Odd that Anthony shortens to Tony and not Thony.
That, but not William to Bill? John to Jack? Dorothy to Dotty?
Thursday, March 7, 2013
How is this controversial?
...every American has the right to know when their government believes that it is allowed to kill them.
It's official.
It's official.
Facing a reality
After reading this cosmic log post, all I can say is settlement will never happen if the colonists have to pay for it. With the right plan, they don't have to.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Probably not gonna happen
I don't think these billionaires are going to foot the bill for getting to mars.
The good news is they don't have to. Bigelow is only a one billionaire and probably wont either; however, 16% of the potential income from his Alpha station over ten years is all that is needed.
What gets the ball rolling is when others see an income potential. You don't need $300m to put a habitat in orbit. You need $300m of financing to do it.
So to finance this at 15% over ten years you need an income of about $5m per month from a potential revenue of $75m or more per month.
The good news is they don't have to. Bigelow is only a one billionaire and probably wont either; however, 16% of the potential income from his Alpha station over ten years is all that is needed.
What gets the ball rolling is when others see an income potential. You don't need $300m to put a habitat in orbit. You need $300m of financing to do it.
So to finance this at 15% over ten years you need an income of about $5m per month from a potential revenue of $75m or more per month.
900 kg coincidence
The mars curiosity rover has a mass of 899 kg. It would seem the skycrane could also land a 900kg Viking 23 on mars. Viking? Another coincidence?
This is a methane - electric hybrid.
Front wheels are electric with a range of 100 Km at 50 km/h.
Rear wheels are methane with a range of 500 Km at 100 km/h.
I'm not so sure about rock clearance? and it only seats two. We can fix those things, right?
Front wheels are electric with a range of 100 Km at 50 km/h.
Rear wheels are methane with a range of 500 Km at 100 km/h.
I'm not so sure about rock clearance? and it only seats two. We can fix those things, right?
Need vs. Want
We really don't need that much. We have the technology to provide for those needs almost anywhere in the solar system. The real focus should be on wants and how that affects society. This is where living on mars can provide an advantage over living on the earth. It's just a matter of perspective.
Business is about recognizing what people want and providing it. On earth, most of our wants can be satisfied because somebody has already figured that out. Which reduces the business opportunity of others because it's less likely they could provide something others haven't. Mars starts out with nothing. This provides a great business opportunity for everyone. It doesn't require a better mousetrap. The first mousetrap is all you need to get started (will they import mice? Yep, somebody will. But we weren't actually talking about mice, were we?)
Trent said we don't have a word for that kind of society. The word is society. On earth, this is hidden behind many layers. On mars, it will simply be exposed for a time. Mars is about opportunity and there is an opportunity cost for not going.
Not everybody has to go. Just those that want to. Everybody that wants to can with the right plan.
Business is about recognizing what people want and providing it. On earth, most of our wants can be satisfied because somebody has already figured that out. Which reduces the business opportunity of others because it's less likely they could provide something others haven't. Mars starts out with nothing. This provides a great business opportunity for everyone. It doesn't require a better mousetrap. The first mousetrap is all you need to get started (will they import mice? Yep, somebody will. But we weren't actually talking about mice, were we?)
Trent said we don't have a word for that kind of society. The word is society. On earth, this is hidden behind many layers. On mars, it will simply be exposed for a time. Mars is about opportunity and there is an opportunity cost for not going.
Not everybody has to go. Just those that want to. Everybody that wants to can with the right plan.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Notable quote
...I wonder if people have forgotten how grownups would run the government. - Herman Cain.
Financially clueless
Corporate profits are up and household incomes are down.
While the clueless point fingers at everything but the reason. It's all about the lack of free and open competition.
If a company is racking up billions without paying it's employees or stockholders more or reducing prices, it's because they have no viable competition. The government creates environments, laws and regulations, where others can't compete. It really is that simple.
Too big to fail is part of the problem. In a healthy economy, businesses are supposed to fail regularly and often. When they don't you have these problems.
Established businesses are suppose to have lots of new competition nipping at their ankles.
While the clueless point fingers at everything but the reason. It's all about the lack of free and open competition.
If a company is racking up billions without paying it's employees or stockholders more or reducing prices, it's because they have no viable competition. The government creates environments, laws and regulations, where others can't compete. It really is that simple.
Too big to fail is part of the problem. In a healthy economy, businesses are supposed to fail regularly and often. When they don't you have these problems.
Established businesses are suppose to have lots of new competition nipping at their ankles.
Monday, March 4, 2013
It's a simple question
How can 2/3rds of Americans vote to choose a representative when they are financially illiterate?
Wolverines!
It looks like it would make a nice RV/camper. Does a rescue vehicle need gun ports?
Let's see. Govt. buying lots of ammo. Flying drones domestically.
Will not answer when questioned on targeting citizens in America.
Yup. Nothing to worry about... and ammo remains scarce at Walmart.
Two for the really paranoid, here and here. But what is really scary is that Snopes says it is Probably? not true. Which is basically an admission that it is.
Is the trap closing?
Sunday, March 3, 2013
If ObamaCare gets struck down...
Expect Barack to tell us he was never for the bill and it's the GOPs fault.
Affordable Care Act my ass... which is why he prefers we not call it that.
Affordable Care Act my ass... which is why he prefers we not call it that.
SNL writes the law
This is what happens when you make a SNL writer a senator.
Now they'd have to immediately revise the law because we'd all know what C- means. Then after amending the law, we'd all know what C means, then C+, then B-, B, B+, A-, A, A+
Well, obviously any grade is discriminatory (as all discernment is supposed to be) so...
Let's just do the obvious and make all teachers criminals. Let them all become writers for the left wing media or SNL (but I repeat myself.)
Yes, it was satire, but that's getting harder and harder to tell these days.
Now they'd have to immediately revise the law because we'd all know what C- means. Then after amending the law, we'd all know what C means, then C+, then B-, B, B+, A-, A, A+
Well, obviously any grade is discriminatory (as all discernment is supposed to be) so...
Let's just do the obvious and make all teachers criminals. Let them all become writers for the left wing media or SNL (but I repeat myself.)
Yes, it was satire, but that's getting harder and harder to tell these days.
Our moral obligation
We have a moral obligation not to kill people. But we are killing people; when we look only at the seen without considering the unseen.
Poverty kills. So we have a moral obligation to increase wealth. Not spreading it, but creating it. All wealth is created out of thin air by trade. That includes trading your time for wages, but all voluntary trade creates wealth.
Chain of ownership, for the things we trade, all have a first link. That first link is always a claim of unclaimed property. The fact that others are doing the claiming, rather than you, doesn't change that. A claim by possession is historically the strongest claim where a lesser claim would fail. The universe is filled with unclaimed property.
Any legal framework, whether the OST or moon treaty or any other, that stands in the way of claims is morally indefensible because standing in the way of wealth prolongs death by poverty.
People have been claiming land long before any nation existed. They continue to have that right today and should be asserting it. Done in an organized manner by many people, it has the strength of law. The agreement of terms is a legally enforceable contract. It becomes a strong precedent once established.
It is our obligation to support the individual making of claims and to make claims of any unclaimed property ourselves if we have the opportunity. Otherwise, we are, to varying degrees, literally killers. This is a moral obligation.
Poverty kills. So we have a moral obligation to increase wealth. Not spreading it, but creating it. All wealth is created out of thin air by trade. That includes trading your time for wages, but all voluntary trade creates wealth.
Chain of ownership, for the things we trade, all have a first link. That first link is always a claim of unclaimed property. The fact that others are doing the claiming, rather than you, doesn't change that. A claim by possession is historically the strongest claim where a lesser claim would fail. The universe is filled with unclaimed property.
Any legal framework, whether the OST or moon treaty or any other, that stands in the way of claims is morally indefensible because standing in the way of wealth prolongs death by poverty.
People have been claiming land long before any nation existed. They continue to have that right today and should be asserting it. Done in an organized manner by many people, it has the strength of law. The agreement of terms is a legally enforceable contract. It becomes a strong precedent once established.
It is our obligation to support the individual making of claims and to make claims of any unclaimed property ourselves if we have the opportunity. Otherwise, we are, to varying degrees, literally killers. This is a moral obligation.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
If you really want to lie...
...use statistics.
Not that bad: does not equal good. It could be worse: does not equal good.
How about we just say it, the economy is bad and young people are really screwed. The difference between the young and the old, when they are both screwed, is that the young have more time to work on it.
Financially, I am personally depressed and near panic thinking about what is to come. I'm trying to work on it, leaving very little time for what I prefer, helping others.
But don't tell me red is black with some statistic.
Not that bad: does not equal good. It could be worse: does not equal good.
How about we just say it, the economy is bad and young people are really screwed. The difference between the young and the old, when they are both screwed, is that the young have more time to work on it.
Financially, I am personally depressed and near panic thinking about what is to come. I'm trying to work on it, leaving very little time for what I prefer, helping others.
But don't tell me red is black with some statistic.
Friday, March 1, 2013
Case against mars
Let's see what we come up with Googling the title.
But before working our way through that list consider "Should NASA ditch manned missions to mars?" My answer is yes because I'd rather it be done for profit by free enterprise, but let's consider their arguments.
To open space to settlement... I like how this article starts.
Then a bit of irrational thinking... Paraphrasing, "The trip to mars involves radiation," but living in space doesn't?
The last section tries to poke holes in other peoples justifications. Let me poke holes in that. People want to go and that justification is entirely valid if they don't force others to pay for it. It is the only justification required.
About this, I'll just say, robots are not settlers.
That list kind of goes nowhere. But I found two related Space Review articles.
But before working our way through that list consider "Should NASA ditch manned missions to mars?" My answer is yes because I'd rather it be done for profit by free enterprise, but let's consider their arguments.
Mars may not be worth the time, money and trouble.Absolutely right with respect to NASA. Let them continue to send rovers and not people.
[Stop] whining about not getting enough money.Correct again, this guy is on a roll. Use the money they've got wisely instead (but not likely considering the three alternative options the article suggests.)
To open space to settlement... I like how this article starts.
To advance space development, we need cheap resources in near-Earth space.It will happen. Two companies have already been formed for this purpose. But this is just a little off key. To advance the economic sphere of humanity, we must understand that all wealth starts with claims and many small individual claims will speed that advance faster than anything else. Claiming small rocks is a part of it, but claiming planets is a bigger part. This is a moral imperative.
Mars is not even in the running.As an exporter of minerals? This is correct and misses a huge point completely.
Paraphrasing, "Space as a sea is a false analogy."No analogy is perfect (that's what makes them an analogy) but the point about construction is valid. The problem is not technical, but political. They will be constructing ships in space, with captains and crew; Not homes with individual freedom. It's a statist's dream come true. Other statists have dreams of controlling planets and their colonists as well, but that doesn't have to be. Freedom for individuals is possible if they embrace individual ownership (rather than some rigid survival plan that everyone must follow.)
Mars has air enough to be troublesome, but not enough to be very useful.Mostly false. For one, the air is a source of cheap energy. Solar power alone is not enough for industry, but methane is. Produced from the air by solar power, it will drive the engines of industry before nuclear power takes over, but thereafter remains useful.
Then a bit of irrational thinking... Paraphrasing, "The trip to mars involves radiation," but living in space doesn't?
mining of Mars may become economicalYes, immediately to settlers. Dismissing mars gravity is just hand waving and ignores it's practical value in mining.
The last section tries to poke holes in other peoples justifications. Let me poke holes in that. People want to go and that justification is entirely valid if they don't force others to pay for it. It is the only justification required.
About this, I'll just say, robots are not settlers.
That list kind of goes nowhere. But I found two related Space Review articles.
Zubrin also pointed out a simple solution to the problem Park noted with humans encumbered by spacesuits and thus not able to, for example, directly touch a rock. “A simpler approach is just to bring the rock inside the [habitat.] Then you can hold it in your hand, and look at it, and do absolutely everything that a field geologist on Earth can do with it.”
“One of the noteworthy spinoffs of the Christopher Columbus mission,” [Zubrin] said, “was the United States of America.”Yes, people do over think these things when they have an agenda. Then the second article...
We want to go there to see if we can find evidence of life.Well, that is a justification, but a very poor one. First, because it's used to justify taking other people's money for it. If they didn't do that, then fine, go for it. But it would not be able to compete with another justification... profit. We can go to mars with everybody involved making a profit... at today's costs.
Yes, Mandarins
We do have a elite class of mandarins.
the reason why we fight so hard is because they don't fight hard enough. They are representing a group of people who are the majority in this country. The people who are the far left in this country are like 5-10%. They are able to control it because they fight to win. And the Republican Party should represent 55% of this country. But to me, it seems, it's fighting to protect its own hide.
I do miss Breitbart.
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