TOUGH TO GET MY SPACE GEEK ON WITH NO MOON SHOT
President Obama sent a round of phasers through the space program after he blew another lunar program out of the sky. The plan was another lunar landing by 2020. This plan seemed achievable since we already landed on the moon forty years ago, but it is no longer on the table.
I am old enough to remember the first lunar landing and I think I speak for a lot of former space nerds when I ask what the hell happened in four decades? I thought that we would have condos on Mars by now, and I would be living next door in the clouds to George Jetson.
But that is not quite how things work out in space world.
Instead we have a cyber-universe that moves about through a jungle of communication satellites in low orbit around the earth.
We almost need a traffic cop up there, and the net result is that a ten year old kid now has his own cell phone and unlimited internet porno when he hits puberty.
Somewhere along the way, the dream of space exploration got derailed into a high risk shuttle bus service that put people into a low orbit just high enough to make re-entry dangerous.
Space exploration has always been a high risk job, but the real question would be the reward for the effort. I believe that we had to throw a planet or two into the mix to make it worthwhile, with all due respect to the hundreds of satellite TV channel choices that give us 24/7 access to ‘Friends’ reruns.
The new venture will be investment in a NASA/private enterprise mix that will provide a boost in space tourism for low trajectory outer space orbits. Now a guy with a platinum Amex will be able to retrace the steps of pioneer astronaut John Glenn and have an expensive warm and fuzzy moment.
But Jonathan King would be way off course with his 60s hit “Everyone’s Gone To The Moon”.
Because none of us are headed in that direction again anytime soon, and space nerds like me are crying in our Saurian brandy ( popular beverage on Star Trek) about this latest news.
55. "Grant program" for research and demonstration projects related to wellness incentives (Section 2301, p. 1305)
56. "Grant program" for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 1308)
57. "Grant program" for "public health" infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 1313)
58. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 1322)
59. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 1330)
60. "Grant program" to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 1352)
61. "Grant program" for nurse-managed health centers (Section 2512, p. 1361)
62. "Grants" for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2521, p. 1372)
63. "Grant program" for interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training (Section 2522, p. 1382)
64. No Child Left Unimmunized Against Influenza demonstration "grant program" (Section 2524, p. 1391)
65. Healthy Teen Initiative "grant program" regarding teen pregnancy (Section 2526, p. 1398)
66. "Grant program" for interdisciplinary training, education, & services for individuals with autism (Section 2527(a), p.1402)
67. University centers for excellence in developmental disabilities education (Section 2527(b), p. 1410)
68. "Grant program" to implement medication therapy management services (Section 2528, p. 1412)
69. "Grant program" to promote positive health behaviors in "underserved" communities (Section 2530, p. 1422)
70. "Grant program" for State alternative medical liability laws (Section 2531, p. 1431)
71. "Grant program" to develop infant mortality programs (Section 2532, p. 1433)
72. "Grant program" to prepare secondary school students for careers in health professions (Section 2533, p. 1437)
73. "Grant program" for community-based collaborative care (Section 2534, p. 1440)
74. "Grant program" for community-based overweight and obesity prevention (Section 2535, p. 1457)
75. "Grant program" for reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in primary and secondary schools (Section 2536, p. 1462)
76. Demonstration project of "grants to medical-legal partnerships" (Section 2537, p. 1464)
77. Center for Emergency Care under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (Section 2552, p. 1478)
78. Council for Emergency Care (Section 2552, p 1479)
79. "Grant program" to support demonstration programs that design and implement regionalized emergency care systems (Section 2553, p. 1480)
80. "Grant program" to assist veterans who wish to become emergency medical technicians upon discharge (Section 2554, p.1487)
