Don't agree with Tyson on the Mars question

We will be going to Mars via SpaceX. But getting back will be very difficult, if not impossible. It has already been stated by Elon Musk that it will be a one way trip.

The first colonists will be sacrificing themselves, in other words.

By the time the colony becomes self contained and sufficient, it will become possible for round trips.

Automated systems can lead to you ridiculous outcomes

There's a problem I'm experiencing with the "system".

The problem cannot be resolved because it is too automated and the part that isn't automated is too inflexible to deal with the problem.

Without going into specifics, the problem could be easily resolved if there was another human being with decision making authority that could do what it took to resolve it.

This is being written once again to warn people about the future we are running headlong into. When automated systems control everything, fundamentally solvable problems will become unsolvable because machines cannot solve all problems. People are needed. Even further, people with COMMON SENSE are needed. Evidently, there is a shortage of that quality as well.

Angry Astronaut: "What happens if something goes very wrong with Artemis 2?

When I write something about Artemis, I have a problem with not using Roman numerals. Maybe we need a design review and spend a few billion to answer that question. SLS was an amazing boondoggle. But some folks still like it.

You cannot design all the risk away. How much risk is acceptable? If all risks had to be taken out of any endeavor, nothing would have ever been achieved. We'd all be living in caves. Maybe not caves, either. Because wild animals liked to live in caves too!

The Amish Have Never Paid A Fuel Bill

This video says how they do it. I wonder if it would work out in West Texas...

Chip breakthrough--but there are questions...

You won't find the answers in the video, that's the point. Have to wait and see.

How 19 Beavers Turned Utah’s Dying Desert River Into a Thriving Oasis

There are plenty of these beaver videos. A glance of the comments shows some negativity about this particular video. Nevertheless, it will be embedded here as an example of what may be possible out in West Texas. The video mentioned some studies of how to use beavers in other areas. Which opens up the question of whether or not any such study for West Texas.

There are a lot of stock tanks out there. What if a small colony were to be set up around these stock tanks? Would they survive? Would it improve the area?

How to make adobe bricks

3/14/26:

This one couldn't be edited here, or at least not convenient at the moment. So I just copied it from the main blog, and reposted it here.

It's an old post I made just before I bought the property out west. The link below is actually in the county where my land is. (If memory serves.)

Some of the links don't work anymore, but I won't change anything. However, I will embed a video from a website mentioned in the links down below:



June 2014:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q451eExJlfw
The county seat of a west Texas county is made of adobe bricks

Update:

There's a bit more to making adobe bricks than the above video.

Here's another source, which describes how in a written format.

More pointers on how to find the right kind of soil to use.

Here's more in a pdf file.

Important!

How to process soil into its clay components.  This isn't as hard as it sounds.

Amazing video

There's a scene in the spaghetti Western called "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, which features an adobe home. I've wondered about that. It seemed to be rather airy and open.

Also, I've experimented with the soil out there. I don't think that it is necessarily as easy as this video suggests. Nevertheless, this is an amazing video.

Man builds cabin in the woods

Compare and contrast this with the quonset concept. This looks like a lot of heavy duty work. Not bad if you want the exercise. But for me, not a chance. Not that I'm afraid of getting my hands dirty. Nope. This is for younger dudes with a lot of strength and endurance. I'm just an old fart now.

Now here's a video for ya

The video doesn't have a lot of views, nor a lot of comments. It is of interest to me personally because I've lived in Texas all my life, and some of these places mentioned in the video were completely unknown to me.

Some of these places seem to be intentionallly hidden. Tourists aren't necessarily welcomed, if you catch my drift. If they were, there'd be a lot more access.

Anyway, it is definitely an interesting side trip if I'm ever in these regions again. As a matter of fact, a few of these places are not that far from here!