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The time has come for my annual short Thanksgiving/Christmas fund drive for Behind The Black. I must do this every year in order to make sure I have earned enough money to pay my bills.

 

For this two-week campaign, I am offering a special deal to encourage donations. Donations of $200 will get a free autographed copy of the new paperback edition of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, while donations of $250 will get a free autographed copy of the new hardback edition. If you desire a copy, make sure you provide me your address with your donation.

 

As I noted in July, the support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.

 

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Government shutdown threatens Lucy asteroid mission

Government marches on! The possibility that the federal government could shut down because of the inability of Congress and the Biden administration to pass a funding bill or raise the debt limit now threatens the launch of the Lucy mission to the asteroid belt.

If no budget agreement is reached the government will shut down on October 1st. If the debt limit isn’t raised that shutdown could follow soon thereafter, even if a budget is passed.

The launch window for the mission is from October 16 to November 7, 2021. If the spacecraft does not launch in that window the science team says it will likely require a major rethinking of the entire project, as it will be difficult to find another opportunity to visit the same set of asteroids.

Right now the chances of a shutdown are very high, as the Democrats are pushing big spending bills without any negotiations with the Republicans. In answer, the Republican caucus has said that none of its members will support raising the debt limit. Without the latter any passed spending bill will soon be moot, as the debt limit will soon be reached, blocking further government spending.

Though I personally would be very saddened if Lucy was prevented from launching, that loss would be well compensated for by having the federal government out of business. The evil and corruption promoted by it far outweighs the good work done by several minor space missions.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

8 comments

  • Mark

    Another Casualty of the failing Globalist American Empire. At least they won’t have to order a body bag for the Lucy Mission, unlike for those 13 brave souls who perished at Abbey Gate in Kabul. We know which party has control of the executive branch, and the House & Senate. They have had all year to figure out a budget that wouldn’t break the bank. The game of 3 card monte can only go for so long. Message to whoever is running this behind the scenes – show the American public a reasonable plan for spending and maybe we’ll say Yes. Otherwise go pound sand.

  • Garry

    I wish I had any confidence in the Republicans’ commitment to block raising the debt ceiling. We go through this kabuki every four years, with the minority party making lots of noise, but it always gets raised. The only question is whether it is raised before or after the deadline; it’s possible that this program gets cancelled because because the authorization comes too late.

  • Gene

    Why should we even have a debt ceiling? They just raise it….

  • John

    There isn’t going to be a shutdown, they have unlimited power and money (same thing). Any opposition is BS theater.

    Hope you like your currency inflated to nothing.

  • James Street

    • Estimated US tax revenue for fiscal year 2021 is $3.863 trillion dollars.
    • In fiscal year 2020 the government spent $6.55 trillion dollars.

  • pzatchok

    A government shutdown means nothing.

    All the government workers will just get the time off and back pay when they go back to work. No loss.

    All government SS benefit checks will still be sent out.

    All state government will still run fine.

    All government contractors will still go to work because they have already been paid for their work and products ordered. If not already paid they will eventually be paid when the government goes back to work.

    Every shutdown you see is just a political move.
    The last time I remember this happening they forced the air traffic controllers to leave work not because they couldn’t pay them but because they needed to inconvenience the people.

  • Humphreyrobot

    Those crazies don’t like science anyways…science just makes rhem look bad.

  • Star Bird

    Like in Superman we need a Phantom Zone to send Antifa and BLM crinimals

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