From the Counterpunch article The 2014 “Are You Serious?” Awards
—snip—
The Shoot-In-The-Foot Award to the Obama administration for ending the purchase of Russian-made RD-180 rocket engines as part of U.S. sanctions leveled at Moscow over the crisis in the Ukraine. The RD-180–a cheap, reliable workhorse engine that has lifted U.S. Atlas III and Atlas V rockets into space since 1997–will cost $1.5 billion and six years to replace. A new engine means that launch vehicles will also need to be re-designed and satellite programs delayed. In the end, that could cost $5 billion.
In retaliation for the RD-180 ban, Russia will no longer lend its Soyuz rockets to supply the international space station. Asked how astronauts will get to the station, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin suggested they “use a trampoline.
The European Space Agency (ESA) will also take a hit. Besides losing the Soyuz taxi service to the space station, the ESA will lose access to the RD-180 engine as well, and will have to accelerate its troubled Ariane VI rocket program to replace the Agency’s Ariane V. The “VI” has been criticized as too big, too inflexible, and much too expensive–$4. 2 billion.
Russia announced it would shift monies it spends on the International space station to joint space projects with China.
—snip—
I repeat:
Asked how astronauts will get to the station, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin suggested they “use a trampoline.”
OH Lord!!!!
I about snuffed out my computer ‘cuz I had a mouthful of coffee when I first read that line. If you want to know the main difference between Russia and the U.S. today, there it is. We don’t have a free mouth anywhere in the government. Everybody’s too busy watching their back. The Russians (from Putin right on down) are extremely…direct…extremely trenchant in their comments. The U.S.? Mealy-mouthed like a motherfucker!!!
I’ve said this before here and I’m going to say it again:
The first national pol who stands up in public and speaks his or her mind in unalloyed language is going to rocket to success.
The only two who really that bill…minus Ron Paul, who was a little too old and and little too late to actually become the life of the party (and I don’t really much care which party, seeing as how they’re both simply wings of the one UniParty) are Rand Paul and Elizabeth Warren. The statement that she made on the Senate floor about big finance regulation (and specifically about CitiGroup) is nothing less than electrifying. Here’s the meat of the speech:
Democrats don’t like Wall Street bailouts. Republicans don’t like Wall Street bailouts. The American people are disgusted by Wall Street bailouts
And yet here we are, five years after Dodd-Frank with Congress on the verge of ramming through a provision that would do nothing for the middle class, do nothing for community banks, do nothing but raise the risk that taxpayers will have to bail out the biggest banks once again…
So let me say this to anyone who is listening at Citi[group]. I agree with you Dodd-Frank isn’t perfect. It should have broken you into pieces!
Go read the whole thing. And watch it as well.
And…don’t give me any shit about “she’s just another pol fronting for the bad guys.” That speech counts.
Bet on it.
Will it get her elected president this time around? Probably not. But she looks to be a young 65. She’s got plenty of time. Watch.
Later…
AG