Well, NASA’s space shuttle program has come to an end. It was a highly successful program, and it had delivered over three decades with an incredible safety record, much better than was anticipated. Yes we lost a couple of our space shuttles in the process, but overall they did pretty well. NASA should be commended. Nevertheless, we are in a new era, and it appears that Space X has already received a contract for the first private space launch and flight to the international space station.More or less, this is a practice run, but it is a good sign for the future. Not long ago, I was talking to an acquaintance and he had asked me; what are your thoughts on the future of private space flight?Personally, I’m all in. Sounds great to me, of course I am worried about that technology being used by rogue nation-states to further develop ICBM technologies, not that they can’t buy such hardware from China, but it is a problematic challenge in a less than peaceful world in the present period. My acquaintance was worried about space technology espionage, which is a concern of his. He also was not too comfortable with the talk about canceling the International Space Station by the Obama Administration, and wasn’t too keen on the cancellation of the space shuttle program.Indeed, I find the talk about the ISS cancellation problematic, and not so sure I wish to rely on the Russians, that’s just too big of an international political bargaining chip, especially as they work their way into NATO, while supporting any and all enemies of the US on the other side of the fence; i.e. Cuba, Syria, Venezuela, Iran, Libya, Bolivia – ah hell, that list is too long for a single article anyway. I think we can do better than the Space Shuttle, we have better technologies now of course.The 2013 predictions as we approach the height of the solar maximum are problematic from a communications standpoint and protecting orbiting assets, along with the space debris and space junk challenges to the space station, this one or any others in the future. We ought to have a base station on Mars, and colony on the moon by now and space hotels too, perhaps at LaGrange Points. We have all the technology, but it appears we lack the will. I tell you socialism is a real problem in this county, it will destroy this great nation if we let it.There was an interesting article recently in the Daily Caller on August 13 titled; “Experts Worry Astronauts will Leave NASA with End of Shuttle Program,” written by Chelsea Whyte. The article stated;”NASA is at a crossroads. The agency faces nearly a decade without the launch of American rockets, leaving some to question whether the United States will lose its astronaut corps and its place as a leader in space. “I firmly believe if we lose this talent, it won’t be to another state or industry, but to another country,” and “Logically, I understand that it’s time to retire the Space Shuttle and move on to something else, the frustrating thing is that there doesn’t seem to really be a plan that’s specific in the details for that something.”Yes, it does appear that NASA is at a crossroads, I just hope this time we make a good decision, it’s time that we move the ball forward with space exploration because we are the United States of America, and we must explore, innovate, invent, and develop our future. We are not a weak society, or a weak civilization, and we must propel mankind; because if we do not take a leadership role, who on this earth will? Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it. And if you’d like to discuss it with me further, you may shoot me an e-mail.
Honeymoon Vacation Packages – Where to Go and What to Expect With a Romantic Getaway Package
There are many ways to get a good deal on a honeymoon vacation, from signing up for a gift registry to selecting an all inclusive package. There are hundreds of romantic getaways to choose from, many of which are inexpensive. Even if you don’t have much money to spend, you can still find inexpensive honeymoon vacation packages.An all inclusive package is probably the best option, since your every need (or at least most of) will be taken care of at the resort: lodging, snacks, drinks, meals, activities, etc… is included in the price. You may or may not have to make your own arrangements for airfare and ground transportation.Some packages include all of the nice, romantic touches, like champagne, candlelight dinner, chocolates, a couple’s trip to the spa, and so forth. The downside to this type of package is that you might not need or even want all of the add-ons that are bundled into it. Depending on the resort and site you book it through, you might end up spending less on a standard honeymoon package and paying for the things you do want separately.The Caribbean and Mexico are two of the most popular places for romantic getaways. There is nothing like lounging near a warm, exotic beach in places like Jamaica, Barbuda, Saint Maartens, Cancun, Aruba, etc. Some of the top resorts in these destinations offer great deals for honeymooners. A few examples include the Breezes Bahamas Resort and Spa located at Cable Beach, the Grande Oasis Tulum in Riviera Maya, Mexico, the Paradisus Cancun in Mexico, and the Hilton Rose Hall Resort and Spa in Montego Bay, Jamaica.Other Destinations for Honeymoon Vacation PackagesOf course, you don’t have to go to the Caribbean, Bahamas, or Mexico for your honeymoon. There are plenty of beautiful places in Asia for couples as well, like Bali, Indonesia, Maldives, Langkawi, Malaysia, Singapore, or any place in Japan that is surrounded by cherry blossoms.If you’d prefer a cozier getaway surrounded by majestic mountains, how about a romantic lodging at an Aspen cabin? Or a fabulous resort in the Swiss Alps, like the Badrutt’s Palace in St. Moritz or The Beau-Rivage Palace Hotel on Lake Geneva?Some couples opt for the excitement of a big city, like the Big Apple and Vegas. There is no shortage of honeymoon suites in either of these cities. Even if you don’t go for a Vegas wedding, you can still go there for your honeymoon.Regardless of what kind of scenery and weather you want to experience during your romantic getaway, you can use the internet to find great deals on honeymoon vacation packages.You can learn all about different types of honeymoon vacation packages online. Deals on all aspects of travel, from airfare to resort reservation are available. With online discounts, you can get an affordable romantic getaway.
Online Hotel Price Comparison Sites – The Easy Way to Get a Cheap Hotel Room
Travelling is usually very expensive and the largest expense is almost always the cost of accommodation. Hotels can range from quite cheap to very expensive but you usually get what you pay for. The best way to reduce the cost of a hotel is by doing a hotel price comparison. This used to be a difficult and time consuming task but the internet has changed all of that.The internet has been a great benefit for people looking to save money when they are booking hotel rooms. Websites like Travelocity and Expedia can offer rates that are much lower than you could get by contacting the hotels on your own. Not only are they a great way to do a hotel price comparison by allowing you to see the rates for several different hotels at once, but they can also get better rates than would otherwise be available. They can do this because they have a lot of leverage with which to negotiate with the hotels. The last thing that any hotel wants is empty rooms and sites that can provide them with a lot of customers will be able to get better deals. Far and away the best way to get the cheapest room rate is to book through an online booking website.Websites like Travelocity and Expedia are a great way to get a deal on a hotel because they are able to negotiate a lower price on your behalf. The problem is that there are now so many sites that offer this service it is hard to know which can get you the best deal. It used to be that you had to make a hotel price comparison between hotels, now you have to make the comparison between hotel booking websites. Fortunately the internet has come to the rescue again. There are now websites that will allow you to compare the rates that are being offered by all of the online booking sites. This is the best way to make sure that you get the best deal possible.There is no secret to getting a good rate on a hotel room, it is simply a matter of making a comparison of hotel prices. The internet has greatly simplified this process but has also created new problems. There are now so many websites that promise the best hotel rates that it can be hard to know which one to choose. Fortunately a number of new websites have started appearing that can allow you to compare the rates of all the online booking sites and see who really does have the best rates.