But sheesh, that said I have a huge beef about the cost of all this spacin' it up.
For instance, I think a water recycling system is a very nifty gadget. In case you hadn't heard, it's a contraption they brought up this time in the Space Station that turns urine into water.
(Do you think someday they'll be able to turn the urine into water, and then turn that water into wine? That would be sweet!)
Anyhoo, the little pee-purifier thing-a-ma-bobber is (of course) malfunctioning, so no one's toasting with wine OR water just yet, but the thing that really burns me up is the price of said non-working piss-fixer-upper: $154 million.
I know, you're sick of hearing how this Pentagon toilet seat costs $80 million and that toolbox that slipped out of so-and-so's hand was worth $100 grand, but listen: a ho-hum numbness to government spending's never gonna get us anywhere.
Damn it! I want NASA to come down to my son's elementary school with its repaired wee wee cleaner and use it to take the LEAD out of the water in the drinking fountains. Or else, let's have a silent auction for this piddle renewal system and use the dough to build a bunch of new public schools.
I know, I''ve been reduced to let's-have-a-bake-sale-for-NASA-type ranting. What will be next? But jokes aside, it sucks. I'm getting me a sandwich board that says I DON'T PAY FOR TELL-TALE INSTRUMENTS THAT PROVE THE WIND IS BLOWING ON MARS.
Otherwise, things are fine with me. How about you?
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I guess I'd rather pay for the pee machine than for all those smart bombs. That said, I hope that someday this high-cost high-technology will have an earth-side benefit (and I'm not talking Tang or Space Food Sticks). But I did send this link to my friend who used to work as an engineer at NASA.
Hey Joannie -- you're right: Mars' windsocks trump smart (or dumb) bombs any day, but do you know the reason we keep sending missions? B/c our govt wants to use it as a special home for the privileged who can afford it when we completely wreck Earth and its atmosphere. And that ain't no conspiracy theory; you can read all about it at nasa.gov while you're admiring the frost and snow.
But sheesh, that said I have a huge beef about the cost of all this spacin' it up.
*****That is too funny you wrote this because when I was reading the paper yesterday I was thinking the same thing!
I have a close friend who works for NASA and I try to remember his NASA is my poetry, it's his belief that only good comes out of space walks and missions.
Anyway, I do think they they should tone it down a bit while we're in an economic crisis.
And yes, get the lead out of the drinking fountains first!
Hey, my word verification was "HY PIMPO" too funny
Well, HY PIMPO back atcha, Kel.
Mars is his poetry. Of course, of course. But poetry is . . . the price of pens and paper. Doesn't cost my neighbor, unless I get an NEA (fat chance!!!)
First, I'm willing to bet the NASA budget is going to get squeezed like a lot of other things while we're in this thing they call an economic recession. Second, are poets really complaining about spending money on frivolous ventures? Third, I also believe some people are simply under-informed about the benefits of NASA (and no, I'm not talking about Tang). Finally, there are consistent economic reviews that say NASA actually returns money to the economy.
Just some food for thought. Thanks for letting me post a comment.
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