remember those days? IBM or Univac punchcards? Continuous forms printer output? The chain-driven behemoths like the IBM 1403 N-1 printer that spat out all those figures and programs and checks? Ah, yes. All that ink from the ribbons. The paper dust from punchcards and forms, and all those hulking iron frames and shapes, some with rapidly spinning tapes and disk platters inside. Another world. In some remote corners, these things are still running, or at least their successors are. Crunching our insurance policies and bank accounts. But the little miracles we chat and text on are a far cry from the old days. Makes me wonder if anyone here in the US will be able to design and build a computer fifty years from now, or they will all be cranked out by some automated factory in Africa. Or maybe someone will implant them directly into our brains. One never knows. Thanks for reading.

Afghanistan quagmire


So we are considering sending an extra 40,000 troops into the Afghan mess. In my humble opinion, we should think about the relative cost of committing so many more American lives to this. Another brushfire war in another distant country for another police action. Sure, 9/11 happened - that was a long time and a lot of dead foreign fighters ago. It is time to get serious about wrapping this business up once and for all.

The Dollar is plummeting. Our economy is in a shambles. Our people are hurting, our reputation souring. The Afghan and Iraqi occupations remind me a lot of the Japanese in the 1920’s. They occupied large swaths of foreign lands, including the Koreas, Indochina, part of China. By the time the US entered WWII, Japan had been an occupying power for over a decade. Now, it seems, the US is a long-term occupying power in many countries. This has got to end. We cannot support a world army like this without bankrupting ourselves; We seem to be well on our way to doing so. Trillions of debt, and for what? A feeling of “security” ?

Therefore, my suggestion would be this. If all of the hotheads will not be satisfied until we send more troops, then we should follow the “Powell Doctrine” . Send in 80 to 100,000 troops. Blanket the country, root out and kill as many Taliban and Al-Queda as possible. And then leave. Set a target time for six to nine months total. Where to get the troops? From Iraq, of course. They could move from Iraq to Afghanistan and then come home.

We could monitor the situation from our embassy in Kabul, perhaps keeping a very small garrison there after the mass of troops leave (1,000 total). Either follow the Powell Doctrine, overwhelming force, get in and get out. Or just pull out. Either way would be better than this slow, dragged-out Vietnam II.

I can see bankrupting the country if we are truly threatened. But we have severely crippled both the Taliban and Al-Queda. There is no need to keep dragging this out. I think we have made our point. Time for one last push, and then lets get the hell out. And soon!

[first in a series of Janitorial postings and musings]

Cafeteria Trash


Sometime in 2006: On a typical afternoon, I go and fetch a large, wheeled cart with an angled front end, almost like a plastic dumpster on wheels. Time to get the cafeteria trash, including the kitchen barrels. I go into the kitchen first, and they have a large pile of boxes. So I break down the boxes, flattening them, and putting them in the bottom of the cart. After that, I begin emptying the large trash containers. One bag is so full, mostly of liquids, that it is all I can do to pull it out, and lift it onto the growing pile in the cart. Why do they fill it so full? I hear muted, sarcastic comments from the kitchen workers. Ignoring them, I get the rest of the trash, put new liners in the barrels, and then move on. Next stop - the cafeteria containers. I empty the two smaller ones by the vending machines. Then, I check the ones inside the wood-grain receptacles. Soon, my cart is full over the top.

Ignoring stares, and trying to dodge people, stay out of their way. I maneuver my stinking load of trash back to the freight elevator, to empty it all into the basement dumpsters. Soon, I get it emptied. Just in time for quitting time. Ending another humbling day taking care of the refuse of others.

The thoughts tumbled in my head, and I mostly ignored them. Why am I doing this? How did I get here? How can I escape it? I try and tell myself, I’m lucky to have a job, especially a day job. It has benefits. Centrally located downtown. I put myself here, so I might as well get used to it. and, occasionally, some real resentment. That sanctimonious little bitch (referring to one of several women who can really irritate me).. She has no idea what I go through. I would like to at the very least least hurt her bad. But I know I won’t do this, the cost is too great. Besides, it could be worse. So I go home and forget the bad parts, glad it is over. And then go to bed, get up and do it all over again. It is what it is.


(I'll intersperse these with other writes to keep things moving along)

Every day when I go to work, I wonder what will happen. Will my customers be happy? Will they all be angry, so I have to creep around like a mouse and try not to offend anyone?

Will there be a crisis so that I must drop what I am doing, and rush over to a different building and mop up a water spill, or even urine or vomit? Every day I go into my job as a Day Porter, and risk the unknowable happening. Most days things turn out just peachy. Once in awhile, things really turn to crap.

Of course, that is why I have a steady paycheck, and some benefits and perks.

But up until now I've refrained from writing much about my work in blogs or stories or poetry. Until today. I realized that I was passing up a rich lode of material. So now, it is time to "tear down that wall" in the words of a famous president. To let loose the words of war on dirt and dust. Reveal the deepest intricacies of lifting a over-filled trash bag out of a Brute barrel that is reluctant to release it. Show and tell the best way to mop a floor. (Use your wrists and arms; it is easier on your back.) Tell the inner feelings of that cleaning beast that plods along through all your offices.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Just joking. But you may be surprised how mundane and boring some of those thoughts are. Some of them anyways. More on this in the days and weeks ahead. As always, thanks for reading.

Atomic/molecular assembly of habitats - one layman's idea.


Up until now, we have gotten our natural resources, and materials we use for day-to-day living, from our surroundings. We pump crude out of the ground, and refine and purify it. We modify it to a thousand uses, including powering our cars. We grow food crops, and process the resulting plant matter into foods and various other products, like sugar and ethanol. We breed cattle, and use every part of the slaughtered animals, including hooves and horns, to produce things like fertilizer, vitamins, and pharmaceuticals. To sum up, we have become extremely clever at modifying nature’s bounty to give ourselves a high standard of living.

Perhaps now, at this apex of our development, it is time to consider taking the next step. That is, the step of figuring out how to reduce common materials to the basic atomic structure, either by incineration or by some other means. And then, to synthesize new materials out of the building blocks of atoms and molecules. If such a method could be discovered, entire habitats could be constructed out of these basic building blocks.

This would make the colonization of space a relatively simple matter. Simply harness the energy of the sun to create a giant furnace or whatever. Utilize large quantities of space rocks and dust, and manufacture whatever one needs in the way of habitats. This is the way to go, for sure.

There are news articles out about carbon-derived materials like Fullerene and Graphene. These offer new possibilities for storing and transmitting data and energy. So we have the technical sophistication to create some of these marvelous new materials. OK. So, what about creating common materials out of unrelated items, such as rock and dust, by first reducing the chaff or garbage to a stream of atoms, and then reassembling them? Certain atoms are lighter than others. Helium is lighter than oxygen, which is lighter than gold, and etc. So first one would have to send out a stream of pure atoms. And then derive a way to sort down the atoms according to weight. If several different atoms are fired out of some imaginary nozzle, the lighter ones would seem to travel further than the heavier ones. It seems a fairly simple matter to “sort” atoms.

With all of our giant linear accelerators and atom-smashers, it seems logical. Instead of colliding atoms to derive their inner secrets, how about if someone took the time to find out how to sort differing atoms by weight, size, and or electric charge? And therefore, advanced the cause of assembly of our raw materials of living out of nothing but atoms. The implication is huge. We could theoretically move into space, and live on any kinds of materials we find around us.

If we can decode the human genome, land on the Moon, and do a host of other amazing things, then we can figure out how to sort atoms and molecules. Sort them, accumulate them, and build anything we want out of anything there is. The possibility is enticing, and certainly worthy of study, in my humble opinion.

Something amazing is happening here. A wonderful viral infection called "Peace" is spreading over the land. With the Obama administration having the guts and foresight to scrap a stupid plan to site ten interceptor missiles in Poland, a top Russian general has said that they will also scrap a plan to site some missiles near Poland on their side of the fence.

See what happens when one offers an olive branch instead of a sword-point! I don't know nor do I care about all of the given reasons for scrapping the missile plan. Plain and simple, when one offers a peaceful concession within reason, it can really work wonders. The warmongering critics in congress can get on some battle fatigues and go over to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban if they don't approve.

Thank you, President Obama, for ratcheting world tensions down a major notch! Well done.

Hidden Iowa Jewel


Trudging and trampling along grassy pathway,
I see the telltale sign: Ring of trees shielding
Something very special indeed. About
A mile long and a mile wide…

A hidden jewel of a lake!
Calm surface reflecting riots of color,
Fall grasses turning purplish sienna;
Leaves coloring across rows of trees,
All standing guard against any wayward
Farmer careless enough to till these fields.

Stand and observe it, a voice tells me:
Take it all in! The colors, the calmness
Of the waters, broken only by minute
Creatures within. Some larger fish
Break the water occasionally,
Perhaps chasing the small shadows,
Tadpoles dart to and fro underwater.

I inhale it’s essences, then finally move on.
This lake is too precious to be disturbed by anyone.

The Space program is going to run out of steam, it appears. This would be a shame. Even though we need to cut the federal budget deficit somehow, eliminating our human-crewed space program is not the way to do it. It is an easy target, because the benefits are not readily apparent, and opponents howl about supposed cost excesses. But there is more here than meets the eye.

We have a huge investment in the International Space Station. We need to, at the very least, continue to tend this complex. Promises have been made to many international partners. We should not just break them. Do we just throw away $100 billion? Not a good idea. Our prestige and leadership are on the line.

Up until now, we have managed to maintain a technically advanced space program, even discovering something new on occasion, such as ways to combat body mass atrophy while in orbit for lengthy stays. (Of course, our unmanned probes also return a lot of good information.) If we abandon our Shuttle and any other human-crewed initiatives, we are abandoning one of the last things we excel at as a nation. In my opinion, this will lower our image even further internationally, and possibly contribute to a further drop in the value of a dollar. We could be seen as a shortsighted second-rate country, only concerned with needs right in front of our nose, nothing further out. It would be better to keep funding a modest human-crewed presence if only to forestall the loss in image, and concurrent real loss in potential outcomes economically or even militarily.

Speaking of which. Our military budget is many, many times what NASA takes. We have troops deployed around the globe. Since when do we have to control every little brushfire around the world. Might we not cut back on this a little, and apply the funds to a peaceful, world-inspiring endeavor like an international mission to Mars? This would be money spent on international cooperation, and the advancement of peaceful uses of science. Money invested in the betterment of humanity, instead of the destruction of same. Any sane person can surely see the logic in this.

Another value the Space Program has is inspiration of the citizenry. It is awe-inspiring and hope-engendering to see us participating in the human movement out into the Solar System and beyond. I don't care if it was started by a prior, Republican administration. It is an inspiration to the human race. To cut it out in favor of a short-sighted political gain would be the utmost foolishness.

Our young people deserve better things to look forward to than endless warfare with terrorists, and scratching for a living. At least give them the twinkling of a chance at reaching the stars. It is the least we can do for the future of our race, no matter how miserable we are in the present time.

Please support a human-crewed space program. Your kids or nices/nephews may thank you for it one day. If not, their children surely will. Thanks for reading.

Downtrodden Peoples


Whether it be blacks in the US
Reduced to slavery, then virtual servitude;
A century-long struggle towards civil rights
Inner city hardened, cruelty to each other --
Eventually a final integration of sorts...

Or, native Americans herded into reservations,
Institutions for reprogramming with a new culture.
Drinking, lethargy, no motivation, no hope...

Or, Indian lower-caste slumdogs, untouchables,
Reduced to a life of crime, servitude, considered
lower life forms by those "above" them


Or any one of a number of other downtrodden cultures,
Going back to the enslavement of Jews by Egyptians in
Ancient times, and beyond.

We are so good at making victims of a portion of humanity!
All in the name of profit. The benefits of this are
slim and none; perhaps we should strive for a final
Integration of all disadvantaged groups of people.
The Human Race would shed an ugly carapace,
Reach a new level of enlightenment enhancing all.
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The Good news


President Obama and some of the positive things he has done.

. Most recently, he hosted the ‘beer summit’ with the police officer and professor. This demonstrated to me creative thinking and a way to strike a common chord, to sit down and discuss differences with people. This is not your fathers stodgy presidency, but a contemporary and dynamic one.

- He promoted a cash rebate program that directly helped out poor working people, enabling many to trade in their old wrecks and get into a new vehicle. A direct benefit to the American people, as well as a stimulus to the auto companies.

- Health care reform. Nearly everyone with a major disease has been through the nightmare of getting treatments approved (and often rejected) by the big insurance companies. Nearly every other major civilized country in the world, including most of Europe, have adopted some kind of government healthcare. Their citizens are healthier, and their life expectancy is better than ours. We already are given care on the basis of wealth only, and are worse off for this. It has got to change. Obama is showing the courage to confront this growing problem. Most other politicians have ducked the issue, as they do any difficult, complex issue. Sound bites are easier than dealing with reality. Pres. Obama is confronting reality.

- The Space Program. Obama has designated a commission to get feedback from people for and against it, to honor the wishes and desires of the American people. Like it or not, he has thrown it all open for public discussion.

- Energy and the enviornment. The Obama administration has shown much more enthusiasm , backed up by federal dollars, to support deployment of alternative energy technologies, from Ethanol to Wind to Solar and Geothermal. The EERE/DOE alone has seen huge funding increases, and the USDA also for their farm-oriented alternative energy programs. This will help make the US more militarily and financially secure, as well as help the environment. All Bush ever seemed to do was help his buddies in the oil industry.

- International relations. He offered to “hit the reset button” on Russian-American relations, and in one stroke lessened intertantional tensions. More creative problem-solving there. He has improved America’s image around the world. Now we are seen not as a rogue, cowboy nation but once again as a mature, civilized nation prepared to honor international commitments.

I could go on, but the main point is this: While the fringe elements rant and rave about origins of birth and so on, this mainstream President is out there doing the heavy lifting, fighting the good fight, and improving things for this country and for the entire world. I say to hell with the liars and troublemakers: I support my president 110%. Thanks for reading.

This contains no sex or violence


Just watering the flowers in the yard,
Pulling weeds left and right, nursing
A bee sting on my right knuckle,
What I get for flooding their nest.

My cat grooms herself for the 57th
Time today, as I rest my tired
Calves and knees, recently worn
From my latest gardening bout.

Nearby, kids shriek meaningless
Noises, a dog barks, a train clanks.
Hum of air conditioners. Silence.
Indoors, everyone is having supper,
Or preparing to, or finishing up.

Typical weekday evening.
Their bedroom dramas remain
Hidden, so any sex or violence
Will be left to speculation. For
Me, this night and write are tame.
-
-
-
(hope your night is more exciting than this)

Dirty minded?




Perhaps while at work,
Or socializing among relatives;
Maybe at my favored house of worship,
Probably while doing my grocery shopping.
Most times it is apropos to keep my thoughts
Clean and pristine, definitely out of the gutter.

However;
Once or twice a year I have to clean them out!
The gutters, that is. And try as I might, I just
Cannot keep my mind out of the gutter then.
It is the one time in life it seems allowable
(While my hands scoop out sticks and detrius)
Well, maybe besides learning to bowl.

-
-
-

Support our troops - one hypothetical story


“My name is Sgt Smith. I have seen more excitement in my twenty-five years than many will probably see in a lifetime. I’ve just returned from a tour in Afganistan, after also serving two tours in Iraq. I joined the Army Reserves thinking it would be a good way to pay for college. But after all of this grief, I think I would have rather borrowed the money instead.

Don’t get me wrong. It was an honor to serve my country, to help my fellow soldiers, to train inexperienced youth and make them soldiers, even as I made myself a better soldier; to save their lives on occasion. It is a good feeling to make a country civilized and democratic, even if our values are so different than theirs. I’m sure if there is some kind of cosmic scale, it has to be tilted in favor of the good we have achieved in Iraq and Afganistan.

But I have been cursed, spit on, shot at or even bombed by many of these same citizens in both countries. I have been led to question the wisdom of these extended duty tours internally. Are they really better off adopting a system that many of them neither want nor, apparently, need? Were they not happier before we showed up to muddy the waters? It is too late for such questions. We are here, and we must get them walking on their own again before we withdraw.

But I am one man, and, until recently, property of the US government. I had to follow orders and execute policies handed down by my superiors. I have done so, to the best of my abilities. And now, here I am, home again . Back on American streets. Some are grateful, many indifferent. I am still wound up, nervous, full of nightmarish images from a thousand firefights. I need support, a job, patience, medical assistance, counseling. A strong helping hand from my fellow service members would also be a substantial help. I need your support. Won’t you lend me your hand and your heart? Thanks. Formidable as I may seem, I am still human, and value a caring soul as much as anyone.”

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The above is an imagined internal dialogue. I am not a soldier, have never served. But it occurred to me today that these men and women are facing a group of angry, skilled killers that are set on killing as many Americans as they can. The only thing standing between the group that would make a group of cons in the penitentiary look tame by comparison, and you and I, are our military forces. Soldiers that are barely 21 in many cases. They must face angry foreigners who want to kill them, and us. And go out and face them day after day. This is a sobering thought. We owe these young men and women gratitude and support. They certainly have mine.

Sequined glove waves goodbye


No thirty-stop world tour this fall,
No more hectic public appearances;
Multitudes of fans still in thrall
Obtained their wristband clearances.

They will throng the Staples Center,
Paying mournful last respects
To their musical emotional mentor.
(In finality death collects all debts.)

One bright happenstance of all this grief?
Media spotlight shifted from odd behaviors
Of the artist to his legacy, to fans relief.
Bequest of songs his reputations’ savior
In the end his creations will move through time,
Long after critics reputations and lives unwind.

Good-bye Michael Jackson.