Moondoggle Alpha (or "Pork: 1999")
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I have absolutely nothing to say about NASA's plan to build a base on the Moon by 2024 that I haven't already said more than once — namely that the "space race" was, arguably, a legitimate public good during the Cold War (i.e., part of our national defense), but unless we have reason to believe that Osama bin Laden is hiding on Olympus Mons, there is no legitimate reason for us to be going back to the Moon fueled by taxpayer dollars. Note also that "patriotism" and "our sense of wonder" are not legitimate reasons; neither are nebulous claims of "pure science" — which is often a euphemism for "zero-value science." If there is a tangible, cognizable value to going to the Moon, then private parties will seek to do so — no NASA budget required.
More thoughts from Distributed Intelligence (times two), PoliBlog, Unrepentant Individual, Dilbert Blog.
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So having said that, and having Netflixed both full seasons recently, let's turn this into an open thread about "Space: 1999."
Some hasty stitches:
--I preferred Season One's Victor, a sort of Mr. Spock proxy, over Season Two's Maya, "the Wonder Woman of Space" (good grief). Why did she, an alien, always choose to morph into Earth animals? Questions like that can drive an overly skeptical 8-year old crazy.
--The door-opener/communication device that they used on Moonbase Alpha, with the little B&W TV-screen, was cute but is now embarrassing given today's cell phones and video iPods. The hand weapons were intriguing too.
--Eagles were cool; "Computer" wasn't.
--The more things change...
...the more they stay the same.
--Now you know where "BSG" got the idea of having a musical montage of teaser clips in the opening credits. Although I seem to recall that the original "Mission: Impossible" television series did the same thing.
--Speaking of "Space: 1999" and "Mission: Impossible," did you know that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, co-stars on both series, were married in real life? I'm sure that helped their on-screen chemistry. (They divorced in 1993.)
--Will any sci-fi show or movie ever explain exactly how they produce artificial gravity? ("2001" and "Star Trek VI" don't count).
--Best.Monsters.Ever.
Any other thoughts?
More thoughts from Distributed Intelligence (times two), PoliBlog, Unrepentant Individual, Dilbert Blog.
---
So having said that, and having Netflixed both full seasons recently, let's turn this into an open thread about "Space: 1999."
Some hasty stitches:
--I preferred Season One's Victor, a sort of Mr. Spock proxy, over Season Two's Maya, "the Wonder Woman of Space" (good grief). Why did she, an alien, always choose to morph into Earth animals? Questions like that can drive an overly skeptical 8-year old crazy.
--The door-opener/communication device that they used on Moonbase Alpha, with the little B&W TV-screen, was cute but is now embarrassing given today's cell phones and video iPods. The hand weapons were intriguing too.
--Eagles were cool; "Computer" wasn't.
--The more things change...
...the more they stay the same.
--Now you know where "BSG" got the idea of having a musical montage of teaser clips in the opening credits. Although I seem to recall that the original "Mission: Impossible" television series did the same thing.
--Speaking of "Space: 1999" and "Mission: Impossible," did you know that Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, co-stars on both series, were married in real life? I'm sure that helped their on-screen chemistry. (They divorced in 1993.)
--Will any sci-fi show or movie ever explain exactly how they produce artificial gravity? ("2001" and "Star Trek VI" don't count).
--Best.Monsters.Ever.
Any other thoughts?
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Posted by Kip on
5 December 2006
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