ISSHIN in SPACE

Allow me to digress from my normal focus and apply my concentration to Space, the Null, the Void, the fullness of the Universe.

It appears the future of the US Space Program is in jeopardy. We're in a deep recession and there is great need in many areas, why spend the money on a space program when there are so many more needy issues that are more pressing to our populace?

To answer that what is the Space Program, a way to produce expensive toys that are then shot into space for nothing of consequence?

Actually that isn't what the space program really is. Instead it is a way to spend massive amounts of money to develop incredibly talented and skilled individuals to progress science in new areas. The stuff produced is really of little consequence.

All of the money doesn't leave the planet, instead those salaries and fees generate income in our economy, create high paying jobs and multitudes of lower paying jobs in each surrounding community where the programs are instituted.

Money that could be on a scale of War, always a way to conquer a depression, but not one primarily focused on destroying.

The subsidiary benefits of the current space program literally redefined our society, from Tang, Velcro to the entire computer industry, etc.

Certainly as a society we have to find a way to assist the disadvantaged, but isn't creating long term jobs and strong futures just that?

This isn't my area of expertise, just an interest since I was a boy, but with a logic that seems to escape Washington, which is trying to live in the NOW and ignore what is the strongest way to move to the future, create jobs, increase human potential, and of course create toys that are thrown away.

Life is a balancing act, many countries around the world are working to enter the space age, perhaps they get the potential.

Seems to be a shame if we throw what we've accomplished away for a temporary fix that doesn't seem to fix much in the long run.

I guess it's OK after all, ET probably wants to talk to the Russians, Chinese, French, Japanese, Indians and everyone else who is moving out, and creating stronger economies for their country.

We can stay home and sit back and read about their taking control of the planet's future.