I was recently checking Yahoo! headlines, hoping for some nice gossipy tidbit about Ms. Lohan, a new celebrity death, or a food research breakthrough....and got what was possibly the best idea I've read in some time. There were a few thousand people petitioning the White House to approve the construction of a Death Star.
Ok, ok, I know what you are all thinking: THIS IS A GREAT IDEA! Of course it is, just thinkof the economic boom to the country. Lots of jobs would be created, and as a result, more money would be pumped back into the economy. A project of this magnitude could really unite this country. It would finally bring patriotism back just like World War 2 and...oh, who am I kidding? The Empire had what it needed, we don't. Let's break this down:
The Empire taxed and terrorized any planet it wanted at any time. They had all the money AND the materials, and all they needed was a Sith choke hold or burst of lightning to convince their minions to fork over the goods. The Emperor just had to make his wishes known and his will was done....I suspect the Imperial chefs were pretty nervous whenever he got hungry.
OK, let's see what we have....nothing. Really. The congressional bickering over every tiny detail of construction would last forever. Would our taxes be raised? Oh no, those Bush-era tax cuts are now forever, apparently. So, revenue is not a guarantee. Obama has no Force choke hold, lightning, or even mind trick to enforce his bidding....if he utilized Bill Clinton for the mind trick, maybe, just maybe.
All right, let's move to labor: the Empire got everything built pretty quickly and efficiently....well, almost. Toward the end with the first Death Star, they were in such a hurry to finish that they forgot to connect the exhaust port to the ventilation system as opposed to the reactor! Naturally, this voided any homeowner's policy. And of course the second Death Star was REALLY rushed because they left an opening to fit several fighter ships in! All they needed then was Mike Holmes to "make it right", not that the construction crew were Canadian.
Anyway, Imperial labor was efficient, and I suspect their payment was the privelege to live a bit more. They had Vader saying, "Perhaps I can find new ways to motivate them!" to threaten the few slackers.
Let's look at the highly-motivated U.S. labor force....excuse me while I laugh as I look at a photo of a Ford Pinto! How much will people really want to work on this "project"? It will be a boon to the many temp agencies, I'm sure! The medical benefits will be nill, I'm sure, so that motivation is out. I mentioned the Pinto because, well, if the United Auto Workers were in charge of the Death Star's construction, the elevator to the command tower would never work, the massive planet-vaporizing gun would backfire....and I suspect the cell towers on it would get bad to no reception. The order to destroy an oncoming enemy ship would never be heard!
Finally, let's look at the space aspect. The Empire had star destroyers, TIE fighters, shuttles, pretty stellar-oriented organization, actually. And they had no trouble sacrificing their own in the name of the Emperor.
OK, let's look at our space savvy. Now, back in the 1960s, this was possible. We WANTED to conquer the universe, but the farthest we got was the moon. After that, we just sent satellites, probes, Hubbles, and shuttles for the next few decades. I sense that the 1986 Challenger debacle killed the spirit. We as Americans don't like it when people from our country die, so it was determined, apparently, that there'd be no further risk to American lives fro space reasons. This doesn't meet with Imperial casualness toward its work forces. They have CLONES with the same brain. Yes, I know, we can think of congress in that way, but I don't want to think of them trying to fly a star destroyer!
So, I think a Death Star is not in our lifetime. The money isn't there, our labor force isn't properly motivated for quality work, and our astronauts get shaky once out of orbit. And...wait...I gotta go, the Emperor wants a BLT!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Another great trip!
OK, it has been a while since I've posted about a great road trip so here we go. Today's adventure is......car revs instead of drum rolls.....LAS VEGAS TO SALT LAKE CITY!
Huh? I hear a confused rumble in the crowd, mixed with groans of despair. After all, this sounds like a big desert drive, right? Well, some of it is...the biggest desert drive, actually, was the drive to Reno in November....there was 450 miles of it! This drive, however is absolutely BEAUTIFUL...most of it.
The boring desert part is actually right in the beginning. From Las Vegas to the first 10 miles in Arizona, it is scrub, brown, and needing of good music. It can be nice, I suppose, in early morning or at sundown. After over 10 years, however, I am sick of the Nevada desert.
Interstate 15 at least raises the speed limit to 75 once it leaves Las Vegas. We go up a long rise out of the Vegas Valley and then meet the northern end of Las Vegas Blvd. Soon after, U.S. 93 breaks off to head into deeper desert (I've taken it, it is truly desert all the way up to Idaho!), 15 moves to give access to the beautiful Valley of Fire, more desert, then access to Glendale and Logandale. Then comes a 20 mile stretch of straight flat freeway! This is the part I hate the most. Once that's done, we go down a long steep grade and then enter Mesquite, a state border town with a lot of golf courses and spas. I like this town a lot, actually, not to live in, but because it foretells of change.
15 then enters Arizona. The first 10 miles are just desert, but then we enter the gorgeous gorge...really! 15 winds through a huge narrow canyon made by the Virgin River. It's almost 20 miles of pure bliss, and when we emerge from it, the Utah line is straight ahead. What makes it so special is that the scenery has drastically changed. Ahead are red-rock cliffs and mesas...I believe Zion Canyon is behind one of them. From there, 15 enters St. George, a favorite town to stop and eat. I recommend Cracker Barrel, but NOT Chuck-a-Rama! There used to be a Shoney's here, but no more.
From there, 15 begins a fairly steep climb in a short time through some mountains and before we know it, we're entering Cedar City, a sprawling small town that is much cooler in temperature than St. George. 15 sort of goes back into the desert, but there is green growth in this one and it goes by fast. There is even an 80mph stretch in rural Utah! Before long, we go through Beaver and then a little after that is the turnoff for I-70. If we go to Colorado, we turn off here, and that drive has its own treasures, including a 110-mile stretch with scenery but no gas,food, or other touch-ups.
From here, 15 begins a long pattern of summit rises and long valleys between them. These valleys tend to have small towns with services, like Filllmore, Holden, Scipio, and Nephi. Nephi is a favorite gas stop for us. Soon after Nephi, we hit Santaquin, the first town in a long line of towns in the Salt Lake area. This string goes almost all the way to Idaho, in fact! We go through Spanish Fork, Orem, Provo, American Frok, and Lehi. We then go over a ridge to see the sprawling Sal Lake City metro area! It's quite a sight. We don't actually go all the way to Salt Lake, we head into Midvale, just south of the city limits, so we can see Vickie's dad. One day we will head to Clearfield near Ogden (30 miles further up 15) to see her Uncle Bob and Aunt Mary.
The trip back is good as well, with the Nevada desert as the LAST part. We are never really happy to come back, since Utah has given us rain, snow, a lack of slots in every store, and just plain good times. It has also given Vickie access to her father after many years, and that is what makes it so special.
Huh? I hear a confused rumble in the crowd, mixed with groans of despair. After all, this sounds like a big desert drive, right? Well, some of it is...the biggest desert drive, actually, was the drive to Reno in November....there was 450 miles of it! This drive, however is absolutely BEAUTIFUL...most of it.
The boring desert part is actually right in the beginning. From Las Vegas to the first 10 miles in Arizona, it is scrub, brown, and needing of good music. It can be nice, I suppose, in early morning or at sundown. After over 10 years, however, I am sick of the Nevada desert.
Interstate 15 at least raises the speed limit to 75 once it leaves Las Vegas. We go up a long rise out of the Vegas Valley and then meet the northern end of Las Vegas Blvd. Soon after, U.S. 93 breaks off to head into deeper desert (I've taken it, it is truly desert all the way up to Idaho!), 15 moves to give access to the beautiful Valley of Fire, more desert, then access to Glendale and Logandale. Then comes a 20 mile stretch of straight flat freeway! This is the part I hate the most. Once that's done, we go down a long steep grade and then enter Mesquite, a state border town with a lot of golf courses and spas. I like this town a lot, actually, not to live in, but because it foretells of change.
15 then enters Arizona. The first 10 miles are just desert, but then we enter the gorgeous gorge...really! 15 winds through a huge narrow canyon made by the Virgin River. It's almost 20 miles of pure bliss, and when we emerge from it, the Utah line is straight ahead. What makes it so special is that the scenery has drastically changed. Ahead are red-rock cliffs and mesas...I believe Zion Canyon is behind one of them. From there, 15 enters St. George, a favorite town to stop and eat. I recommend Cracker Barrel, but NOT Chuck-a-Rama! There used to be a Shoney's here, but no more.
From there, 15 begins a fairly steep climb in a short time through some mountains and before we know it, we're entering Cedar City, a sprawling small town that is much cooler in temperature than St. George. 15 sort of goes back into the desert, but there is green growth in this one and it goes by fast. There is even an 80mph stretch in rural Utah! Before long, we go through Beaver and then a little after that is the turnoff for I-70. If we go to Colorado, we turn off here, and that drive has its own treasures, including a 110-mile stretch with scenery but no gas,food, or other touch-ups.
From here, 15 begins a long pattern of summit rises and long valleys between them. These valleys tend to have small towns with services, like Filllmore, Holden, Scipio, and Nephi. Nephi is a favorite gas stop for us. Soon after Nephi, we hit Santaquin, the first town in a long line of towns in the Salt Lake area. This string goes almost all the way to Idaho, in fact! We go through Spanish Fork, Orem, Provo, American Frok, and Lehi. We then go over a ridge to see the sprawling Sal Lake City metro area! It's quite a sight. We don't actually go all the way to Salt Lake, we head into Midvale, just south of the city limits, so we can see Vickie's dad. One day we will head to Clearfield near Ogden (30 miles further up 15) to see her Uncle Bob and Aunt Mary.
The trip back is good as well, with the Nevada desert as the LAST part. We are never really happy to come back, since Utah has given us rain, snow, a lack of slots in every store, and just plain good times. It has also given Vickie access to her father after many years, and that is what makes it so special.
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