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A place where I can lament the changing times; for eccentric comments on current affairs and for unfashionable views, expressed I hope, in cogent style; also occasional cris de coeur largely concerned, I regret to say, with myself.



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Monday 6 August 2012

Relativity



No, not the sort of relativity that Albert Einstein "invented" and which, despite numerous attempts at explanation (including by the brilliant T) I completely fail to comprehend.

The relativity I have in mind this evening concerns cost.

Space News reported that the cost of NASA's current Mars programme has reached $2.5 billions.

Peanuts.

I say "peanuts" because of the staggering achievement of transporting a vehicle of astounding versatility, not to say complexity, weighing about a ton, about 352 million miles, and delivering it to a point just 2km from its target on the surface of the Red Planet.  And the amazing vehicle, so capable, has arrived undamaged and has already started its work.

Peanuts again.

Meanwhile, in London a sporting competition has been put on.  It is a very large sporting competition, including top-class sportsmen and women from all around the world.  The goings-on have dominated the news media and caused havoc in terms of traffic congestion; also many businesses have suffered loss of trade in consequence.

Cost? about £13 billions - and that's just what we have been told about; I suspect that there will be a substantial financial hangover afterwards as has been the case in other countries foolish enough to claim the glory of presenting the Olympic Games.

Not peanuts; not peanuts at all.

Until the nest time.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

...but McDs and Coke and other well known Satans of the corporate world are making a profit. Surely thats the whole point of major government funded events...to make huge profits, encourage obesity and keep the nation in front of their TVs safe from finding out whats really going on.
Oh. and someone won a race.