Make it Happen. The Artemis Program – Go Private. You Have Talent. Waited for the Olympics to End. New Order and Blue Monday.
- Quote of the Week: “You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.” – Edwin Louis Cole
By no means can you stay submerged. There is no reason for you to stay ‘submerged’ or paralyzed just because you treat a “miss” like a tattoo – something permanent that defines who you are. A negative situation in your life is not a stop sign; it is a milestone that tells you to pivot and make changes.
Setbacks, failures, and mistakes (and we have ALL made mistakes) are inevitable, but they only become permanent when we refuse to move past them. Key takeaways to the week’s Quote of the Week:
- Having a misfortune like falling into the water is not fatal, but staying there is.
- Strength and resiliency help you shake off failure and helps you move forward.
- Complacency sometimes prevents you from seeking a better situation or result.
- If you are unhappy with your situation, take steps to change it as waiting for things to improve on their own may not ever happen.
I no longer follow Tony Robbins, but I do remember a quote that has always stuck with me: “Pain is part of life; suffering is optional.” If you try, you either succeed or learn. If you do not try, you will always wonder ‘what if.’
- It has been nine and one-half years. The spend to date has been $93 billion (yes, billion). Cost overruns total $7 billion. I am not describing General Motors and their haggard path with developing electric automobiles. I am also not referring to Nvidia’s A.I. supercomputing development costs.
I am describing NASA’s program to eventually return humans to the moon, a program that started in 2017 consisting of four missions under the name Artemis. In 9.5 years, NASA managed to deploy only one of the four missions, with Artemis I launching back in 2022. Artemis II, the crewed lunar flyby mission, originally planned for 2025, has been delayed and now will not launch before April 2026. Weeks ago, during the Artemis II simulated launch countdown, a problem developed with helium not flowing to the upper stage of the rocket. The lack of helium would prevent the delivery of pressurized liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks. I do not know what this actually means, but I am thinking the lack of liquid oxygen propellent is a really bad proposition.
Thankfully, NASA has contracted with SpaceX and Blue Origin to provide the all-important Human Landing System (HLS), the vehicle that will ferry the astronauts to the Moon’s surface. After 9.5 years and $93 billion, plus an estimated $7 billion in cost overruns, one has to wonder why NASA did not engage SpaceX and Blue Origin to help develop Artemis from the start.
The good news is that new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has announced a major overhaul to the Artemis program. Maybe it is time for NASA to summon Katherine Goble? (You better remember her from the movie Hidden Figures).
This is a well-done summary of the Artemis II issues and delay:
Question of the Week: Thanks to everyone who provided their answer to last week’s Question of the Week regarding who you would like to join you for dinner:
- I think Dr Neil deGrasse Tyson- He is fascinating, incredible intelligent and seems to have a wicked sense of humor.
- Of course! That’s easy…you! (amazing what a $20 bill will do…)
- Da Vinci and Thomas Jefferson
- My closest friends. 🙂
- Jack Nicklaus; winner in golf and business.
- Derek Jeter.
- Paul McCartney – I would like to hear about what was it like being a star early on.
- OK, being the gregarious one, I would make a reservation for six, to wit: 1. Bishop Tom Wright, retired Anglican Bishop of one of the poorest areas of England and the most brilliant Biblical theologian I have ever encountered; 2. Victor Davis Hanson, a brilliant historian and author of phenomenally insightful commentary; 3. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy. She’s a politician, head of a major country, and EVERYBODY loves her–How does she pull this hat trick off? Try naming another major head of state loved by all; 4. JD Vance, the epitome of what America is all about. If you never read his book, you are missing a very special story of pulling oneself out of pure desolation; and 5. How could you not wanna spend time with Donald J Trump? This man who could spend the remaining days of his life living large, yet he chose all the BS associated with being the President of the US of A. The man who can make good strategic decisions, is totally opposed to war anywhere, and who can become unhinged in a skinny minute, leaving one to question his intellect and stability. What an interesting conversation that would be!
Here is this week’s Question of the Week. I cannot wait to read these answers: What’s a talent you have that not many people know about?
- I am not a ‘told you so’ type of person. I usually make fact-based decisions and as I expected my take on the U.S. and Iran came to fruition. Here is a paragraph of one of my takes from last week’s JustMyTake:
..Many feel that the U.S. and Iran will solve the issues of nuclear proliferation and human rights at the negotiating table. I do not. The closing ceremonies of the Milan Olympics are just hours away, and while there is no direct correlation between the Olympics and an assault on Iran, I believe that the U.S. is showing some level of worldwide respect by waiting for the Milan Olympics to end. I believe that in the coming days, the U.S. will show the world a level of assault not seen since the Iraq war, with Iranian targets including nuclear sites, air defense systems, ballistic missile depots, and drone manufacturing plants.
Early yesterday morning, the United States started their assault, targeting key strategic sites across Iran. Does anyone care to predict the outcome of this major combat operation in Iran?
Pure Talent. This song by New Order is immortal. I still hear it played on Sirius/XM and I still feel the song Blue Monday represents the era of the 1980s in the best of ways. The new wave/punk rock genre was not for everyone but if you like interesting sound, tone, and technology, have a look and listen to this 2018 performance at London’s Alexandra Place. For you Atlanta folks, think the early 80’s Limelight and Confetti on Roswell Road. New Order are Pure Talent.