"Murphy was an optimist!"
Why do we need a moonbase? December 9, 2006 10:29 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Conspiracy, Science, Space, Technology, Touchy SubjectsNasa claims we need a moonbase to launch missions to Mars. This makes sense and would be a good staging place to initiate long range space travel. The tourist possibilities are great also.
Slate says we do not have a need for a moonbase and are going to build it then decide what to do with it.
Coming under a presidency whose slogan might be “No Price Too High To Accomplish Nothing,” the idea of a permanent, crewed moon base nevertheless takes the cake for preposterousness. [Source]
Frankly I think the real reason for the moonbase is military. No one will say that because the public would cry foul. With China planning to orbit the moon…er, in 2006 and India planning on landing on the moon by 2020, it becomes self-evident that one of the countries is going to lay a claim to the moon. Whichever country establishes a base on the moon first will control the moon because nothing else will be able to be built on the moon after that without the first country’s consent. Just imagine you have built a base on the moon, learned your lessons about decompression, managing gravity, fueling, supplying and so forth. You have a presence and a small contingent of armed soldiers. Now someone else tries to build a base from scratch. They could not possibly defend their efforts from a well trained group of soldiers intent on demolition and learn the lessons to successfully build their base. Also, current military based satellites can easily be disabled or destroyed. A moonbase would be more difficult to attack and would make a far more stable launching platform for earthbound missiles.
In 1968, Stanley Kubrick had the right vision for a moonbase.
4commentsHoliday Music December 8, 2006 11:46 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Holiday, Humor, Music, Of Interest, PhilosophyHere are some titles over at Santastic. My disclaimer: I haven’t listened to any of these but I found the titles amusing.
- Rudolph the Paranoid Reindeer
- Stop I’ve Had Enough Christmas Music
- Let Me Clear My Throat At Christmas
- Rudolph Berry Molecular Pattern 5
- Horny Christmas (mature theme warning!)
Update: James gives these a thumbs down.
2commentsDinner date with a woman without children December 8, 2006 9:28 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Cathy, Christmas, Daily Life, FamilyWoohoo! Cathy and I have a date tonight! The grandparents are watching all the children. So what are our plans? Christmas shopping! (after using the gift certificate to P.F. Chang’s that I got for my birthday of course)
Update: I also thought that no restaurant in Knoxville took reservations. P.F. Chang’s will actually take reservations up to a month in advance! The wait was way too long so our evening started with dropping Sarah off for her Church party, shopping, snuck in a dinner at Mimi’s Cafe, more shopping, picking up Sarah, and returning home. It was a fantastic evening.
1 comment so farSchools Closed Today December 8, 2006 9:08 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Announcements, Daily Life, Of Interest, SarahAs I drove Sarah to school this morning, I did my morning torture and forced her to listen to NPR. Once again, we found ourselves stunned to hear the announcement of school closings. Sarah contained her excitement and disappointment but I still say she sat up straight in her seat at the prospect. I guess we live in the wrong county.
| School | Status |
|---|---|
| Campbell County | Closed |
| Christian Acad./Campbell | Closed |
| Claiborne County | Closed |
| Crossville Christian School | Closed |
| Cumberland County | Closed |
| Fentress County | Closed |
| Grainger County | Opening 1 hour late |
| Hancock County | Closed |
| J. Frank White Acad. | Closed |
| Morgan County | Opening 2 hours late |
| Oneida | Closed |
| Scott County | Closed |
| Sevier County | Closed |
| Tri-State Christian Acad. | Closed |
Whodda thunk!? Closing information provided by WBIR.
add a commentCan’t stop the signal! December 8, 2006 8:40 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Announcements, Firefly / Serenity, Of Interest, TV / MoviesJoss Whedon said Firefly is no more and we have seen all kinds of drama and hype yet the fan base shows no sign of slowing. Fans have even created their own documentary
1 comment so farMultiverse, maker of a free MMO-creation platform, plans to announce Friday morning that it’s struck a deal with Fox Licensing to turn the show into an MMORPG in the fashion of Star Wars Galaxies or Eve Online. [Source]
From the mouths of babes December 8, 2006 7:39 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, From the mouths of babes, SarahDad: "Did they mention anything at your school about yesterday being Pearl Harbor day?"
Sarah, 13: "They mentioned it."
Finish one, then start one December 7, 2006 8:51 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Gray, Pets
I know. I haven’t finished a project yet but I just could not resist the urge to run a circular saw through the deck! What’s going on here? I’m building a cat house under the deck. Cold days are upon us.
add a commentNext time, hide the evidence December 7, 2006 8:43 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Noah, Of Being DadIf you can stomach the sight of blood, this (graphic) is what I woke up to the other morning.
3commentsMaster sales technique – the disconnect December 7, 2006 3:56 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily LifeNothing like being at the beginning of a sales call and having your cell phone beep then turn off…
add a commentWho needs Viagra…the ad works fine. December 6, 2006 10:36 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Sex, Touchy Subjects. Warning! That link has full frontal nudity and is not safe for work [NSFW].
1 comment so farChildren Leak December 6, 2006 7:36 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Family, Noah, Of Being DadThe process of making a child is messy. It involves fluids and cleanup. The process of birthing a child is anything but tidy. It should be no surprise that children, who begin in mess, continue in mess. But, the little ones are so adorable. Their cuteness overflows even as they make that first itty bitty poop. You coo and awe at the babe’s first tiny pitch black blob on its buttocks. Then the frustration begins because instead of simply falling off into the diaper you have to pull out the industrial cleaners and heavy duty chemicals to remove this two square centimeter blob of tar on your baby’s butt. This really should serve as a warning as to what is to come.
People without children have different views on bodily fluids. Their lives are sanitary. Their houses adorn with glass and sharp edges. I know. I was once a person without children. Pre-children, bodily fluids are something that should be private. Even drunks are expected to neatly pray to the porcelain god and clean up their own mess. A parent has a different stature. When a child glazes over, the parent will smoothly rise to the occasion and sprint to the child only to cup their hands in front of the child’s face as an unnatural sea of split pea soup flows from the child’s mouth with the parent never stuttering, stammering or losing a beat in their conversation. The friend simply pauses to ask, "Can I get you a priest?"
This morning I groggily enter the bathroom, dazedly flip the light, and as I stand there in the middle of a necessary morning ritual I glance at the sink to realize that either:
- somebody performed surgery in our bathroom last night
- we need to call the Ghostbusters because something evil is bubbling out of our sink
- Jack Nicholson is in the house
- Noah had a nose bleed
Most people think of nose bleeds as these things kids get on the soccer field. A few drops of blood drip from the hose, the child panics, and the mother frets over getting the stain out of the white uniform. When Noah has a nose bleed we consider calling the blood bank for either a deposit or withdrawal. He had one of these once in the CVS drugstore parking lot and cars were pulling over to ask if we needed an ambulance! Granted, once or twice we have taken him to the emergency room because the bleed was so bad. Clots will erupt from his nose that are so large you think a piece of brain fell out.
Panic? No. I shake it off. I simply prepare myself for the bloody hand prints on the wall. The stains on the floor. The pools in the bedsheets. Turns out Noah did well! Only one minor drop on the sheets. Nothing on his clothes. He actually made it to the bathroom and mostly contained the blood to the sink! For the record, he has had the cauterization and his nose bleeds are far less frequent. But when the weather changes dramatically, and the moon is full, I can guarantee there will be blood in this house.
3commentsWatch me jump over this cliff! December 5, 2006 4:09 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Science, TechnologyI’m thinking rednecks with no gravity. "Hey Jed! My foot fits inside this footprint!"
add a commentTime to Pimp My Wife December 5, 2006 3:26 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Book / Magazine, Cathy, Daily Life, Family, PublishingGo here and click the picture of Amy. Please vote for her.
1 comment so farWriting Help Requested – Kanji! December 5, 2006 9:59 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily LifeIs it possible to represent "Noah" in Kanji?
Special thanks to James for pointing out that Kanji is a writing system not a language. Using babelfish, he found Noah in simple Japanese to be 诺亚 and Noah in traditional Japanese to be 諾亞.
1 comment so farWill Free American End Oct 17, 2006? December 5, 2006 9:53 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Politics, Touchy Subjects, United StatesThe Question — what was the anwer?
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