Pigs in Space

Is Bill Gates planning a trip to space? – space – 11 April 2007 – New Scientist Space — This is an amusing story but a non-starter from what I can tell. There is no way Gates will do this. First of all his wife won;t let him. The stock would plummet. He’s not into this sort of showy escapade at all. And you can be certain that the negative reaction from the public would never end. The best example of that is the PIGS IN SPACE editorial done in the Nation Magazine linked here. I’m quite amused by all the jerk-off apologists who go on and on about “hey, it’s his money…he can do what he wants with it.” While this is technically true whatever happened to the idea of moral responsibility? Is it completely gone from today’s hyper-rich? And where is the peer pressure from the public to make people to do the right thing? They all want Don Imus to do the right thing, but not anyone with any real money. When I wrote about Paul Allen’s ludicrous ownership of three personal mega-yachts most commenters applauded him and defended the idea. What is wrong with these people?

The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, is considering a possible flight into space, a Russian cosmonaut said from the International Space Station on Wednesday, citing Gate’s colleague, current space tourist Charles Simonyi.

“Charles said that Bill Gates is also preparing to visit space,” cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin told journalists during a video link-up from the space station, which was broadcast on state television Rossiya. “So the next time someone will be with Bill Gates. For me this is the biggest surprise of our flight.”

found by Bubba Martin



  1. sdf says:

    I think that picture is more appropriate for GWB’s one-way trip.

  2. B. Dog says:

    Windows XP (OEM) won’t be available after this year. He can’t go. He shot himself in the foot.

  3. Mike says:

    At what point exactly does “it’s okay to spend their wealth on their desires” turn into “they have a moral obligation to spend their wealth on your desires”? And why exactly should they care what you or I or anybody else thinks? That’s the same mentality that explains why many so-called liberals in this country would rather redistribute other people’s wealth through taxation than give up their own voluntarily through charity.

  4. Improbus says:

    It sure would be a shame if something happened to him. Grabbing a shuttle isn’t like flying on an plane. They have been known to blow up.

  5. Mook says:

    Hey Bill – don’t go, buddy, PLEASE don’t go!!!

    Since the universe seeks to find balance, the shuttle would invariably start to crash, and CTRL-ALT-DEL wouldn’t be a viable alternative to a stable flight path.

  6. tallwookie says:

    If Gates did go into space, would he do it in Rutan’s/Paul Allen’s rocketship?

  7. “When I wrote about Paul Allen’s ludicrous ownership of three personal mega-yachts most commenters applauded him and defended the idea. What is wrong with these people?”

    They just want to be like him… Except for the the shiny bald head part.

  8. ECA says:

    I hate to say this,,,
    But….
    PIGS IN SPACE………As the head line should be and a Quote from the Muppit series..

  9. Joe Neighborguy says:

    #7 – no, in the barnyard, if another animal had that much extra disposable income (let’s say ‘food’), then it would be taken by the other animals as a natural re-distribution of wealth. If he interfered, he would be pecked to death.

  10. noname says:

    #3 very good points

    #10 All evil, me don’t thinks so. If so, it is certainly a great excuse not to give your kids allowances.

    http://www.calicocat.com/2004/05/is-money-root-of-all-evil.html

    ********************
    Will this be before or after Russia installs Vista, or any MS OS on their mission critical systems?

  11. BubbaRay says:

    Persons silly enough to think this subject merits any significant degree of attention….

    Apologies for wasting your time with the article, but I agree with your argument. Like I’ve said before about Bill Wastes, there’s nothing like being in the right place in the right time. Let’s see him take it with him.

  12. Hi says:

    Oy, Lauren the Ghoti – sometimes I like you, sometimes I don’t. You better not be the immensely tall nerd I used to work with.

    Money is like time, a great concept – except the concept of time really doesn’t matter much. People fall for money. I keep explaining to people, “Food / Clothing / Shelter” — but they just don’t get it. I should update my non-sensible ramblings to “Take-out / Designer Branding / Condo”…

    I was trying to explain the concepts of money versus value to my cousin, who’s an 8th-grade drop-out wigger. It was like trying to teach metaphysics to a wannabe-nappy-headed-white-bro.

    He’s dead-set on making it as a rapper, because he wants a Bentley and a Benz (not a Mercedes, a Benz)

    Bow down to my trailer court genes, you peon serfs that you are!!!! :-p

  13. ECA says:

    10,
    I agree..
    But this country is built on the IDEA that money has to be spent.
    Property taxes, SHOULD BE on property…not the house.
    Just cause a person can build a home that OUT OF THIS WORLD… should mean they need to pay taxes on it..

    Lets go another idea… BK, sells burger in oregon, and idaho..IDAHO perple pay TAX on food…SAME price but those in idaho pay MORE…

  14. Lauren the Ghoti says:

    #12 – Hi

    “…sometimes I like you, sometimes I don’t.”

    Yeah, I’m a real bastard that way… If I can’t offend everyone at some point or another, I’m falling down on the job.

    “You better not be the immensely tall nerd I used to work with.”

    Doubtful, since I’m a sort of human jackalope, half hippie, half nerd. Fullblood members of either tribe usually see one side of me, the one opposite them.

  15. Improbus says:

    Lauren, I didn’t know you were in my tribe. I am also half hippie and half nerd and I got the Unix guru long hair to prove it. Peace out yo!

  16. noname says:

    #3 good points.

    “love of money is the root of all evil.”; sorry me don’t think so!

    http://www.calicocat.com/2004/05/is-money-root-of-all-evil.html

    *****************************

    Will Bill plan his trip after or before Russia upgrades mission critical systems with VISTA or any other MS OS?

    MS Blue of Death in mid flight will take on a new, less nerdy meaning.

  17. noname says:

    #3 good points.

    “love of money is the root of all evil.”; sorry me don’t think so!

    *****************************

    Will Bill plan his trip after or before Russia upgrades mission critical systems with VISTA or any other MS OS?

    MS Blue of Death in mid flight will take on a new, less nerdy meaning.

  18. ECA says:

    TARGET…
    WIDE OPEN and ready to shoot down….

    Duck,
    BLAM BLAM BLAM.. SLAP.. What hit me..
    I said DUCK, not Duck…

  19. Melia Cooke says:

    Going to space, something highly important, is much cheaper than his house.

  20. Cassie says:

    I hope it would give more funding to space research. Hmm


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