Christopher R. Cooper | Questionable Uses of Time

The topic of returning to the moon has gained great interest in the past months as NASA has indicated that it intends to re-explore our closest space neighbor.  It seems that this has also created quite a bit of interest in our original moon exploration.  The cost and effective gain of this mission served some 40 years ago has caught quite a bit of flak recently.  Was it really worthwhile?  Did sending a man to the moon accomplish anything more than a bit of celebrity in the dark Cold War times?

Let’s take a look at the hard numbers to see how the cost of going to the moon compares to the cost of other projects before we try to tackle the somewhat more subjective concept of what gains can be attributed to going to the moon.  The Apollo program is estimated to have cost roughly $22.9 billion 1969 US dollars.  That is not a small chunk of change, in fact is equal to about $133 billion 2008 US dollars.  Consider, however, that this was for a project spanning from 1959 to beyond 1970 with six successful missions.  Consider that some 409,000 laborers were employed by the program either directly by NASA, through outside university research, or contracted workers.  How’s that compare to the US budget in those years?  How does that compare to other large multiyear projects?

Data Findings 

NASA’s total budget from 1959 (the year the Apollo program began) to 1972 (the year of the last Apollo mission) was $48.9 billion 1969 US dollars, or $266.4 billion 2008 US dollars.

The US annual federal outlays (the amount of money the country spends per year, which is typically more than our budget) from 1959 to 1972 totaled $1.9 trillion US dollars.  Converting these outlays from each of their years to an inflation adjusted 2008 total brings the outlays to $11.9 trillion.

NASA represented roughly 2.2% of the total US federal outlays from 1959 to 1972.  The Apollo project in the same timeframe accounted for about 50% of NASA’s budget or just 1.1% of US total federal outlays during this timeframe.

The total interest paid on US federal budget debt was $140.3 billion during this timeframe ($870.56 billion 2008 US dollars).  This means that interest paid on debt accounted for 655% more outlays than the cost of the Apollo program in the same period.  For reference, the US paid $252.8 billion in 2008 in interest on the national debt - nearly twice the total cost of the entire Apollo program.

The cost of the Vietnam War from 1965-1975 was $111 billion or $686 billion 2008 US dollars, 516% the cost of the Apollo program.

The final cost for the Interstate Highway System to the Federal government started in 1956 by President Eisenhower was $114 billion by completion in 1991, about $500 billion 2008 dollars, 376% the cost of the Apollo program.

The F-22 Raptor has been another source of much scrutiny in its expense.  The dominant, highly advanced Air Force backed fighter jet program had an estimated cost of $62 billion in 2006, $66.9 billion 2008 US dollars - about half the cost of the Apollo program.  As of this writing, the F-22 has never flown a combat mission.

The war in Iraq and Afghanistan is estimated by the CBO to cost $2.4 trillion by 2017, $1.9 trillion attributed to Iraq.  This is mainly because much of the cost of the war has been financed with borrowed money.

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 has authorized the Treasury Secretary to spend up to $700 billion taxpayer dollars.  It is hoped that the taxpayers will come out of this bailout program without too deep of a loss, that some portion of the expenditures will result in profits to offset the expected losses.  The true cost of the recent Federal bailouts of the financial sector are unknown.  If the program suffers a complete loss, it would represent 526% the cost of the Apollo program.

NASA estimated in 2005 that the cost to return to the Moon would be $104 billion over the course of 13 years.  While these plans have recently come under great question, NASA has already invested some $7.7 billion in the project.

Discussion

It is important to consider what the country has gained from these expenditures and compare those to the cost ratio for each project.  I’m going to compare the gains of the Apollo program against those of some of the other large projects highlighted above, so let’s define some of the Apollo program gains first.

Apollo Program

Aside from all of the historic achievements that made it into the history books through the Apollo program, America had real, tangible gains from the investments made in the project.  For one, the Apollo program was a major stepping stone into future beyond Earth projects.  Much of the hardware developed during the Apollo era was used in our first space station, Skylab.  Skylab produced many valuable results based on its solar observatory and various experiments performed onboard, none of which would have been possible without the Apollo program.  Skylab is just one of many spacecraft that would not have been possible without the knowledge gained with the Apollo program.  The 1975 space docking with the Soviet Soyuz spacecraft was one of the major steps forward in rebuilding relations between the US and the USSR, eventually resulting in the end of the Cold War.  As far as more particular, physical products that would not have been possible, a variety of breakthroughs from early breast cancer detection to the accelerated development of integrated circuits were birthed by the Apollo program.

F-22 Raptor Project

The F-22 program has provided the US with a spectacular dog-fighter, but we simply don’t currently live in an era that America has a direct competitor in this space.  The fighter is so head and shoulders above the competition that it has no competition.  Our country finds itself fighting against enemies where the F-22 simply does not make sense as a reasonable expenditure.  However, there is value in the US maintaining it’s technological lead in military hardware.  We are so far ahead of other countries when it comes to conventional armies because of our constant investment.  I can only hope the day comes that this is no longer a valid concern as the world unites to fight larger foes: environmental breakdown, starvation and over-population of our planet to name a few.

Interest on Debt

Taxpayers are funding horrendous amounts of interest on the debt of the current generation and its ancestors.  A single year of interest paid currently would pay for the entire original Apollo program or the cost of the future Moon program and still have enough to produce most of the F-22 project.  While our country needs to get its debt wrangled, missing out on solid investments that pay dividends is foolhardy.  If we can pay out a few hundred billion dollars to reform health care and save the nation a few trillion dollars in the process - that’s an investment worth making.

Interstate Highway System

The Interstate Highway System has provided tens of thousands of government sponsored jobs over the decades and has lead to much of the growth of the countries entire economic system.  Without this interstate highway system, how would our country have been able to move its goods to different regions for consumption and manufacturing?  It seems to me that the program was a bit of a necessity but another means of transportation was not weighed properly; railroads.  Prior to the Interstate Highway System, America revolved around the rails.  Rails were much more widely used to transport goods and people around the country prior to the subsidies of the highway system which eventually lead to the somewhat sorry state of our current rail system.  Look to Europe for an example of a system still capable of using a modicum of transportation techniques across a fairly large distance.  While the highway system was vital to the culture and development of the US, I would say that a slightly more balanced development of the highway system alongside the rail system could have lead to a strong, less car-dependent country. 

Vietnam War

It’s a bit hard to describe the gains from the Vietnam War as we certainly lost many brave souls in the conflict.  The country was able to gain military experience that lead to a more thorough victory in Desert Storm.  During this period, the voting age was lowered to 18 from 21 and the military draft was eliminated, moving to an all volunteer system, after the war ended.  Technically speaking, the US did manage to prevent the North’s encroachment into South Vietnam where political values that supported the USSR would have spread.

Economic Stabilization (2008 Recession)

The current state of the economy is still in question.  Would our nation still be on the somewhat reasonable economic footing it has without the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that cost taxpayers up to $700 billion?  It’s hard to say, we can’t rewind time, toss out the policy, and see what would have happened.  Economists generally agree that the Great Depression of the 30’s arose so strongly because of the hands-off approach of the governing body at the time.  With the country facing a dire recession, this government has taken a much more hands-on approach with a variety of bailout-related acts being passed in an attempt to stabilize the country’s weakening economy.  Only time will tell how successful these programs have been.

Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

As the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are still in progress, and the entire notion of our country even entering these wars has thoroughly divided much of the US population, I’ll attempt to stick to the facts.  The wars are estimated to cost the country some $2.4 trillion, nearly twenty times the cost of the Apollo program.  The human cost in Iraq is estimated at about 98,000 lives, with some 31,000 being Americans.  There’s been thousands more casualties in Afghanistan.  Economically, we’ve gained greater access to natural resources in the region (oil).  We’ve prevented the growth of radical anti-Americanism in some specific regions but many would argue that the whole ordeal has also created a negative attitude towards the US. 

Conclusions

The jobs created, the technology gains, the intangible feeling of love for the country, American ideals, the future of generations and hope for spreading humankind through the galaxies are just some of which was inspired by and created from the Apollo program.  I find it difficult to argue against the comparatively low cost of such a project, especially when looking at other significant expenditures taken on by the US.  Why are we so worried about attempting to push the envelope further with more space exploration?  The future Moon landing project is just a stepping-stone for Mars and beyond.  Do you really believe humankind will survive on Earth into perpetuity?

This is an update to a previously written review on the Vibram FiveFingers barefoot running shoes.

I finally received my replacement pair of FiveFingers from TravelCountry.com after an arduous wait involving many phone calls and far too much time spent rock-hopping in big fat soled trail shoes.  It took some time coordinating the replacements as apparently Travel Country had to go through Vibram for a replacement authorization before they could send me a replacement directly.  I was told Vibram was having some internal problems that caused some delays though as well.

As a side note, Travel Country had quite good quality customer service albeit a bit slow.  It was nice to be able to reach a native english speaker and not have to navigate through a 10-step phone system to do so.  Once things were straight with Vibram and the authorization (I suppose credit back) was cleared, I received an equivalent replacement set within 3 days.  The replacement set is a slightly newer model, as my original pair were a 2008 closeout.  One of the representatives I spoke with told me he had seen several returns with similar problems.

The construction of the new pair does not seem any bit different from the originals, although the color is just ever-so-slightly different.  I'd been without my FiveFingers for about 2 months and it was great to break into the new pair with some rock climbing around the James River in Richmond, VA.  I have since put a solid 20 or so miles on them and have not noticed any of the problems I had seen with the previous pair.  One thing is for sure: next time I find myself in need of a replacement pair of FiveFingers, I'll be searching for a quick replacement source, living without them for quite some time certainly reduced my athletic enjoyment.  I will also be keeping my eyes open for closeouts and sales, I could always use an extra set!

Today I am going to tackle the inevitable question of: Why Join The Peace Corps? I have been asked many times about the reasoning behind my choice to uproot my comfortable life and take on such a challenge.  Lots of people/organizations have tried to tackle this question, from 43 Things, the LA Times, numerous other volunteers, to printed books (recommended).

I looked at the opportunity as something I would not be able to do in the future, a chance that could easily pass. Life happens, things occur that you're not prepared for that prevent you from doing something like this.  All sorts of things can happen to you that would prevent doing something like joining the Peace Corps, here’s some examples:

• Marriage: People fall in love, they get married. They get tied down. Not many mates in the world are willing to leave everything behind and plant seeds off in the unknown.
• Pregnancy: Yep. Planned or not, this will certainly prevent you from making any drastic changes.
• Career: You push yourself into the corporate world, find your niche and are happy to climb that ladder. Who would want to give up financial stability and a solid future?
• Debt: Maybe you forgot to clear up that career plan and instead find yourself buried in debt. The Peace Corps actually has a requirement for financial stability - although you can have your student loans deferred.
• Dependents: Family has a knack at getting old and needing a hand through it. Our aunts and uncles, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers all tend to keep aging. Folks often end up with an unexpected dependent; someone who needs and deserves your care.
• You can learn about more specific qualifications via Peace Corps' qualifications information.

As you may know, my Peace Corps experience only lasted from May to June 2008.  Family health problems are certainly unpredictable and my family needed my help, so I felt a need and desire to return home and do all I could to be of service.  My early termination from the Peace Corps was necessary, it’s one of those things that you just cannot predict or prepare for.

Of course, these are just the reasons why you may not be able to join the Peace Corps.  Even if you can get past these ‘requirements’, you still ought to have a real reason behind wanting to join the Peace Corps aside from ‘because I can’.

The easiest way I can sum up the mess of motives I had is: I wanted to experience life in a new way and serve this world in a constructive a meaningful form. Personally, I have very little interest in the material possessions of life; I seek a more solid, irrevocable representation of me - something other than cars and houses and ‘stuff’. Peace Corps volunteer periods are 27 months long, in a culture you're completely unfamiliar with, overshadowed by a heavy language barrier. Most folks consider such a change as pretty extreme, and I would say they are correct. This is a change that I, however, needed to make - and an experience I will undoubtedly keep for my lifetime. For you, it may be something a bit less extreme; a sabbatical from work, a trip to the islands, or even just reorienting the priorities in your life. It is something I believe we all have to figure out with time.

FiveFingers are an athletic shoe created by Vibram.

Vibram makes rubber soles for a variety of shoe products, and surprisingly, have been around since 1937 - recently hitting their 70th anniversary.  Time Magazine tagged their FiveFinger athletic shoes as a best invention in 2007.  They are marketed as a 'barefoot alternative'; initially towards climbers, sailors, and light-trekkers.  They have since become popular with runners, martial artists, hikers, travelers, and a variety of other adventurers - which is exactly how I found out about them.

I originally read about the Vibram FiveFingers some time ago in a gear related article by Tynan of Life Nomadic.  I then spotted some odd shoe-socks on Tim Ferris via a YouTube video.  He has since written a more detailed article about his own experiences with the athletic shoes.  His article thoroughly explains a variety of the health benefits he has researched regarding barefoot running (or near barefoot running with FiveFingers).  Wikipedia does a solid job of summing these benefits up:

The shoe is not only supposed to make running more enjoyable but is beneficial for a persons posture, strengthen muscles in the feet and legs, increase range of motion in ankle.

Before purchasing the FiveFingers, I had been running frequently, maybe three times per week roughly 4 miles per run, in a pair of Brooks Adrenaline GTS 8.  I had purchased these from Kelly's Running Warehouse just over a year ago for $71.97, at the time, the cheapest price online for those shoes.  They were a big improvement over what I had been running in, some random pair of old sneakers.  I noticed that the lighter weight and solid, supported sole made for an easier run.  One of my biggest problems running was an occasional ankle role that would take me down in fairly moderate pain for several minutes, trying to shake the sharp rising sting and tingle off.

I also do a fair amount of climbing around the James River outside of Richmond, VA and frequent indoor exercises (check out the 100 Day Burpee Challenge).  Needless to say, running shoes aren't the best choice for these activities.  After seeing another article pop-up with some YouTube stars sporting FiveFingers, I decided it was time for me to go ahead give these things a shot.  They sounded like they were right up my alley.  Then I realized they were $74.95, just a few dollars short of my recent running shoe purchase that I had already balked at - and these things certainly did not seem to have as much material to them.

Lucky me, I found the '08 model on closeout at Travel Country and managed to pick them up for a steal, just $39.95.  I even talked a friend of mine into a pair.  I went with the Classic and he went with the KSO.  After returning the original pair pictured above due to a slight sizing problem (they seem to run a bit big, and with European sizing only), I ended up with a pair less attention-grabbing colored Classics that fit properly.  So how are these things for actual excursions?

I found them to be a mind opening experience on any surface that is softer than asphalt.  It really was amazing to feel all the intricacies of the ground - the small twigs under your feet, the variations in the level of the dirt below, the tiny bumps here and there, the grass softly cushioning your foot-fall.  It was a different experience than I had imagined.  Now, I don't typically run barefoot, had I done that on a normal basis, perhaps my first experience with the FiveFingers would not have been so enlightening.  Beyond the surreal feel of the earth below your feet, I also found there to be a significant increase in my ability to grip the ground and properly predict how my foot may need to be positioned, my weight balanced, and even how my next push-off should go.  I certainly am not a 'professional runner', but I genuinely did notice these new aspects of each step when using my new freak-feet.

Yes, freak-feet.  FiveFingers are certainly something that will attract attention.  It's hard not to notice the eyes following your feet if you wear them out to run some errands en route to your next run.  The kids at the grocery store will indeed point, smile and maybe even ask you about them.  If you like the attention, this certainly won't be a bad thing.  I have found them to be an interesting topic with the ladies, but not something they particularly like - no surprise here, might not want to wear them to the bar.  Beyond the questionable social aspects, there is a significant 'breaking-in' period for your body when wearing these.  Your body has adjusted to accommodate for thickly cushioned shoes and wide flat soles.  This unnaturally forces a step that has an impact at your heel with a roll to your toes.  Humans were designed to have a more flat, full impact with each step.

Barefoot running involves pushing from the ground with the ball of the foot rather than the heel, foot landing directly under the hips. 'The force to drive you forward should only be applied after the foot has settled on the ground completely. Striking the ground, especially with the heel, causes trauma and makes the runner susceptible to injury'. It follows that running shoes with heavily padded heels will impede this natural motion. Although there is much research to still be done, there are many studies that suggest that running shoes contribute greatly to the high incidence of injuries among shod runners.

Dr. Gordon Pirie

FiveFingers help move you back into your natural flat impact style running, where most of the impact is spread across your foot rather than at the single point.  Why not just run barefoot?  Well, it may be reasonable in a non-urban area, but I live in a city and there is plenty of glass, nails, and other nasty bits that I do not want driven into my foot.  The FiveFingers provide a very tough sole that is more like a thick rubber sock than a traditional running shoe sole.  After just a few weeks of moderate use of my FiveFingers (slowly incorporating them into my runs), I found my feet became adapted to the less cushioned and covered style of running I was used to.  I initially had a very slight amount of heel and toe-ball pain from the higher impacts of the FiveFingers, which even forced me into a different running style that involved a flatter, spread impact with each step.  I also initially had some light blisters from the rubbing of the FiveFingers due to the lack of socks.

So, a solid 100+ miles and three months later, where do I stand on these FiveFingers?  Well, I have a problem.

Yep, there is a hole above my left shoe's big toe.  There's also some smaller holes on the inside of the that same toe, as well as one on the other big toe.  They have become gradually worse.  I feel I have maintained them quite well, they have only seen the washer once (they are washer compatible) and on a light cycle mixed with towels on cold.  No dryer.  It seems as the fabric's 'knit' has come apart at the top, perhaps pushed by a light drag across some terrain or from brushing a bit of brush while running.  It appears to be a manufacturing problem with the product as it is appearing on various toes and both shoes.  I am currently attempting to have them returned to the retailer or if necessary, Vibram.  I hear their warranty service is good, so I will have to hold a final conclusion for after I have finished the warranty service procedure. 

As a side note, my friend who purchased a pair of the KSOs has had no significant problems with the FiveFingers, likes them quite a bit, and has not had any similar 'defect'.

As of now, I would say that the Vibram FiveFinger Classic offers an excellent bridge to barefoot running.  They can provide a solid level of protection while also gradually moving you into a barefoot running style.  They have a bit of an initial learning curve, but more than make up for it with an enlightening experience as you feel the Earth below your feet.  The FiveFingers do not create the seesaw like problem that exists when your solid sole shoe's weight shifts on an uneven surface causing a rolled ankle.  No rolled ankles in the months I have used the FiveFingers.  I imagine I have merely had a one-off poor experience with the manufacturing which will probably be cured.  Take a look and see if the barefoot running experience might be for you!

An update to this article has been posted.

I have added a Twitter feed preview to all of the pages on this site.  From the home page, you will see the feed preview on the left side of the page (and on the right from the blog content pages).  This feed preview shows you the latest two tweets I have posted to Twitter.  Hopefully this will make it even easier to keep pace with me and see what I am up to.  You can also view my full Twitter feed.

Right now, my biggest Twitter use is a few services offered by Twitter users:

• Timer: Following this Twitter user allows you to send a direct message with a special syntax to Timer that will then tweet you back with a reminder.
• GCal: By following the directions available at the Twittercal website, you can follow the GCal Twitter user and send a direct message to this user to add an event to your Google Calendar.

Now, the steps necessary to use either of these tools makes them seem sort of pointless, after all it is not that difficult to sign into Google Calendar and add an event.  Nor is it difficult to use any variety of timer functions or even a manual timer for reminders.  However, I use Quicksilver (or Launchy for Windows users) to send Tweets within just a few keystrokes while using my computer; so combining Quicksilver with these Twitter tools, I can easily setup a reminder or add a Google Calendar event in a matter of a few key presses.

I cannot honestly say that I am much of a Twitter user in the traditional sense, as of now anyways, and am a bit curious as to what others think of Twitter.  What do you think the purpose of Twitter is and how can it be useful?  What do you personally use your Twitter account for?

Orchestra is the CMS (Content Management System) canvas from the web technology company I work with, Daymuse Studios.  This new personal blog of mine is actually powered by Orchestra, which is the reasoning for this post.  The technical side of this new service won't be too terribly interesting to you, so instead I would rather just point out some of the neat things you will notice around this blog that may be different from what you have seen elsewhere on the internet.

1. Commenting System: The entire commenting system is based around the idea that users should be able to comment and interact with each other in real time.  You will notice that if you click the "comments" section following any article, you will be able to instantly read the article's comments, without reloading the page or going to a new version of the article with the comments shown.  The comments are also listed in reverse chronological order, which means the newest comment will always be the first one shown.  You can also easily add comments without even creating an account!  What's very special about this, is that your comment appears virtually instantly on other user's screens as well, without them having to reload the comments - this creates a virtual live conversation with every article.  Blogs powered by Wordpress and Blogger might have you constantly reloading the page in order to see new comments, but that won't be the case here!
2. Account Tools: You can easily create a new user account from any article or page on the site, just by clicking the register link at the top right.  You will instantly be able to create an account with the simple three field form that appears and even use your account management tools - all without ever reloading the page or losing track of the article you may have been reading before you decided to create an account.
3. Connecting: You can easily share any article you find interesting with a friend or family member by clicking the "share this" link following any article, all without ever going to a new page and losing track of what you were doing.  You can always keep in touch with me using any of the socializing tools presented in the opposite column, as well as catch my latest Flickr photos, and even send me an email instantly.

There are also a variety of behind-the-scenes administration tools for users with special privileges.  If you are interested in how these work, feel free to take a look at a recent client screencast I created to present how these tools work:

I hope you find these new technologies make it even easier to browse, share, and socialize on this blog.  Now, make use of them!

This post is dated February 11, 2008 - the original launch date of TicTocLife.com, a personal travel blog.  The site has underwent a significant change in structure, layout and the systems that power it.  I am reintroducing this blog with updated travel posts.  Below is a modified version of the original introduction to Tic Toc Life.

So, what's the point of this travel blog?  Good question!  It's probably best to start with who I am:

A twenty-something that finds great value in travel and exploration. I do my best to weave a variety of trips into my schedule and then share these experiences with you all. I've been on a number of adventures over the past years and even spent time volunteering with the Peace Corps in Nicaragua.

From the "Who Are You?" section

I've had a moderate amount of experience around the globe, all things considered.  I thoroughly enjoy exploring the world and its people.  I've had several family members and friends request that I keep tabs on myself and deliver periodic tidbits about my latest last-minute trips.  I will do my best to offer interesting and useful information about locations I have spent some time in.  This might be local transportation suggestions, recommendations for sites to see, expenses, or some incite into the culture of the location.

If you happen to be a traveler as well and find yourself familiar with a location I am featuring, do feel free to add in your own opinion via the comments.  You can always drop me a line with the contact form as well!