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(A.K.A. Non-Original Rants)

–Co-opting good stuff from all over the ‘Net and maybe some original thoughts—ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE

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Just quit it with the diversity push NASA

NASA is, after decades, sending a mission for a trip around the moon. This is long overdue and yay for NASA for getting it together to make it happen.

This is historical and the fact that it is happening at all should be the lead for reporting. But what is the spokesman for NASA touting?

“For the first time in more than 50 years, these individuals – the Artemis II crew – will be the first humans to fly to the vicinity of the Moon. Among the crew are the first woman, first person of color, and first Canadian on a lunar mission, and all four astronauts will represent the best of humanity as they explore for the benefit of all,” said Director Vanessa Wyche, NASA Johnson. “This mission paves the way for the expansion of human deep space exploration and presents new opportunities for scientific discoveries, commercial, industry and academic partnerships and the Artemis Generation.”

It’s actually kind of hilarious that she included being Canadian as a sign of diversity. And the non-Canadian white guy isn’t mentioned at all. Because a widower, single father of two white guy doesn’t rate as high as genitalia, skin tone, or Canadian-ness.

They go on to firmly establish the woman-cred of the female astronaut including her ‘participation in the first all-female spacewalk’.

According to CBS News, the era of 1960’s white guys is passe and a ‘diverse crew’ is what NASA now stands for… Seriously.

When skin tone and chromosomes are deemed more newsworthy than the mission and when the accomplishments of those who came before are dismissed, then the entire thing is cheapened instead of elevated.

ht: B

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Midwest Chick

25 responses to “Just quit it with the diversity push NASA”

  1. Don Curton Avatar
    Don Curton

    Houston, we have a problem.

    Roger that, Artemis. What is the problem?

    Nothing. We’re fine.

    Come again Artemis. What is the problem?

    Well, if you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you.

    Artemis, please respond, what is the problem?

    Nothing. Nevermind. It’s fine. I said it’s FINE.

    Women in space.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply
  2. DavidK Avatar
    DavidK

    If it was SpaceX doing it, I’d have faith in its success. NASA is so DEI bureaucratic, I pray for the souls of those astronauts.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
  3. Unferth Avatar
    Unferth

    At the last minute, they should replace Christina Koch with Dylan Mukvaney. /s

    The spokesman must have a real low opinion of women, blacks, and Canadians. I mean, you only make a big deal of something when you’re impressed the person was able to do it. Nobody praises a 20 year old for being able to count to 10, even if they will praise a 2 year old.

    “Oh, look! The Canadian was able to walk and chew gum at the same time!” (gush) 🙄

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  4. Toxicavenger Avatar
    Toxicavenger

    It’s institutional. Some remember that one of the drivers that resulted in cheaping out and killing the shuttle program was that whole “Whitey’s on the Moon” thing…

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  5. steves6 Avatar
    steves6

    Given NASA’s engineering of late (like since the last Apollo mission) it looks more like they chose disposable assets. I’d give at best 50/50 chance of getting there and then back.

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  6. Nemo Avatar
    Nemo

    Houston, for what it’s worth, the “astronauts” aren’t really doing chit except for being along for the ride. They aren’t steering the capsule or doing much of anything more than maybe performing a couple of experiments in a weightless environment. So no biggy if their incompetent. Everything important is being controlled by the nav computer software or from earth. Sorta like the bimbo ride to space aboard Bezo’s bimbo mobile.

    You’d think after 50 years we’d have designed a different vehicle to get there. Nope. Still the same old free floating coffin with a little extra leg room.

    The nav computer does have a little more than the 36K of core memory in the Apollo capsules and the Artemis vehicle was designed using CAD systems instead of slide rules, so there’s that.

    Progress!

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  7. Gerry Avatar
    Gerry

    A woman, a black and a Canadian walk in to a space capsule.

    Somewhere there is a joke being formed in a mind quicker than mine.

    Good luck space persons! (LOL)

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. MN Steel Avatar
    MN Steel

    Is Quentin Tarantino directing this one, and are these “best of humanity” perhaps being issued red shirts?

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    1. steves6 Avatar
      steves6

      Just hope it’s not JJ Abrams (takes his cue from Ivanova “there’s always boom”)

      Liked by 1 person

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  9. TRoy Avatar
    TRoy

    Didn’t know NASA was still even a thing, other than another black hole for tax money… Seems about right with the staffing requirements. Merit is so 20th century.

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  10. Midwest Chick Avatar
    Midwest Chick

    Don–Exactly! Too funny!

    David–Excellent point. Look what happened with those poor folks who got to spend a LOT more time in space than anticipated because NASA screwed the pooch.

    Unferth–They would if they could. And yes, the gushing over things that don’t matter is sickening.

    TA–True.

    steves–I hope it goes off without a hitch, but doubt it will.

    Nemo–Yeah, there is that.

    Gerry–I can’t come up with anything….

    MN–Hopefully there are no red shirts available.

    steves–I don’t acknowledge the Abrams Star Trek… But Ivanova is right.

    TRoy–They are struggling to get back to the forefront but they are so bogged down in DEI that they’ll never make it.

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    1. steves6 Avatar
      steves6

      IMO they *never did a good ST movie before JJ, and he fell far far short of that low bar. So I agree on shunning it from the STverse. They should have given Harlan free hand at a movie script and not changed what he gave them (since his was one of the best episodes even *after they mucked with it.)

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      1. Midwest Chick Avatar
        Midwest Chick

        I have a soft spot for II and IV and I honestly liked I. After that, not so much. And I liked the Ellison episode but Who Mourns Adonis is one of my favorites along with I, Mudd.

        Liked by 1 person

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        1. steves6 Avatar
          steves6

          Actually I’d have to vote Balance of Terror as my all time favorite episode. I did like the new Klingons in 1.

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        2. steves6 Avatar
          steves6

          Best part of II, Ricardo.
          https://trekmovie.com/2009/01/18/remembering-ricardo-montalban/

          Behind the scene pic from II:

          Like

  11. Phil B Avatar
    Phil B

    One of the “problems” with women in space (and I have a weird, warped mind so that The Muppets “PIGS IN SPACE” catchphrase sprung to mind) is their plumbing. It is easy for a male to use a device so he can urinate easily and (relatively hygienically) but a woman … Yes, I know that in zero gravity on the space station they overcame the problem but in a capsule?

    As for our deeply suntanned bretheren, I recall that during the height of NASA’s activities, they trained and selected only 4 astronauts a year. You had to be the cream of the cream to be selected. Then they decided that they MUST have a black guy on the team. That year, they selected 26 astronauts. Guess what position the black guy reached? It doesn’t set me aquiver with confidence.

    DEI should rightfully have an acronym of DIE … Watch this space, as they say.

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    1. Midwest Chick Avatar
      Midwest Chick

      Plumbing is an issue and they had to set aside precious room for a private potty, which is a waste (yes, I’m using that term deliberately). I thought it was interesting that the black guy was a US Senator’s aide (didn’t dig deep enough to find out whose).

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  12. Tennessee Budd Avatar
    Tennessee Budd

    Midwest Chick: I hope he wasn’t one of the aides in that video I heard about.

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    1. Midwest Chick Avatar
      Midwest Chick

      He was working for John McCain when he was recruited by NASA.

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  13. Jim Avatar
    Jim

    Work for a NASA contractor, the powers that be are fully invested in the DEI religion. During the Biden regime, was constantly bombarded with diversity in all forms, Lgbtq, pride flags at the gate, pronouns in your email signatures, etc. Every calendar month celebrated a different nationality or group. If you spend all of your time calling out the differences between folks, it doesn’t lend well to embracing the similarities and promoting teamwork. Things are better now, as current direction from the top is more or less neutral. The senior managers seem to hate it, and try to keep the old diversity crap alive. No doubt that the pendulum will swing back as soon as they can get away with it.

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  14. TRoy Avatar
    TRoy

    Jim- I reckon that most thinking people have no problem with equal treatment. Special treatment is the problem. And it is a huge one. Labels and categories are the lifeblood of Liberal ideology. Merit has no place in their value system. It is Rrrrrracist.

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  15. PM Avatar
    PM

    All of the airlines are still massively into DEI, as well. Every month it’s one of the sexual deviant, or a certain skin tone, or third-worlder month, never a celebration of the people that actually built civilization. And most airlines here are against the country that they do business in. American should be called “Anything But Americans Airlines”.

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  16. Any-Mouse Avatar
    Any-Mouse

    Does anyone remember Apollo 13 ? The explosion halfway to the moon? The astronauts for Apollo were already in on the design, technology, the sytems, electronics, hardware, operation…….They knew how everything worked, and the reason why! They were all jet pilots AND ALL HELD DEGREES IN ENGINEERING !!!!! When the damn thing broke down THEY used a screwdriver, duct tape and torn pages from their manual to build a necessary part for their survival! Picking crew for D.E.I.? Seriously? And yes, I have had too much Caffine this morning.

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    1. Midwest Chick Avatar
      Midwest Chick

      Any-Mouse–I’m not sure that today’s set could do what the Apollo 13 folks did, either in the sky or on the ground.

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    2. steves6 Avatar
      steves6

      Too much caffeine? Is that even possible?

      MWC: not even with instructions on the bottom of the boot (poor you know what out of it).

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