Remember this? "But Names Can Never Hurt Me?"
Years ago parents sometimes tried to teach their kids who were being bullied to say "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me."
Not so today. The attack on the Capital Building on January 6, 2021 - and that's exactly what was - personified that old teaching. The problem is that yes - the sticks and stones (aka .WEAPONS) did indeed break bones and the racial epithets actually did hurt the officers.
Despite parental efforts the name calling always hurt the kids and most could not ignore it. I wish I could say that anyone using the "N" word against those brave officers protecting politicians must have been similarly affected in their youths. I doubt it. This was real hatred of red necked and red capped adults towards other adults.
What a pathetic example to set for kids, and the rest of the world. Washington has now become the world's biggest schoolyard.
There are leaders besides Trump (leader status in question) who were behind this. They are running scared. They have to be identified and seriously punished. Soon. The Donald should be included.
Oh Yeah? Well Mine went Higher!
A week ago I wrote about the Branson space shot (see "Virgin Galactic Space Ride, July11). Branson said that this was not a race, still puffing after rushing to re-schedule and beat Bezos with a launch! If you believe that, book a ride with me and my time machine. I will take you back to pet a dinosaur and then, after discovering fire, we will return safely with the first twig ever deliberately set alight by man.
The previous launch got me thinking and so did this one. As far as the race is concerned, Branson's ship looked more cool but let's face it, to make a name in space, height and (and distance ) is what counts and Blue Origin wins on that front. If size mattered (ladies can smile now) maybe Branson would have won. In this case it doesn't. In fact smaller is probably better.
As far as marketing goes, you might expect an Amazon founder to do well there also. He did. How cool was it to take up a piece of canvas from the Wright brothers' plane - the first flight ever! Then he topped that with goggles worn by Amelia Earhart. He also gets an Oscar there. Even on names he chose well. Most people know what an "Origin" is but come on Richard, what the hell is a "Virgin?" Just kidding - but I guess he can only fly with that name once! Now he has to change it.
What I did not mention in the last post was that Elon Musk has beaten them both. His rockets have propelled many people into real space, even to the International Space Station. He has also brought rockets back to earth and to ships. Let's not forget he invented one of the most advanced electric vehicles, powered by flashlight batteries!
So what is the big deal with two guys who barely escaped our atmosphere for a few minutes? It seems to me that the most relevant thing is that now three private citizens are using their own money to make the space race competitive. Competition breeds innovation and private companies don't drown in bureaucracy and inefficient the way governments do as they waste our funds.
I think all this is a good thing and probably the only way the USA will beat or at least keep up to China and possibly India in the future. Yes the Chinese effort is a government one but their form of government - bad as it is - is more efficient.
I doubt if I will ever be able to afford such a thrill. Perhaps that is where governments could contribute. They could run lotteries for the rest of us with the grand prize a space shot. They keep a small admin fee and the rest goes to private space companies.
What do you think?
#thebrewsterblock
Will I be taking the Stairway to Heaven or the Highway to Hell?
Are you a devout follower of a religion; an agnostic (humans have no way of knowing); an atheist (do not believe in any God); or something else? I am the latter.
Regardless of the label however, here are some things to think about if you dare. I dare all the time. I even dare to say if God exists, perhaps she is a woman. Today people would say that if not a man, what about OTHER gender choices? I'm not even going to go there!
The idea of a male supreme deity I have addressed before. Essentially that is only because thousands of years ago man's superior strength made males rule the earth. Women were second class only because men were able to force the issue. Men created, and through war men destroyed.
When reading and education came along, only men were permitted to take advantage. The naturally clever ones did and became holy leaders. You believed or you died. When they created the notion of a God and a theory of creation, it all began - naturally - with a man. Woman was created, but as a very evil partner whose only job was to bear children and pleasure man. So much for that.
That is not today's topic. Before I begin let us dispose of the biggest copout of them all, "God works in mysterious ways." Indeed they/he/she/it does. This is the standard reply when there really is no other. So the lead in for today is:
If there IS a God, then why...
Why is it not a perfect world with no injustice and plenty for all? Are we just characters in some live game? To hell with virtual when you can create the real thing. If so, against whom is God playing? Lucifer/Satan? Finally of course, who is winning? The way the world is today, I'd bet on Satan.
Why, if there were to be a superior sex, would it not be the one who bears and looks after future generations - woman?
Why, when there are so many heavenly bodies in the universe we can not even fathom the number, would there only be life, even identical life, on only one of them?
Why are some of the most evil beings on this planet rewarded and some of the most giving and noble punished - often in horrible fashion?
Why were we given the intelligence - of all of the species - to question this as I am? Is it part of the game?
Why, if there is other "life" out there, have the game makers not introduced them to spice up the play? Stay tuned. Maybe they will. Perhaps all astronauts and #Branson the other day were just more steps in that direction. Surely this would be a supreme high for any creator - to allow the peons (us) to think we actually discovered each other.
Why did the dinosaurs and other species suddenly disappear? Was it because we were the next invention and they just had to go? If so, what is waiting in the wings or in Beta test to replace us? Will it happen soon? How will we all perish. There are many signs that an apocalypse is near.
Why don't we know more about heaven from God and not some anointed clergy person. Will it be just like the politics in a country or corporation? If you are no good at politics here will you have a hard time in heaven? Do you have to be a "Survivor" winner?
Why don't we actually see ghosts if they exist, or angels? What better way is there to make us all believers? Churches teach us that we must simply be faithful. The truth is that they - all of them - simply want us to be faithful to them, coughing up some coin along the way.
Why was God always associated with fire and fury and as coming from above? The only reason I can come up with is that indeed there was fire from above and visitors once upon a time.
That might be a good place to end - "Once upon a time" - a famous beginning often associated with the Brothers Grimm. We know what they wrote. Need I say more?
#thebrewsterblock
