ET IS NOT GOING TO SAVE YOU!!!

        Many religious beliefs have in them an idea of a savior. A being that will come down to save the day. Clean up the streets, and smite the wicked. Even the so called new age has their own version with various ET's coming to rescue humanity. It's a wonderful thought and takes us back to the sheltered days of childhood. Where mom or dad would always be there to swoop in and save the day.  Grow up people, no one is coming to save us!  If someone does show up with the promise of salvation we would be in a Buddha on the side of the road situation.
        Lets look a little closer at the idea that ET will save us from ourselves.  This sounds nice.  I mean what could be so wrong with some friendly ET coming with tech so far in advance of ours, it takes care of our problems like they are silly, and trivial.  On the surface it sounds great, a more depth will reveal the falsehood.  If lets start with, any ET group that would be willing to work with individual nation states is likely not a group with humanities best interests in mind.  Any ET group that would be advanced enough to make the interstellar, or inter-dimensional trip here would have solved the same problems we are currently facing, or managed to avoid them all together. Either way we already have everything we need to solve our problems, all we are lacking is the will to do so.  If you want to know why intervention is always a bad idea look no farther earth history.  Even when one nation intervenes in another nation it invariably goes awry.  An easy way to look at it is from the perspective of a child living in their parents home.  If ET showed up and fixed the planet, and implemented system to solve our social issues, it would no longer be our society it would be theirs.  If there is a galactic federation of some kind we would create a cancer inside it if they interacted with us now.  Our dealings even among friends are filled with deceit, and mistrust.  Why would you as an outsider want to become embroiled in our petty global politics?  If you do are you someone we really want involved?

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Crazy Ideas Might Be Your Best Ideas

So awhile ago I was playing around with the idea of using space as a superconductor.  A little out there maybe, but come to find out this might not be as crazy a thought as it first appears.  As it turns out there is already theoretical work being done, super conductivity from nowhere.  My thought was to make a portion of interstellar space into a massive super computer.
      This got me right onto other crazy ideas that have popped into my head, maybe they might be possible as well.  Back in my mid twenties I had the idea that you could trade currencies off each other in a triangle trade and make ridiculous profits.  Many told me that couldn't possibly work, the values are set against each other. This would be true if our global trade system were set up to be mathematically sound. As we know this is not the case, Nations will often pump or suppress the value of their currency in order to get the desired relation to a trading partners currency.  Now there is even someone that built an app to do the same idea with the addition of bitcoin.  My most recently fringe type idea is of using "spooky" entanglement at a distance to form a site to site communication bridge over any distance.  Of course this one is huge with major implications for everyone.  Testing for this is ongoing with China of course a major player. Another interesting possible test I found was using the ISS as a distance test.
        So why am I writing about off the wall ideas?  Well it's not about the ideas it's about having them.  Through out history we are constantly shown examples where disparate groups or individuals seemingly have the same understanding occur at roughly the same time.  Our religions pretty much all tell us we came from one source.  Some of our best psychologists subscribe to the idea of a mass consciousness.  Our philosophy, our reason, all these point to a unity in all aspect of being.  These ideas or thoughts that run through my mind are not for ownership, they are to be shared.

PanseyBard
aka
Jack

A Moment of Relfection

         For many years I have said "I am my own experiment".  Sometimes I lose sight of just how true this statement is. I've done many substances to change my perception. Even made myself into what a woman wanted. All in the name of obtaining some elusive ideal I've programmed belief in.  Like a chameleon I've learned to blend, always holding back portions of self unacceptable to the group I'm currently in.

       After a recent passing comment in a chat room pointed me to look at what I actually hold as core beliefs.  When I looked real close I learned there wasn't much I held to be absolute.  The closest I could come was the concept of unity. It seems as a group we don't actually approach reality from the stand point of it being unified.  We tend to fundamentally look to divide.  Other then an overarching or underlying unity, there is only one other thing I hold true.  No two people will see anything the same.  There are well worn paths that give guidance, but they do as much to program you as to reveal reality.

       I view self awareness as the baseline delusional state. From my perspective in order to have this experience we have to be delusional.  

Jack

aka

PanseyBard

Power, Best Shared?

          I was watching a show on fusion reactors it started a chain of thought crossing through generation of electric power, through power in it's many flavors. What I was first struck by aside from a feeling of utter stupidity. I mean the complexity of just the instruments folks are designing to monitor these reactions is astounding.  The process they are duplicating, and that we even can is a testament to how far we've come in such a short time.  I mean ITER will be a stunning display of the consolidation of power.  By this time I had moved toward ideas that perhaps our ideas on a consolidated power generation need at think.  Maybe a distributed system would be nice approach. Generation of power would start on a local level, wind, water, solar. Advances like this should see independent power generation on the rise.  A grid where everyone supported everyone else, but also maintained local generation of power would also add a layer of security in not offering a few large targets to take down the entire grid.
        Well by now I was off, how is energy any different then any other kind of power?  As it turns out, it's not. Power is Power, doesn't matter the form, and it can take almost all of the, it's still power. As power it obeys all the same patterns no matter the form you find it in.  This got me off the idea of distributed versus consolidated power systems.  In the world today it's all about consolidation, the idea of people with power will do everything they can to keep it.  Utter silliness almost everyone gets the idea that the best way to keep something is to make sure everyone has it.
        In our world, power in all it's forms has be pooled, pooled power stagnates, and draws opposition.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

America, Portrait of a Failed Nation

         As an American I feel it's not just my right, but my responsibility to point out just how massive, and all encompassing our failure is.   Many still cry out that we are the best nation in the world, all while the statistics, and experience is otherwise.  Some my rail against what they see as me being anti-america. They would be correct, I am against the America I see out my window, on my TV screen, and in cyber space. I have trouble understanding how your not as disappointed as I am.  If there is a way for a nation to fail that America has not already failed in I'd be shocked.
        If we had problems in just one area you might be able to say it was the exception, but on the whole America is solid.  Our economy is touted as being the #1 in the world based on gdp. All well and good if we lived in fantasy land, but where I live when your top export to one of your biggest trade partners is trash. Your in trouble. You did read that right, America's biggest export to China is returning the packaging for all the goodies they make us.  We act like it's Christmas everyday, and as long as we send the wrapping and boxes back Santa will refill them.
      The ACA or Obamacare as it's widely know is a 10k+ page monstrosity.  Seemingly designed to force people that don't use a system to pay for those that do.  This debacle at health care reform is just another example of political theater designed to confuse, and bewilder.  Mean while back in reality the rest of the world divests itself of the dollar.
       So no economy, no health care, how about education?  Well no again we are failing. According to the latest data America isn't even in the top 10.  We don't even make the playoffs.  No wonder the hi-tech jobs are leaving, we increasingly are unable to fill them.  You can find a more detailed account of just how badly we are failing in this regard here.
       There was for years the expectation in America that children would be better off then their parents.  This is no longer the case, and unless fundamental changes are made we won't even recognize the country we wake up in. I have come to the painful realization that the country I was taught about was only a story.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Pirates and the New World Order

      Americans seem to have a love affair with idea of a pirate.  We romanticize them like we do the cowboys, creating a picture of a world that never existed.  They have come to represent a sense of freedom we seem to have lost in our constricted civilized world.   This got me thinking what place does the pirate have in our modern world.  When I started to look around I noticed many of our most famed or infamous have much in common with the beloved pirate.

Pirate defined

      What we get is a picture of a person that holds no loyalty to any nation. A pirate is beyond such considerations, not out of a sense of duty to something bigger then a nation. The pirate is out for the pirate. Many of our top level corporate officers, bankers, and the like are modern pirates.  They profit from off shore, paying no heed to national loyalties.

         So when I was watching the popular modern pirate epics Pirates of the Caribbean. I started noticing  there seemed to be an odd theme to the first movie.
I then watched the 3rd, looking to see if this one also had an odd overall teaching.
Not surprisingly it was easily found.  By the time I watched the middle film I was sure it would be easy to spot. Surprisingly it completely escaped me, this may have been due to being distracted.  Taken in whole these are basic guidelines for how to live a pirates life.

Curse of the Black Pearl: "what a man can do, and what a man can't do"  that is a very profound lesson for a would be pirate.  Laws do not apply to a pirate, so there is only what you are able and willing to do, and what you are unable, or unwilling to do.

 Dead Man's Chest: there is no quote from this movie that I found that aptly spells out the lesson. Instead the lesson is shown by every character in their actions. That message being every man for himself, or self interest governs all.
This is clearly shown as every character lies, cheats, and steals for their own perceived well being.

 At Worlds End: "take what you can, give nothing back" This is pretty self explanatory, and quite evident.

So there it is, if you want to know how to become pirate, live by those guidelines.

Oh and for a bit of fun, look at how our international corporations have been acting.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

The Jobs Aren't Coming Back

            For years the back bone of the middle class has been whats called "low skill" "low wage" manufacturing jobs.  With the onslaught of freetrade agreements these jobs fled the wealthier nations, and took up residence in the undeveloped or poorer nations.  This has led toward more global equilibrium of wealth, and power. Simultaneously leading to greater income inequalities within each respective nation.  Many have noticed the jobs created are lower paying then the jobs lost. Even the jobs that currently available may not be for much longer, automation, and technology advancement may make them obsolete.
            I'm not trying to be an alarmist, or chicken little.  This could be an end of the world as they know it for some people.  Though they would of had to have been playing ostrich for quite sometime now.  Most have seen this coming for decades, if not since Mr. Ford invented the factory.  For those forward thinking people this amazing transitional period can offer opportunities unheard of even ten years ago.
          The very concepts of work, and money are changing before your eyes.

          How you react is up to you


Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Obamacare The Greatest Magic Trick Ever

While Rome burned Nero fiddled.
When historians write of the fall of the dollar will the caption go something like this?

                               Obamacare The Greatest Magic Trick Ever

For years it's been one distraction after another. I always wonder when I'm learning about the newest scandal, if the media is completely controlled, what is so big they need to hide it with this?  With the "shutdown" if you can call it that pushed back past the holiday season.  Obamacare will and has been continually used as a means to hold peoples attention while the rest of the world divests itself of as many of it's Dollar reserves as they can manage.   This isn't even a new trend. While all time stock highs can be tied to the largest supply of dollars at the cheapest price ever.  So if you haven't started learning Chinese you might want to consider it.  The smart ones have all started spending the dollars we intended to be held to ensure some return on investment.

Don't be fooled while Americans watch a drama crafted just for them, the rest of the world is finalizing their plans for the end of the sole reserve status of the dollar.

for a bit more info look into
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-10-13/chinas-official-press-agency-calls-new-reserve-currency

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-politics/10376017/World-should-de-Americanise-says-China-following-default-fears.html

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/25/business/universal-credit-rating-group/index.html

Fall of America!!! Would You Save it?

There is an almost universal awareness of the slide from power of America. Look no farther then our net import/export.  The Deficit spending, free trade agreements world wide changing to cut out the dollar.  Some of the problems we find ourselves in now have their roots 100 years ago.  These things are fairly easy to see for most people. The real question is would you make the changes needed to fix it?  I mean really would you have the will it takes to make the changes needed to save America as a nation.
It's really not that tough here are a few well known fixes. Please note these are fixes for the current system, and do not fix the basic problem of interest on currency creation.  Just take a look at this How to fix America. Everyone seems to know exactly what the problems are, and how to fix them.

I think the question I don't see being asked might be more important. Should it be saved?
As America was on the rise it created global cooperation never before seen. You can argue how beneficial America's involvement has been for any given region or country, but the overall global inter connectivity is undeniable.  So have we as human beings matured past the point of nations to the point where we need something new?

Jack
aka
PanseyBard  

Do You Deserve a Say

America is what is known as a representative democracy.  This basically means we don't directly make many of the choices that govern our everyday lives.  Instead we elect the people to make those decisions for us.  There is nothing inherently wrong with this set up. So long as you keep an eye on what your representatives are deciding, and they understand who they work for.  In the present day and age this has become complicated by the idea of corporate person-hood, but that is not in the scope or aim of this post to cover.
          For the most part it's so far so good.  You vote for a person you feel holds your values. They get to work on making sure those values are represented in our collective governing body.  The problem comes when the people stop paying attention, or when the ones that are paying attention feel it's beyond their control.
How many times do you hear "I'm not political", or "I don't follow politics". What about this one, "it doesn't really effect me", "I know it's wrong, but I can't do anything about it".  This is the opt out of our system.  You at this point have given away any power you might have in our present system.
         So my question is this.

If you have opted out of the system, why do you think you have deserve a say in it?

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

    

The Fall of America, Are You to Blame?

It's all over the news, and obvious to anyone willing to take an unbiased look would say America is in decline.  I hear the calls from concerned citizens, buy american, bring our jobs home.  Try to buy a tv made in america, how many electronic devices are even made here anymore.  How about cars, how many of the parts in your car were manufactured here?  Look, I'm not trying to point fingers at any one individual or group. I'm saying we all are culpable.

      Want to know if your country is on the rise or in decline.  Look for the international trade balances. If your country is negative, wealth is leaving.

This isn't rocket science, things for sure can get confusing, but the major trends are generally pretty easy to spot. When you have a country that is the worlds trade currency your going to add value. This will increase the value of the currency, though it does nothing to add value to the real economy of the country.  The effect of this means the goods produced will reflect this artificially inflated money.

Combine this with a rise of international conglomerate to whom borders are to be exploited in the quest for profits and it's a nice recipe.  

        The writing has been on the wall for years, it's been a slow motion decent from dizzying heights.  Look around the net you'll see so many warning of the collapse of  America.  The warning is to late, it would of needed to be heeded decades ago to halt the natural transition of power.

Could we reverse the damage?

of course we can

Should we?

Jack

aka

PanseyBard  

Patterning, Habit, Uncertainty, Free Will, Oh My!!!

Is there a more fundamental idea being shown in these concepts?  In the idea of patterning, there is a shape or pattern that all energy systems repeat in a fractal manner. The same would be said for the holographic universe model.

In Rupert Sheldrake's morphic resonance there are habits, not hard fast laws. This brings to mind the observer principle, where the act of observation changes the outcome. How about a simple expanding gas cloud where we can predict perfectly the whole cloud, but not the actions of a single molecule in it.   Lets not stop there how about people?  Well it's pretty easy to predict quite accurately how the aggregate will react to any given stimulus, but a bit different when it comes to the individual.  

Could it be that self awareness is the link in this chain?  Would the math work out perfectly if there was no one to do it?  This what these ideas bring to mind for me.

How indoctrination patterns not just the individual but the world around them. 

This is how civilizations are made, how mystery schools develop, and why they fail.  Imagine a well worn path, walked daily by many people.  Over time the path wears, and erodes from normal use.  At first no one would notice, it's so close to the same level as the ground around it. Eventually the path becomes a rut, hopefully you notice at this stage, most don't. The path gets more use then ever, eventually becoming a small gorge that people still walk through. At this point no one even thinks about there being another way as the walls blind them to the other routes. I like to think of this as the road less traveled idea, or crop rotation. No matter how well worn the path is someone will want to walk in the grass.

Could it be self awareness that summons forth variables we can't solve for?


Jack
aka
PanseyBard 

  

So You Want to be a Wizard Harry?

Funny question?.........Maybe

Though if we are honest, I'm sure many of us have had a fantasy or two about being Gandalf, Harry Potter, or Merlin the list could go on and on.   I'm not telling you that your going to be slinging fireballs, or lighting bolts, but Magic might be as good a way of describing how things work as any. The fun part is, if these theories are correct magic isn't just possible. Everyone is already doing it all the time.
        Let me explain, many of the more progressive, or out there conceptions of the universe end up with in simplistic terms a matrix or web of interconnecting energy.
It doesn't seem to matter if your talking quantum mechanics, holographic universe theory, simulated reality. The result is a bi-directional communication that allows for you to consciously influence your reality.
        These are not new conceptions, most of our ancient mystery traditions have as a foundation the idea that the reality we perceive is not real.   When taken in conjunction with the energy systems such as the chakras, or chi energy.  If changing the flow of energy through these systems can alter your experience in the world isn't that already a form of what most people would think of as magic?
        There are many "new age" sites that talk about creating your own reality. Manifesting might be a more accurate word, as you don't really create anything.
What is happening is a form of sympathetic magic.  You create the environment which attracts your desired result to you.  The magic is being done on you. You become that which attracts what you desire, or you set the stage for your actors to play on.

        These are pretty basic ideas easy to put into practice, your already doing it.


Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Is America the Evil Empire?

With all the hype about American exceptional-ism being tossed around I couldn't help myself but entertain a few thoughts on the matter.

              Is  American the defender of freedom, and virtue?

 Highly unlikely, the wars for profit, oil, and currency interests would pretty much rule that out.  America has been driven by self interest from the founding fathers on.

But if America isn't the worlds defender of all that is good, then are they the evil empire?

This again isn't very likely. Think of the Star Wars movies episodes 1-3.
While so many people see it as a war between light, and dark. Taking place between the republic, and the separatists.  As well as being reflected in the journey of Anakin from "light" to "dark".  Once you look a bit closer you notice that Palpatine was controlling both sides, as well as pushing Anakin down a path to becoming Vader.  What we are left with is a very powerful psychopath working to solidify his own grip on power.  Seeing things simply as "good" versus "evil" actually plays into the hands of Palpatine.

So how does this relate to the concept of American exceptional-ism?

The Jedi thought of themselves as exceptional, guardians of the republic.  This served them well right up till they became an institution of the republic.
Ensuring they would no long act exceptionally, and would then on enforce a set of rules.

America was exceptional, at the end of WWII our infrastructure was intact. Manufacturing was booming, and we held the lions share of the worlds gold.
The Dollar then became exceptional when it was made the worlds reserve currency. This made the Dollar, and America the exception globally. This incredible boon, and responsibility for sure made America the exception globally.
How long can you really oppose a nation that can effectively lock your nation out of global trade. You have to also ask, how has America used it's position of power, and privilege?  It's used it in every way possible. I feel plunder, rape, and pillage could easily be applied. Of course right next door to those are bastions of wonder and beauty.  I read an article where it was referred to as the pax-Americana by the Chinese state media. While obviously biased, it's not an unfair characterization.  My real question isn't is exceptional-ism dangerous, of course it is. Any time someone or thing sets itself outside the rules everyone else follows the likely hood of abuse is very high.  My question is this. Are we following this script a little closer then we care to admit?  There is a scene where Padme poses a question that boils down to asking if they are fighting for the right side.  This is a very interesting question, and not one with an easy answer. At the time it is posed there is no side that has the interests of the people. The Emperor controls both sides of the conflict.  Like that conflict the sides we are presented with here are not what they seem to be.

Obvious solution?

Choose a new game.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Global Government: Conspiracy or Reality

Remember that guy. You know the one. Tin foil hat, questionable personal hygiene. The one that told you corporations ruled the world? Or that global government was coming?

Well it turns out the super entity has been around awhile!!!
http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0025995

Many will see this as horrific, and I'm sure there are many examples that can be used to document just how bad an idea this is. Like most things, it is more likely closer to the middle ground for positive, and negative effects. I can see how it will make the inevitable transition to a formalized global government a bit smoother.
It would also explain the care the brics nations are taking with the transition away from the dollar to a new global currency. Some say it could be 10 years before the rnb is fully convertible.  I'm not so sure stringing out the correction of the US economy is going to work out so great for america.  As the rest of the world stops being able to sell their dollar reserves, and starts spending them.

        I'm seeing the controlling interests quite adroitly handle what has in the past led to heads rolling in baskets.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Organized by Delusion

For most of us, how we perceive, and conceptualize reality leads to delusional perspectives. Our senses lie to us, and even when we know better we reinforce the falsehood in our conceptual modal of reality.
       Lets take the idea of sunrise.

Even though most of us know the earth is spinning we still think of it as the sun coming up. This might not seem important,  but does this point to a fundamental disconnect between reality, and our perception of reality?
           When we hold delusional views we will seek out those that support our delusional thinking. The idea that continue after the physical body is a good one.
We divide ourselves into groups based on conceptions of an afterlife.  How about the idea that the earth is 5000 years old, and evidence to the contrary was put in place by a god wanting to test your faith, don't laugh to hard this view is reputed to be held by a few in the american government.
           If you start from the stand point that everything goes back to one, then you have to hold some basic illusions to even have an individual experience.  It just may be that it is our delusions that define our reality vary more effectively then our truths. Can you have anything real if the foundation is a lie?

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

The Layman's Guide to whats Happening.

To get a clear picture we have to start at least as far back as 1913. The Federal Reserve Act is signed into law.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Reserve_Act

What this did was allow for a private group to skim off every dollar created.

After WWII the Bretton Woods agreement was signed in 1944 to rebuild world trade.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bretton_Woods_system
http://www.polsci.ucsb.edu/faculty/cohen/inpress/bretton.html

This had the effect of allowing the The Fed to now skim off all international trade.

Forward to 1971 and Nixon removes the dollar from the gold standard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixon_Shock
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_standard

When this was done the petrodollar took over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrocurrency

Jumping ahead to more current events.

Afghan war is more about a pipeline and who will control it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Afghanistan_Pipeline

check out where U.S. bases are.

Iraq war more about oil for euros

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrodollar_warfare

Libya was the gold dinar

http://rt.com/news/economy-oil-gold-libya/

http://www.thenewamerican.com/economy/markets/item/4630-gadhafi-s-gold-money-plan-would-have-devastated-dollar

Syria is about a pipeline

http://www.wnd.com/2013/09/is-this-what-syria-war-really-about/

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/earth-insight/2013/aug/30/syria-chemical-attack-war-intervention-oil-gas-energy-pipelines

Currently Russia supplies most of the natural gas to Europe, it also has a navel base in Syria.

The world has been making new trade agreements cutting the dollar out of the loop. For 50 plus years we have been exporting our inflation, and importing the wealth of the world. It seems the world has had enough, the brics nations have already formed a bloc that signaled the end of the dollar as the world reserve currency. In 2008 we entered the end of the dollar, QE infinity, and interest rates kept artificially low. I can only see this as buying time to allow for the new system to be introduced, and the impact of the transition to be lessened. The desire for war by the U.S. is due to it being the last tool of what has become an empire.
Lucky for the world it seems other leaders are aware of this. Avoiding the all out conflict, and allowing the U.S. to die of it's own devices.

We as citizens should be paying attention.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

Playing Childhood Games

The other day my house mate Matt made an off hand comment that we as a group were really still playing fort, just we did as kids.
         This off hand comment led us to the simplistic notion that we are all really still playing childhood games that we just take more seriously.
         We came up with 3 main interactions, fort, house, and sleepover. Keep in mind these are obviously over simplifications of complex social interactions. That being said lets goof off a bit.

Fort: When people are wanting to play fort, it's a grouping together for protection.
The idea being that outside the fort is dangerous territory, and people outside the fort are not to be trusted.  Primary activities are planning raids into "enemy" territory. Improving the fort, this takes many forms.
Examples of groups playing fort are: gangs, corporations, governments.

Sleep Over: People who's primary mode is playing sleep over are generally looking for emotional support. Main themes include physical beauty, sharing of innermost feelings in a place of safety, and commiseration.   Primary activities include physical appearance improvement, gossip, generally aimed at improving the self image.

House: This is the one most played by "adults", an odd twist being it also the one most mistaken for another. Those playing house often switch to fort, or sleep over mode to hide their true desire to play house. A person playing the masculine role will often drink the kool aid of sleep over hoping it will morph into playing house. Likewise a person playing the feminine role will often show great adroitness at playing fort, while pushing the game toward house.

To close this is a superficial division, we all have a desire to play all aspects at differing points in our development.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard

 

Disappointment

          Disappointment is the word that most accurately describes my feeling toward humanity.  When I look at where we are developmentally, I can't help but feeling saddened.   With all the advancements made across the board we are still like children.  Our drive for illusionary security, and control have led to a world most of us would be ashamed of.  We lie, cheat, steal, and kill indiscriminately.

          I see us at a crossroads, we have made the world a very small place. Now we have to learn to live together.  Remembering the words of Ronnie Raygun, how quickly would we put aside our petty differences to face an non terrestrial threat.  Are we like the frog with the water temp being slowly increased?  Are we approaching a tower of babel event? Where we either make the leap to a new understanding of ourselves and our place in creation, or we will need to be slapped back a few developmental steps so we don't have the ability to destroy ourselves.

         We've studied our drive for continuation of species, why has this drive stalled?  Wouldn't our next goal be multiple planets settled?  Wouldn't this be the next logical step to ensure our version of humanity survives?  How many times will be at this point before we learn?

Jack

aka

PanseyBard

   

Why Rockets work in a Vacuum

Today I'm gonna give my take on part of a conspiracy theory.
This one deals with the idea of if rockets work in the vacuum of space.

Here are a couple of links for background
http://www.godlikeproductions.com/forum1/message1791934/pg1
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1846/how-do-rockets-work-in-the-vacuum-of-space
http://cluesforum.info/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1632

The basic idea for the doubters is this.
Space being a virtual vacuum offers nothing for a force to be applied to, as the expanding gas can expand infinitely with no resistance. This makes a situation where no work can be done.
Offered as rebuttal are newtons laws of motion. if you are unfamiliar with these.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion

While I agree it is newtons laws of motion being applied, the only thing I found that gave me a reasonable picture of what is happening was the idea of a balloon being inflated, and released. Rockets are a series of explosions, the combustion chamber can be thought of as the balloon. As the gases expand inside the chamber they exert pressure or force on the walls of the chamber. When the chamber is vacated the force is given direction creating trust. So no work is being done against the vacuum, and newtons laws are still being adhered to.

Jack
aka
PanseyBard