Questions Only VII: Answer In Your Pants

[scottydog]

So I guess that means you disagreed with Ford's premature pardon of Nixon.

In some ways, yes, but he had little control over it-- I'm sure it was all decided and agreed to before he was even nominated. The first problem was that Ford was from the same party as Nixon, which couldn't be avoided. The second problem was that Nixon hadn't actually been charged with anything-- talk of impeachment had just begun. The third, and biggest, problem was that Ford gave him a generic blanket pardon. If Ford had pardoned him for a specific crime or crimes, it would have gone down a lot better. But a pardon was definitely the way to go.

You certainly have a mature and sensible way of looking at the pardon of Nixon. I remember at the time that many people were angry about Nixon getting away with criminal activity. But let's face it, he got away with nothing. He'll always be remembered as a horribly corrupt, narcissistic president.

Do you think Giuliani will end up behind bars?

I hope so. His story is more tragic than Trump's. After 9/11, Giuliani was a hero and could have left a lasting legacy of courage, grace, and effective leadership. He blew it, thanks to hubris-driven terrible decision making.

Trump, on the other hand, is damaged goods and has always been damaged goods. Because his wiring is all wrong, he can't help being a criminal imbecile. Giuliani could help it but chose not to. That makes Giuliani more of a tragic figure.

Will he end up behind bars? I hope so. He deserves to pay for his idiotic decisions.

You wrote an Encyclopedia entry on "incorruptibility". Can you think of any politicians who possess this trait? Is Liz Cheney someone who comes close?

[RJDiogenes]

I remember at the time that many people were angry about Nixon getting away with criminal activity. But let's face it, he got away with nothing. He'll always be remembered as a horribly corrupt, narcissistic president.

I think most people eventually realized it was the right thing to do. I remember Ted Kennedy said something to that effect. The thing is that Nixon was widely hated and reviled, and people wanted to get revenge and see him humiliated. But that's not what the law is about. We're in a worse situation now, because The Donald is far more hated than Tricky Dick ever was, so we need cooler heads, like Biden, to prevail.

Will he end up behind bars? I hope so. He deserves to pay for his idiotic decisions.

Yeah, he should serve time. At San Quentin Landscaping inc.

You wrote an Encyclopedia entry on "incorruptibility". Can you think of any politicians who possess this trait? Is Liz Cheney someone who comes close?

Liz Cheney has certainly demonstrated admirable incorruptibility when it comes to her loyalty to the Constitution. She proves that it's possible to put the country first over ideology. Is she equally incorruptible in other areas? I think any politician, no matter what kind of a friendly face they put on, has to have a certain ruthlessness to succeed. That doesn't necessarily equal corruption, but I think incorruptibility is a rare thing.

Do you think the Artemis Program will result in a permanent presence on the Moon, like McMurdo is in Antarctica?

[scottydog]

Yes, most definitely. That could actually be a story seed -- just after the first few colonists settle at the moon, humanity destroys itself on Earth, stranding the lunar settlers. What would you do if you were one of those settlers?

[RJDiogenes]

Probably die. It will be a long time before a Lunar settlement is self sufficient. I doubt if McMurdo could even last very long if it was isolated.

Do you think that the rising population and rising sea levels will lead to cities at sea? Or under the sea?

[scottydog]

Yes, I do. But probably not for another 50 years. I suspect colonies on the Moon and on Mars will be established before sea-cities are established. But I could be wrong.

Polar cities intrigue me. Why not build a huge domed, climate-controlled town in Antarctica? Would you consider living there?

[RJDiogenes]

Yes, I do. But probably not for another 50 years. I suspect colonies on the Moon and on Mars will be established before sea-cities are established. But I could be wrong.

I wonder if people will start selling condos on retired cruise ships or old sea platforms-- those things are huge.

Polar cities intrigue me. Why not build a huge domed, climate-controlled town in Antarctica? Would you consider living there?

Maybe. I'd be concerned about the stability of the ground there. As the permafrost melts, there could be settling or sinkholes or mudslides or even quakes. I wonder if anybody has looked into it.

Would you consider living underground someplace like the deactivated SAC base under Cheyenne Mountain?

[scottydog]

I need sunlight. Could they pipe in artificial sunlight so that I don't get cabin fever? I really do think that each winter I'm a bit down because of the darkness outside -- a mild case of seasonal affective disorder.

I also like being outdoors in the fresh air -- another reason I don't do well in winter. Let's face it, I'm a wimp.

Could you live underground? Or underwater? Or up in the clouds? I find it hard to believe you'd be happy in these places because you've said that you'd love to live out in the country, in a remote area where you can walk around outside in the peace and quiet of nature.

[RJDiogenes]

I need sunlight. Could they pipe in artificial sunlight so that I don't get cabin fever? I really do think that each winter I'm a bit down because of the darkness outside -- a mild case of seasonal affective disorder.

Well, there are those light therapy boxes for SAD, so presumably the lights in the community would be based on that. Come to think of it, any community in space or the Moon or whatever would also need something like that.

I also like being outdoors in the fresh air -- another reason I don't do well in winter. Let's face it, I'm a wimp.

Cheyenne Mountain is out in the country, so there could be all kinds of trails and parks around. It would be like living in that silo house, only gigantic.

Could you live underground? Or underwater? Or up in the clouds? I find it hard to believe you'd be happy in these places because you've said that you'd love to live out in the country, in a remote area where you can walk around outside in the peace and quiet of nature.

I could live underground in a place like the silo house or Cheyenne Mountain, because there's all kinds of nature right outside. I don't think I could live underwater, because I feel like it would be claustrophobic. The clouds? I'm not sure. It would depend on the habitat, I guess.

Did you ever read Asimov's Robot Novels? In those, all of humanity lived in underground cities and had been there so long they had developed racial agoraphobia.

[scottydog]

I could live underground in a place like the silo house or Cheyenne Mountain, because there's all kinds of nature right outside.

While working inside, I like to have natural light coming in. Plus I enjoy looking out the window and seeing birds at my bird feeder. But I think I read somewhere that they can make realistic looking fake windows looking out at a realistic fake outdoors. I'll keep an open mind about that.

Did you ever read Asimov's Robot Novels? In those, all of humanity lived in underground cities and had been there so long they had developed racial agoraphobia.

Never read those books, which is strange because I devoured all of Asimov's mystery novels. What is racial agoraphobia?

[RJDiogenes]

While working inside, I like to have natural light coming in. Plus I enjoy looking out the window and seeing birds at my bird feeder. But I think I read somewhere that they can make realistic looking fake windows looking out at a realistic fake outdoors. I'll keep an open mind about that.

Back in the 80s when I went to Disney World, some of the worlds at EPCOT had underground or indoor sections where they simulated the actual environment of that location, and they were pretty good. I have a feeling that designers will incorporate that sort of approach to underground Moon colonies, only with forty years of improved technology. Cheyenne Mountain, I think, is big enough to have a substantial arboretum.

Never read those books, which is strange because I devoured all of Asimov's mystery novels. What is racial agoraphobia?

The Earth grew so overpopulated that humanity moved into vast underground cities. They had lived that way for so many generations that they were used to being crowded inside, so if anyone went outside they were seized by vertigo and panic attacks. One of the main characters in the stories, Elijah Bailey, was trying to acclimate himself to the outdoors because he wanted to get humanity back on track to settling the galaxy.

Which do you think it would be better to focus on, colonies on the Moon and Mars, or artificial space habitats like O'Neill Cylinders?

[scottydog]

One of the main characters in the stories, Elijah Bailey, was trying to acclimate himself to the outdoors because he wanted to get humanity back on track to settling the galaxy.

Nice. This is a good story of adaptation, complacency, and liberating transformation. Very heroic!

Which do you think it would be better to focus on, colonies on the Moon and Mars, or artificial space habitats like O'Neill Cylinders?

Personally, the artificial space habitats sound less appealing because there is no terra firma. I need land and the outdoors. I also appreciate fresh air, which leads me to the question of whether it's ethical to terraform a planet to simulate Earth's conditions. Why would it be wrong to transform the Moon or Mars into an Earth-like planet?

[RJDiogenes]

Nice. This is a good story of adaptation, complacency, and liberating transformation. Very heroic!

Indeed. Over the course of a couple of novels he basically freed the human race from stagnation.

Personally, the artificial space habitats sound less appealing because there is no terra firma. I need land and the outdoors. I also appreciate fresh air, which leads me to the question of whether it's ethical to terraform a planet to simulate Earth's conditions. Why would it be wrong to transform the Moon or Mars into an Earth-like planet?

It probably won't be possible to terraform the Moon. It will be possible to terraform Mars to some degree, but probably not to the point where you could walk around in shirtsleeves or breathe the air without assistance. But space habitats, either free floating or on another world, would be basically the same as being outside in the fresh air if they are big enough-- imagine an arboretum dozens of miles long and wide. Personally, I think the free-floating habitats will be safer and better.

What do you think the legal response of the United Nations should be if aliens entered the Solar System and settled on the Moon or Mars?

[scottydog]

Well, if we're smart, we'll recognize that we should tread gently on any civilization that is eons more advanced than us

How would you handle another intelligent alien race claiming the moon or Mars? Mars I could understand, but taking over the Moon would be more threatening, as it's our satellite.

[RJDiogenes]

Well, if we're smart, we'll recognize that we should tread gently on any civilization that is eons more advanced than us

I'm sure that's something that would be brought into consideration.

How would you handle another intelligent alien race claiming the moon or Mars? Mars I could understand, but taking over the Moon would be more threatening, as it's our satellite.

But what are their concepts of ownership or territory or law? We'd probably see the whole Solar System as ours, but they may not. They may assume that occupancy is required to lay claim to something. Would they abide by local laws or negotiate, or just assume that they are more progressive and we are backward? "Haha, these little creatures still think they own their Solar System."

Suppose benign aliens, without much in the way of military capability, landed on the Moon and laid claim to it based on it being uninhabited-- do you think they are within their rights?

[scottydog]

I think so, yes. And in the interests of galactic peace, we should be more than happy to give them our Moon and then arrange for talks about shared ownership with other planets.

But most importantly, we should ask for the secret to interstellar travel. Would there be harm in them sharing their propulsion technology with us? Would they even be willing to share it?