Mars-One

A friend of mine posted an article on Facebook from FOX News, entitled, “Mars-One Plans Suicide Mission to Red Planet for 2023”.  The headline is a bit deceiving since there is a difference between planetary expatriation and 'suicide'.  Death is an eventuality whether you are exploring Mars on a one-way voyage or just sitting at home here on earth watching FOX News.  The article had a link to the Mars-One website which can be found right here: http://mars-one.com/en/.  I encourage you to check it out for yourself, to click around, and to consider the possibilities.  It turns out, “Mars-One” is a Dutch project to actually go to Barsoom (shout out to you John Carter fans) and establish the first station on another world.  “Fantastic”, you say?  The fact of the matter is, right now, with the use of existing technologies humanity could reach the planet Mars in 11 years. 

That’s big. 

Earth shaking big. 

To paraphrase Norbert Kraft, “History is what happens when the impossible is made possible.”  I have said it several times on the pages of this electric soapbox of a blog of mine; there is no such thing as science fiction.   

The obstacles that immediately come to mind are, “who goes?” & “how do you pay for it?”  Mars-One has come up with some unique strategies.  If one considers the seven month voyage it will take to get to Mars, the mind-bending isolation, the crushing claustrophobia that the first few generations settlers would have to endure, the harsh environment of an unknown world that has 40% the gravity of Earth and the fact that there is, at this stage in the game, no possibility of a return trip to the planet of your birth it becomes quite obvious that the selection process for the astronaut settlers will have to be rigorous with extra care taken concerning their psychological condition.  They will have a pool of 40 screened and trained people to choose from for the first generation of settlers.  I assume that the process would be the same for the next generation of settlers who would arrive two years later.

So how does one fund a trip to the fourth planet of our solar system?  Mars-One has come up with a unique way of making this happen.  Everything will be displayed for the world to behold via making it a global “reality TV” event.  Yes, the revolution will be televised.  By doing so Mars-One grantees two things that give me hope for success of this ambitious project; first, no tax dollars will be spent and second no politics.  Mars does not care where you come from or what your political ideology may be.  This is the liberation that free enterprise and brilliant minds brings to the table.  We have seen this evolve even before the Space Shuttle program was deemed too expensive to continue.  The X-Prize’s Space Ship One, Virgin Galactic, and SpaceX, all examples of how the future will be shaped by free enterprise and brilliant minds.  One does not simply look to governmental structure for technological progress – you look to a freethinking populous for that.  Thank God for free enterprise and brilliant minds. 

You may have more questions than this humble blog can provide so here is the Mars-One FAQ page: http://mars-one.com/en/faq-en.  The only way any progression forward happens is when people take risks.  No doubt this is risky business but it also means that mankind, in my lifetime (he said selfishly) may have an established colony on Mars.

That’s big.

Earth shaking big.

I have but one modest request for their program; when the time comes to name the first town established on Mars please consider the name, “Bradbury”. 

It has a nice ring to it. 

Ray Bradbury SPEAKS

I love stories.  I love experiencing them in all their various forms and radiant glory.  I love to write them too.  Some of those are more glorious than others but that’s ok.  It’s ok because a man by the name of Ray Bradbury told me so.  Now I have never met the man but he spoke to me.  I feel as though I know him.  How can I say this?  I know him through his writing.  I am not alone in this sentiment.  His grandson, when asked about his grandfather confirmed this suspicion when he said in a piece by Meredith Woerner from io9, “His legacy lives on in his monumental body of books, film, television and theater, but more importantly, in the minds and hearts of anyone who read him, because to read him was to know him. He was the biggest kid I know.” (Please see: http://io9.com/5916175/rip-ray-bradbury-author-of-fahrenheit-451-and-the-martian-chronicles for the full article.)

I fell in love with stories because of Ray Bradbury and his sphere of influence over the world of fiction & literature.  So I read Bradbury, Verne, Burroughs, Clarke, Howard and I knew that, in some fashion, I wanted to write; to tell stories.  Then George Lucas came along with a little movie called, “Star Wars” and my fate was sealed.  I knew I wanted to tell stories and, like Bradbury, I wanted to see the world through eyes of wonder.  As he said in one of the finest books on writing that I have had the good fortune to read, Zen in the Art of Writing, “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”  If you want to hear Ray Bradbury talk to you too, become a better writer, and wish to sample his Dandelion Wine then I couldn’t recommend this book any higher. 

But how could such audacity be sustained?  Well, Ray spoke to me again with the Bradbury Challenge (see: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2006/09/bradbury-challenge.html).  I found a quote from him about writing short stories that went something like this, “…You defy yourself to write 52 bad short stories in a row – and it’s impossible. Somewhere along the line you’re gonna write a good one.” This statement started me to thinking. What a great idea; 52 short stories – a years worth of stories! As Ray said himself, “…they cant’ be all bad.”  I completed my Bradbury Challenge with a combination of short stories and several scripts that I was writing at the time.  Could that be considered an incomplete since they weren’t all short stories?  Well, perhaps in some circles but not in my book.  I was writing, following the craft, and, I might add, in the footsteps of one of my HEROES, Mr. Ray Bradbury.  And in all honesty if you want to learn how to write effectively you go to the Masters of the craft, read them and read what they have to say on the discipline.  I go to the legends.  Ray Bradbury is at the top of my list.  Some literary heroes and legends cast a large shadow.  I have other writers that have spoken to me, King, Gaiman, Moore are among some of my favorites but Bradbury spoke to them as well…

http://blog.chrismoore.com/2012/06/06/ray-bradbury-1920-2012/

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2012/06/ray-bradbury.html

 

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/06/ray-bradbury-writer-memories/

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/bradbury-death-steven-spielberg-obama-stephen-king-damon-lindelof-tribute-334275

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47712895/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.T8_gaVKLOK4

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/08/02/Bradbury/index.html?iref=allsearch&hpt=hp_c1

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-ray-bradbury-20120607,0,5622415.story

Here is what President Obama had to say about his passing, “For many Americans, the news of Ray Bradbury's death immediately brought to mind images from his work, imprinted in our minds, often from a young age.  His gift for storytelling reshaped our culture and expanded our world.  But Ray also understood that our imaginations could be used as a tool for better understanding, a vehicle for change, and an expression of our most cherished values.  There is no doubt that Ray will continue to inspire many more generations with his writing, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”  You can read Morgan Little’s piece from the L.A. Times right here: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-issues-statement-on-ray-bradburys-death-20120606,0,1846140.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+International

Poets, writers, and historians with far more talent than I will be able to eulogize Ray Bradbury far better than your humble servant, so I will take solace in reading the man and listening to him speak to me.  I encourage you to do the same.   

Ray Bradbury once said, “Joy is the grace we say to God.”  Amen.

Godspeed, Sir.

Bradbury Challenge Revisited

You may or may not know, Gentle Reader, that I have had this personal challenge to write 52 short stories in a year’s time. I called this project “The Bradbury Challenge” (see: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2006/09/bradbury-challenge.html for details).

I lamented the fact that I had not completed said project here: http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2007/08/time-is-fire.html; where I morosely recounted the fact that I am prone to be captivated by bright and shinny objects and that the project simply was not done.

Hmm…

I was speaking with my wife, something I do from time to time, and she asked me if I included the puppet scripts that I adapt for the Children’s Ministry at our church, Calvary Chapel of Vineland.

“…Uh, no.” was my reply. I had never considered these adaptations of Bible stories as part of “The Bradbury Challenge.” I don’t exactly know why. I believe that it has something to do with the Puppet Ministry as being a part of something much greater than anything yours truly could ever hope to accomplish. The Puppet Ministry is not and never has been about “me” – nor should it be. It’s about planting seeds. It’s about tending to my little corner of the vineyard; and I’m perfectly happy with that.

“So how many scripts have you done?” Mother Hen asked.

“I don’t know, about 60.” I said.

“So you really did meet the Bradbury Challenge.”

…Huh?

Howzaboutdat? Man I love that woman.

I put this one out to you, Gentle Reader, not to pat myself on the back but to underline the idea that pretty cool things can happen when we are working for something outside of the realm of ourselves. If I were to include the Puppet Scripts with short stories I’d have about 70 to 75 short stories completed within the span of 52 weeks.

I’d like to think that Ray Bradbury would be proud but even more so, I’d like to think that Jesus Christ has gained the glory.

See ya next time.