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88
Trump nominates Jared Isaacman—Shift4 CEO, commercial astronaut, and Musk friend—to be next NASA administrator. (www.cnbc.com)
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
37 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

“Jared will drive NASA’s mission of discovery and inspiration, paving the way for groundbreaking achievements in Space science, technology, and exploration,” Trump wrote in a post on social media.

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[–] [email protected] 43 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Yeah, so all those astronauts who used to say that they needed politicians to go to space so they could be in awe of the Earth and come back feeling like it's important to protect can be lumped in with all the idiots who say the world would be better if everyone took hallucinogens.

I think this guy and Musk prove both of those things to be fucking fantasies and copium, because for folks like this, nothing can shatter their worldview. They simply don't see the same earth or the same problems we do.

“Back at home we all have a lot of work to do, but from here, Earth sure looks like a perfect world,” Isaacman said during the spacewalk after emerging from the capsule.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The kind of people for whom a total perspective vortex would have nil effect.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 2 weeks ago

I need a pan galactic gargle blaster.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

"everyone should take hallucinogens" is a way more legitimate take, backed by science

[–] Dempf 8 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Possibly...the counterexample is tech CEOs jetting off to Burning Man, tripping balls for a week, and coming up with app ideas for things nobody actually needs.

Musk has used a lot of drugs, including psychedelics.

Currently I'm in the middle of what's apparently one of his favorite book series....communism, post-scarcity, and frequent gender changing are featured front and center.

The "everybody should take psychedelics" argument maybe carried some weight in the 60s when the "squares" were the ones in the way. (Though I still kinda doubt that because look who so many of those "free love" boomers turned into).

But the Republicans of today are not the same as they were then. They are partying, smoking weed, and doing a whole lot of other drugs including psychedelics. It's possible to eat drugs, realize some profound things, become incredibly self-actualized, and be so addicted to power that it doesn't really matter anyways.

Or just be so narcissistic that you just ignore the things you read in a book or think about on your acid trip and just carry on...

I don't doubt the research into psychedelics, and their power on an individual level to help people work through things in a therapeutic way. I am starting to doubt the idea that "if everyone just tripped one time the world would be a better place".

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Musk has used a lot of drugs, including psychedelics.

Do did Charles Manson.

Anyone who thinks that psychedelics have magic powers to reform humanity is delusional. They can provide useful insight in some people who are already so inclined, they can trigger psychotic episodes in people already at risk, and assholes who take psychedelics almost always revert to being assholes soon after the comedown.

And to declare an interest: psychedelics did me a lot of good. But I've known literally hundreds of people who have taken them, and the end results are all over the map. They'll pick you up, often they'll put you down somewhere else, but in most people, they don't cause lasting change, except perhaps a compulsion to tell everyone about their visit to the clockwork elves.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Not sure how far you are through the Culture books yet, but: Musk thinks he is Zakalwe or something, but he's really Veppers.

[–] Dempf 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I haven't gotten that far yet, currently on Inversions. I think Veppers comes later.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago

Ah okay, and don't worry that's not a spoiler or anything

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Currently I'm in the middle of what's apparently one of his favorite book series...

What's the book series? I'm very curious because it seems like Phony Stark just gets an assistant to give him cliff notes on a lot of sci-fi given how many bad ideas he pitches.

[–] Dempf 4 points 2 weeks ago

The Culture. Part of me seriously doubts he's actually read it himself, like you're saying.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Musk is not a deep thinker. He's quick to jump to conclusions, but superficial and highly error-prone.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Hallucinogens make people more like they already are. That's not always a good thing.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Who did he rape?

[–] [email protected] 19 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Hilarious and also legitimate question.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

First rape in space I’m guessing. Now that is a giant leap for mankind.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

No one, but he did pay Musk to go to space aboard Crew Dragon, and to do a spacewalk in a SpaceX EVA suit.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago

I think it might be hard to be an astronaut and not have some sort of dealings with SpaceX these days

[–] [email protected] -1 points 2 weeks ago

The facts are we don’t really know. There may have been some shady backroom deal that required him to

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Not great, not terrible

[–] [email protected] 24 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

Likely just going to shovel money at Space X.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Yea, but he going to be really enthusiastic while he is shoveling money to both musk and perhaps himself. And he believes the moon landings are real.

It could have been a moon landing denier or even a flat earther.

There is a non zero chance he may actually be good for the space program in general? In the meantime the bar is lowered enough that this may be the best in a bad lot, even if this nomination redefines the term “industry capture”

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean, the dude loves space so much he paid out of pocket to go there. He’s a real pilot and real astronaut. Not a bad sign at all.

On the other hand we should always be wary of putting the rich in charge of things.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Taking a tourist trip to space does not make you a real astronaut.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago

How about running scientific payloads and testing new EVA suits? The Polaris Dawn missions are absolutely not joyrides like we’ve seen other billionaires do.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

The definition of an astronaut:

"The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) Sporting Code for astronautics recognizes only flights that exceed the Kármán line, at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 mi). In the United States, professional, military, and commercial astronauts who travel above an altitude of 80 kilometres (50 mi) are awarded astronaut wings."

So yes, that does make him an astronaut.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

There is a non zero chance he may actually be good for the space program in general?

He does nothing but criticize NASA long-term plans as they stand and is fine with the privatization of space?

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that non-zero chance is something like 0.0000001% chance. Sure, it's not zero, but it still ain't a real fucking good chance.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

He does nothing but criticize NASA long-term plans as they stand and is fine with the privatization of space?

I haven't seen Isaacman's specific criticisms you're talking about, but NASA does have some crappy long-term plans because they've been driving by politicians looking to land pork in their districts. NASA's SLS moon rocket (a Boeing product) is wildly expensive for what it does. Lockheed's moon crew capsule has been in development for over 20 years, currently has a deal-breaking problem they won't disclose (related to heat shield) and has cost us north of $26.6 billion without carrying a humans yet to space.

If Isaacman is it for NASA, at least he's a spaceflight advocate. He's also been to space, so he'll be a strong advocate for Astronaut safety (another area NASA has had historical difficulty).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

If Isaacman is it for NASA, at least he’s a spaceflight advocate.

He's not a scientist, he's not an engineer, he's a tourist.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

He’s not a scientist, he’s not an engineer,

Neither was Bridenstine.

he’s a tourist.

I'm not saying is the best pick for the job. I'm saying that at least they put someone who has an interest in NASA succeeding instead of someone that doesn't give a shit about spaceflight and just wants political power.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

Still preferable to shoveling money at Boeing, no? At least SpaceX has a healthy launch cadence of reliable vehicles.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 weeks ago

And go all Waxahatchie on current NASA projects.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 2 weeks ago

Non-title-gore version:

Trump nominates Jared Isaacman—Shift4 CEO, commercial astronaut, and Musk friend—to be next NASA administrator.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

The bar is so low, the fact I could name whole groups of dumb fucks that would be worse in that position means this is one of Trump's better picks. Not that this guy's any good and won't try to funnel federal money towards himself and Musk.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Trump's best is so far worse than anyone else's worst that there's no point ranking Trump's picks at all. It's like asking you which flavor of dogshit you prefer to be force-fed.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

You're right but the bar is so damn low right now that a relatively scentless piece of shit is preferable over one baked in the sun for days, the smell wafting into Canada.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 weeks ago

A jerk with no scientific background. More kakistocracy.