THE ELECTION

Author’s note: Trill is a fictional female acquaintance who makes it possible to write in a style that is easy for me. 

My Dear Trill,

       Such an outburst! I never expected to find you so emotional about the election. You need to relax a little. Hopefully, there are many  presidential elections ahead. Getting too wrapped up in any of them risks losing your charm.
I’m not surprised at all that the upcoming election has you thoroughly confused, facing a choice  between a narcissistic, egocentric, sexual predator  and a woman of considerable experience but  having a history of using her husband’s presidency, together with her husband, to acquire substantial personal wealth.
        Hillary Clinton will probably win the election, possibly by a wide margin. There is one reason I believe she will make a decent president. It will be upon her to validate the idea of a woman president. If she fails, the future will be bleak indeed for the success of another woman having a run at the office. She knows this, because above anything else, this will be her legacy.
Here’s the way I see it. Donald Trump would lead  the country into danger. How else can you interpret his question: “We have nuclear bombs. Why don’t we use them?” As a strong nation, it is commonly believed that the office of the presidency is also the office of the leader of the world. Donald  knows little of politics and has demonstrated nothing regarding relationships with foreign countries and their populations.
On the other hand, Hillary Clinton has a thorough knowledge by virtue of her tenure as Secretary of State. She will have better support in Congress than Obama did. Senator Sanders. Senator Warren, and Senator Feingold  (if he gets elected) will be a strong supportive force for a progressive agenda.

REFLECTIONS

Now in our countdown years
the consequences of our actions can be weighed.
The measure of a person’s candor is revealed, writing one’s
own obituary.
It says nothing of wrong turns, what might have been.
Nor does it aver to having
lived a road to redemption.
In the best of circumstances
the text would read:
We did no harm, or tried not to. We tried to do good.
We had many friends
and spent our days productively. We apportioned time
to relax and play.
We loved someone dearly. 

ROCKET PREDICTIONS

      In my 1994 book, “The Future of U.S Rocketry” there is a section on ultra large launch vehicles (ULLV).  Included is a design concept for a launch rocket wth a 600,000 pound payload to low earth orbit. Also included are ideas on how a manned journey to Mars could be accomplished with three  launches to low earth orbit of spacecraft elements, including propellants, that would be assembled to accomplish the mission.
      Interesting is Elon Musk’s recent presentation to  the International Astronautical Congress on September 26 of his plans for a manned journey to Mars. It would involve launching three ultra large launch vehicles with a payload lift capability to low earth orbit of 600,000 pounds each, followed by assembly in orbit of the spacecraft elements and loading propellants necessary for the mission.

      Not everything that was predicted came to pass, but that’s how it goes with predictions. The book shows a concept for the follow-on to NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) which is right on the money.