Take me to Mars Mr. Musk!

Source:
 https://www.neatoshop.com/product/Take-me-to-mars

SpaceX sent a Tesla Roadster into space. Not just any Tesla Roadster, I might add. It was Elon Musk's very own cherry red Tesla Roadster complete with a dummy driver and a little sign with the catch phrase, "Don't Panic" from Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I see what you did there Mr. Musk, and I raise my glass of Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster to you. 🙋 High five to the drinkers who caught that literary reference.

If you don't know about the successful launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket that took place on Monday, 6 February 2018, you might as well be living under a rock... in a crater... somewhere on Mars. There have been naysayers criticizing everything from the choice of heavy simulation cargo in the form of a car (go here for more information on it's purpose), to the debate that followed the first moon landing, "was it all just filmed in a studio somewhere??". Do you think the Tesla car floating around in space was fake? Let me know in the comments below. 

Starman and taking in the view of earth in a Tesla
Roadster

For me it was, supremely COOL to watch and an innately proud moment. Say what you will about Elon Musk and the SpaceX team, but their contribution to the advancement in technology and space travel is doing so much more for humanity than we can probably even fathom at this point in our cosmic calendar. According to their website, SpaceX plans to send it's first crew to Mars in 2024. No small goal to achieve in a mere 6 years. The race to Mars has begun, and there are other competitors.

Let us speculate as to who will be selected to make up a first permanent human colony on Mars, no doubt consisting of experts in relevant fields who really do not mind the one way trip. What if there was a quota of regular, everyday people who could apply to go? I would definitely put my name in the hat. I mean, to be a part of something so big and life changing for humankind, in itself would be worth it. I'm sure even the brilliant new human Martians could use a cup bearer. Hell, I'd even settle for a kitchen job or a janitor job. Problem is, the repetition of a below average life on mars for the rest of one's life, without the chance of ever being with loved ones again would make me incredibly homesick, or should I say "earthsick".

Illustration of what a colony on Mars could look like. Source: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com

I would still want to go, after weighing the pros and cons. Yes, I stand to lose not a lot, but basically everything I hold dear. Why would I still choose to go? Because its FREAKIN MARS that's why. Exploring Mars and living on another planet would be the height of human evolution at the time. Even if my quality of life would be worse on Mars than it is on earth, I for one would take that one way ticket. And then, in true charou fashion would ask for a +1.

I realize I have not delved into the negative impact humans could have on Mars. Lets save that for another time. Watch this space.

Aliens, aliens, wherefore art thou?

What if E.T can't phone home because his species wiped themselves out before he could dial out. Lol. Source: www.shmoop.com

Lets face it, watching/reading world news has become super depressing. There is so much wrong with the world and faith in humanity is at quite a low. Before you "glass half full" kinda folk start calling me out for not focusing on the good in humanity, have  a little read about what Physicist Brian Cox has to say about why we haven't seen the real E.T feature in the news. The story was featured on www.iflscience.com in 2016 but is still on my mind: 

http://www.iflscience.com/space/brian-cox-explains-why-we-havent-seen-aliens-yet-and-it-isnt-pretty/

Let me put this into context. We have the capability to destroy ourselves. It is not absurd to theorize  that every civilization has the potential to progress to the point where they can destroy themselves. Island Biogeography teaches us that if the species immigration rate increases, then so does the rate of extinction. Now I am not talking about immigration into a country but rather the increase in population on earth due to the exponential increase in birth rate. Could life on a planet such as Keple-22b have died out because of the dominant species inability to work together despite having the technology to prevent their own extinction?

Kepler-22b identified as a planet in the "habitable zone". Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

There are billions too many people on the earth. Billions of individuals with individual thoughts and goals and likes and dislikes. Billions of people that would need to work together to deal with a mass extinction threat. Brian Cox has related this to other species on other plants and theorizes that other civilizations would need to also work together to annihilate a global threat and this is not likely to happen.

The question is, if we are faced with such a threat (and there are plenty reasons to believe that we already face the threat of mass extinction), are you a "glass half full kinda person"?

As for the aliens, E.T may have been out there but probably wasn't a team player so he didn't mobilize with the rest of his species to progress past internal conflict.

The one and only time I post about personal style. Here's why...

Minimalism has its perks. Source: http://www.esquire.com

Halloween is not big in my country. Although the idea of playing dress up on all Hallows eve does appeal. On more of a regular dressing note, what would you wear everyday if you could wear anything you wanted? How important is it that your garb matches your economic status?

A recent experience in a grocery store has got me wondering about how society views people who really don't care much about dressing to suit their status. Whether that status is your economic, social, career, geographic location, etc. 

In a world where the Kardashians and other dimwitted celebrities are idolized as style icons,where does that leave us geeky folk who tend to idolize a different caliber of celebrity? 

Ever noticed how some of the richest and successful (not to mention intelligent) people tend to take a minimalist approach to dressing? The idea is that paying such close attention to dressing fashionably is a distraction from what really matters in life. Mark Zuckerberg is known for his dressed down grey t-shirt and jeans look. Bill Gates favors the sweater with a buttoned shirt under it. Steve Jobs 'polo-neck and blue "dad" jeans. And then there is the new generation of celebrity geeks that do actually try to look stylish in their personal stylist selected geeked out gear. It is common for minimalists to cave to the social pressure of dressing to suit the occasion.

There is a measure of acceptance that society is lacking in this respect. There is a need for a mindset change. Seeing a person in raggedy old pair of jeans and a torn T-shirt stepping out of their smoking hot Ferrari shouldn't make you wonder if the car is stolen. Seeing that should tell you that here is a person who has such strength of character to not give a damn about what you think - and that they love fast cars. 

I have yet to meet a person who does not have a favored item of clothing. Whether it is a particular t-shit or a hoodie or even an accessory. Admittedly, seeing a person walk by wearing a Doctor Who inspired item of clothing would make my inner and outer geek smile. Unless it were Dalek inspired, in which case my inner geek would yell, EXTERMINATE!

Alternative fact overload and how to deal

Alternative Facts. Fake news. Lies. Call it what you will. You know the phrase has reached celebrity status when the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia has a page dedicated to it.

The danger in propagating Alternative Facts is that gullible or uneducated people believe them to be true. This, in itself, is a tragedy. The carnage, however, unfolds thereafter and can have a lasting impact on generations. Not everyone uses reason and logic to verify information before disseminating it. Advancement in networking has given rise to the internet and with it, various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. With this advancement has come a flooding of Alternative Facts and a significant number of people who genuinely believe and spread them. 

My appeal is to my tribe (the people who know better but are often too polite or disinterested to correct people). You have friends and family who remain blissfully ignorant about how very factually incorrect they often are. Speak up comrade!

You have a friend who thinks the world is a few thousand years old? Sorry friend, it is actually closer to 4.5 billion years old.

You have an aunt who thinks we evolved from monkeys? Sorry aunty, apes and humans evolved from a common ancestor. That means that we share DNA with monkeys. We are related. In fact, you share 90% of your DNA with your cat. Don't believe me? Fact check that here.

If you are unsure if what you see or read is true, use a fact checker. I like these fact checker websites:

africacheck.org
www.hoax-slayer.com
www.snopes.com
www.truthorfiction.com

Media Bias Fact Check says "A good fact checking service will write with neutral wording and will provide unbiased sources to support their claims.  Look for these two simple criteria when hunting for the facts."

One day when we are able to create self-improving A.I, my hope is that the information it learns on the internet is true and accurate. If it isn't, Elon Musk might be onto sometime when he says that self-improving A.I is the greatest existential threat to humankind.

The truth is out there.

Zombie Apocalypse Survival Kit

Climate change, Ebola, wars. These are just a few occurrences that lead some scientists to believe that planet Earth may currently be experiencing another mass extinction. But what about the threat of a Zombie Apocalypse? 

Sure, the possibility of zombies inheriting the earth is fictional but being prepared never hurt anyone. This is when the logic of Dr. Sheldon Cooper suffices. Keep an emergency pack! It doesn’t have to include an endless supply of all your necessities or a machete for whacking the undead. And if you find preparation for a Zombie Apocalypse to be, indeed absurd, u can always use it as an emergency kit for any disaster. 

Get yourself a strong back pack. Fill it with essentials for one person. And keep your backpack in an easily accessible place. It is a good idea to have more than one of these packs. I suggest having one for the home, one for the office, and a smaller one for the car.

Here are some important items you might want to include in your disaster kit:

1. Bottled water
2. Protein bars
3. First-aid kit
4. Surgical mask 
5. Anti-biotics
6. Waterproof clothing
7. Torch
8. Waterproof safety matches
9.  Canned food (don’t forget the can opener)
10. A radio (don’t forget the batteries)
11. A disposable / prepaid cellular phone
12. Emergency thermal blanket
13. Utility knife
14.  Weapon for killing zombies

 

Zombie killing weapons

The best weapon for killing zombies has been hotly debated. Some say that a knife is most suitable because zombies will come shuffling toward you from every direction. A knife favours hand-to-hand combat. Others say that even though a gun will emit a jarring sound that will attract more zombies when fired, it is the best choice for a person who has no skill with weapons. My advice? 

Any object can become a weapon. With the exception of a feather. No evidence exists to suggest that Zombies are at all ticklish. lol. Use what your surroundings have to offer you. And if you spot one of these top weapons during the Zombie Apocalypse, grab it!

#1 Ninja Forearm Machete

#2 Kukri

#3 Axe

 

To all you fans of The Walking Dead, enjoy Season 5 airing in October 2014!