Slingshot Thougts

I have had a few Slingshot Thoughts floating around in my head recently and I figure I got enough of them built up that it is time to let ‘em loose.

Regarding the economy and money

(1) To protect your 401 K, pull it all out and transfer it into Second Life’s Lindens. There is actually exchange rate kicking around and stock market. People are spending real money on virtual items ranging from horned helmets to property and homes. Since the whole community/ world is virtual it should somehow be shaded from the real world economy. Then take it all back out when the DJA swings up again.

(2) The US Treasury Department has been bitching about how expensive it has become to mint coins, Pennies especially. So how about we just out source the production of coins to China? We seem to be sending everything else that way, and if it costs less, it costs less. Right? However, I'm sure there must be some federal law to squash this brilliant idea.

President Elect Obama
First 2 weeks, speak with the leader of every nation on earth, even if just to say ‘Sup dude?’

A Mission to Mars
I think that as humans we must attempt this. To do it I think we send three identical ships with teams of experienced Navy sub-mariners to set up a colony. However, the first real step would be to have a working magnetic shield to protect them from deep space radiation. No need to send them there only to return looking like Morlocks.

That’s all for now.

Mars Geology

I stumbled upon the European Space Agency (ESA) site and found cool pictures of the surface of Mars. The image at this link was one I spent a little time looking over.

'It is of the Deuteronilus Mensae region... The area is located on the northern edge of Arabia Terra and borders the southern high- and northern lowlands, at approximately 39° North and 23° East.'

At the very bottom, off center to the right I found an interesting feature, FOLDING.






In the center of the 'round' feature appears a fold string (shortening direction) trending northwest, south east. While this doesn't seem too exciting, it does add evidence of plastic deformation has/does occur(ed) on the planet. It also suggests: active tectonics; temperatures high enough to soften the rock; high pressures and also liquids. Liquids because adding liquid reduces the temperatures and pressures needed to soften rocks and is frequently present here on Earth.

*Of course it may not be a fold at all and I am just spewing prophecies of ignorance. Which is fun just the same.

Slingshot Thought of the Day

I was reading a story the other day about the recent conclusion of the scientific experiment to replicate living on Mars. This group of scientists just completed 4 months living in a 'replica' space habitat, conducting experiments, learning how to live with each other in cramped quarters etc. They were studying stuff (permafrost and global warming) but that is not my Slingshot Thought.

The ST is:
Why is this experiment even being done? We have years and years of information related to a mass of people living in an isolated and cramped environment. Its called a SUBMARINE.
This idea then sprung forth a solution, perhaps, of getting humans to Mars. NASA is caught up in using pilots and air force personnel. Why not look to the Navy and use sub-mariners. They are trained and acclimated to life in a small vessel with a large task load.

According to a web site I found:
" The living conditions on board a submarine are extreme, to be sure. For example: 110 men must share two showers, four toilets, one urinal.
...
Personal space is limited to the bunk, which measures six feet by two feet, for a total of 12 square feet. In contrast, the prisoners at Warden Penitentiary in Washington, D.C., are allowed 90 square feet of personal living space."

So there you have it. What would appear to be an example of scientists not thinking through a solution to a problem then plow ahead with re-inventing the wheel.

*rolling eyes* Academics.

Mars Geology- some slingshot thoughts-

Exploring Google today I came across GoogleMars. Within seconds I was completely lost in this world... And after staring at the map I have keyed in on these things:

• First, there are fewer impact craters in the north hemisphere;

• Second, there was an obvious liquid event;

• Third, the water event 'washed out' most of the craters in the northern hemisphere;

• Four, few craters in the 'volcanic' region; which means the volcanoes occurred after the impacts.

• All the liquid originated from the Zero-1 km depth (yellow-to green) and lower.
• The liquid had higher velocity below
  
  3 km. as evidenced by the development of 'dune' directions/lineation in the blue, but craters are still present in the greens.
• I'm also wondering if we can start to make assumptions of rock composition based on crater impacts, in that, some craters form with a center point while others do not. And that the similar types are adjacent. Large Scale thought.

Further thoughts are in the mixer but need to compose the thought some more before posting it. I found that 1-WORLD-GLOBES has totally excellent 3-d scale globes of Mars and Earth for sale.

Anyone wanna buy me one?