To boldly go how no man has gone before
Sometimes, amid the smallness and caution that our politics often is, it’s worth stepping back in amazement at something big and daring that a fellow human being has done. From the New York Times’ write-up of one of the more incredible things anyone has done in a long, long time:
ROSWELL, N.M. — A man fell to Earth from more than 24 miles high Sunday, becoming the first human to break the sound barrier under his own power — with some help from gravity.
The man, Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian daredevil, made the highest and fastest jump in history after ascending by a helium balloon to an altitude of 128,100 feet. As millions around the world experienced the vertiginous view from his capsule’s camera, which showed a round blue world surrounded by the black of space, he stepped off into the void and plummeted for more than four minutes, reaching a maximum speed measured at 833.9 miles per hour, or Mach 1.24.
He broke altitude and speed records set half a century ago by Joe Kittinger, now 84, a retired Air Force colonel whose reassuring voice from mission control guided Mr. Baumgartner through tense moments.
Think about sitting, truly, on top of the world and then jumping out of the vessel that carried you there, toward the unforgiving earth that makes people think twice about leaping from one-one hundredth of one-one hundredth of that height.
There may or may not be anything to come out of it that materially benefits mankind — the Times’ story mentions a spacesuit and information that could help future space tourists who have to abandon ship. But there’s something to be said, and marveled at, about such an unprecedented feat of human bravery.
Would that our politicians had the guts of Felix Baumgartner.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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149 comments Add your comment
Bhorsoft
October 15th, 2012
12:22 pm
First? And yes, amazing!
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
12:23 pm
More evidence of the superiority of the private sector, versus collectivist Government.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
12:24 pm
Baumgartner Did Build That!
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
12:28 pm
Think about sitting, truly, on top of the world and then jumping out of the vessel that carried you there, toward the unforgiving earth that makes people think twice about leaping from one-one hundredth of one-one hundredth of that height.
I’d like to believe that I have more sense than that, Kyle.
Would that our politicians had the guts of Felix Baumgartner.
Along with you, I am tremendously disappointed with our current crop of elected leaders who don’t seem willing to make the tough choices economically. We have to get our financial house in order pronto, or the effects of the crushing debt are going to dog us for decades. The only viable solution I see right now is for hyperinflation to kick in, thus rendering the current numbers meaningless. From my perspective, QE3 seems to be pointing us in that direction. It will be interesting to see how the prices of gold and silver respond in the next few years.
carlosgvv
October 15th, 2012
12:29 pm
I think our entire space industry will graduall become privatized.
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
12:36 pm
More evidence of the superiority of the private sector, versus collectivist Government.
In the same vein, Rafe, one individual, Craig Venter, kicked the butt of the lavishly funded Human Genome Project back in the early 2000s, and for only a fraction of the cost.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Genome_Project
JKL2
October 15th, 2012
12:41 pm
If obama would like to go, I’d be willing to pack his chute for him…
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
12:43 pm
I think our entire space industry will graduall become privatized.
Which may not be a bad thing. Who can forget how Richard Feynman unmasked the failed bureaucracy of NASA back in 1986 following the explosion of the Challenger??
Over on the private side, Elon Musk has done some pretty amazing things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk
md
October 15th, 2012
12:49 pm
I can understand doing this if it really had some scientific breakthrough achievement, but this seems like merely a death wish. How close can I come to death and make it? Too much could go wrong for me to try it. I’m not the Evel Knievel type………..
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
12:50 pm
In the world of astronomy, Wayne Rosing is in the process of creating a global network of telescopes which will allow continuous coverage of astronomical events.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Las_Cumbres_Observatory_Global_Telescope_Network
I can’t recall his name right now, but another gentleman has put together a team of amateur astronomers who analyze pictures of space to look for new star formation using their home computers. He regularly scoops the large Universities who have much greater resources at their disposal.
tiredofIT
October 15th, 2012
12:50 pm
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer’s ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
12:23 pm
More evidence of the superiority of the private sector, versus collectivist Government.
++
Sure, he individually created all of the technology to the jump. I don’t think so.
MANGLER
October 15th, 2012
12:52 pm
Think of how many people love skydiving and what a large industry is related to that globally. Ready yourselves for spacediving! I’d like to run the capsule retrieval division myself.
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
12:54 pm
If obama would like to go, I’d be willing to pack his chute for him…
Now, now, JKL2. We’ll simply wish him well with his speaking tour after he’s run out of Wahington on a rail this November. I doubt if he will give Bill Clinton much competition, however.
http://articles.cnn.com/2012-07-03/politics/politics_clinton-speaking-fees_1_speech-annual-financial-disclosure-report-bill-clinton?_s=PM:POLITICS
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
12:58 pm
Sure, he individually created all of the technology to the jump. I don’t think so.
If you study the History of Science, Tired, most innovation comes from individuals, not government-sponsored research.
JDW
October 15th, 2012
1:06 pm
@Rafe…”More evidence of the superiority of the private sector, versus collectivist Government.”
Interesting observation Rafe…so explain this…
Baumgartner’s feat is amazing but as Kyle points out to what end. Where is the industry that surrounds it? How many people were employed in its pursuit? What benefit’s to mankind have been reaped?
On the other hand, fifty years ago Kittinger as a part of the US GOVERNMENT Space Program achieved relative to time, comparative results. As a part of a program that has employed thousands, put men on the moon, opened our eyes to the universe around us and driven incalculable economic benefit.
Would that our politicians of today had the guts and foresight of those 50 years ago.
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:10 pm
In the world, of transportation, an Israeli inventor just created a bicycle made form hardened cardboard which sells for $20. It requires no maintenance, and is fully recyclable.
http://news.yahoo.com/cardboard-bicycle-change-world-says-israeli-inventor-090732689.html
One more piece of evidence that our futures depend on individuals, not collectivist governments.
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:16 pm
Baumgartner’s feat is amazing but as Kyle points out to what end. Where is the industry that surrounds it? How many people were employed in its pursuit? What benefit’s to mankind have been reaped?
JDW–I’ve listed several recent examples of individuals advancing technology without government help. In fact, as I pointed out above, the vast majority of inventions through the years, from the harnessing of electricity to the development of air travel have all been due to the efforts of individuals, not governments.
As a part of a program that has employed thousands, put men on the moon, opened our eyes to the universe around us and driven incalculable economic benefit.
See my 12:43, or read this article to see the costs, both human and financial, associated with NASA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogers_Commission_Report
You really need to move beyond your blind ideology, JDW. It’s woefully out of synch with reality.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
1:18 pm
Come on Kyle! We are still waiting for you to break down Willard and Eddie’s economic plan. What cuts will be made to offset the tax cuts? Who will pay the bills? It’s interesting that Willard can dig up an army of accountants to cook his books, but not one of them have come forward to support his “plan.” I say “plan” because real plans usually have details about how they will be carried out.
Also, what more can Willard do to Iran short of military action? Come on, Kyle, you can do it!
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
1:21 pm
The ditto-heads are outraged at how Fightin’ Joe dispensed Eddie Munster on national tv. How quickly they forget about Cyborg Dick literally shooting a guy’s face off?
JDW
October 15th, 2012
1:22 pm
@Bruno…”You really need to move beyond your blind ideology, JDW. It’s woefully out of synch with reality.”
And you need to learn to calculate NET VALUE. Sure you can blather about the costs associated with NASA but you leave out the benefits. What you would have us believe is that those benefits are outweighed by the costs and that is not the case.
Now pick one of those individuals that you found and show me one that created a meaningful industry that ultimately provided jobs and benefits to 10’s of thousand people…you might find one but not many. Almost every significant industry we have today was aided during it’s creation by Government. If you stop then we will have no new significant industries.
It is not I that is out of sync with reality it is you that have forgotten the lessons of the past and more importantly many of the things to which we owe our success.
Georgia
October 15th, 2012
1:23 pm
I thought it was a commercial for the new James Bond movie, SkyFall.
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:26 pm
Here you go, JDW, a chart which lists the annual budget for NASA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_NASA
In the past 10 years, we’ve dumped over $163,000,000,000 into NASA. Maybe you can give me some numbers regarding the economic “benefits” coming from the program. Or, as you say, ar they incalculable??
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:29 pm
Now pick one of those individuals that you found and show me one that created a meaningful industry that ultimately provided jobs and benefits to 10’s of thousand people…you might find one but not many.
Why don’t we start with Thomas Edison, then. I’d say the phonograph, light bulb, and motion pictures have a significant impact on our lives today.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bledison.htm
Road Scholar
October 15th, 2012
1:30 pm
Yeah , he mirror imaged the economy at the end of Bush II’s second term…..but the economy didn’t have a parachute! Can you say free fall!
And when the “parachute ” deployed, it didn’t bring the fall to a complete stop to rebound did it!
md
October 15th, 2012
1:32 pm
“What cuts will be made to offset the tax cuts? Who will pay the bills? It’s interesting that Willard can dig up an army of accountants to cook his books, but not one of them have come forward to support his “plan.” I say “plan” because real plans usually have details about how they will be carried out.”
If one were paying attention one would know that it is a “framework”, with details to be worked out by Congress……..what gets cut depends on who you send to congress in a couple of weeks. Romney said he wasn’t going to dictate what gets cut but rather allow congress to work together in a give and take format to achieve the needed results.
Now, if he wins and then proceeds to tell the other side that “we won” and has to push bills through using reconciliation, then one will know for certain that bipartisanship was not really wanted……kind of like the guy we have now.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
1:32 pm
Willard’s policies are very much like Joseph Smith’s vaunted “Golden Seals.” Nobody has ever seen them. We just have to take his word for it. I guess the magic underwear is proof enough for them?
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:33 pm
Here’s a nice list of the top ten inventors of all time.
http://www.biographyonline.net/scientists/top-10-inventors.html
Other than Charles Babbage, I don’t believe any of these folks were directly employed by their respective governments.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
1:35 pm
md: nice way of bloviating the point “We’ve got nothing”
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:35 pm
Here’s a nice list of 101 of the greatest inventions of all time. Maybe you can pick through and find a few that were the result of government sponsorship. I doubt if you will find many on the list, JDW.
http://technology.lilithezine.com/101-Inventions.html
md
October 15th, 2012
1:38 pm
“md: nice way of bloviating the point “We’ve got nothing””
You might try seeing the light by starting with understanding the framework…….or not, suit yourself.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
1:40 pm
Heck, at this point I’ll settle for any proof of the existence of the people discussed in “The Book of Mormon” Supposedly, there was a tribe of people who God cursed with black skin (but mormons aren’t racists) in ancient North America. Where were they in the records of the Maya, Inca or Cherokee? Where were they when Columbus landed?
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
How do some people not have a problem supporting a man that believes in Joseph Smith way more than he believes in them?
Bruno
October 15th, 2012
1:42 pm
You might try seeing the light by starting with understanding the framework…….or not, suit yourself.
md–It sure would be nice if there were a more intelligent class of Libs to debate on this board. There are a few over at Bookman’s, but none of them have the courage to come here. They’d rather huddle together in their own private echo chamber.
Gotta run. I’ll look forward to JDW’s list of significant inventions that came as the result of government sponsorship.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 15th, 2012
1:43 pm
Those people jumping off bridges are pansies.
Hillbilly D
October 15th, 2012
1:47 pm
Admittedly, my brain doesn’t work like everybody else’s here but maybe ol ‘Felix just did this because he wanted to. Nothing wrong with that and so what if it doesn’t lead to anything?
Speaking of inventions, there’s a book out by a guy (wish I could remember his name or the name of the book) and he goes into inventions that changed the world most. At or near the top of his list is the washing machine. Me, I’d put the flush toilet up there, too.
getalife
October 15th, 2012
1:51 pm
He tested a new space suit so they can stay in space longer. It passed the test.
sailfish
October 15th, 2012
1:52 pm
Ahhh..the island of misfit bloggers, howdy y’all? I see bruno has landed with his ego fully intact; it never really is the gov’t versus private sector, it’s both working in conjunction with each other, keep that in focus. I’m kind of glad that we have food safety inspections or air traffic controllers, all gov’t stuff.
getalife
October 15th, 2012
1:57 pm
thompson’s son said they will send our President back to Kenya.
This is the kind of crap you cons love.
md
October 15th, 2012
1:59 pm
Working together….yes, but one also needs to remember that one (private sector) pays for everything……and when gov’t goes past the imaginary line and gets too big then the drain on the private sector deters growth……
md
October 15th, 2012
2:01 pm
Gravy, simple question for you…..how do you know J. Smith and the mormons are wrong???
Don’t tell me what you believe, tell me what you know and how you know it…….
getalife
October 15th, 2012
2:03 pm
President Obama 49 %
mitt 46%.
If our President is so bad like you cons say, why is he winning?
sailfish
October 15th, 2012
2:06 pm
“yes, but one also needs to remember that one (private sector) pays for everything”
Well….not exactly, didn’t we do a massive bank bailout not too long ago?
md
October 15th, 2012
2:07 pm
“Well….not exactly, didn’t we do a massive bank bailout not too long ago?”
And the gov’t got it’s money where exactly??
Georgia
October 15th, 2012
2:10 pm
Shouldn’t they have tried that space fall stunt with a monkey first, before we risked a human?
sailfish
October 15th, 2012
2:12 pm
“And the gov’t got it’s money where exactly?”
I don’t know – printed some more or another IOU on the deficit tab.
getalife
October 15th, 2012
2:24 pm
Looks like the best way to fight the taliban is to build schools.
Malala sparked the change in Pakistan.
She got shot in the head at point blank range and survived.
Pakistan’s government should build more schools.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
2:24 pm
md: There is no archaeological, genetic, geological, proof of their claims. Plus, look at the real history of Joseph Smith. I guess baptizing dead people and claiming to be a priest because another mormon laid his hands on you or the whole magic underwear thing? Oh, and they claim to be Christian and yet they have disobeyed at least two of God’s commandments in forming their cult. Adultery is bypassed by polygamy. They have put Joseph Smith before God. “There will be no others before Me.” direct quote from the Bible.
Kyle Wingfield
October 15th, 2012
2:25 pm
getalife @ 2:03: And if D turnout is 9 percentage points higher than R turnout, as in the ABC/WaPo poll you cited, Obama will probably win. Probably.
Any given poll at this point reflects the pollster’s opinion of what the electorate will look like — which is why I prefer to focus on averages of several polls. And those show a tie nationally and a statistical tie in pretty much all the swing states.
JDW
October 15th, 2012
2:29 pm
@Bruno….
I have seen estimates from $5 in benefit for every dollar to $14 in benefit for every dollar. A fellow named G. Scott Hubbard who is a professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford University and a former director of the NASA Ames Research Center has studied the question more than most and he pegs it at $8 in benefit for every $1 spent.
Now even at the low end those are impressive returns.
These things have a cumulative effect and your myopic path of slashing costs and hounding “Big Gubment” is nothing but a drag of the real economy. Go back and take a look at how we got from an Agrarian society to the world’s leading economy…by rejecting most of the things you preach.
JamVet
October 15th, 2012
2:31 pm
Had the “free market” (LOL!) run NASA for the past five decades we would have had hundreds of dead astronauts.
They DO NOT have the right stuff…
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
2:34 pm
Kyle, there you are! Still not brave enough to take a stab at my question? How much do lap dogs get these days? Is it from KochPac or directly from the LDS?
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 15th, 2012
2:35 pm
“I think President Obama tricked me into voting for him,” Low continued in an impromptu discussion that could have doubled as a Romney ad. “I feel like he lied to me. He made promises he couldn’t keep. He played on my young emotions. He played on me because I was young and naïve. I didn’t know anything about the world. I believed that he was going to give us a change. I just feel like he made a lot of promises — there’s no way he followed through with them. I haven’t seen any change. I’ve seen change for the worse, not change for the better. So I hope Mitt Romney can carry us through the next four years.”
We’re getting ready to throw obozo out of his capsule.
With a golden parachute, of course.
JDW
October 15th, 2012
2:35 pm
@Bruno…”Why don’t we start with Thomas Edison, then. I’d say the phonograph, light bulb, and motion pictures have a significant impact on our lives today.”
OOOOOOOOO Gooooooooody lets…especially since I am really familiar with GE today.
EVERYTHING GE does has been and continues to be HEAVILY IMPACTED and aided by the government. Who was it the built the system that powers the lights that Thomas Edision invented. Why the government of course.
You could not have picked a more obvious example of a company that has benefited from government infrastructure over the years.
sailfish
October 15th, 2012
2:39 pm
“So I hope Mitt Romney can carry us through the next four years.”
Well, if you are a millionaire or billionaire, we know that will be true but if you are middle class (47%) or lower, head for the hills because romney will not be doing squat for you.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
2:40 pm
Yes, private industry is so concerned with consumer safety that it didn’t take a federal law requiring seat belts in automobiles?
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
2:41 pm
The government didn’t fund research for the internet and cellular phones? Is this more GOP revisionist history?
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
2:44 pm
The government didn’t build our roads and highways? They didn’t invest in the rail system?
JDW
October 15th, 2012
2:44 pm
@Bruno…you really do live in an alternate reality don’t your. Your list boils down to Electricity, Computing, Flight and Xrays. You do realize that Government created and continues to manage the infrastructure the MAKES EVERYONE OF THEM AN INDUSTRY don’t you?
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
2:45 pm
The government doesn’t fund our military, police or fire departments? What about our schools?
getalife
October 15th, 2012
3:46 pm
“I think I am done” mit er Felix.
Kyle,
Name one gop house bill to help a middle class American.
md
October 15th, 2012
3:48 pm
Gravy……all I see is what you believe to be true, no evidence that shows them to be wrong……so why is your belief more right than their belief??
getalife
October 15th, 2012
3:48 pm
“With a golden parachute, of course”
Wealth envy.
They screw up in their second term so it would help his legacy but he will win.
md
October 15th, 2012
3:53 pm
“The government didn’t build our roads and highways? They didn’t invest in the rail system?
“The government doesn’t fund our military, police or fire departments? What about our schools?”
And I’ll ask it again, where does the gov’t get it’s money?
You folks seem totally cluless that those evil corporations must generate all the capital to run our system…….the gov’t can only “fund” services/programs AFTER the privates sector generates the money to pay for them…….OR, that gov’t can borrow 16 Trillion dollars to fund it…….which becomes an account payable down the road on the backs of those same corporations……..
getalife
October 15th, 2012
3:55 pm
The gop cut State funding to protect our embassies and looking for blame.
Start with the gop cutting their funding.
Our President will blast mitt on Libya because he freaked out and called our President a “terrorist sympathizer” and played politics while real Americans united with our President to show patriotism to get the real terrorists.
Then the gop political hearing outed a CIA building and had to shut down the hearing.
I demand issa’s head to roll.
md
October 15th, 2012
3:59 pm
So get, are you saying this admin didn’t know how to allocate resources on hand?? That funding played no part in this fiasco, but it makes for a good talking point. The extra security was actually already in Libya when the request was made for more security…….Lamb said no and it pulled out prior to this cluster…..
ld
October 15th, 2012
4:11 pm
Unbungie jumping for thrill seekers?
Aside from its effect on the human body itself, what data did this leap provide that could not have been provided by dropping just equipment? This seems to come under the heading of why climb the mountain after you already know whats atop it — because it’s there.
ld
October 15th, 2012
4:14 pm
Speaking of jumping, and since I see this column’s comments have already “gone political”, I’d like to contribute as well. I just read a piece written about jumping off the the economic fiscal cliff in january.
http://nymag.com/news/politics/elections-2012/obama-romney-economic-plans-2012-10/.
JDW
October 15th, 2012
4:14 pm
@MD…”And I’ll ask it again, where does the gov’t get it’s money?”
The insinuation is true to a point but you might as well ask something like…where does the automobile get its roads. Fact is government serves as an aggregator to fund projects which are of value to people and businesses but are too large to be undertaken by a single entity. At the same time government becomes the single largest CUSTOMER of many corporations thereby creating velocity of those tax dollars.
You seem totally clueless that large swaths of a modern economy are simply impossible without effective government. It is a symbiotic relationship. You can’t kill one without killing the other.
The other part you completely miss is this…
“the gov’t can only “fund” services/programs AFTER the privates sector generates the money to pay for them”
See that’s not really true. Today government can fund programs and services BEFORE they are created and use the proceeds from that investment to repay the loan….the account payable is incurred by those that benefit.
ld
October 15th, 2012
4:22 pm
JDW
The government prints “money” and lends it to private bankers — who own the Fed — via the fed, often at zero percent, who then lend it to the wealthiest among us and their hedge funds and businesses at a small markup and, sometimes, lend it to consumers at a much larger markup — percentages that once would have been consider usuary — making most of us indentured servants and/or sharecropers for the bankers.
Understand now?
md
October 15th, 2012
4:22 pm
“You seem totally clueless that large swaths of a modern economy are simply impossible without effective government. It is a symbiotic relationship. You can’t kill one without killing the other. ”
NOTHING is impossible if the gov’t is able to do it. Private groups are funding/building/maintaining roads and subdivisions all across this country, to say it can only be done by gov’t is foolish at best.
“See that’s not really true. Today government can fund programs and services BEFORE they are created and use the proceeds from that investment to repay the loan….the account payable is incurred by those that benefit.”
And if there are no proceeds? That is where your gov’t spend first ideology goes off the tracks…..and why Japan has a 200% debt to gdp ratio…….and why Greece is now digging into the German piggy bank………
That is a risky gamble that may or may not pay off……..I would not advise folks to go buy lottery tickets on the credit card in hopes of winning so they can pay the credit card bill……….
Dusty
October 15th, 2012
4:47 pm
Oh well heck!! Kyle can even make a column on the bravery of a man who jumped from unbelievable heights without Gravy, JDW, and getalife sounding off like a bunch of liberal flunkies. They are eiither paid propaganda people or really want the government to run everything. I mean everything.
I am sick of hearing about underwear,” my illustrious past ;positions”, Bush blame (for Obama’s mistakes), “cons”, no middle class, the greedy “rich”,and directed propaganda no matter what subject Kyle introduces.
I know. Free speech! If;you don’t like it, leave it! All that good stuff. Ignore the brain dead and speak about the subject de jour. Tis true! But I get tired of these same “junk” comments every day. Can’t these flunkies at least be original? Is that asking too much?
OK…I feel better. Now where were we??????? One hundred thousand feet? , .
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
4:47 pm
Why is it that getalife is the only person still believing that lie about the GOP cutting funding?
md
October 15th, 2012
4:57 pm
For getalife and any others that want to make this about budget cuts:
” “It has been suggested that budget cuts are responsible for a lack of security in Benghazi, and I’d like to ask Miss Lamb,” said Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R., Calif.). “You made this decision personally. Was there any budget consideration and lack of budget which lead you not to increase the number of people in the security force there?”
“No, sir,” said Lamb.”
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
5:07 pm
Maybe it’s an obvious question to me, but I wonder:
How deep a crater would this guy have made if his chute hadn’t opened. . .?
Just wondering out loud. . .
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
5:33 pm
Just assume that NASA saw some usefulness in this jump and took it over. How many millions, or should I say billions would they have spent, engineering/designing the suit, testing the fabric, designing/engineering the parachutes, doing an environmental impact statement on the landing area, designing the exit door, ad infinitum and how long would all this take to transpire, years I’m betting.
JDW, there were lots of Red Bull employees in the monitoring station, so I assume there were some jobs added, though they maybe temporary, they help Obama’s employment numbers. Have you worked this month, yes, one day for Red Bull, well another job created.
Can you imagine if this guy was wearing a wind turbine, generating electricity as he fell from space. Probably would have generated enough to run Barry’s teleprompter for 6 months.
East Cobb RINO, Inc (LLC)
October 15th, 2012
5:35 pm
To boldly go how no man has gone before
I thought maybe someone sat on the throne facing the wall.
JDW
October 15th, 2012
5:41 pm
@md…”Private groups are funding/building/maintaining roads and subdivisions all across this country”
Come on…they are doing that at the behest of and as subcontractors to the government in question. It is still a government sponsered enterprise and in many cases government is actually fronting the money.
“And if there are no proceeds?” You might find that to be true on small scale cases but on average that’s a phobia not a concern. As for Japan, that is a very unique situation exacerbated by lots of issues that are not germane to the US.
JDW
October 15th, 2012
5:43 pm
@Rafe…”Can you imagine if this guy was wearing a wind turbine, generating electricity as he fell from space.”
Now that is an image…I will run it by a wind engineer and see if thats a potential market!
Thulsa Doom
October 15th, 2012
5:47 pm
“head for the hills because romney will not be doing squat for you.”
Well now that pretty much is typical of the difference between a con and a lib. You expect and want someone in govt to “do something for you”. I just want them to stay the hell out of my way and keep big govt out of my way.
jconservative
October 15th, 2012
5:56 pm
“…a tie nationally and a statistical tie in pretty much all the swing states.”
And as we learned in the 2000 election, “it’s the Electoral College stupid!”.
This, like the 2000 race, is a particularly interesting election.
It is to early to make 3 figure bets.
Hillbilly D
October 15th, 2012
7:06 pm
”Can you imagine if this guy was wearing a wind turbine, generating electricity as he fell from space.”
The cost of the drop cords probably would have put ol’ Felix over budget.
“head for the hills …….
Don’t do that; there’s too damn many people up here already. Not to mention it’s the beginning of leaf-looker season.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
7:11 pm
Dusty
No need to cry for the same exact thing you do. It isn’t exactly like you are the end all of end all with your right wing talking points and SAME OLE tired opinions. Originality is no more your claim to fame in terms of politics as it is the ones you cry about
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
7:12 pm
“How deep a crater would this guy have made if his chute hadn’t opened. . .?”
Wouldn’t want that to occur, but that is an interesting question.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 15th, 2012
7:28 pm
Now if obozo will fill up a balloon with all his hot air and float away….then we could all marvel.
Del
October 15th, 2012
7:49 pm
What looked like just a few weeks ago as as a probable Obama win now looks highly questionable.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
7:49 pm
Political
You might could make a point about many of us arguing the same things everyday, but not Dusty. Dusty is full of originality and wit. You never know what her posts are going to be about and they are a good read.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
7:51 pm
Obama win now looks highly questionable.
Del, we can only hope our long national nightmare is coming to an end.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
7:52 pm
Rafe
Been reading them. Some good poems at times, but her politics are as mundane and typical as any on here, regardless of the political slant.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
7:55 pm
Rafe
My point is that when she goes off on someone, it is usually a blogger that doesn’t meet her political ideology and her posts are as whiny as those she calls out.
Pretty funny to be honest. Some people never can tell when they are the pot calling the kettle black.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
7:57 pm
Hillary is taking full responsibility for the Libya fiasco (taking a fall for Obama), but Obama insists he killed Osama. He gets credit for things that go right in his regime and allows others to take the fall for the failures. Obama is the kinda guy we all have experienced in our employment career, and one that is universally hated by all subordinates.
Del
October 15th, 2012
7:59 pm
Rafe,
After tomorrow evenings debate I may be able to project a winner, however, I won’t publicly announce it because the Irish in me wouldn’t want to jinx a Romney win. Having said that I will predict much crying and gnashing of teeth November 7th. on the neighboring AJC blog.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:00 pm
Del
Make the prediction man.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
8:02 pm
Political
Yep, we all sound the same notes. When you have firm convictions it is hard to come up with original ways of making your points. Don’t know what the point is other than just pure enjoyment, as I read today that only 25% of people ever read a newspaper. Don’t know how few of those read the electronic version, probably much fewer.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:03 pm
Rafe
I wouldn’t doubt if the 25% is the total number for both the paper and electronic version, but that is just a guess.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
8:09 pm
High stakes, Del, there is going to be crying and gnashing of teeth either way. I will be spending my time help protect my kids savings and future if Obama is reinstalled. I think if it remains this close, Romney wins, as the folks tend to pull the lever for the challenger, if they get to the polls and still haven’t decided.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:21 pm
Private sector, my eye. He couldn’t have done it had not the FAA first approved it.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:24 pm
Del
You are on record for calling out others if Obama loses. Don’t come with excuses and crying like a baby if he wins.
Rafe is correct. Their will be gnashing of teeth either way.
Going to be close. We either get the clown we already have or a new clown. Either way, it will be a circus.
VOTE 3rd Party.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:34 pm
Obozo would prefer you vote 3rd party instead of voting American.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
8:35 pm
Rafe, I thought you said your kid was a short order cook with a useless degree? Probably better vote for the guy who will make it easier to go back to school and get a job where he can afford to get out of your trailer, let alone save money.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:37 pm
Lil Barry
Guess you are as brainwashed as any one who votes Democrat.
You are two peas on a pod. Funny that you do nothing but play a macaw for the Republicans, yet laugh at the Democrats for doing the same.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
8:40 pm
md: I challenge you to find any scientific proof that Joseph Smith was correct. (Archaeological, Geological, Genetic or Historical Document) those are not just my beliefs, they are facts of the scientific community. Two whole tribes of people that are mentioned in the farce called the “Book of Mormon” surely would’ve left at least one ruin or genetic link.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:40 pm
Political, I merely stated Obozo’s preference, not mine.
Read, think, understand.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
8:40 pm
Political, I get really tired of that ” they’re both clowns ” crap. That’s a bunch of lazy, uninformed malarky. There has never Bennett such a stark difference between two visions and two sets of accomplishments in my lifetime.
Third party in any other year is fine by me, but not this year. Not if it means the worst President in modern history gets reelected because of it.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:42 pm
Gravy Train, I challenge you to find any scientific proof that Obozo’s savior was correct. Show us reproducible, peer reviewed scientific evidence that loaves and fishes can be conjured from nothing, and that a dead person can rise and live again.
Those are Obozo’s beliefs. Own them.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:42 pm
Lil Barry
Thanks for proving my point. You are a good sheep in the flock of the two major parties.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
8:43 pm
I see they let the ignorant religious bigot out of the drunk tank.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:44 pm
Tiberius
Do not know you nor care to know you. Needless to say, I do not care what you get tired of, what you like, do not like, etc.
Your plight, who you are or who you think you are is not relevant to me on any level.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
8:46 pm
Stay ignorant, my friend. . .;)
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
8:48 pm
Stay in the “flock” my friend
baaaaaaaa, baaaaaaaaaaa
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
8:50 pm
Ive probably voted more third party than you could ever dream of, political. But the stakes are too high this year. That’s reality.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:51 pm
Looks like Gravy isn’t any better at defending his idiot messiah’s beliefs than he demands of others.
Hypocrite.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:54 pm
How is a libtard who can’t control her own weight going to control a debate between her god and President Romney?
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
8:55 pm
Gravy
You are correct, his future is limited unless the economy improves; he tried going back to school, after graduating from UGA. He got no offers after either degree, so I have little hope for his future, unless Romney gets the economy turned around.
If we repeat the mistake, I’m afraid his future and the futures of this generation is greatly diminished compared to past generations. That is why, I need to find ways to preserve my limited resources and pass them on to him, or multiple generations of Hollister’s always leaving a better family financial situation will end with me. I worked hard and took some calculated risks that paid off, so I hope he can take what I have and continue to invest and leave his children as well off as he was. It is the American way, but few embrace it anymore, so here we are, live for today, spend all your money, and if things turn bad, fall back on Uncle Sugar. Doesn’t have to be that way, but it takes discipline and hard work, something that is out of style.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
October 15th, 2012
8:56 pm
Lbb, Candy Crowley’s weight has nothing to do with her job performance.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 15th, 2012
8:58 pm
LBB
Great country huh? A debate moderator, that is on the record as saying Romney had a death wish when he selected Ryan. Real objective and unbiased.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
8:59 pm
It’s a question worth asking, Tib. We’re entrusting these libtards to fairly moderate debates that will help decide this country’s future. We should demand the most disciplined moderators available. Crowley’s weight problem is a manifestation of her inability to keep a check on her passions, namely, food and Obozo.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
9:00 pm
Lil Barry
Would you say that Christie if NJ is doing a good job? From what I have read, he seems to be.
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
9:02 pm
Yes, I would. Christie’s passions are food and good government.
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
9:06 pm
Lil Barry
Based on that, you area just being a baby about the moderator’s weight.
But I sense that might be you on a regular basis. Whining is your thing, but that is alright. Even you have to be known for something.
Take care
Politcal
October 15th, 2012
9:07 pm
are
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 15th, 2012
9:10 pm
You take care too. And when someone agrees with you, learn how to not call them a whiner.
Gravy Train
October 15th, 2012
9:15 pm
I can’t scientifically prove a miracle, hence the name miracle. However, there is more than enough data whether archaeological or genetic to prove Jesus did in fact walk the Earth. Unless you don’t believe that there are Jews and Roman Empires too? Heck they’ve even found remnants of the Arc.
JamVet
October 15th, 2012
9:35 pm
Not if it means the worst President in modern history gets reelected because of it.
An utterly idiotic statement. George Walker Bush – the man who left office in utter disgrace with a 22% approval rating (17% by independents) and who left the nation in the wost economic shape in eighty years – is precluded by the 22nd Amendment to United States Constitution from running again.
That is all…
md
October 15th, 2012
10:13 pm
gravy, no one can prove anything for or against without a shadow of a doubt, hence the term “belief” (much like your term miracle). And a belief is a belief is a belief…….and all beliefs are equal, like it or not.
bluecoat
October 15th, 2012
10:24 pm
http://www.dailydot.com/politics/mitt-romney-debate-cheating-video/
bluecoat
October 15th, 2012
10:27 pm
Your cheating heart will tell on you=Your cheating heart will make more states blue///
adam smith's invisible hand
October 15th, 2012
10:29 pm
md – “all beliefs are equal”
My belief is that you’re not very smart.
Gravy Tranny
October 15th, 2012
10:31 pm
Gravy Train: You say they found remnants of the Arc? They actually found remnants of part of a circle? Where? Now, if they’d ever found remnants of the Ark, that would be something. But, of course, they haven’t.
the angel Moroni
October 15th, 2012
10:32 pm
Is Romney running to get even for what happened to Joseph Smith?
getalife
October 15th, 2012
10:37 pm
mitt will lose the last two debates.
October job report lowers unemployment again.
Economic numbers are looking better.
Troops in Libya to get the terrorists.
obl. movie to show patriotism..
All this adds up to the reelection of President Obama.
Four more years.
md
October 15th, 2012
10:38 pm
“My belief is that you’re not very smart.”
And that’s fine……doesn’t make you right.
I’ll be the first to tell one that my beliefs are the right ones too, but I’ll also be the first to tell one that the possibility exists that I am 100% wrong…….as are you.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 15th, 2012
10:44 pm
obozo represents the Spacey X crowd, all of them floating up to Planet Moonbat, with much gibberish and babbling to keep them Occupied on their insane journey.
Thankfully, this will all be ending soon.
buh bye obozo, check your parachute.
jconservative
October 15th, 2012
10:48 pm
“Yes, I would. Christie’s passions are food and good government.”
You need to add to this list Christie’s passion for the Catholic Church.
adam smith's invisible hand
October 15th, 2012
11:27 pm
md- My belief is that my beliefs are far superior to your beliefs, so that means I’m right and you are 100% wrong.
adam smith's invisible hand
October 15th, 2012
11:30 pm
Why can’t we get a good story on the Tennessee GOP congressman/doctor who had an affair with his patient and then, being the good family values and anti-abortion guy that he was, tried to force her to have an abortion. That’s the kind of story that sells papers. Come on, AJC, let’s get with it.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
October 16th, 2012
8:17 am
AmVet rates Presidents by using polling numbers.
No wonder he’s a Ralph Nader supporter.
They’re just not very bright.
predicktour
October 16th, 2012
8:50 am
Hillary being forced to take the blame for Obama’s incompetence will put Romney over the top with women voters.
Taxes, charity cost Romney 57.9 percent of income
Women also like men who give freely instead of being forced to give.
Gravy Train
October 16th, 2012
8:56 am
predicktour: Too bad Willard still wants the government to control their bodies and Willard’s “charity” is all donations to his cult. But, don’t let facts ruin your delusions.
predicktour
October 16th, 2012
8:58 am
Baumgartner was a showboat much like Obama.
carlosgvv
October 16th, 2012
9:00 am
md
It is the Mormons who make these claims and it is up to THEM to furnish the hard irrefutable that they are true.
So far, after more than 100 years, they haven’t been able to come up with even a shred of hard evidence.
The burden of proof lays on those making the claims. You will learn this if and when you take a good high school science course.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
October 16th, 2012
9:03 am
I wonder which innocent sheep herder is gonna get blasted to pieces by the goons in the obozo regime, so that they can say they “avenged” the death of Christopher Stevens.
Best stay in the cave for a few days, Ackmed.
Gravy Train
October 16th, 2012
9:05 am
md: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1269165/Noahs-Ark-remains-discovered-mountain-Turkey.html
predicktour
October 16th, 2012
9:07 am
bluecoat=paranoia
Debunking the ‘Mitt Romney Cheated’ Debate Conspiracy
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/10/debunking-the-mitt-romney-cheated-debate-conspiracy.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nymag%2Fintel+%28Daily+Intelligencer+-+New+York+Magazine%29
Gravy Train
October 16th, 2012
10:00 am
md: I’m still waiting for any empirical data you’ve got that proves the claims of the mormon cult.
JamVet
October 16th, 2012
10:30 am
AmVet rates Presidents by using the OVERWHELMING consensus of Americans – scholars and lay people alike – vis a vis Tibby’s beloved George Bush and his record of unmatched failure, staggering ineptitude and deadly corruption.
No wonder tibs voted for George twice and ranks him one of the best US Presidents ever.
President George W. Bush is near the bottom of the heap in the latest survey of historians on presidential leadership.
Bush received an overall ranking of 36 out of 42 former presidents—in the bottom 10.
Ronald Reagan was rated 10th best, up from 11th in a similar survey taken in 2000; Bill Clinton was rated 15, up from 21 in 2000. George H.W. Bush went to 18 from 20.
The five best presidents, according to the historians, were Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Harry Truman, in that order. Rounding out the top 10 were John F. Kennedy at six, Thomas Jefferson, Dwight Eisenhower, Woodrow Wilson, and Reagan.
The worst presidents, according to the survey, were James Buchanan at 42, Andrew Johnson at 41, Franklin Pierce, William Henry Harrison, Warren Harding, Millard Fillmore, George W. Bush, John Tyler, Herbert Hoover, and Rutherford B. Hayes.
Own it, neocons.
Schnort…
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
October 16th, 2012
10:52 am
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/georgias-white-voters-elude-democrats/nSdq4/
Excellent Article.
“It’s not income so much as it is education. The higher the education level, the more likely they are to vote Democratic.”
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 16th, 2012
10:53 am
Blame Obama for four deaths in Libya. But don’t blame Bush for nearly 3,000 deaths in New York.
Republicans can’t handle the truth.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 16th, 2012
11:10 am
Blame Obama for four deaths in Libya. But don’t blame Bush for nearly 3,000 deaths in New York.
I…Cheney invoked every excuse he and his allies now deride in the Libya fiasco. The warnings weren’t specific enough. Broad analyses of persistent dangers aren’t actionable. Warnings from our people on the ground didn’t “trickle up to the presidential level.” Connecting the dots isn’t the president’s job. It’s a failure of the “system.”
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/frame_game/2012/10/blame_obama_for_the_libya_consulate_attack_but_don_t_blame_bush_for_9_11.2.html
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 16th, 2012
11:39 am
JamVet
Nice opinion piece, someone else would rate them differently, I’m sure. It is hard to take this as a legitimate exercise, when I do not see Jimmah Carter’s name in the bottom ten. History will have to decide where Bush places, once this generation dies out and objective people get to make the decision. To be fair, no one should be rated for at least 30 years after they leave office.
IMO, I’m sure that 30 years later, Obama will be seen as even worse President, than he is now. The true ineffectiveness of his attempts at reviving the economy will be apparent by then.