Music makes the heart grow fonder. Oh, wait, that's absence, isn't it? Either way, music can make us think about a loved one, or someone you used to love, with just the first tune bringing back memories that you may have thought were forgotten. Doesn't everyone have a favorite song or piece of music that they could listen to over and over and never get tired of listening to it? I know I do.
For me, it is the first side of Rush's 2112. This was released in 1976 and in my opinion is one of the best albums ever put out. The band itself has only 3 members, but listening to the music you would think that there was a whole orchestra behind them. Geddy Lee, the lead singer, plays bass, acoustic guitar, and the synthesizer. Alex Lifeson also plays acoustic guitar, plus the electric guitar. Then there is Neil Peart, who without a doubt is the best drummer in the business.
I had the pleasure of seeing Rush twice recently and they did the overture to the 2112 album. The first few notes sent chills through me. It was a wonderful experience. This is one band that I would see over and over again. Their music sets are almost mathematical in their rhythm, that's how precise they are. When they do the song "Tom Sawyer", Geddy Lee plays no less than 4 instruments during it, all the while singing the lyrics and keeping perfect time as he does.
But, although I enjoy this album, it isn't all I listen to. I have been listening to the new country music that has been coming out latelym and found that it is actually as good, if not better in some instances than the older country, such as Conway Twitty or Johnny Cash. One of my personal favorites is Toby Keith. You have to love a guy that can sing a song like "Red Solo Cup" and then turn around and sing "Bullets in the Gun". He has a long string of songs that are really easy to listen to and sing along with. Thoroughly enjoyable!"
I think I will wrap up this blog with a thought for you. "If you enjoy something, embrace it." That should be something everyone can relate to. Until we meet again, have a better one. And thanks for reading.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Area 51
AREA 51! The name alone brings up thoughts of alien autopsies and space ships from other worlds. No one is really sure what goes on there, but the stories are endless. The U.S. Government denied for years that there was a military base at the location, finally declassifying it on July 14th, 2003. They admit to it being used for testing experimental aircraft, weapons systems and other research programs, but that's where they draw the line. Mustn't let the general public in on the SECRET.
It is located 83 miles north-northeast of Las Vegas, fairly close to where I live, actually. An hour or so drive and I could check it out myself. I never have though, as I like to think of it as the mysterious place that is shown so graphically in all of the movies and TV shows about it. Why shouldn't there be alien space craft held in bunkers underground, and little aliens cavorting about the place, just like the Men in Black movie shows. That would be cool.
Anyway, over the years, Area 51 (or Groom Lake, as it is also known) has been responsible for the testing of such craft as the U-2 reconnaissance plane in 1955, and the X-15 rocket plane in 1959. Just 2 of the many distinguished aircraft that have come out of the most famous secret place in the world. If the government would have just called it an Air Force Base and said they were building test planes, they would have probably never got the attention they did by denying that there was one there. Military intelligence. A misnomer?
Finally in 1981, the test site took over development of the F-117, the Stealth fighter plane. This plane was probably responsible for many UFO sightings over the next few years,as it made many test flights in and out of Area 51. I think I saw one back in the day, but then, I was looking for UFO's. As a hobby. Really.
If you happen to be in the Vegas area and want to check it out, please be prepared to be disappointed. Visitors are not allowed and there are signs warning that trespassers will be shot. This is the military and it is there not so secret base after all. You can set up at a distance and wait for something cool to happen, but I'm betting if the Men in Black know you are out there, nothing will. But you never know. Stranger things have happened.
Thanks for reading everyone. Have a better one.
It is located 83 miles north-northeast of Las Vegas, fairly close to where I live, actually. An hour or so drive and I could check it out myself. I never have though, as I like to think of it as the mysterious place that is shown so graphically in all of the movies and TV shows about it. Why shouldn't there be alien space craft held in bunkers underground, and little aliens cavorting about the place, just like the Men in Black movie shows. That would be cool.
Anyway, over the years, Area 51 (or Groom Lake, as it is also known) has been responsible for the testing of such craft as the U-2 reconnaissance plane in 1955, and the X-15 rocket plane in 1959. Just 2 of the many distinguished aircraft that have come out of the most famous secret place in the world. If the government would have just called it an Air Force Base and said they were building test planes, they would have probably never got the attention they did by denying that there was one there. Military intelligence. A misnomer?
Finally in 1981, the test site took over development of the F-117, the Stealth fighter plane. This plane was probably responsible for many UFO sightings over the next few years,as it made many test flights in and out of Area 51. I think I saw one back in the day, but then, I was looking for UFO's. As a hobby. Really.
If you happen to be in the Vegas area and want to check it out, please be prepared to be disappointed. Visitors are not allowed and there are signs warning that trespassers will be shot. This is the military and it is there not so secret base after all. You can set up at a distance and wait for something cool to happen, but I'm betting if the Men in Black know you are out there, nothing will. But you never know. Stranger things have happened.
Thanks for reading everyone. Have a better one.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Oscars
Hello, again. I would like to take a moment and talk about the upcoming Academy Awards. Does anybody still watch them, and if so, what is your favorite part of the proceedings? I, myself, have not watched the Oscars, as they are called, since Jack Palance did his one-armed push-ups after winning his award in 1991 for City Slickers. Ever since then I have felt that the awards have become a soap box for some of the stars to voice their political views and I stopped watching.
Being a movie buff, I do miss watching the Awards, but even reading about them in the paper the next day or hearing about them on the news has been enough for me. Many of the movies that have won for Best Picture in the past few years I haven't even watched yet. Not sure why, as I'm sure they are fine films in their own right, but I tend to find that the critics and myself tend to disagree more than not. The last Best Picture that I watched was Million Dollar Baby, directed by Clint Eastwood. That took Best Picture in 2005. Shows you how far behind I am.
I wonder if regular people (blue collar workers) still throw an Oscar party every now and then? I can remember sitting around my grandparents house in the early 70's and they would watch them and we would have snacks and such during the proceedings. I kind of miss that. Maybe I'll cook a pot of chili and bake some hot wings, as I did for the recent Super Bowl. I would use any excuse to cook those yummy snacks!
To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure who, or what pictures, are up for any of the Awards this year. I may have to use my days to research the movies and maybe even watch a few before the Big Night. There are a few movies that are coming out this year that I will certainly go to the theater to see, Peter Jacksons' "The Hobbit" being one of them. From what I have seen so far, this looks to be on par with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Well, my musings are over for now. If you have any comments to share about your experience with the Oscars, please feel free to drop me a line. Hope you all enjoyed this and will keep reading. Have a better one.
Being a movie buff, I do miss watching the Awards, but even reading about them in the paper the next day or hearing about them on the news has been enough for me. Many of the movies that have won for Best Picture in the past few years I haven't even watched yet. Not sure why, as I'm sure they are fine films in their own right, but I tend to find that the critics and myself tend to disagree more than not. The last Best Picture that I watched was Million Dollar Baby, directed by Clint Eastwood. That took Best Picture in 2005. Shows you how far behind I am.
I wonder if regular people (blue collar workers) still throw an Oscar party every now and then? I can remember sitting around my grandparents house in the early 70's and they would watch them and we would have snacks and such during the proceedings. I kind of miss that. Maybe I'll cook a pot of chili and bake some hot wings, as I did for the recent Super Bowl. I would use any excuse to cook those yummy snacks!
To tell you the truth, I'm not even sure who, or what pictures, are up for any of the Awards this year. I may have to use my days to research the movies and maybe even watch a few before the Big Night. There are a few movies that are coming out this year that I will certainly go to the theater to see, Peter Jacksons' "The Hobbit" being one of them. From what I have seen so far, this looks to be on par with the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.
Well, my musings are over for now. If you have any comments to share about your experience with the Oscars, please feel free to drop me a line. Hope you all enjoyed this and will keep reading. Have a better one.
Monday, February 6, 2012
My Day in Court
Hey, everyone. I just wanted to share what I think is a typical day in the Las Vegas County Court system.
My day started at 7 AM when my alarm went off. I wanted to get to the court house early so I wouldn't have to wait in a long line. I reached over and turned off the alarm and waited for my friend's alarm to go off at 7:30. So after her alarm goes off, and she hits snooze 3 more times, I finally get up and get in the shower. I leave the house about 8:30. I get in the car and decide not to take the freeway because of the time of morning. It is usually quite packed at that time. I head down Cheyenne to Las Vegas Blvd. (otherwise known as the Strip) and make it downtown in about 15 minutes. Quicker than the freeway, for sure.
I valet my car at The Plaza Hotel and Casino, cheaper than parking on the side streets or the pay by hour parking lots. A lot of people don't take advantage of this service like they should. For a couple of bucks, you could leave your car at one of the hotels for a few days if you'd like. They'll just think you're having a heck of a time and will eventually be back for it.
Ok. I get to the court house about 9:30, as I had to walk a few blocks after valeting the car. No problem. I get through the entrance and immediately have to take off my shoes, belt, sunglasses, and empty my pockets, just like you would at the airport. There have been a few shootings at our court houses here and they aren't taking any chances any more. I go to the Traffic Court waiting area and have to take a number to get my place in line. I am number 246. They have just called number 187. Hmm. Looks like the wait is on. It is now 9:40.
15 minutes pass and they are on number 230. Moving pretty quickly. I start to wonder if I am going to get the same lady that I had the first time I stopped in to get the information that brought me back today. She was quick and efficient. The numbers tick off quickly and wouldn't you know it, I do get that same lady again. I bring up my paper work and ask her what do I need to do and where do I go from here. She informs me I need to go to the lower level to court Room B. Hmm. Didn't know they had a lower level in the building. It was easy to find though. Every thing in this building is clearly marked, which is a good thing.
I make my way to the elevators and make my way to the lower level, stopping to use the rest room on the way, as I had peeked ahead and saw that the line into the court room wasn't that long. Oops. when I stepped out a minute later, it looked like I had stepped into a Walmart returns line. What the heck! Oh, well, I had made it this far. Unfortunately, it seemed like a real Walmart line, complete with mothers with screaming kids, teenagers playing rap music on their I-phones, and the complaints that the line was taking forever.
It was 10:30 before I got to enter the actual court room, handing my paper work to an obviously bored Marshall, who doesn't even glance at the papers he is handed. Not his job, apparently. I take my seat in what looked like church pews from days gone by and look around a bit. The Judge is at his desk and us in the audience (?) are looking at hime through a glass wall, where you can see 6 people sitting about 15 feet from his desk, waiting to be called. Every time a name is called, they step up, he gives them a verdict, fine or traffic school, which can be done online nowadays I guess. Technology is great, isn't it? After 3 people are called up. The Marshall calls 3 more from our cast of waiting people and they enter the room and take the vacant seats. This too is moving quickly. The judge is averaging about 1 plaintiff every 5 minutes.
My turn finally comes and I walk up in front of the Judge. He asks if I have completed the task of getting a Nevada driver's license. I say yes. He asks if I have proof of insurance. (These were my 2 tickets. No valid license and no insurance. Even though I had both at the time.) I say yes again. He thanks me for my time and dismisses both charges. He tells me I am free to go. I say thank you, Your Honor, and exit the court room. Barely 2 hours have passed from the time I entered the Court House. I was thinking it was going to be an all day event. All in all, it was not a bad experience, although it is one I would not want to go through again any time soon.
Well, thanks for reading, and if you take anything away from this, take this. DON'T GET A TICKET IN VEGAS! Have a better one ya'll.
My day started at 7 AM when my alarm went off. I wanted to get to the court house early so I wouldn't have to wait in a long line. I reached over and turned off the alarm and waited for my friend's alarm to go off at 7:30. So after her alarm goes off, and she hits snooze 3 more times, I finally get up and get in the shower. I leave the house about 8:30. I get in the car and decide not to take the freeway because of the time of morning. It is usually quite packed at that time. I head down Cheyenne to Las Vegas Blvd. (otherwise known as the Strip) and make it downtown in about 15 minutes. Quicker than the freeway, for sure.
I valet my car at The Plaza Hotel and Casino, cheaper than parking on the side streets or the pay by hour parking lots. A lot of people don't take advantage of this service like they should. For a couple of bucks, you could leave your car at one of the hotels for a few days if you'd like. They'll just think you're having a heck of a time and will eventually be back for it.
Ok. I get to the court house about 9:30, as I had to walk a few blocks after valeting the car. No problem. I get through the entrance and immediately have to take off my shoes, belt, sunglasses, and empty my pockets, just like you would at the airport. There have been a few shootings at our court houses here and they aren't taking any chances any more. I go to the Traffic Court waiting area and have to take a number to get my place in line. I am number 246. They have just called number 187. Hmm. Looks like the wait is on. It is now 9:40.
15 minutes pass and they are on number 230. Moving pretty quickly. I start to wonder if I am going to get the same lady that I had the first time I stopped in to get the information that brought me back today. She was quick and efficient. The numbers tick off quickly and wouldn't you know it, I do get that same lady again. I bring up my paper work and ask her what do I need to do and where do I go from here. She informs me I need to go to the lower level to court Room B. Hmm. Didn't know they had a lower level in the building. It was easy to find though. Every thing in this building is clearly marked, which is a good thing.
I make my way to the elevators and make my way to the lower level, stopping to use the rest room on the way, as I had peeked ahead and saw that the line into the court room wasn't that long. Oops. when I stepped out a minute later, it looked like I had stepped into a Walmart returns line. What the heck! Oh, well, I had made it this far. Unfortunately, it seemed like a real Walmart line, complete with mothers with screaming kids, teenagers playing rap music on their I-phones, and the complaints that the line was taking forever.
It was 10:30 before I got to enter the actual court room, handing my paper work to an obviously bored Marshall, who doesn't even glance at the papers he is handed. Not his job, apparently. I take my seat in what looked like church pews from days gone by and look around a bit. The Judge is at his desk and us in the audience (?) are looking at hime through a glass wall, where you can see 6 people sitting about 15 feet from his desk, waiting to be called. Every time a name is called, they step up, he gives them a verdict, fine or traffic school, which can be done online nowadays I guess. Technology is great, isn't it? After 3 people are called up. The Marshall calls 3 more from our cast of waiting people and they enter the room and take the vacant seats. This too is moving quickly. The judge is averaging about 1 plaintiff every 5 minutes.
My turn finally comes and I walk up in front of the Judge. He asks if I have completed the task of getting a Nevada driver's license. I say yes. He asks if I have proof of insurance. (These were my 2 tickets. No valid license and no insurance. Even though I had both at the time.) I say yes again. He thanks me for my time and dismisses both charges. He tells me I am free to go. I say thank you, Your Honor, and exit the court room. Barely 2 hours have passed from the time I entered the Court House. I was thinking it was going to be an all day event. All in all, it was not a bad experience, although it is one I would not want to go through again any time soon.
Well, thanks for reading, and if you take anything away from this, take this. DON'T GET A TICKET IN VEGAS! Have a better one ya'll.
Friday, February 3, 2012
Time Travel Insurance
The time has come for the next step in insurance. That's right. Time travel insurance. For only $100 a month, you too can be covered on any temporal journey you may undertake. Just remember, if you have a time machine, the payments can be made almost negligible by going back about 75 years and putting that $100 in the bank of your choice (just make sure the bank is still operating in this century) and the interest alone will make the payment seem like nothing. Please send all checks or money orders to me, though, as it was my idea.
Just think, you can go back in time and fix all those little problems that seem to have kept you back all of these years. Or, go back in time and kill Hitler before his rise to power and he does all those terrible things that made him a permanent fixture in history. Which is why you need the insurance. Unless you are a master spy, you won't even get close to Hitler. You just have to remember that there is a cause and effect for everything you do while back in the past. You wouldn't want to wipe out a relative you didn't know you had, thus wiping out your own existence. How embarrassing would that be! Again, you need this insurance.
Think about who you want for your beneficiary. Do they have access to your time machine? Would they know how to operate it? If so, you might want to be careful that they don't go back in time and kill you just after you have signed the insurance forms. Greedy people do things like that. Make sure you get that put in as a clause to your insurance, we'll call it the Death After Signing Clause.
Now that you are covered and are fairly certain you are safe from your beneficiary, feel free to travel where you would like, just be careful you don't cross your own timeline and screw up your own existence, as that won't be covered in the insurance. It's just too easy to mess your own life up. But we know that or you wouldn't be going back in time trying to fix your life, would we? Time travel jargon can get confusing also, as you will be using past tenses before they happen and vice versa. Would have, should have, and could have will take on a whole new meaning, as you will have and could have already done the things you will have or could have done. Read your policy carefully, as the wording will be very confusing to those without temporal language skills. Shucks, you may be paying me for nothing and get absolutely nothing in return. Now that sounds like a real insurance policy to me!
Anyway, enjoy your time travel secure in the knowledge that if anything does happen to you, that your beneficiary will enjoy the wealth that is coming to them. Thanks for reading ya'll. Have a better one.
Just think, you can go back in time and fix all those little problems that seem to have kept you back all of these years. Or, go back in time and kill Hitler before his rise to power and he does all those terrible things that made him a permanent fixture in history. Which is why you need the insurance. Unless you are a master spy, you won't even get close to Hitler. You just have to remember that there is a cause and effect for everything you do while back in the past. You wouldn't want to wipe out a relative you didn't know you had, thus wiping out your own existence. How embarrassing would that be! Again, you need this insurance.
Think about who you want for your beneficiary. Do they have access to your time machine? Would they know how to operate it? If so, you might want to be careful that they don't go back in time and kill you just after you have signed the insurance forms. Greedy people do things like that. Make sure you get that put in as a clause to your insurance, we'll call it the Death After Signing Clause.
Now that you are covered and are fairly certain you are safe from your beneficiary, feel free to travel where you would like, just be careful you don't cross your own timeline and screw up your own existence, as that won't be covered in the insurance. It's just too easy to mess your own life up. But we know that or you wouldn't be going back in time trying to fix your life, would we? Time travel jargon can get confusing also, as you will be using past tenses before they happen and vice versa. Would have, should have, and could have will take on a whole new meaning, as you will have and could have already done the things you will have or could have done. Read your policy carefully, as the wording will be very confusing to those without temporal language skills. Shucks, you may be paying me for nothing and get absolutely nothing in return. Now that sounds like a real insurance policy to me!
Anyway, enjoy your time travel secure in the knowledge that if anything does happen to you, that your beneficiary will enjoy the wealth that is coming to them. Thanks for reading ya'll. Have a better one.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
UFO's
Have you ever seen something in the sky that you couldn't identify? Well, then, you have seen a UFO, or Unidentified Flying Object. Now, when most people hear the term UFO, they automatically assume alien spaceships. Millions of UFO's have been cited over the years, most explained as natural phenomena, most not explained at all. It all depends on your beliefs and your point of view.
Stand in your backyard one night and spend about an hour looking up into a clear night sky. You are bound to see objects that you cannot identify pass overhead. Many of these are probably satellites. There are now nearly 9000 man-made objects circling our planet. Every now and then some will fall to Earth and burn up in our atmosphere. This has happened a few times in just the last couple of years.
I am always on the look out for these unidentified objects. You never know when it might actually turn out to be an alien spaceship. In this vast universe, do we really think we are the only intelligent life? I hope not. We aren't progressing to well in our little spot in this galaxy. We are slowly killing this planet and not doing much to slow the process. We could use a little alien intervention to put us on the right track, provided they're friendly of course. Heck, they're probably already living amongst us, just like the books and movies say they have been.
In 1952 a study was started that eventually became Project Bluebook. It was officially terminated in 1970. Over the course of its' 18 year study and over 12, 000+ UFO sightings reported in this time that it looked into, the study concluded that the majority of sightings were misidentifications of natural phenomena(clouds, stars, aircraft, etc.) and just recently that a few were of secret tests of aircraft, such as the U-2 and A-12. I recall watching a television show in 1978 and '79 that was based on Project Bluebook (Project UFO), where they re-enacted dramatically the process of tracking down reports of UFO sightings and then proceeded to debunk them. I don't recall the investigators ever actually not debunking the sightings. It was probably funded by our government.
Anyway, keep watching the skies, and if you see anything that you can't identify, pretend for a minute that it might be otherworldy. What would you do if that object was an alien spaceship? What if? Keep an open mind. Strange things occur in the world all the time. I for one don't believe we are alone in the universe. I'm rooting for the aliens.
Thanks for reading, ya'll. See ya soon.
Stand in your backyard one night and spend about an hour looking up into a clear night sky. You are bound to see objects that you cannot identify pass overhead. Many of these are probably satellites. There are now nearly 9000 man-made objects circling our planet. Every now and then some will fall to Earth and burn up in our atmosphere. This has happened a few times in just the last couple of years.
I am always on the look out for these unidentified objects. You never know when it might actually turn out to be an alien spaceship. In this vast universe, do we really think we are the only intelligent life? I hope not. We aren't progressing to well in our little spot in this galaxy. We are slowly killing this planet and not doing much to slow the process. We could use a little alien intervention to put us on the right track, provided they're friendly of course. Heck, they're probably already living amongst us, just like the books and movies say they have been.
In 1952 a study was started that eventually became Project Bluebook. It was officially terminated in 1970. Over the course of its' 18 year study and over 12, 000+ UFO sightings reported in this time that it looked into, the study concluded that the majority of sightings were misidentifications of natural phenomena(clouds, stars, aircraft, etc.) and just recently that a few were of secret tests of aircraft, such as the U-2 and A-12. I recall watching a television show in 1978 and '79 that was based on Project Bluebook (Project UFO), where they re-enacted dramatically the process of tracking down reports of UFO sightings and then proceeded to debunk them. I don't recall the investigators ever actually not debunking the sightings. It was probably funded by our government.
Anyway, keep watching the skies, and if you see anything that you can't identify, pretend for a minute that it might be otherworldy. What would you do if that object was an alien spaceship? What if? Keep an open mind. Strange things occur in the world all the time. I for one don't believe we are alone in the universe. I'm rooting for the aliens.
Thanks for reading, ya'll. See ya soon.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
New Reality Show
I have been thinking about this for several years. It is a reality show that would not only help the country, but the school and university systems also.
Here is my premise:
The President(only he could do this, with the help of Congress) announces to the Nation that we are going back into space, this time to colonize the Moon, or maybe Mars. But instead of the government financing this project, which would cost billions, he institutes a new reality based TV show which has groups of scientists from across the country from the top 10 colleges in the country refurbish or rebuild the shuttles that were recently decommissioned. And further more, the show will be shown on all 4 major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and to be fair I'm adding FOX in there) on a schedule to be set up at a later date. Who will pay for this, you might ask? The same people that put up millions to advertise the big budget movies and the TV shows that air every night. That's right. Make them use all that money for something good.
How will this help our schools and colleges? The 10 colleges will be given tax credits for every new invention or innovation that gets their particular team closer to getting their craft into space and on its' way to its' destination. Also, schools across the country will compete to get their students into the colleges. Those that do will also get tax credits. Hopefully, students will embrace this and try harder in school, as they will be given a full scholarship to one of the ten schools. Parents might even try and help their children learn more and do better in school, as this will take the burden of them paying for college, or their child having to take out student loans that take years to pay off.
To outfit the shuttles will take many different types of academic knowledge. Science (obviously), physics, engineering, mathematics, hydroponics, astronomy, the list is endless, so everyone will have a chance to compete. I mean, someone has to figure out how to make toilet paper when they get to the Moon or Mars, for Pete's sake! It doesn't grow on trees (well, not on the Moon or Mars, as there are no trees there, yet)!
So far in this admittedly far-fetched writing no one is losing. The people of the Nation don't have to pay more taxes or spend any money out of pocket to get the space program relaunched, except to buy the products that the advertisers are using to sponsor the shows. The government isn't losing anything but a few tax breaks, which they won't need anyway if the public is buying all of the products that are being advertised. They get taxes from that product everytime it sells. Parents will take more pride in their childen if they are excelling in school, plus saving money by not paying for their children to go to college. The colleges win by getting better students and the tax breaks. The advertisers make their money back by selling their product. Heck, the children of today may even benefit by actually learning in school.
This is actually a simple idea. It is probably too simple. Whoever our next President is, hopefully he would see the benefits of this idea. But government doesn't like to take the easy way. There will be those that think we are entitling the more gifted people in the Nation, but that's not the case. This should make everyone want to do a little better, push themselves to do more, learn more.
This reality show would run for years, because, face it, it will take longer than 1 season to get those shuttles into space. This reality show could, in reality (pun intended), run for at least 20 years. Think of how far we will go in that time. The advancements in all of the sciences and other achievements. how many geniuses will surface in that time? Time will tell. It always does.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Hope to hear from ya'll.
Here is my premise:
The President(only he could do this, with the help of Congress) announces to the Nation that we are going back into space, this time to colonize the Moon, or maybe Mars. But instead of the government financing this project, which would cost billions, he institutes a new reality based TV show which has groups of scientists from across the country from the top 10 colleges in the country refurbish or rebuild the shuttles that were recently decommissioned. And further more, the show will be shown on all 4 major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and to be fair I'm adding FOX in there) on a schedule to be set up at a later date. Who will pay for this, you might ask? The same people that put up millions to advertise the big budget movies and the TV shows that air every night. That's right. Make them use all that money for something good.
How will this help our schools and colleges? The 10 colleges will be given tax credits for every new invention or innovation that gets their particular team closer to getting their craft into space and on its' way to its' destination. Also, schools across the country will compete to get their students into the colleges. Those that do will also get tax credits. Hopefully, students will embrace this and try harder in school, as they will be given a full scholarship to one of the ten schools. Parents might even try and help their children learn more and do better in school, as this will take the burden of them paying for college, or their child having to take out student loans that take years to pay off.
To outfit the shuttles will take many different types of academic knowledge. Science (obviously), physics, engineering, mathematics, hydroponics, astronomy, the list is endless, so everyone will have a chance to compete. I mean, someone has to figure out how to make toilet paper when they get to the Moon or Mars, for Pete's sake! It doesn't grow on trees (well, not on the Moon or Mars, as there are no trees there, yet)!
So far in this admittedly far-fetched writing no one is losing. The people of the Nation don't have to pay more taxes or spend any money out of pocket to get the space program relaunched, except to buy the products that the advertisers are using to sponsor the shows. The government isn't losing anything but a few tax breaks, which they won't need anyway if the public is buying all of the products that are being advertised. They get taxes from that product everytime it sells. Parents will take more pride in their childen if they are excelling in school, plus saving money by not paying for their children to go to college. The colleges win by getting better students and the tax breaks. The advertisers make their money back by selling their product. Heck, the children of today may even benefit by actually learning in school.
This is actually a simple idea. It is probably too simple. Whoever our next President is, hopefully he would see the benefits of this idea. But government doesn't like to take the easy way. There will be those that think we are entitling the more gifted people in the Nation, but that's not the case. This should make everyone want to do a little better, push themselves to do more, learn more.
This reality show would run for years, because, face it, it will take longer than 1 season to get those shuttles into space. This reality show could, in reality (pun intended), run for at least 20 years. Think of how far we will go in that time. The advancements in all of the sciences and other achievements. how many geniuses will surface in that time? Time will tell. It always does.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Hope to hear from ya'll.
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