Ask The Founders

This week, Lileks is on vacation, so we forgo the guests and open the floor to you, our faithful Ricochet listeners. We get questions on the President (natch), Rob’s favorite restaurant, which Founding Father the founders resemble, who the characters on Cheers would have voted for and more. Also, Cuomo is a dumbo, newspapers collude, and so long to the Queen of Soul. R.E.S.P.E.C.T. 🙌

Music from this week’s podcast: People Get Ready by Aretha Franklin (with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra)

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  1. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Thanks for taking my question. Peter is still mostly wrong about Mars (NASA) spending.

    I think that Donald Trump will have a very limited long term effect on the Republican Party or the body politic in general, as a philosopher. Donald Trump is likely the most genuine politician of our time – the problem is that he’s genuinely a Jerk. This is the point that politicians who steals his act are missing. Taking on this light “Andrew Dice-Clay” persona of a crude, bellicose New Yorker doesnt work for politicians who arent naturally those things. In the future Trumpism is more likely to be listed in the DSM as a personality defect, than anywhere as a political philosophy. He will probably be better remembered as a strategist who countered Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” play book, that has been playing an increasingly larger role in democratic strategies over the past 40 years. He has shown democrats that the game isnt as fun, when both play by the same rules.

    Great podcast..

     

     

    • #1
  2. John Stanley Coolidge
    John Stanley
    @JohnStanley

    To Blue Yeti,

    Thank you.

     

    • #2
  3. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Thanks for taking my question. Peter is still mostly wrong about Mars (NASA) spending.

    I think that Donald Trump will have a very limited long term effect on the Republican Party or the body politic in general, as a philosopher. Donald Trump is likely the most genuine politician of our time – the problem is that he’s genuinely a Jerk. This is the point that politicians who steals his act are missing. Taking on this light “Andrew Dice-Clay” persona of a crude, bellicose New Yorker doesnt work for politicians who arent naturally those things. In the future Trumpism is more likely to be listed in the DSM as a personality defect, than anywhere as a political strategy. He will probably be better remembered as a strategist who countered Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” play book, that has been playing an increasingly larger role in democratic strategies over the past 40 years. He has shown democrats that the game isnt as fun, when both play by the same rules.

    Great podcast..

    I guest I mostly agree with this. I sure do hope you are right. Because I see Trump as a crude representative of someone we always try to hide from the kiddies, for fear that his vulgarisms may rub off. And while I realize that much of it is an act, I fear that it poses a danger to our future, in that he is poisoning the well of meaningingful and civil discourse. And this does not pose good things for Reagan conservatism.

    On NASA: I also agree that Peter is wrong. While I hate taxpayer spending as much as anyone, exploration is in American’s blood, and we already spend public monies in far, far worse ways.

    • #3
  4. Petty Inactive
    Petty
    @PettyBoozswha

    Thanks for a great podcast. For once I find myself more in agreement with Peter than Rob: I think the social anarchy caused by the breakdown of the family is far and away our greatest challenge. The wonderful Aretha Franklin is a good example: how many obituaries will note that she had her first child at age 12, her second at age 15, that her mother finally abandoned the family and moved to Buffalo NY because of the constant philandering of her father, the Rev. C. L. Franklin, who impregnated a different 12 year old girl?  In her entire life no man treated her with the respect that a woman deserves. The most touching line she wrote, for me, was in the song Think, where she says “it don’t take no high IQ to see what you’re trying to do to me.” The pain and  the power she expressed with that voice had to be formed by that kind of personal history.

    • #4
  5. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    I guest I mostly agree with this. I sure do hope you are right. Because I see Trump as a crude representative of someone we always try to hide from the kiddies, for fear that his vulgarisms may rub off. And while I realize that much of it is an act, I fear that it poses a danger to our future, in that he is poisoning the well of meaningingful and civil discourse. And this does not pose good things for Reagan conservatism.

    On NASA: I also agree that Peter is wrong. While I hate taxpayer spending as much as anyone, exploration is in American’s blood, and we already spend public monies in far, far worse ways.

    The well of civil discourse had long been poisoned, the media didnt care because it was only republicans who where being poisoned. When they both play be the same rules, suddenly the democrat-media complex sees the problems with their own behavior.

    NASA could be run much more efficiently, this is actually one of the few victories of the Obama administration. Mostly because Obama himself doesnt give a flyin-rats about space exploration he left NASA mostly alone, to complete the COTS programs. When NASA gets serious about actually going to Mars, I think they’ll have to use the Commercial Space technology development strategies to contain costs.

    Peter is right about one thing, if NASA manages a MARS program in its standard management paradigm it would be unspeakably expensive and dangerous.

    • #5
  6. David Bryan Inactive
    David Bryan
    @DavidBryan

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    • #6
  7. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    I see a certain amount of truth in the sentiment. How NASA has run the manned space program over the past 40 years has been largely a waste.

    • #7
  8. George Townsend Inactive
    George Townsend
    @GeorgeTownsend

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    George Townsend (View Comment):

    I guest I mostly agree with this. I sure do hope you are right. Because I see Trump as a crude representative of someone we always try to hide from the kiddies, for fear that his vulgarisms may rub off. And while I realize that much of it is an act, I fear that it poses a danger to our future, in that he is poisoning the well of meaningingful and civil discourse. And this does not pose good things for Reagan conservatism.

    On NASA: I also agree that Peter is wrong. While I hate taxpayer spending as much as anyone, exploration is in American’s blood, and we already spend public monies in far, far worse ways.

    The well of civil discourse had long been poisoned, the media didnt care because it was only republicans who where being poisoned. When they both play be the same rules, suddenly the democrat-media complex sees the problems with their own behavior.

    NASA could be run much more efficiently, this is actually one of the few victories of the Obama administration. Mostly because Obama himself doesnt give a flyin-rats about space exploration he left NASA mostly alone, to complete the COTS programs. When NASA gets serious about actually going to Mars, I think they’ll have to use the Commercial Space technology development strategies to contain costs.

    Peter is right about one thing, if NASA manages a MARS program in its standard management paradigm it would be unspeakably expensive and dangerous.

    I like what you wrote about NASA.

    On Trump: Perhaps I should have written that “Trump has continued and exacerbated the poisoned atmosphere of civil discourse”.  See, I do agree that Democrats have done this my whole life. And I am 64. But this does not excuse Trump. Reagan never descended to their level. Reagan was a grown-up. And a darn nice guy. Some Ricochetti, I know, will object, but I see Trump as a low life, who will not understand that he is now President, and the world is watching.

    • #8
  9. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    A very enjoyable podcast. Peter has always been a very favorite interviewer for me. I love his style. Rob is closer to my political beliefs, particularly in reference to Trump. In combination, they are pure honey to listen to. I suspect I could listen to them reading from the New York City phonebook and enjoy it. Belonging to Ricochet is the best money I spend.

    • #9
  10. Dr.Guido Member
    Dr.Guido
    @DrGuido

    Klavan stumbled on a Truism that he forgot to expound on….America loved Andy Sipowicz of NYPD Blue…so (not a perfect hand-in-glove fit, to be sure) they elected Andy to the WH in 2016. And, oh by the way, this is one of the 2 best Podcasts on Ricochet.

    • #10
  11. Peter Robinson Contributor
    Peter Robinson
    @PeterRobinson

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your grandmother, David, was a very wise woman.

     

    • #11
  12. Peter Robinson Contributor
    Peter Robinson
    @PeterRobinson

    Eugene Kriegsmann (View Comment):

    A very enjoyable podcast. Peter has always been a very favorite interviewer for me. I love his style. Rob is closer to my political beliefs, particularly in reference to Trump. In combination, they are pure honey to listen to. I suspect I could listen to them reading from the New York City phonebook and enjoy it. Belonging to Ricochet is the best money I spend.

    We’ve never met, Eugene, but consider this an official announcement that you’re my new best friend.

    • #12
  13. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):

    Eugene Kriegsmann (View Comment):

    A very enjoyable podcast. Peter has always been a very favorite interviewer for me. I love his style. Rob is closer to my political beliefs, particularly in reference to Trump. In combination, they are pure honey to listen to. I suspect I could listen to them reading from the New York City phonebook and enjoy it. Belonging to Ricochet is the best money I spend.

    We’ve never met, Eugene, but consider this an official announcement that you’re my new best friend.

    Attention Ricochet Listeners: Can someone send me a copy of the NYC phonebook? I’d like to record Peter and Rob reading it. I’ll pay for the postage.

    • #13
  14. Bruce M Coolidge
    Bruce M
    @BruceM

    Well, I need to buy a lottery ticket.  The great rob long responded to my question about his favorite place to eat on the Founders Richochet podcast. I used to travel for my work.  Rob described a restaraunt that I had eaten at.  As he said early in the podcast about the ability to do math.  The odds that he, as the great foodie that he is, would pick a place that somebody who grew up in Arizona and graduated from Occidental college in LA and worked for the Army for 40 years in Alabama, had ate at are very high.  His ‘anguish’ on political topics makes my day. He and that crazy Jonah guy are my favorites. 

     

    • #14
  15. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your grandmother, David, was a very wise woman.

    Quite a bit has been done.  Some of it was it was devised on my parents’ dining room table.  I’ve shared this before; but since we’ve got space skeptics, I’ll share it again.  The picture below shows yours truly in a red coat wth the Vanguard 1, which was designed by my Dad, a week or two before its launch in March 1958.  Vanguard 1 was the first satellite to carry solar cells and is the oldest one in orbit.  While working on Vanguard 1 and the Minitrack System, Dad realized that we needed a much more powerful system to track Soviet spy satellites.  He devised the Naval Space Surveillance System which was a big deal in 1958-2013.  While working on Space Surveillance in 1964, he realized that atomic clocks in satellites could be used for navigation.  His system was called Timation for TIMe navigATION.  With minor modifications, it’s the GPS system you use today.  We have many space achievements; much of it was done by obscure people like my  father (Roger Easton).  My website has more details.  http://www.gpsdeclassified.com

    • #15
  16. The Cloaked Gaijin Member
    The Cloaked Gaijin
    @TheCloakedGaijin

    For some Peter Robinson makes a good Cliff.

    Let John Ratzenberger do an episode of “Uncommon Knowledge”.

    Uncommon knowledge.  Wasn’t that Cliff Clavin’s expertise?

    • #16
  17. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your grandmother, David, was a very wise woman.

    Quite a bit has been done. Some of it was it was devised on my parents’ dining room table. I’ve shared this before; but since we’ve got space skeptics, I’ll share it again. The picture below shows yours truly in a red coat wth the Vanguard 1, which was designed by my Dad, a week or two before its launch in March 1958. Vanguard 1 was the first satellite to carry solar cells and is the oldest one in orbit. While working on Vanguard 1 and the Minitrack System, Dad realized that we needed a much more powerful system to track Soviet spy satellites. He devised the Naval Space Surveillance System which was a big deal in 1958-2013. While working on Space Surveillance in 1964, he realized that atomic clocks in satellites could be used for navigation. His system was called Timation for TIMe navigATION. With minor modifications, it’s the GPS system you use today. We have many space achievements; much of it was done by obscure people like my father (Roger Easton).

    I took the skepticism to be directed at the manned space program. I think everyone who uses GPS, weather forecasting, and Geomatics appreciates the impact that the  space industry has had on our daily lives.

    • #17
  18. David Bryan Inactive
    David Bryan
    @DavidBryan

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your grandmother, David, was a very wise woman.

    Quite a bit has been done. Some of it was it was devised on my parents’ dining room table. I’ve shared this before; but since we’ve got space skeptics, I’ll share it again. The picture below shows yours truly in a red coat wth the Vanguard 1, which was designed by my Dad, a week or two before its launch in March 1958. Vanguard 1 was the first satellite to carry solar cells and is the oldest one in orbit. While working on Vanguard 1 and the Minitrack System, Dad realized that we needed a much more powerful system to track Soviet spy satellites. He devised the Naval Space Surveillance System which was a big deal in 1958-2013. While working on Space Surveillance in 1964, he realized that atomic clocks in satellites could be used for navigation. His system was called Timation for TIMe navigATION. With minor modifications, it’s the GPS system you use today. We have many space achievements; much of it was done by obscure people like my father (Roger Easton).

    Outstanding achievements…you are so right!

    • #18
  19. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your grandmother, David, was a very wise woman.

    Quite a bit has been done. Some of it was it was devised on my parents’ dining room table. I’ve shared this before; but since we’ve got space skeptics, I’ll share it again. The picture below shows yours truly in a red coat wth the Vanguard 1, which was designed by my Dad, a week or two before its launch in March 1958. Vanguard 1 was the first satellite to carry solar cells and is the oldest one in orbit. While working on Vanguard 1 and the Minitrack System, Dad realized that we needed a much more powerful system to track Soviet spy satellites. He devised the Naval Space Surveillance System which was a big deal in 1958-2013. While working on Space Surveillance in 1964, he realized that atomic clocks in satellites could be used for navigation. His system was called Timation for TIMe navigATION. With minor modifications, it’s the GPS system you use today. We have many space achievements; much of it was done by obscure people like my father (Roger Easton).

    I took the skepticism to be directed at the manned space program. I think everyone who uses GPS, weather forecasting, and Geomatics appreciates the impact that the space industry has had on our daily lives.

    The shuttle was the result of many dubious compromises and NASA quickly became a bureaucratic nightmare.  Space X, Blue Origins and other companies are blazing the trail to a revived space program by dramatically cutting costs via reusability.

    • #19
  20. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Good podcast, gents. Great photo, @ejhill. Great job on putting it all together, Scott. Thank you, all.

    • #20
  21. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):
    We’ve never met, Eugene, but consider this an official announcement that you’re my new best friend.

    I am more than deeply honored. Thank you. 

    • #21
  22. Eugene Kriegsmann Member
    Eugene Kriegsmann
    @EugeneKriegsmann

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    Attention Ricochet Listeners: Can someone send me a copy of the NYC phonebook? I’d like to record Peter and Rob reading it. I’ll pay for the postage.

    ROFLMAO!

    • #22
  23. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Richard Easton (View Comment):
    The shuttle was the result of many dubious compromises and NASA quickly became a bureaucratic nightmare. Space X, Blue Origins and other companies are blazing the trail to a revived space program by dramatically cutting costs via reusability.

    Unfortunately I see the same process unfolding with the current rocket in perpetual development the SLS, the Space Launch System or sarcastically, the Senate Launch System. A result of political engineering as much as a technology and science development projects. So far some $28 Billion dollars has gone into its development – without a single flight, and with only reduced capacity flight hardware being fabricated.

    Even before SpaceX had developed first stage re-usability, its launch costs where far less than traditional launch providers, by rapidly innovating and continually improving their flight stages. Now that they have ‘frozen’ the design to in the hopes of achieving a man rating for the Falcon 9 so that they could possibly fly crews to the ISS sometime next year.

    • #23
  24. Peter Robinson Contributor
    Peter Robinson
    @PeterRobinson

    Eugene Kriegsmann (View Comment):

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):
    We’ve never met, Eugene, but consider this an official announcement that you’re my new best friend.

    I am more than deeply honored. Thank you.

    The honor is mine, Eugene. I mean that.

    • #24
  25. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    OccupantCDN (View Comment):

    Richard Easton (View Comment):
    The shuttle was the result of many dubious compromises and NASA quickly became a bureaucratic nightmare. Space X, Blue Origins and other companies are blazing the trail to a revived space program by dramatically cutting costs via reusability.

    Unfortunately I see the same process unfolding with the current rocket in perpetual development the SLS, the Space Launch System or sarcastically, the Senate Launch System. A result of political engineering as much as a technology and science development projects. So far some $28 Billion dollars has gone into its development – without a single flight, and with only reduced capacity flight hardware being fabricated.

    Even before SpaceX had developed first stage re-usability, its launch costs where far less than traditional launch providers, by rapidly innovating and continually improving their flight stages. Now that they have ‘frozen’ the design to in the hopes of achieving a man rating for the Falcon 9 so that they could possibly fly crews to the ISS sometime next year.

    I agree with you.  SLS is like biofuels.  It’s a bad idea that’s hard to kill.  In 2009, I went to an astronaut event and heard a video of Buzz Aldrin making the case for Mars.  Afterwards, I asked Jim McDivitt (Gemini 4 and Apollo 9) for his his thoughts.  He said that Aldrin was gliding over about 30 major problems that needed to be solved before we could go to Mars.  Space X has dramatically lowered costs but many problems need to be solved before we can safely travel to Mars.  I think we should return to the Moon first and learn how to live outside of low earth orbit.  I agree with Peter that a minimal or nonexistent government role would be helpful given our budgetary constraints.

    • #25
  26. filmklassik Inactive
    filmklassik
    @filmklassik

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your mother was wrong.  

    • #26
  27. filmklassik Inactive
    filmklassik
    @filmklassik

    Peter Robinson (View Comment):

    David Bryan (View Comment):

    My mother, who died in 2013 at age 92, long denounced the space program. She often asserted: “They ought to quit dicking around in space. So you go up there and you come down. So what have you done?”

    Your grandmother, David, was a very wise woman.

     

    Peter you’re an incredibly bright guy, but this kind of patronizing response on your part is a sort of virtue signaling and you know it. Whatever this woman’s merits, or demerits, as a parent – – I’ve never met her and neither have you – – her sentiments toward the space program are ridiculous.

    • #27
  28. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Richard Easton (View Comment):
    I agree with you. SLS is like biofuels. It’s a bad idea that’s hard to kill. In 2009, I went to an astronaut event and hear a video of Buzz Aldrin making the case for Mars. Afterwards, I asked Jim McDivitt (Gemini 4 and Apollo 9) for his his thoughts. He said that Aldrin was gliding over about 30 major problems that needed to be solved before we could go to Mars. Space X s dramatically lowering costs it the problems remain. I think we should return to the Moon first and learn how to live outside of low earth orbit. I agree with Peter that a minimal or nonexistent government role would be helpful given our budgetary constraints.

    There are many problems that need to be solved before there is an attempt for Mars, most of these problems are of an engineering nature rather than of technology development. We know how to do everything we need too – we just have to design the craft to actually do it. I think we could test it in cis lunar space (to be out far enough to be outside the protection of the Van Allen belts, but close enough to be home quickly should there be a system failure or a medical emergency)

    Unfortunately the ISS has not been used as a test bed for improving the space flight systems for Mars. They’re still spending $600 million per year in spare parts. The mars expedition will not have the option to be re-supplied with spare parts. They should have been redesigning the systems with every part failure with an eye to improving the performance and increasing lifespan with each system repair. Rather than just keeping the same machine running.

    I believe the best way to finance a Lunar/Mars program. Is a 2 fold approach, First, a Commercial Space development program to design and build heavy launchers, space capsules, habitats, etc. NASA should be consulting in the design process – but will ultimately be a customer for launch services and products like they are in COTS.

    Secondly, is to hold design or technology demonstration competitions, to help solve the most difficult engineering problems being faced. There are many examples of this strategy being successfully used in science, technology and design fields. Like the Ansari X prize.

    • #28
  29. Richard Easton Coolidge
    Richard Easton
    @RichardEaston

    OccupantCDN(Vie

    There are many problems that need to be solved before there is an attempt for Mars, most of these problems are of an engineering nature rather than of technology development. We know how to do everything we need too – we just have to design the craft to actually do it. I think we could test it in cis lunar space (to be out far enough to be outside the protection of the Van Allen belts, but close enough to be home quickly should there be a system failure or a medical emergency)

    Unfortunately the ISS has not been used as a test bed for improving the space flight systems for Mars. They’re still spending $600 million per year in spare parts. The mars expedition will not have the option to be re-supplied with spare parts. They should have been redesigning the systems with every part failure with an eye to improving the performance and increasing lifespan with each system repair. Rather than just keeping the same machine running.

    I believe the best way to finance a Lunar/Mars program. Is a 2 fold approach, First, a Commercial Space development program to design and build heavy launchers, space capsules, habitats, etc. NASA should be consulting in the design process – but will ultimately be a customer for launch services and products like they are in COTS.

    Secondly, is to hold design or technology demonstration competitions, to help solve the most difficult engineering problems being faced. There are many examples of this strategy being successfully used in science, technology and design fields. Like the Ansari X prize.

    Bob Zimmerman has correctly said that we should be using the space station as a test for an inter-planetary spaceship.  At what point does artificial gravity become effective.  1%? 10%?  We don’t know because we haven’t tested it.  We need to have the astronauts be viable after a six month trip to Mars.  Without artificial gravity or some new drugs, they won’t be able to function after the landing.  

     

    • #29
  30. OccupantCDN Coolidge
    OccupantCDN
    @OccupantCDN

    Richard Easton (View Comment):

    Bob Zimmerman has correctly said that we should be using the space station as a test for an inter-planetary spaceship. At what point does artificial gravity become effective. 1%? 10%? We don’t know because we haven’t tested it. We need to have the astronauts be viable after a six month trip to Mars. Without artificial gravity or some new drugs, they won’t be able to function after the landing.

    I dont believe thats true. Astronauts can spend 6 months in space without any (debilitating) problems. Russia first noted problems with long duration spaceflights in the Salyut program – however this was a discipline problem with the cosmonauts. American Astronauts who first started spending months on the MIR space station followed the doctor recommended exercise routines and returned just fine.

    While it might be desirable to spin the spacecraft to produce gravity for the flight to Mars – I dont think its strictly necessary. It also creates another problem – in that I would want a thick radiation shield pointing at the sun at all times (as well as solar panels) having the spacecraft rotating or tumbling along its trajectory to mars makes both process more complex.

    • #30
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