I stared
speechless as people with mounting enthusiasm babbled on over the ‘how and what’
of NASA landing some new lawnmower on Mars.
Not just
any lawnmower but a $2.6 billion dollar mower named Curiosity. Well the only 'curiosity' germane to the conversation IMHO was here Patti was sitting in a
wheelchair because of a disease she has had since 1985 named Multiple Sclerosis.
I was told NASA people
are a different kind of scientist, they couldn’t cure a disease if it fell on them. OK then what about the wheelchair that has not basically been redesigned
in almost 100 years. If I wanted to send it to Mars they certainly could
improve it; however they do not perform science on earth.
Anyway
more money, $5 billion a month or so, is wasted in Afghanistan far more than the $2.6
billion NASA wasted on Mars. Go harass the military industrial complex. Fine with me, we
have no business occupying either place. So now I basically have $62.6 billion for
a year (minus unemployment for space workers and some graft for politicians)
left to spend on curing MS. Works for me!
Of
course that’s my problem I’m stuck in this parallel universe. In the other universe,
the real one, since Sylvia Lawry founded NMSS in 1946 after 70 years of
fundraising they have managed to raise and invested only $600 million in research and have no cure to
show for it. (Wow, that’s less than 1% of the pile of money in my universe).
Before
you say I’m being greedy about MS (a rare disease) and am not thinking about
the future of everyone. … I have considered what our bright young people might
aspire to if we stop invading Mars and Afghanistan. - OMG they might aspire to
cure disease on earth!!!!
I for
one would gladly start with just one cured disease over all the lawnmowers on Mars.
by Patrick Leer
BLOGS:
Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/
My Lung Cancer Odyssey @ http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/
multiple sclerosis
I always have wondered why so much money was spent on space and space travel when there are so many other pressing needs on this planet, MS, cancer, homeless, etc. I personally could care less about what they are doing on Mars. How will that better one's life now or give comfort to someone suffering or respite to a caregiver?
ReplyDeletebetty
You make some interesting points.
ReplyDeleteOne thing NASA engineers would be good at is making a machine that can look inside the human brain better than today's MRI technology. This might tell us exactly what is going on with MS which would almost certainly lead to more effective treatments.
Sounds like a great idea if NASA engineers could learn to not leave the brain scan machine behind. :) ... there is sooooo much to discover and fix right here on Earth.
DeleteAmen Patrick! You said it all!
ReplyDeleteGreat news for Lawn Mower Dealer if you want purchase lawn mower MS
ReplyDelete