three hundred twenty eight

 

ELON MUSK 

PEES FAST

I just read the new book Elon Musk by Ashlee Vance. The book was originally a book Elon did not want written but he eventually cooperated with the author to tell the whole story. The book covers the ups and downs of his businesses and personal life warts and all.

A brilliant talented driven dreamer like Elon comes along once in a generation. He is a present day Henry Ford, Howard Hughs or Arnold Beckman. As this post is written he is ranked as the wealthiest man in the world. He owns Tesla, Space X, Neural-ink, Star Link, The Boring Company and now Twitter.

What impresses me was his all in approach to everything especially business. By all in I mean he has risked his entire fortune more than once. He bet on his ability to do what seemed impossible, delivers it under budget and before schedule. Even though he has fallen short of these goals a few times, he has delivered against all odds many more times to defy his skeptics. 

Another admirable trait is that he really doesn't let critics alter his goals. He is not afraid to make mistakes in public, failure is part of the process. He considers using time and energy to polish his public image is a waste. 

Time is his friend and his enemy. He works and plays hard with a sense of his mortality so there is no time to waste, ever. He works harder and longer then his employees and he has no problem sleeping on the floor by his desk. 

Over the decades NASA has been paralyzed by bad press so its natural that they fear making mistakes. Because of this they have lost their exploration focus and become just another bloated bureaucracy. As an agency with an annual budget they have been taken over by predator politicians. They have redirected money from the basic NASA mission to buy votes and gain more power. 

Eventually this will happen to any government program or business using government money. This may explain Elon's urgency to get things accomplished before this happens to SpaceX. I hear criticisms of SpaceX using tax dollars but I feel we are getting our moneys worth, at least for now. 

Elon recruits the best and brightest, the opportunity to work with Elon on the cutting edge of technology is the ultimate. Very few survive more then a year or two because of the job demands. They work as long as their mind and body can hold up. In spite of this former employees generally speak well of Elon.

I love how he cuts cost by reengineering existing products. He thinks out of the box and defies the established norms. Doing things for $5000 vs $150000 by using off the shelf electronic products instead of designing and building "special" space products amazes me. Imagine government spending our money with this frugal approach.

The media tries to drag him into the political world where they have an advantage but he does not play their game. He just keeps launching rockets and stays uncommitted because it would be a waste of his time and energy.

Don't get me wrong Elon is not super human, a political genius or a moral giant. He is a driven visionary who understands he needs money to accomplish his goals. He enjoys his wealth but lavishing himself in luxury is not his focus. Wealth is a tool to stretch the limits of human accomplishment.

Like many with extreme personalities I imagine he can be a bit of a jerk, impatient and ruthless. Top level competitive athletes can  perform at a super human level but not always have warm fuzzy personalities. I can admire their abilities but I don't want to hang out with them. 

He is now the CEO of Twitter with a week or so of cleaning house under his belt. Many on both sides are imposing values and politics on his every move. I think this is foolish and unfair. 

I hope he has core American values like free speech and open debate but I don't expect him to be a shill for either political party. He will figure a way to make Twitter profitable and a place for the non crazy to exchange opinions, openly debate and engage in commerce. 

I think Elon will do better to stay in his lane and avoid politics, but I do like that he pokes the bear from time to time.

To me the best line in the book was that he "pees fast". I think this captures how urgently and focused he lives his life.

three hundred twenty seven

A lesson in community...

This is my favorite television series, I have watched all four seasons several times. Each time I understand more about what the writer was trying to convey. 

The language is extremely vulgar and seems over the top but there was a historical purpose. The story line plays with history and events, adds  characters, but in general it portrays accurately the struggle to build community in a lawless frontier. 

 

The lust for gold was the dream that settled much of the west. This lust drew skilled frontier miners but most were unskilled unprepared men seeking a fast fortune from all over the world. This was followed by other opportunistic men with supplies, the means to sell the gold and entertainment for the all male population. 

They had money with no where to spend it so the entertainment was whisky, gambling and "pussy" as described by the main character Al Swearinger a knife wielding bar owner. Episode by episode introduces a character and a new problem. There was lawless chaos and violence but under the surface there was a sense of order being formed.

Open murder, claim jumping, theft and brutality were the norm but eventually a swift system of justice began to form. At first it was violent bullies enforcing order to keep the gold mines going to support the bars, gambling and cat houses. 

Civilization was slowly encroaching on this wild untamed city. Some welcomed this, some feared it and some openly resisted.

I watched a writers interview, he said Deadwood was about community. That was when I started watching with this in mind. In fact I started to look for community in other groups and organizations.

 

Humans interacting with other humans form alliances, enter into agreements and combine their resources for a common cause. This has happened throughout man's history. From the cave dwellers to the United Nations, without a common cause forcing us to work together usually ends in disaster.

There were a few openly religious characters but even the most violent characters acknowledged God. The only event that shut down the entire town was the death of a young boy. The entire community stopped to greave the loss of someone so innocent.

Deadwood with all of the chaos was guided by a basic sense of justice and honor. There were individuals who stood up for right and wrong and at times a group conscience aligned for a just cause.

This was not always for a noble cause but for the self interest of their collective community. They banded together to confront common enemies like small pocks, encroaching government and Randolph Hearst.

Watching animals interact, children during unsupervised play and the dynamics of small business all give me an understanding that is hard to discover in books.

Deadwood is worth a watch but keep community in mind.

three hundred twenty six

WHATEVER HAPPENED 

TO THE GOAL OF

    The ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

 I grew up in rural Ohio with an understanding that we should be  tolerant toward those who are not like us. It was a community standard even though there were a few narrow minded exceptions. I worked beside people that agreed on very little, had nothing in common other than work and at times did not like each other but we learned to tolerate our differences and achieve our common goals. I thought that was the point, live and let live.

Years later I moved to the city known for it's tolerance, San Francisco. Unfortunately I soon learned the summer of love has been dead and gone for a very long time.

Don't get me wrong I met many wonderful people in my seven years in the city. I did also meet many who brag about being the most tolerant people in America but made a sport out of not tolerating anyone who disagreed with them. 

I heard more hatred for people in different parts of the country for how they looked, acted and thought. Ironically most of them had never lived or even visited these places. If they had they were usually slighted by a rude waitress or got a hand signal from a jerk driver. Whatever it was it was enough to label entire regions of the country as bigots and haters to justify their victimhood. Many times it was based only on a television sitcom or a Netflix movie.

As one of those rubes I think most of us caught on to this tolerance thing long ago. Live and let live is pretty straight forward. If you dress, talk and act weird for attention you will get attention. If you are a few pages ahead on the latest woke fad or list of politically correct words don't judge others for not sharing your priorities.

Yes if you look and talk differently we will do a double take. If you are rude and condescending we will react to you like anyone who is rude and condescending. If your whole identity is based around your sexual practices don't be confused if we react with a puzzled look because your sexual practices are none of our business.

The goal post has now been moved from tolerance to total acceptance. This is where we run into trouble because this seems to only go one way. 

If a person has different values, beliefs or opinions he can be judged as a  hater, bigot, racist, denier or fill in the blank "......phobe". I do not expect the San Francisco crowd to totally accept mid-western opinions and beliefs, but I do expect them to tolerate them. None of their opinions and beliefs need to change and they should not keep them to  themselves. I will tolerate their speech and vigorously defend their right to voice it.

I welcome debate about anything, but I won't be forced to agree. I am by no means a victim. There are people who hate me for how I look, talk and think, that is as the Dude says "Like that is your opinion man".

Those things we learned in kindergarten my stuff and your stuff, keep your hands to yourself and say please and thank you. This community thing is made up of many different kinds of people, division is easy but tolerance is how it works. 

Waiting for everyone to totally accept each other's differences is unrealistic utopian bull shit, it isn't going to happen. People have different opinions, beliefs and lifestyles, that is how this America thing works. 

The utopian dream has been attempted through history but it is always at the point of a gun, sword or spear. Humans are unique individuals we are not bees living in a collective directed by a queen. Peace is as close as it can get without somebody losing their rights. 

Hundreds of millions have lost their lives in attempts to achieve the myth of utopia. It is always the beginning sales pitch for achieving power over the masses. Perhaps we are again treading on dangerous territory. I think we should just stick with the goal of learning to tolerate each other and live together in peace.

three hundred twenty five

 Not me, he has too much hair.....

I found this picture years ago on the internet. I have no idea who he is or the context but this picture has captured my imagination. Is it a Vespa scooter speed record attempt using nudity as an aerodynamic advantage, a new tanning method combining wind burn and sun bathing or just a weird Burning Man art project? I think it is just a good old fashioned "hold my beer and watch this" moment. 

I have had many of those moments in my life. Some were successful but a lot of them ended badly. I have scars and broken bones to prove my impulsive behavior. As a young man most of these were fueled by Rolling Rock beer, Boon's Farm apple wine, Dickel sour mash whiskey or that stinky ditch weed from the 70's.

I have had impulse problems my whole life. If they said don't touch the hot stove I touched all four burners and the neighbors stove too. I jumped off  bridges, climbed buildings and hung one handed from the rafters during a high school basket ball game. Many were on a dare, some were to show off but a lot of them I did alone without witnesses.

My driving was like a deadly video game and adrenaline was a daily drug. Somehow I survived my youth with only a few near death injuries. I slowed down on the daredevil stuff and moved to obnoxious behavior. 

Fighting was different back then, there was a code of sorts. You got a buzz, did or said something stupid, another drunk was more then happy to go out back. It was always one on one and you fought until someone got a couple good hits. 

It usually ended quickly but sometimes there was only trash talk. I was not a talker I usually started right in. Don't think I was a good fighter I was usually the one with a fat lip and a bloody nose. My only fighting accomplishment was I learned to take a punch. It wasn't unusual to end the night as sentimental drunk friends. 

There may have been hard feelings but nobody was pulling a weapon or driving by your house to shoot holes in your front door. The point was just a bunch of guys trying to stay awake in a small town.

Usually fueled by alcohol we raced and wrecked cars, climbed and jumped off land marks, shot holes in things, blew stuff up and pulled some pretty legendary pranks. Any dare was answered and injures were mocked. I see the skate boarders today I relate and admire them.

Over the years I have adopted the Dirty Harry code, "A man must know his limitations". In the face of a dare, "Do you feel lucky punk" also goes through my mind. The odds are stacked against me after 71 years of cheating death so I don't do the real crazy stuff anymore. I do ride a motor cycle and plan to take another cross country bicycle ride. That sounds foolhardy to most but I refuse to stop living life to the fullest. 

I think eliminating alcohol has been the thing that has saved me from an early demise. If I hadn't crashed and burned I would have eventually pissed off the wrong person. 

The point of this post is not to recommend my past or even my present lifestyle. The point is to live life and say yes to opportunities when the door opens. Life is worth living at full volume. See things, hear things, love with all of your body, mind and soul. Love and live without a net but wear a helmet.

three hundred twenty four

 One of the remaining truth seeking journalists.

SHARYL ATTKISSON

Sharyl was an award winning CBS investigative reporter and news anchor for years until she asked the wrong people the wrong questions. She was known for her straight forward investigative reporting.  She was no stranger to asking probing questions of the powerful regardless of position or political party. 

She uncovered government scandals, revealed unfair big business practices and dug deep into issues the main stream press had only lightly covered, they splashed a few headlines then moved on. She kept digging into these stories to wherever the facts led. She wanted to find "the story" not just "a story". As a young reporter she was schooled by the older generation of reporters who viewed journalism as a sacred trust.  

A few decades ago this was the expected standard of the majority of the media. Unfortunately over the years these standards have deteriorated. Young journalists took on the roll of news makers not reporters. Many got into the news business to "make a difference". Their  goal is to push a narrative, be part of the story and not hide their feelings and bias.

The media is now owned by corporations and powerful individuals, they use the media to gain profit, ratings and power. It was a natural process for journalists to seek success by pleasing their bosses by abandoning the old standards. Ratings and commercial profits were added to "If it bleeds it leads". Actual in-depth accurate double sourced journalism was all but abandoned. 

Shayrl did not change so eventually she was demonized. She investigated stories equally and only used sourced material. This was fine if her reporting hurt or helped the correct people or party, but when the story fell the wrong way she faced resistance from her editors.

She resigned after years of being continually blocked by her editors for reporting on stories like "Fast and Furious" a gun running scandal, Benghazi and green energy scandals like Sol-Indra. She has consistently covered Republican scandals with the same dog with a bone intensity. In fact she was given awards for these stories.

Sharyl is the real deal as far as I am concerned. She represents what journalism should be. She now covers stories the other media ignores. Her stories are well researched and unbiased with a let the chips fall where they may style. 

Working as a network news anchor is a prestigious and lucrative gig many have sold their souls to remain in these positions of power. Sharyl walked away from millions to keep her credibility and integrity. 

As a result of this she is called a political hack, irrelevant and a liar but for the most part she is ignored. Her books raise many questions about the powerful abusing the investigative tools of government to spy on journalists and private citizens. Her books are rarely promoted or reviewed. In spite of this they are still best sellers.

She has two podcasts and publishes her stories on Just the News and a few other publications. She does not chase the latest headline, instead she digs deep into stories and stays on them. She presents all sides of a story so you sometimes like her reporting and at times you do not. This is the sign of good reporting.

Link.... https//ShayrlAttkisson.com

I get bored with hacks no matter which party. I agree with a few but I don't agree with anyone all of the time.  Only listening to what my itching ears want to hear is fun but foolish if I say I want to know the truth. That is the first and most important question, Do I want to know the truth? Be prepared the truth isn't always what you want to hear.

three hundred twenty three

 

"THE BUCK STOPS HERE".....what a load of crap.

I'm really an expert at creating elaborate believable excuses. I have for many years perfected my skills to create complex, dramatic and convincing excuses. I'm so good at this I have at times convinced myself. 

Fortunately I have been saved from a career in politics. I have an intact conscience that I occasionally listen to. The ability to look people in the eye and cast blame on everyone else while simultaneously claiming to be the only person of character who takes responsibility, this should be the definition of a sociopath. 

They say things like, The buck stops with me, but the opposing party did it. It's like a school boy saying, I know I had an assignment but the dog ate my homework. They look and sound respectful but they are rarely challenged by a lazy and fawning press. Instead we give them our money and votes then call them Congressman, Senator or President. Their only real talent is the art of blame and excuses. Elected officials are in a league all their own.

I'm just a garden variety sober drunk. In my active disease I used excuses to protect and hide my secrets. I sometimes think about the elaborate tails I told the people around me. This went on for decades until I had no idea what was true.

I have found it much easier just to do whatever it is I said I would do. Do what you say and say what you will do, what a simple concept. I know now people saw through me because my memory has never been good enough to keep my lies or excuses straight. 

One thing I have not done is claim the same relative has died two or three times, but I know I would have done it eventually.

 Sometimes there are reasons that we can't complete a task or make an appointment but I have been amazed how if I really give my full effort I can complete the vast majority of my tasks.

The principles of AA have had an influence on this behavior. My friends in the rooms are excuse experts too who will call me out for passing the buck or relying on excuses.

There was one special person in my life that early on set the standard for our friendship. It started by making a commitment then changing my mind. I didn't even waste an excuse on it I tried to sell it with my boyish charm. Needless to say it did not work.

I was shocked because what had always worked did not work on this person. I was told point blank if you say you will do something I expect you to do it. I cared enough about this person from that day forward I was committed to following through on what I said. Sounds simple and I'm sure someone had said it before, but the clarity and directness broke through and changed my life.

I hate others giving me excuses almost as much as I hate hearing myself give them. I would rather hear I accept responsibility and this is my plan so this will not happen again. That is what I like hearing but I only want to hear it once.

three hundred twenty two

 

There are days I hate this word.....

I have made no secret that I am a sober alcoholic but I don't wear it on my sleeve. I certainly don't point fingers at anyone who can enjoy alcohol like a normal person. If a person can't I'll gladly share with them what I did to get sober.

There is no value in pointing fingers, feeling superior or preaching AA. All I know is my sobriety has given me a way to navigate life and have a great deal of peace and serenity. 

I'm writing this a few months before a mid-term election so the media and politicians are in full crisis mode. There is always spin but the country is in a real mess that can't be hidden.

Like the AA's 10th Tradition I try not to bring politics or other outside interests into my bicycle blog. However the stress meter is being turned up by foolishness or purpose. 

I am riding and getting in better shape but because of circumstances I can't do a long multi state ride for the foreseeable future, but the bike and gear are here when I need it. 

I spend my days with the ups and downs of my moods. Like everyone I have good days and bad days but now I have tools for living and many more good days then bad. I am very fortunate to have over 32 years of sitting in church basements with other sober alcoholics sharing the burdens and pleasures of life.

This sharing thing works even here, from the moment I began to write I have gone from hating this word to celebrating it. 

At 71 I realize life is very short. As the saying goes life sucks then you die, but if you don't live it alone life can be pretty awesome. 

three hundred twenty one

 

Donald Ray Surrett Jr

A LIFE WELL LIVED

I worked in dozens of grocery stores for over 40 years. I started at 16 as a bagger, became a clean up boy, served a meat cutter apprenticeship, then managed. I have seen fist fights, stealing, medical emergencies, felony arrests, robberies, boycotts, people having sex or using the sales floor as a bathroom but I never feared for my life.

 

I did work in a few dangerous neighborhoods where the owners brandished guns on a regular basis. Customers would threaten to retaliate but there was a sense of order to it, at least you were aware something could happen. 

One store was firebombed at night, another was struck by lightening about ten feet from where we were working while standing on a wet floor and a pickup truck crashed through the front windows into the cash registers and sales floor only moments before we opened.

Working in a bad neighborhood, by a busy highway or during severe weather at least gives you a heads up that you could be in danger but a store in quiet Bend Oregon on a sunny Sunday afternoon it never enters your mind.

I took my scooter about two blocks to our local busy Safeway around 6 o'clock. I have shopped there at least a hundred times. After 40 years of working in a grocery store, needless to say grocery stores creep me out. 

I want to straighten meat cases, write up slacker employees and yell at rude customers, but I refuse to be that old guy telling the young clerks stories about the good old days, I made fun of them when I was a young guy. 

I did notice Mr Surret because he was retirement age but I never had a direct conversation with him. I said hello or nodded a few times but he was a head down worker going about his business.

For months only a short distance from the store a young man was plotting a mass shooting. He posted his twisted manifesto on line then headed for the unsuspecting neighborhood store. 

Around 7 PM dozens of gunshots rang out as he approached the entrance where Glenn Edward Bennett, 84 was killed.

Before this all happened I returned home, had dinner and watched some television. I had ignored my phone most of the day but I finally noticed a string of messages from worried friends concerned about the shooting. 

As the story played out it was revealed that Mr Surret had made a fatal attempt to disarm the evil murdering asshole. Instead of hiding to save his own life he waited for an opening to attack the gunman with his produce work knife. 

Mr Surret was fatally shot but the attack was stopped. It might have been a mortal knife wound or the approach of the police but the gunman died of a self inflicted wound probably to avoid arrest. Link

All of the details haven't been revealed as I write this but the investigating police are calling Mr Surret a hero. Whatever happened Mr Surret saved lives at the cost of his own.

The store is still closed, the scary gun people are blaming the guns, memorials are being planned, the peaceful neighborhood has been violated but I'm focused on Mr Surret's selfless act. 

My hope is that I could be that brave to lay down my life for strangers.

Rest in peace Donald Ray Surret Jr you have lived a well lived life.

--------------------------------------------------

"Let no good deed go unpunished. "

Oscar Wilde

Days later some cub reporter dug up Mr Surret's criminal past. They characterized him as a child molester. He did serve time in the military for a level one offense which is defined as.... 

Level 1 or Tier I offenses are the lowest level of sex offenses. These typically involve non-violent sex offenses with people who are not minors. People who are convicted of Tier 1 sex offenses must register on the Sexual Offender Registry for at least 15 years and report for verification annually.

I'm not excusing his criminal past I don't know or need to know the details but framing it in the worse possible way after his passing is mean, unnecessary and irresponsible. Mr Surret must have paid his debt to society and lived a respectful life, what on earth does this story accomplish other than a shocking headline and clicks. That is why I'm not including a link.

They fill the headline with shock words and provide no specifics which leads the reader to assume the worse. They say he "Did not serve his full sentence" how about the context?....What was the reason he was released early?.....Was this unusual or normal policy?....Was he honorably discharged?.....Did he comply with Oregon law?  

What is the point of bringing this out? Perhaps an in-depth look at a murderer's past and home life would be more appropriate but in my opinion I would not give this evil lost soul any more attention or fame. I just can not understand why any person with any sense of decency would dig up this crap about a man who risked his life for others? The writer an the editors need to check their tabloid journalism skills and get some common sense.

Out of all of the negative in today's world why tarnish the memory of a man doing something brave and selfless?

three hundred twenty

 IT NEVER ENDS!

I unplugged from the news and social media for a few weeks. I read a book and listened to a few audio books. 

To my amazement clown world got even more nuts 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡!

The revenge race continued......

Smoking gun evidence was seized......

The price of gas is down........ 

Alec Baldwin still can't believe you need to pull the trigger....

The border is secure.......

Fully vaccinated people are getting Corona Virus "lite"😧

Inflation is zero.....

Another $750, 000, 000, 000. 00 should fix it....

and...........W..........T..........F..........?

In the words of the late Congressman James Traficant
"Scotty there is no intelligent life on this planet.... 

BEAM ME UP!"

three hundred nineteen

 This is the surface of Mars. 

Link to video

 I was an average boy who dreamed of being an astronaut. I fell in love with the X-15 rocket plane and later the NASA manned rockets.

X-15 Program

link to video

The X-15 program began way before manned rocket flights. Most do not know these men were the first to enter space and experience weightlessness, the vacuum of space and reentry. Every flight was experimental. These men were bigger then life, they did these amazing flights in secret. 

The level of engineering was decades before the availability of fast computers. During the X-15 program, 12 pilots flew a combined 199 flights. Of these, 8 pilots flew a combined 13 flights which met the Air Force spaceflight criterion by exceeding the altitude of 50 miles, thus qualifying these pilots as being astronauts. The Air Force pilots qualified for military astronaut wings immediately, while the civilian pilots were eventually awarded NASA astronaut wings in 2005, 35 years after the last X-15 flight.

The X-15's highest speed, 4,520 miles per hour, was achieved on 3 October 1967, when William J. Knight flew at Mach 6.7 at an altitude of 102,100 feet or 19.34 miles. This set the official world record for the highest speed ever recorded by a crewed, powered aircraft, which remains unbroken.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

I owned a small refractor telescope and was part of a team of nerds who recorded meteor shower data and toured college and private observatories. I followed every satellite launch and every televised manned space launch from the suborbital Mercury flights, the Gemini space walks and the Apollo moon landings. 

I have always gazed into the emptiness of space and pondered the mystery of the stars like man has done from the beginning.

After we beat the Russians to the moon somehow we got distracted. We redirected our budgets and focused on the International Space Station and Space Shuttle program. Our hunger for space exploration morphed into an introverted science experiment. 

Moon Landing Moments You Have Not Seen

link to video

We developed communication satellites, global positioning, weather satellites and the all important spy satellites. These were all important and extremely profitable projects. We all enjoy the benefits of this knowledge and convenience. We no longer stare at the heavens with wonder instead we stare at our smartphone screens and take pictures of ourselves. What happened to our national curiosity to explore.

Finally we began to focus on Mars and Jupiter sending several orbiting survey satellites and rovers to explore their surface and understand their origin. The amazing pictures are certainly mind blowing.

Mercury

Link to video

There has been a remnant of interest in exploration. We did launch Hubble and developed radio telescope systems around the globe. We spent decades listening to empty space for signs of life but eventually ran out of funding. These combined with high speed computing have helped us see and understand more and more about the mystery of space.

I understand our tax dollars should go to good use but seriously wasting money seems to be our politicians purpose. I understand spending money on a space probe won't fix pot holes but they won't get fixed anyway because politicians are more motivated to spend tax dollars on fixing holes in their poll numbers

Venus

Link to video

It seems the public likes the idea of putting people on Mars. Perhaps this is because the astronauts could post selfies to stare at on our Twitter feed. I don't share that vision. I think we get more bang for our buck with unmanned space probes. 

I believe we should send an expendable piece of equipment not humans. I know we could fill our probes with willing humans but breathing eating and pooping are a problem. Being there or seeing and knowing what is there does have an emotional difference but the practicality of walking on other worlds is only a fantasy with our existing technology.

Mars

Link to video

We have landed on comets, driven and flown hundreds of miles on Mars. We have walked on, retrieved rocks and mapped the surface of Earth's Moon. We have penetrated the atmosphere of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and a few of their moons. We have launched probes into our sun and now with the newest Webb space telescope seen light that began 13 billion years ago.

The most fascinating in my opinion are the early long-range probes we sent into interstellar space. Voyager 1 and 2 and Pioneer 10 and 11 were launched in the 70's and have long ago slipped from the headlines. They have long ago lost most of their sensors and depleted their limited battery technology. They have become mostly dormant pieces of human made technology hurling through the emptiness of space.

They are the first to enter interstellar space where they are almost free from the influence of our sun, the solar winds, gravity and magnetic fields. These probes launched over 40 years ago are farther away from earth then any man made object we know of. 

Jupiter

Link to video

These discoveries are a tribute to man's ingenuity but I believe God has allowed us to see many of these things. These probes have out lived any of the designers expectations. They were designed to confirm what scientists thought they knew but they were continuously shocked at what was revealed.  

The idea that we completely understand anything about the vastness of space seems foolish to me. Science is continuously revealing facts that point to a creator or designer God. I know this is mocked in the media but behind the scenes serious scientists are quietly accepting this fact.

 

Saturn

Link to video

Cassini probe video

As the probes passed by Jupiter and Saturn, as the data was analyzed the scientists had to adjust their previous conclusions. Many times they discovered theories and published understandings were wrong. They handled this contradiction with the the usual childlike response, "I knew that", took credit and hoped you would forget what they had said before. I think God has a sense of humor because he helped pull back the curtain of his magnificent creation.

Voyager 1 & 2   Pioneer 10 & 11   New Horizons (not pictured)

Voyager current Status  Voyager video Pioneer video  New Horizon video

I'm comforted by the reality of being only a small speck in the universe designed and created by a loving God. I feel that peace on my bicycle in the middle of Nevada or on the ocean in a small boat far from shore. Many people feel alone and are terrified of this, they have an all consuming need to control and understand everything.

James Webb Telescope

Link

The point of this post is to examine two things. One is the curiosity to explore and the other is to choose how you want to perceive the universe. I want to see everything but I choose to see it with wonder. I don't have to have every answer but I do enjoy testing and exploring what I see.

Neil Armstrong was a Christian who had experienced the wonder of space travel and was the first human to walk on the surface of the moon, that is a hard act to follow. In interviews he said something I hold onto; "Walking on the moon was a great adventure but I look forward to an even greater adventure, what is revealed after this life". 

I marvel at this present physical universe but I wonder and look forward to the next.

A good book I found...... 

A fact filled well referenced book that examines the most current scientific discoveries in a straight forward way. If nothing else it will make you think. If you are a follower of my blog that is my only goal, to get people to think.

three hundred eighteen

THE FINISHED PRODUCT..... so far.

 Well I'm finished with my new toy. I went camping two weeks ago but it was raining and cold. We had a great camp fire and I tried out my camping/cycling gear. Oregon has had a late summer, it is late June and finally we have a warm day.

I have started a daily bicycle ride now that my back has settled down. I think it was three nights sleeping on a hard surface. I'm far from my fitness goal but at least I'm free of hip and lower back issues. The scooter is awesome around town and local trips to neighboring cities. 100 mpg comes in handy these days.

Those of you who know me know I had to obsess until it was finished. A trait that makes me who I am.

three hundred seventeen

DO SOMETHING!

Emotional decisions are not advised after any traumatic event. However politicians seem to strike hard to "do something". If you do not want to rush to "do something" you are accused of wanting disasters to happen, how low can you go, but after each tragedy I am amazed how they can sink to a new low.

According to the media the mark of a concerned governing body after a national tragedy is to "do something". There is no attempt to comfort the victims then calmly examine all options to find a reasonable and effective solution. Today we use this emotional moment to do things we want. 

Some examples are The Patriot Act that eroded our freedoms, 15 day lockdowns that turned into two years, information bans, forced vaccinations, quarantines, mandatory masking, school closings and trillions in unfocused dollars to throw at the problem for headlines and create unregulated slush funds. 

Leaders spend millions to visit disasters to comfort residents by crowding the airspace, highways and disrupting rescue operation to show they care. If they don't do this they are accused of not caring.

I'm so tired of opportunist politicians exploiting victims by pretending they actually give a shit. They take advantage of emotional people that don't see what they are doing or don't believe they could possibly be so evil that they would exploit such a horrible tragedy. 

Stoking division is a weapon to use in these situations. They claim they are the only ones who care. Healing and comforting is mocked because "something " must be done. If you don't "do something" you don't care or you want these horrible things to happen. Wrapped in tearful hypocrisy they use a blood soaked tragedy as a tool to bludgeon their enemies.

I would not tolerate a child who acts this way but these tactics are given a large voice in our media. I may be a "boomer" with old fashioned ideas but I know taking rash actions in the heat of emotion rarely solves anything.